3 comments about Corporate Art Consulting.

1. I have just started reading this book. The print quality is poor but the content is good.
   I do not intend to be an art consultant, I am a working artist, but I like to learn as much as I can about the art market and surviving as an artist.
   
   At this point I have read the first few chapters and am very impressed with the intelligent analysis of sectors in the art consulting (marketing) field put forward by this author. The text offers a description of the types of client involved in each sector, their different expectations and the different types and levels of knowledge, skill and effort required to service them.
   
   I recommend it.



2. Not many words to say. It is an excellent book. Many thanks to Susan Abbott for sharing her knowledge.



3. Great book. This book has helped me alot. Susan Abbott really breaks the business art consulting down with samples of letters and proposals to clients, telling you when to phone and when to write. This book is not just for art consultants but for anyone who is involved in the business side of art i.e. galleries and artists. I definitely reccomend this book.

5 comments about Pictures Showing What Happens on Each Page of Thomas Pynchon's Novel Gravity's Rainbow.

1. My two sons (Zachary and Alexander) have been saving their allowance and doing extra chores to save money for a Nintendo DS (they save half, my wife & I pay half). This has been a huge deal for them because they each really want one.
   
   Yesterday, my wife took the boys to a bookstore, and 7 1/2 year old Zach saw Zak Smith's book based on Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow". He could not, would not put it down; he was mesmerized. He's not one to want, want, want, but this, he had to have. He looked at various and sundry art-related books for at least a half hour, and kept coming back to this book. Which was $40. After much discussion and pondering, Zach was resolute: My wife had a $16 credit at the store which she let him use and he kicked in $20 of his $27 to get the book. The point is, he gave up his Gameboy money for an art book. A big deal. He said "You know how interested I am in art, Mom!"
   
   I've read a bit of Pynchon ("Vineland") but when I've leafed through "Granvity's Rainbow" in the past, I've thought it challenging, circular, dense. Very much like, though not so much as, the uber-interpretive "Finegan's Wake" by James Joyce (referenced, coincidentally, by Zak Smith's book). So at once I was impressed; thumbing through Zach's Zak book, even more so. It IS mesmerizing; page after page of fascinating, provoking, stirring beauty. You can get lost in there.
   
   Not only do I now have a renewed vigor to tackle "Gravity's Rainbow", but am inspired to have (with Zach's permission) Zak Smith's profoundly astonishing book along for the cerebral roller coaster, a benevolent guide to provide dazzling clues as I navigate the former's intellectually demanding jungle.
   
   Whether $26.37 or $39.95, worth every penny...



2. I'm totally blown away by this book, after seeing these drawings at the Walker I had to own it. Check out his website to see all the drawings on line.



3. I just saw the Zak Smith exhibit at the Walker Art Center in Minn. where I had gone to see the "Picasso in America". But this Gravity's Rainbow page-by-page is, by far, the reason to go to the Walker right now. Mindboggling. Buy the book and picture each page lined up like a grid covering an entire wall. The Pynchon book is quite challenging to read so try to imagine Zak Smith capturing the concept of each and every page with a drawing or picture. Number 404 looks like an inch thick melted white plastic mess--does anyone know what happened in the book on this page? I noticed that one of the "tags" for this product is "genius." Believe it.



4. If you live anywhere near Minneapolis get yourself over to the Walker Art Center, where every single one of Zak Smith's drawings/paintings/sculptures (yes, some are three dimensional) for this project are displayed on one wall. (All are in the permanent collection of the Walker.) How do I know it's all 750+ artworks? Because I counted. 45 columns by 17 rows. You could spend hours staring at them and not exhaust this monumental project. I'm not sure how long they'll remain on display so don't put it off.



5. Zak Smith a genious, and this book the best.
   if you like concept ilustration, you'll love it...
   
   and the prize it's great!

5 comments about Tragic Kingdom: The Art of Camille Rose Garcia.

