1 comments about Calder in Connecticut.

1. Reading this book about Calder's work makes me want to bend a wire clothes hangar into nifty loops and spirals ... just for the fun of it.

   Calder's art is BIG TIME fun, on every scale from immense graceful outdoor sculptures to strikingly elegant necklaces and pins. The book shows the variety of his creations...tapestry motifs, silver and brass cutlery, campaign posters. Check out his clever pull toy for a toddler.

   Mobiles is probably Calder's most familiar category of work, but his playful menagerie, including a kangaroo, an elephant, a giraffe, a big bird and a flock of origami-size birds is his most endearing.

   Photos and narrative, together, convey the wit and warmth of the sculptor. They offer opportunity to meet Calder, his wife, and their circle of friends.

   Calder, by fine example, inspires one to lighten up and love it. This book is written permission to do exactly that, be it, high brow, low brow or no-brow.

2 comments about Copper Red Glazes.

1. This book provides a clear and detailed understanding of the technical side of copper red glazes. I did find it in some places to be "heavy" reading and the lack of good quality colour photographs was disappointing.



2. This book contains everything a potter would want to know about how to obtain that elusive copper red glaze. Although not a book of formulas, it does go into specifics as to the how and why of firing, with a comprhaensive section on trouble shooting. Highly recommended by a producing potter getting copper reds.

2 comments about Modeling with Polymer Clay (Artist's Library series #33).

1. I first got this book out of the library and now that I've read it, I'm going to buy it. The book demonstrates a cartoonish but not cutesy style of sculpting. I've always wondered how to make that style of eyes and brows and it showed me exactly. Might not be the best book for someone who has never touched clay before but definitely worth reading for anyone with even a little experience.



2. I recently discoverd this book by David Kracov and had to purchase it to see how close I could come to duplicating his sculpting technique. So far I am very happy with the results, and considering the fact that he uses a clay that I have not used in the past, I consider this a good selling point for his book. I would not recommend this book for someone just getting into clay sculpting as he leaves out some vital information (or so I believe) and some of his instructions are very vague. But if you've learned the basics of sculpting characters from another source or are a natural artist, I think you should be able to glean some very useful design concepts from this book. Mr. Kracov is very talented and I hope he publishes another book soon. I will be watching and waiting for one.

4 comments about I Shock Myself: The Autobiography of Beatrice Wood.

1. Being a potter and a Beato fan, I truly enjoyed the time I spent with this autobiography. I was fascinated by how her life unfolded from her relationships with those in art to her own creation of art. How her world which was largely centered around the men she knew, changed as she found herself in clay.
   I loved how this story unfolded and I was sad when it ended.



2. I am going to be honest and say what this autobiography meant to me.... Starting with her early days as an artist to an actress breaking from her mother's shell. To her associations with Duchamp,Roche,Varese,Reginald Pole,Krishnumarti and other well-known men. And it tells of the struggles she went through in paying the price to learn of life and her amazing stories in India,France..etc; were very interesting to read. I enjoyed her stories with the beloved Arensbergs' for they were very important in her life. Before this book I didn't have knowledge of most of the artists in her life. She has opened new doors! I laughed hysterically at her descriptions of her years with Pole and Steve.She is a riot!

   An amazing woman really. This book will remain with me forever and I will read it again and again. For someone like myself can't beleve there is so much adventure in life. She died this spring at 105,in her heart 32. I would have loved to meet her.All I can do now is remember her and try to learn more about her life and art. I loved her and she is an inspiration to all humanity with her marvelious statements on the facts of life.Afterall,she lived 105 years and paid the price. A definate book to add to a collection for any Beato fan or curious book reader!




3. As a potter, I'd hoped to learn more about her art. However,there were some gems to be found in the text. I really enjoyed the stories about several other famous people in her life. She is brutally honest in her opinions and I like that. On the downside... it was a bit too "socially conscious" in places, for my own taste. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read more by her. I wrote a personal letter to her, regarding her book and she answered me promptly... twice! Great lady! Wonderful clay-artist! :-) An interesting read, for sure.



