5 comments about The Mystical Language Of Icons.

1. Excellent explanations of the symbolic meanings withen icons. I liked it.
   Marguerite Culhane
   Eagle River AK



2. An excellent book for those interested in iconography.Set at a level for both the experianced writer, who wants to refresh their knowledge and yet also for the novice who would like to investigate this area.The explanations of the icons are wonderful,while the prayers from the eastern orthodox church illustrate the deep comtemplative spirit of this media.



3. Wonderful book. One those you can't put down. Great art. And i hope he does more on the subject. Just a great book. A+



4. I read "The Language of Icons" with the intention of learning more about the mode of religious art most characteristic of Eastern Christianity. The book far exceeded my expectations. I learned more about icons than I ever would have hoped. The reproductions of representative icons were beautiful and luminous. Moreover, the text was deeply spiritual and inspiring. The reader is drawn to meditate on the Christian message that the icons symbolize. There are books that are informative and books that are inspiring. This book manages to be both.



5. A beautiful and helpful book. I'm glad I bought it. It is not a primer, but rather a middle school book.

5 comments about Saints in Art (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. This beautiful book contains a collection of biographies of saints together with Old Master's paintings. There are usually several paintings depicting each saint.
   They include bullets of artistic information about most of the pictures. I do not recommend it for children
   because of the sometimes grahic depictions of martyrdom.



2. I believe there can be intrinsic value in Art, and for whatever reason, I relate better to Art in which I can recognize 'true' expressions of 'the Human Condition.' IOW, I may have a limited breadth of soul, but I see much Modern Art as Absurd (or Disturbing). To cut to the chase, regardless of your Religious orientation or preference, there is much sense to the range of human expression found in this book, and best of all for my money, the wonder of it all.
   
   However, the book title is literal, it is a book of Saints represented in Art. If you're at all put off by the ubiquitous nature of bygone Catholic days, 'got enough dogma,' you may not care for this book. If you are able to look past this, you may very readily see a wide and true spectrum of views of our common Humanity.
   
   In all Art books, I prefer the narrative not going overboard, this book does it fairly nicely. The narrative includes bio info on the Saint depicted, but it also includes helpful Art criticism that is pragmatic and avoids esoteric verbiage best kept in Graduate Studies. It's a nice quality book, but the only fault I find with it is, I wish it'd been a larger format by several inches, I prefer the Big Picture. A pretty good value.
   
   Hope this review helps.



3. Books with stories that you can leaf through, without reading linearly from cover to cover, are always fun, and for lovers of medieval art, Saints is one of the best. Lushly illustrated, and formatted somewhat like a travel guide, the mini-biographies summarize what is known about each saint. Representative art works are provided, accompanied by sidebars and annotations with arrows that point out key features. Saints in Art is a valuable resource for anyone wishing to decipher the symbology and iconography contained in the religious works, great and small.



4. this book is awesome! it has info on over 100 saints commonly found in art. stuff like name, time and place of earthly life,what they did, patronage,special devotions, connections to other saints, when they became saints and their feast days are easily found on the sidebar. there is a little biography and then a collection of maybe three paintings and an explanation of who is in the painting and what they are doing as well as the meanings of the objects they are pictured with. for instance, if i ever see a painting of a woman with her hair down pictured with a container of oil or ointment i will know it is mary magdalene. a t-shaped cane is an emblem of St. Anthony Abbot, etc. super useful saint painting decoder.



5. This title originally comes from the popular Dizionari dell'Arte series by Italian publishers Electa and we should be thankful that the Getty has taken on the task of translating these fabulous reference books into English. Saints in Art is an important source not only for the iconography and hagiography of the principal saints in art but on the great visual history of European painting (with an emphasis on Italian). Lavishly illustrated. I highly recommend it!

3 comments about Art and Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts.