1. This book is absolutely beautiful. I bought it for my daughter, as one of her birthday gifts and she loved it. It was delivered still wrapped in original shrink-wrap so it stayed protected. The book itself is well made, with nice thick paper and several pages done in heavy vellum. I am considering buying a copy for myself. I really enjoyed finding out more about the artist (in the back of the book) too. She is a true talent!



2. Tragic Kingdom: The Art of Camille Rose Garcia is the most beautiful art book I've seen in a long time. Not only are her paintings amazing, but every ten or fifteen pages are pages that look like thicker tracing paper with sketches on them. I love the art in this book so much that I got one of the owls tattooed on my arm. Camille Rose Garcia is one of my favorite artists, and if you like her art or want to see something new check out this book.



3. Oh hell, this girl rocks a lot, Camille is just so deep in her art, it is so beautifull, i wish i could go to a museum with her exposition some day! Her art is simply superb, the world she created is amazing. Great book. One of my favorites.



4. Wow! Someone was in the mood to show off when this book was being put together. I love the sketches that are included on the translucent pages. But why oh why do so many of my books from Amazon look as if they have been tumbled in a clothes dryer for an hour or so before they get to my door? This one has a slit across the back cover. Looks like it has been in a knife fight. As soon as this book goes out of print it will skyrocket in price. Not only is the artist's work beautifully reproduced but the book design and execution are superb.
   
   The essays are hit or miss (yes, I read the text). Carlo McCormick's contribution is fascinating, as always.



5. This book is a delight to have! I am broke now but I don't care because CRG work is inspiring and visually invigorating. I believe though, you really have to see her work in person to get the full experience! I can't wait to see where she goes in the art world.

2 comments about The Railway: Art in the Age of Steam (Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art).

1. The quality of exhibition catalogs ranges from poor to excellent. In this case, we have a catalog that fulfills all most important requirements.
   For one, although some snobs describe it as "pretty pictures', the reproductions are accurate, and their size is good. Especially when it comes to paintings that belong to private collections, the only hope to be reminded of the emotions one felt in the presence of the real painting, is to enjoy a decent reproduction. So I consider it a very important quality for a catalog to present well sized, good quality reproductions of all the works of art being exhibited.
   Although this catalog is not a treatise about the subject of the exhibit (and I don't believe it should be), the texts are very accurate, while at the same time they are short and concise. This is what a catalog should provide, as opposed to being the space to host infinite, boring, and cryptic prolusions by some solipsistic scholar.
   Last but not least, the structure of the catalog is very good, with the last few pages providing small reproductions of all the artwork organized by author, with short explanation blurbs that perfectly serve their purpose.
   Overall, a very good catalog for a fantastic exhibition that brought together, in some cases for the very first time, some of the most wonderful masterpieces ever created.



2. This is a wonderfully illustrated book that documents the profound transformation an amazing technology (steam locomotion) had on all strata of society. It features masterpieces from 19th and 20th century artists and photographers and is highly readable and informative. It appealed to me as both a railway enthusiast, a reader of American and European history and as someone who enjoys art in it's many genres. I highly recommend this book.

4 comments about The Official Guide to the Smithsonian.

1. The guide is in excellent condition. And if you can't go to the Smithsonian, this certainly is the second best way to visit.



2. This guide was purchased for a 12 year old who will be visiting the Smithsonian for the first time. I have visited the Smithsonian several times and feel this guide will be very helpful.



3. Really can't say but they were thrilled getting the book.
   Was a Christmas gift so haven't gotten feed back on if it has been read yet. They did love the idea as they are going to spend the summer there and wanted to spend time at the Smithsonian.



4. This book is just what you would expect from the Smithsonian, 224 pages of glossy pictures that leave you wanting more. The _Guide_ starts with about 35 pages of useful information such as how to get around DC and some of the history of the Smithsonian Institution. Then comes a quick survey of the different museums starting with that favorite, the Air and Space Museum, which is the home of the Wright Brothers first flying aircraft. And don't forget the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport or you will miss a proto-type space shuttle. After surveying the rest of the Smithsonian museums near the National Mall, the _Guide_ includes a few other attractions in DC such as the National Zoological Park. A few noteworthy mentions in NYC round out the _Guide_.
   