4. Highly recommended, artist Beatrice Wood's autobiography, "I Shock Myself" gives the read a glimpse into her illustrious life and art. I could not put this book down

1 comments about Sculpture, Form and Philosophy: The Notebooks of Alexander G. Weygers.

1. Its rare to see a sculptor's notebooks, & this is a great read. He doesn't waffle endlessly, and what he does say succinctly will teach you plenty and he draws very clear diagrams. the book is also printed very nicely, large size, black n white. he talks about form, studios, techniques, tool choices, all sorts of things. explains several of his own works & the techniques he used. the section on anatomy is only a few pages at the end but packed with invaluable info. i'm very glad i have this book. the only downside is that there are not many photos of the finished works he did (though he's drawn beaut pictures). still, i guess it'd be easy to find photos on the net & i'd rather have his explanations & drawings in his own notebook. recommended for sculptors who want to learn trad techniques and/or do figurative stuff.

No comments about Louise Bourgeois.

No comments about California Design 1910.

4 comments about Kokigami: Performance Enhancing Adornments for the Adventurous Man.

1. This book is dedicated to the intimate art of the little paper costume. This is not origami and is closer to paper dolls. The book is nicely laid out and the introduction maintains the illusion of this being a true ancient artform. What is the artform? Well, it is to cut out and assemble little costumes or disguises to be placed over the erect male member.
   
   The costumes span quite a rangr from a pig to a space shuttle. Most of the book is taken up with the heavy printed pages that comprise the parts of the costumes. If you were to actually go ahead with one of these constructions, the dicrections are quite simple and clear. Just watch out for paper cuts.
   
   All in all there are 14 models. The are The Dragon, The Cock (rooster), The Squid, The Moth, The Pig, The Fish, The Horse, The Dog, The Rose, The Car, The Steam Engine, The Space Shuttle, The Fire Engine and The Private Investigator.



2. This is a laugh-out-loud satire of eastern mysticism sex guides that take their subject way too seriously. Repeat: satire. There is no ancient Japanese erotic art of penis puppetry although the authors cleverly include an academic-sounding history and so forth, a la "Why Cats Paint" and other books by these tongue-in-cheek art critic / historians. (Must get ahold of their "Kama Sutra for Cats" some time). Anyway, this book is a scream, really. And there are little models complete with haiku dialogue you can try at home! Brilliant. Especially recommended as a gag gift to those of Asian descent sick and tired of having people around them ask about their "ancient Chinese secrets" and so forth.



3. Costumes. For your phallic appendage. These are puppets specifically designed for the male's eleventh digit. The colors in this book are quite vibrant. I think the authors are serious (though the pictures on their web site show them grinning quite deviously). A search of the web for the term "kokigami" indeed turns up over 700 hits (many duplicates). The whole idea of kokigami is just weird. It underscores that cultures can have radical differences.

   I once read a book: Kokigami,
   full of puppets to dress a salami,
   of interest, sure,
   if you have thoughts impure,
   to lasciviously cavort on tatami.




4. Almost everyone is familiar with origami, the art of paper folding, but kokigami is a [bird]... of an entirely different feather. The first definitive instructional guide to this ancient Japanese art, KOKIGAMI brings to life-quite literally-this most mysterious practice from the Orient. Written specifically for Westerners, KOKIGAMI contains 14 beautiful little paper costumes that are a delight to make and a rare pleasure to use. The authors' writings on the history and lore of the art will intrigue anyone interested in Japanese paper arts, and the costumes themselves will fascinate and inspire those eager to add new and exciting dimensions to their intimate relationships.
   64 pages - Full-color illustrations.

1 comments about The Parthenon Frieze.

1. I bought this book because I took part in an art restoration project. Although the author is a bit wordy, she does a good job in presenting the material. The historical context is moderately strong and I like the inclusion of photographs.

No comments about Simplicity of Means: Calder and the Devised Object.