1. Christians in the Arts
   
   All people have a worldview, a certain set of assumptions about what is real and is not real, which enables the individual to function within and with the world that exist. Although few individuals ever sit down and try to analyze their worldview-and we all have one-that worldview finds expression in how we live. The individual's worldview can be seen in the product of the individual's labor. For the creative person, e.g., the artist, poet, writer, etc.,his or her worldview is apparent to the critic's trained eye in the creative product. Great art, it has been said, is but the coming together of worldview and technique.
   The Christian who wishes to express his or her creative gifts must learn to live in tension. Christianity, especially in America, has not been friendly to the creative spirit. In ART & SOUL: SIGNPOSTS FOR CHRISTIANS IN THE ARTS, Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin argue that artistic expression is a natural byproduct of human beings created in the image of God. This does not mean that the Christian artist will paint only praying hands or write only religious romances, either of which are about as artistic as a velvet painting of Elvis. "All the products of human creativity, even the finest and most glorious, are products of a sin-infested world" (50). The Christian artist, like the non-Christian artist of merit, will seek to truthfully portray the world in all its complexity to an adult audience. To do so, write Brand and Chaplin, "the artist must learn to create a complex weave of dark and light. It means learning to use the full palate of shades, confident that in hands-that have learned their craft-they will not all merge into muddy grey" (55). The Christian worldview of the Christian artist will be evident to the discerning observer.
   The arts are but one focus of the spiritual war that is being waged within the created order, as well as in the heavenly realm. To divide the arts into the "secular" and the "Christian" is a false dualism. At the heart of the Christian message, as the authors point out, there is a duality in contradistinction to a dualism. It is "a very real battle between opposing forces of good and evil." It is a battle in which "the battlelines between good and evil run across all aspects of culture and every facet of life" (68).
   ART & SOUL is a well-written, well-illustrated study of the relationship between the creative arts and Christianity. Whether an artist seeking justification for being such, or a layperson who desires a better understanding of why human beings feel compelled to "create," this book is a good place to begin the quest.



2. This is a very informative interesting book. Easy to read, hard to put down. A great overview of past and present Art, how Art has shaped and been shaped, down through history and its relevance to us as Artists today. Thoroughly recommend.



3. In ART AND SOUL, Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin explore the full spectrum of issues and concerns that face a Christian who is interested in working within any of the creative arts. They address questions ranging from postmodern assumptions about art through the very practical issue of who might (or should) support the artist in his/her work. This book seeks to explain why and how the arts impact the audience, and even if a reader may disagree with some of the authors' conclusions, the very fact that they have attempted to find purpose and meaning in the arts
   distinguishes this book from the multitude of contemporary aesthetic theories which tend to emphasize the utter subjectivity and "meaninglessness" of works of art. To support their discussion, Brand and Chaplin provide abundant examples of artistic works, including references to literature, music, and (especially) the visual arts. While some of these examples derive from the long history of the Christian church's interaction with the arts, most are current, involving the work of living artists in the news (such as the recent "Sensation" exhibit that created turmoil in Brooklyn)--and some whose work has undeservingly remained unknown. In addition, the authors cite numerous artists' views on the arts, as well as contemporary theorists such as Nicholas Wolterstorff and Calvin Seerveld. ART AND SOUL is by far the most comprehensive and most knowledgable study of the issues faced by Christians entering the arts. It is also quite accessible, with clearly defined terminology so that even a
   nonartist could follow the discussion without hesitation. Furthermore, because Brand and Chaplin have so thoroughly addressed the issues facing today's artists, this book would be a useful study for anyone seeking a better understanding of these questions. I enthusiastically recommend ART AND SOUL for anyone who seeks a greater understanding of the contemporary arts, the issues facing the arts, and the ways in which Christians can integrate the arts within their life (as well as integrating
   their life & faith into their art).

5 comments about Noah's Ark.

1. Poortvliet provides an unexpected delight in his telling of the Noah's Ark story through the prism of his youth and memories. The drawings are remarkable in their humanity. He has created a book that is a must have for adults, particularly animal lovers, and children to share.



2. One of the most beautifully illustrated books ever. The artwork is superb and the narrative sublime by someone who appreciates the design in nature. I cant imagine anyone not really treasuring this book, for young and old alike.



3. 
   I have had the larger, original version of this book for thirty years or so, and I wanted to get it for my grandson's fifth birthday. Unfortunately, the larger version was no longer available, but this one filled the bill nicely. It is a perfect size, and it has perfect content for bedtime stories. Plus, none of the excellent pages was left out. Rien Poortvliet is a magnificent artist, and a thoughtful one, at that.



4. The illustrations in this volume are amazing. I love the format. It's much like a personal journal with sketches to enhance the artist's viewpoint. I will definately consider purchasing everything that is available by this author after seeing this beloved work of art.



5. AWESTRUCK is the only word to describe my reaction to this magnificently beautiful book! It is a huge collection of Poortvliet's master quality artwork in a stunning coffee table book. The thoughtfully executed art gives evidence of the artist's heart toward the subject matter. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

2 comments about Music Through the Eyes of Faith.

1. A thorough philosophy of the art of music from a Christian perspective.



2. This book is an exciting and prophetic look at the music of the Church. Whether or not you are directly affiliated with a church music program, you need to read this book!! Harold Best masterfully deals with topics relevant to the Contemporary Church around the world from a biblical, historical, and academic position.

   This book is not to equate music with worship, for this is a big mistake that the author intentionally avoids. However, in order to move forward in our thinking and theology of formal community worship, we need to remove music from the discussion and examine it thoroughly on its own. It is at this point that we can begin to see how our worship fits together. Best's book masterfully does this on many levels.

5 comments about People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture.

1. A fantastic book. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about Mormons and Mormonism.



2. Finally, someone has put together all of the anomalies inherent in the LDS religion and culture. Well, not all. But enough that you get a really good idea of all of the paradoxes that are so frustrating. It was fascinating to see so many of the perplexities spelled out. However, I believe there is somewhere a statement to the effect "there must needs be an opposition in all things"; but who would have thought that it was built-in?



3. I found this to be a very valuable book. Terryl Givens taught me aspects of LDS history that I did not know or simply hadn't dawned on me. As a small example, in talking about building the Nauvoo temple, he mentions the extremely small population that took on the building of the Kirtland Temple. "Instead of the 100 or so members who populated the Ohio town when that temple was announced in 1832, Nauvoo in 1841 was the center of a burgeoning Illinois Mormon population in excess of some 12,000." - pg 109. Every time I think about such a small band of people taking on the building of the Kirtland Temple I get dizzy. And when I consider the amazing growth of the church in only a few years amid all the difficulties they also endured I am still amazed even though I have known the story since my childhood.
   
   However, this isn't another telling of the history of the church. Givens examines the culture of the church and the various strains within that culture that had their roots in the revelations received by Joseph Smith, the strains of culture brought in by the various groups of immigrant converts, the impact of the various migrations due to persecution, the temporary isolation in the West, and the growing pains of becoming a global church in modernity.
   
   This is an ambitious book that accomplishes the author's aims amazingly well. Givens admits that he has left out material on popular culture and folk expressions that deserve treatment. He also recognizes that some of the Western cultural distinctions of high culture and serious art will have less meaning to an increasing membership outside that cultural heritage.
   
   Givens presents his material in sixteen chapters divided into three parts. Part 1 establishes the "Foundations and Paradoxes in Mormon Cultural Origins". The four chapters lay out the cultural dichotomies of authority and radical freedom, the idea of searching and certainty, the very practical (banal) aspects of everyday life that are also tied up with Mormon ideas of the sacred, and the sense of being the chosen people versus the effects on our culture from persecution, migration, and isolation.
   
   Part 2 is "The Dancing Puritans" and covers the period from 1830-1890. The six chapters examine the idea among Mormons that the "Glory of God is Intelligence", along with architecture, music, dance, theater, literature, and the visual arts. The author's emphasis is how the seeming conflicts of the Part 1 play themselves out in the circumstances and means of expression by the artists during this period.
   
   Part 3 is "A Moveable Zion - Pioneer Nostalgia and Beyond the American Religion" and covers the years from 1890 to the present. Givens again takes us through the way thinkers fit into and don't fit into Church culture. He also takes us through the realities of church correlation. The topics of architecture, music, dance, theater, literature, and the visual arts are examined regarding their developments. Film is also added to the chapter of theater. Givens also talks about the implications of the majority of the church not only being outside Utah and the Western states, but also outside the United States.
   
   Since I have lived all my life in the church, but here in Michigan, I learned a great deal about the life of the Saints in the West that I did not know and it was all most interesting. However, I have also lived my life deeply involved in music (my undergraduate degree is in music theory and I have studied piano since I was a child), and I found some of Givens' analyses and conclusions a bit exasperating. Some of what he and the some of the artists in the book claim are difficulties with Church culture have more to do with the life of artist everywhere and in all places. On page 337 we read this sentence: "No wonder, as Southey noted despondently, a survey of responses to the Mormon Arts Festival revealed that `more than one-third or all patrons believed that art was basically irrelevant to the church.'' Talk about missing a glass two-thirds full!
   
   My guess is that more than a third of the population at large sees the fine arts as irrelevant to their life in any way. Having been a classical musician all my life, I can't tell you how few people care about this music as anything more than a kind of muzak. For the life of me, I can't understand people who tell me they like to listen to Mozart to relax. How can you be listening to that music with anything but amazement and excitement is beyond me.
   
   Yes, there are cultural aspects to the church that can be exasperating to any of us; even with a full, strong, and burning testimony. However, I found the emphasis on the exasperations of "intellectuals", academics, artists, and so forth to be quite provincial. A plumber or a farmer can be frustrated by aspects of the church as easily as a painter, writer, or a pianist. I grew up in a working class home and worked on an assembly line for a couple of years when I was very young and found that people from any background could find all kinds of things to get worked up over. Some of them were even legitimate and meaningful hurts rather than a frustration that the church won't re-fashion itself into what any given individual thinks it should or could be. I have seen people shaken to the core over the way sugar beets and potatoes were being farmed, commodities were being canned, the way the church facilities were being maintained, and the endless list goes on. The artist's problem is the same the problem everyone else has. The church is about active belief and engagement at that level. The rest, including being a "cultural Mormon", is pretty much incidental.
   
   Not long after I began piano lessons I became a deacon and was soon called to be the pianist for priesthood meeting. Over the decades of playing in various wards and branches around the world I have learned about people and their preference for the familiar and the way "everyone" (meaning their congregation) does things. I can't tell you how many times I have been told "we don't sing that hymn here" and I always respond, "Well, now we do". But this is a people issue, not an LDS issue. It has also happened when I have played for non-LDS congregations and even for non-religious groups.
   
   Being an artist is about making your art. You can't worry about what others think about you. You will likely have to work hard for quite awhile to bring others around to your point of view. You also can't worry about being a `great artist' because you almost certainly are not (I certainly am not). That does not mean that you shouldn't be an artist or make your art. At any level you are helping to build a base for the arts and developing the kind of environment we all need for art to flourish. If all there were in the world was, to use the clichés of this book, Beethoven and Shakespeare, there would have been no audience for them, no artisans to provide their instruments or theaters, no performers, and consequently no Beethoven of Shakespeare. If you are an artist, or lover of the arts, or even if you can only give place in heart to think about the arts, do so and we will all be more greatly blessed.
   
   Another issue is the aspect of creating art specifically for Mormons. That can be a good thing, but it can also be limiting (not because of the subject, but because of the size of the audience). We are only twelve or thirteen million people in a world of billions. My advice is to make and participate in great art and spread it to the world. Some of it can be specifically Mormon, but why not increase your chances for success by creating for a bigger audience. This doesn't mean you have to pander or turn your back on the church or its principles. It does mean you have to be strong and spend time presenting your art and your point of view rather than passively condemning the world for not recognizing your talent.
   
   I recommend this book to everyone interested in Mormon culture, whether you are a member or not. Of course you don't have to agree with the author on anything or everything to learn some new things and get a lot of food for thought. And that is all you can ask of a book. Well, that and larger print. To whomever chose the font size and type for this book: please provide darker and bigger type in the future. My eyes aren't as young as they used to be and I found the act of reading this book more of a chore than it needed to be. I also wish Givens had a website for the book that pointed us to images of the artworks, sound clips, and video so we could experience the arts more fully. The black and white images provided are very helpful, but an additional website would have been that much more helpful.
   
   With a few small quibbles aside, this is a great resource and an important contribution to any of us who care about our culture. I am grateful.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI



4. The print is so small in this book I simply put it away without reading. Will try to locate my magnifying glass and maybe I can make some sense of it.



5. The thesis of the book is that the four primary paradoxes with which Latter-day Saints encounter the world have influenced the cultural and artistic history of the religion. I found it interesting from the historical aspect but purchased the book mainly to understand the paradoxes that Givens describes. (Don't worry - they are not deal breakers!) This book should be in the collection of everyone who has an interest in the development of art and culture in Mormonism.

3 comments about Thriving as an Artist in the Church: Hope and Help for You and Your Ministry Team (Willow Creek Resources).

1. Book was is good condition and came promptly.



2. If you do, than this book is for your team or your life.
   
   This book is GREAT for group study or just for personal reading for personal growth. The chapters included: how to keep your passion alive; five relational skills every artist needs; coping with rejection and failure; working through relational conflict; how to develop a genuine "can-do" attitude; cultivating confidence; dealing with your "stuff"; how to survive as a leader in the church; rising above our artistic differences; how to fall in love with your church...and stay there.
   
   Each chapter starts out with a scenario of a real life situation and then uses that example throughout the chapter to help illustrate - very effective and engaging. The scenarios alone have provided hours of disucssion amoung our team members, in an out of class.
   
   Do you ever find yourself in a confrontational situation and don't know what to say? Do you ever find yourself the victim of harsh criticsm; hurt and fuming about it for months or years? Do you ever just wish you could quit and go somewhere else where there aren't so many "issues?" Are you tired of listening to someone's constant negative and critical attitude? Are you struggling with feeling like you can never be good enough? Are you deeply hurt because you were turned down, yet again, for the part that you really wanted? This book will identify with you, lift you up and help you develop a plan and strategy on what to say and how to act, and most importantly, guide you to scriptures that will keep you going.
   
   Even though this book can be well understood in its own standing, the predecessor of this book, "The Heart of the Artist" might be the best place to start. Generally, it defines and teaches on many of the foundational issues relating to character development that cause a lot of the problems described in this book.
   
   If you purchase this book, actually read it :) and apply the scriptures it will lead you to, you will NO DOUBT experience greater success and peace in your ministry and in your life in general.



3. My artistic team is going through this book right now. It has practical insights, discussion questions and personal action steps. The book has helped my team become more of a team while enriching their Christian journey. We also went through Heart of the Artist by the same author. It is equally good.
   There is not much out there for Christian Artists that is practical. Thanks Mr Noland.

1 comments about Religion, Art, and Visual Culture: A Cross-Cultural Reader.

1. This is an amazing book. It opens up all kinds of interesting questions about the importance of seeing and vision in a range of different religious contexts. In each major section, Plate invites us to approach a religious tradition not through its main scriptures but through a visual medium. Islam, for example, is approached via calligraphy as a way of thinking about the written word as image. Buddhism is approached through zen gardens as a way of thinking about the concept of shinjin (mind-body). I used this book as the primary textbook for a college course called "Religion and Visual Culture." It was a huge success. It is filled with interesting ideas and fresh approaches, and it is great reading. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about Sacred Doorways: A Beginner's Guide to Icons.

1. I really liked this book. It is very well written and had a nice way of putting complex ideas into really simple terms.I would say it is the perfect book to give to someone who is trying to find out what iconography is all about.



2. This book helped me to understand the importance of the icon in the Orthodox faith. There was an extensive overview of the history, meaning and technique involved with icons. I have ordered additional books about the Eastern Orthodox church as a result.



3. This is a book for history and art students. The text is very hard. If you are looking for a book with a lot of pictures....believe me buy other...



4. Linette Martin an Anglican artist has written a very good book for artists and a satisfactory book for those who are trying to understand icons from a religious perspective.
   
   This is a very detailed art book which explains how the icon artists approached their work. Ms. Martin ties the art techniques of icons with what she believes are the religious view point of the icon painters.
   
   If you are a searcher, one who is looking to convert to the Eastern Church, one who is trying to understand the mystical roles of icons in the religious life of Orthodox Christians, then this book will in my opinion not meet your needs.
   
   This is not an easy read. I would say that this book is more of an advanced guide to icons, not a beginner's book, for one who is just starting to investigate Orthodox Christianity.
   
   If you are an artist, trying to expand your knowledge of this religious art form, then I can highly recommend this work.



5. This is a really great introduction to what the symbols, colors, and items mean in iconography. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in iconography.

5 comments about State of the Arts: From Bezalel to Mapplethorpe (Turning Point Christian Worldview Series).

1. They sent me the wrong book, causing me to be unable to complete assignments for the class I was taking. Never responded to my emails.



2. 'State of the Arts' attempts to define what art is from a Christian perspective. I have no problem with this, being a long-time and devoted Christian, but I'm not sure I buy into everything Gene Veith says. His definition is largely defined by the biblical account of God's instruction to Bezalel the Old Testament artist for the Tabernacle and Temple; art in general, Veith says, must be creative, intelligent, beautiful, and exalting. I completely agree that modern 'works' such as the crucifix in [...], and the homoerotic photographs of Mapplethorpe lie outside of the purview of what art is; but should Andy Warhol's `Campbell's Soup Cans' also be excluded from the realm of what is considered art because Warhol copied the cans instead of creating them? (He created the idea that makes his statement on consumerism). I actually like modern art (with exceptions, of course) without buying into the 'worldview' any particular point of view expresses; I actually think it is critically important to be able to see into other worldviews as an aid to the evangelical aspect of my faith. That said, I completely agree with Veith's view on modern bohemianism and the cult of the artist as a sort of shaman: the elitist concept, for example, that only certain enlightened people 'get' blank canvasses and while the rest of us just thinks the emperor has no clothes (well-expressed by blank canvases, I think).
   
   This book is a worthy read because Veith at least gives the definition of art a good shot. I just think his view is a little narrow.



3. Veith takes on a large topic in a small volume and faces the limitations thus imposed. Having said that, the book meets its target of providing a brief, lucid framework as a point of reference from which the Christian can begin to explore art as a more informed consumer. Because of the necessity of describing some quite objectionable subject matter in covering the entire breadth of what masquerades as art in the post-modern world, "State of the Arts" should be read by an adult audience. A quite readable and very useful work. Recommended.



4. My 15 year old daughter is studying this book in history. Not art history, just history. I saw this book in her room and picked it up when I saw "Mapplethorpe" on the cover. My daughter is in a private Christian school so I never in a million years would have thought she'd be learning anything about this freak. I was wrong, she got to learn about Mapplethorpe's photos of men urinating into the mouths of other men. Oh, and Annie Sprinkle's performance art consisting of masturbating then letting customers examine her private parts with a flashlight. I fail to see the reasoning of such graphic descriptions disguised as "Christian" information.



5. Veith tries to tackle a subject that has long been neglected - Christianity and art from biblical times to the postmodern era. Although he gives an acceptable overview for a 230 page paperback, there are many areas where he is just too simplistic.

   Veith attempts to create an absolute of the "Christian artist" based on the Tabernacle work of Bezalel. That may be as erroneous as creating a flat world from the scripture verse that deals with "the four corners of the earth."

   He makes quick generalized statements about non-Christian artists without being able to back them up - "Jackson Pollock's experiments in the random patterns made by paint flung onto a canvas, might exhibit some cleverness, I suppose - as in, whoever would think to do such a thing? - but no real intelligence or knowledge." Those of us who are artists, however, know better (Veith is an English professor). Pollock's work shows a remarkable amount of knowledge and mastery: The intricate rhythmic harmonies passed down from his mentor, Thomas Hart Benton; the "dance" of the western plains' indians now reproduced in an "action painting"; the understanding of how paint drips and flows (as seen in splatterings of nature); the knowledge of color harmonies; etc.

   Veith also comments on Duchamp's inability to create art with his "ready-mades" (An idea championed by Francis Schaeffer). However, this is Duchamp's point. Art not only can be the idea and conception of the artist, but also, art exists around us in all forms that generally go overlooked. Duchamp expanded the narrow vision of the Christian artist and their understanding of creativity and freedom.

   Until a writer/artist comes forward to write something of this nature, State of the Arts will have to do. Just remember to proceed with caution and don't buy the whole package.