   Of course, you could spend your entire two week vacation at the Smithsonian and never see it all. (Do an online search to see how big it is.) If you use the _Guide_ to plan a trip to DC, one thing I might suggest is that you learn to use the Metro (subway) system. The _Guide_ mentions it, but it is too bad that a map of the Metro system was not included. (Get one online.) If you buy the _Guide_ in order to remember a trip to DC, one thing that will quickly catch your attention is that the National Museum for the American Indian mentioned is the one in NYC. Either way, the _Guide_ is well worth it.

5 comments about The Civil War Battlefield Guide, Second Edition.

1. The Conservation Fund's title "The Civil War Battlefield Guide" in my opinion is an invaluable tool for understanding the flow and troop dispositions of several Civil War battles.
   
   In all, there are maps and troop movements for around 60 Civil War engagements and range from smaller battles such as Cloyd's Mountain to major engagements like Gettysburg. Another important feature of the book is the inclusion of modern-day roads included in the maps so the reader and battlefield visitor can better understand where the battle was fought in relation to where he/she may be standing at the time (assuming, of course, that the reader is on the battlefield at the time).
   
   My only real complaint is that some bloody battles (Franklin, Nashville, etc.) were left out. However, the book does an overall good job of including most of the major engagements.
   
   An excellent read and valuable battlefield tour aid. Read and enjoy! Recommended.



2. This is one of the best books to have to study the civil war locations, and tour the battles. It has superb topographical maps of the battle area's.
   
   It also has more information on the battles and different topic's on the civil war.
   
   I have never been to any of the battles back east, since I have lived in the Midwest and Arizona, so I wish the book had more pictures of the area's then and now. I have talked to a few people and it is sad that we are losing some of these battlefields to land development



3. I do not live near many of the major battlefield sites, and I have never had this guide in my possession when visiting any battlefields so I cannot comment on its "real-time" usefulness, but I can say that having this guide has been quite valuable in personal study. The maps cleverly overlay the North/South troop placements and movements on modern topographic renderings that include today's highways and other developments. So, before or after a live visit to a particular battlefield, these maps will help you to place the precise historic details in the context of, say, the visitor's center or other modern landmarks (like roads) that can be recognized. I have also found the narrative descriptions to be both brief and comprehensive enough to supplement my readings for particular battles. For instance, I am reading Cozzen's difficult study now about Chickamauga. Having this guide at hand, I can refresh myself on the overview of the battle, and thus better absorb and enjoy the expert details of the book that I'm reading. The chronological order of the battles also provides a great overview of the entire war at a glance (in case, for example, you're not sure how the two Bull Run battles fit together, or how Chickamauga relates to Chattanooga, or how either of these relates to Gettysburg or Vickburg). Lastly, this is just a great book for browsing if you are interested in the Civil War.



4. I bought this book because i was working for a battlefield in the Park Service this summer and I had some free time to see other Battle fields in the surrounding areas: Richmond, Cold Harbor, Fredericksburg, Antietam, Harper's Ferry, Malverin Hill. And this book is just what I needed, because sometimes the best thing is just a concise history to understand with great detailing maps for comprehension and this has it. I value mine on a Civil War Battlefield trips



5. I took a group of college students on a "civil wargasm" last spring---to Gettysburg, Antietam, and dozens of sites in Virginia. We took a parcel of books and maps. This is the one we referred to more than any other. By laying out the battle over a modern map, this guide makes it easier to understand what happened where, and definitely enhances a visit to any site, large or small. It is especially useful for stops at battle sites that are only commemorated by historical markers, and for sites that have nearly disappeared under freeways and housing developments. If you plan to visit Civil War sites anywhere, this is the first book you should buy.

1 comments about Goble's Fairy Tale Illustrations: 86 Full-Color Plates.

1. Good collection. Representative of some of the great artists that have braved this subject. Children of all ages are very discerning critics.

5 comments about Black Velvet Masterpieces: Highlights from the Collection of the Velveteria Museum.

1. BLACK VELVET MASTERPIECES is an incredible overview of the low-brow and high-art world of velvet painting. The book contains images from the entire history of velvet painting: from schlocky Elvises, insane clowns, frolicking unicorns, and sad-eyed children to delicately rendered South Sea island beauties and Old Master works - All of it intensely colorful and wildly inventive.
   
   I have also visited VELVETERIA in Portland, Oregon and it is well worth the trip. Seeing some of my favorite paintings from the book was an amazing experience and the ever-rotating collection on display will have you laughing, crying and leave you with a new-found respect for the medium. Check out the Black-Light room when you are there!
   
   Both the book and museum are highly recommended!



2. Black velvet paintings have been given surprisingly little attention so it's an exceptional pleasure to see a title that celebrates the art and offers up images from the authors' joint project the Velveteria Museum in Portland, Oregon. From Elvises and clowns to religious icons and tropical visions, nearly three hundred reproductions of these works accompany a history of the medium and provide a stunning photo catalog of black art achievement.



3. This is the most important book on art to appear since Aristotle's "Poetics"! Sure, the real-life noms de reality of the Velveteria's curators are Carl Baldwin and Caren Anderson, but the breadth and depth of their contribution to modern appreciation of art put them more in line spiritually with the Renaissance Medici family - for, like the Medicis, they know talent when they see (or in this case, feel) it. Like all true art patrons, they make art appreciation an art in and of itself, and have had the pizazz and wherewithal to pluck otherwise unheralded auteurs such as Richard Bustamante, Ce Ce Rodriguez, and "Juanita," from the slums of obscurity and put them in the sparkling art-world penthouse that is this book. This book has more entertaining photos in it than J. Edgar Hoover's secret files, circa 1968, but what will surprise the uninitiated is that it also is full of more wacky, wild, and woolly stories than the Warren Commission Report! Carl and Caren are true characters, and their passion for their art and each other comes through in spades here. They have a lust for life, a gift of gab, and a knack for picking the very best in Unicorns, 18-Wheeler Jesuses, nude Polynesians, Mexican Banditos, and Cigar-Smoking Filipina Hill Tribe Women. The Velveteria is the type of place the word "psychotronic" was invented for, and this book is the type of thing your credit card was issued to buy - that is, if you have a smidgen of coolness (and money) in you. Carl and Caren have done their part to make the world a weirder, cooler, freakier, more mind-expanding place - have you?



4. This wonderful book opened my eyes to the people and talent behind these mainly overlooked pieces of art.
   
   My initial impressions of velvet painting was that there probably wasn't much past the standard clowns and snarling Elvis. While that's what I was familiar with, this title brought to life an entirely different group of artists who produced artwork that I found to be both surprising and stunning.
   
   I truly enjoyed the writing style, the wonderful color photographs, the story behind building this collection and the way the book was broken into subjects make it a pleasure to thumb through. The actual velvet cover was simply the icing on the cake!
   
   Well done!



5. The full color photographs - approx. 200 - are gorgeous and are almost tactile in the way they convey the lush texture and rich color of the velvet paintings. I also enjoyed the authors' writing style: chatty and interesting, covering everything from the history of velvet painting and painters to the authors' personal collecting stories. So...great photos, great writing, and a front cover artfully decorated with black velvet - makes the book itself a bit of a Black Velvet Masterpiece!
   
   I was also lucky enough to visit the authors' Velveteria Museum in Portland and can attest it's well worth the trip.

No comments about Guide to Getting Arts Grants.

2 comments about Rhythms of Modern Life.

1. Gorgeous book on graphics and history; beautiful and fascinating for the student of the subject. Based on the museum exhibit, which should be seen in conjunction with reading the book.



2. College-level art libraries strong in British prints will find this title accompanies a major exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Metropolitan Museum, but stands well alone for art libraries across the country. It provides over 100 of these British prints, many published for the first time, and accompanies lovely full-color, often full-page designs with essays on both history and techniques. A fine recommendation for any serious art library.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch