Book Description

This major monograph, a comprehensive reconsideration of the brief life and career of Ana Mendieta, contextualizes the artist's work within its time and acknowledges her legacy on subsequent generations of artists. The Cuban-born American sculptor is celebrated for her earth-body works of the 1970s, sculptural interventions in the landscape that placed her body--or its haunting silhouette--in symbiotic relationship with nature. Using extracts from her films, original slide documentation, photography, and other archival material, this catalogue illustrates early performances from Mendieta's student days, as well as her more well-known Silueta Series made in Iowa and Mexico from 1973 to 1980. Earth-body works executed in Canada, Cuba, and the United States in the early 1980s, and select sculptures, drawings, and installations dating to the mid-80s will also be illustrated. This publication promises to be the definitive study of the artist's work.
With the cool, restrictive rhetoric of postmodernism now largely dissipated, Mendieta's daring amalgams of body and spirit are ready to be appreciated as major achievements.--Micheal Duncan

Essays by Olga M. Viso, Guy Brett, Julia P. Herzberg, Chrissie Iles and Laura Roulet.

Hardcover, 9.75 x 11 in./256 pgs / 220 color and 100 b & w. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Many potters undoubtedly dream of the day when they will build a kiln of their own. Others may wish simply to make better use of the kiln they now have, or one they have recourse to. Again, some connoisseurs may want to know more about the kilns that produce the ceramics they love. For all these people, Building Your Own Kiln presents the knowledge and experience that three veteran Japanese potters have gained from constructing their own kilns.

Hiromi Itabashi, who is known for his abstract ceramic sculpture, provides step-by-step instructions on how to build a small gas kiln that fires some twenty pieces at a time. Because of its size and ease of use, this kiln is ideal for experimenting with different types of firing and various kinds of glazes. It can be built in a day and operated by one potter working alone.

Roppo Tamura, who works in both artificial and natural glazes, describes the building of an anagama kiln, with its centuries-old history in Korea and Japan. He stresses the importance of the chimney and the "empty chamber" in regulating the temperature and offers many tips on construction and firing. Altogether he has built over twenty kilns in his lifetime.

Naoki Kawabuchi, who is known particularly for his Nanban ware, describes the building of a "snake kiln," a type that has a history of over 600 years. He chose this type of kiln for its ability to produce a slow, even temperature, which suits his style of Nanban ware.

The kilns of these three potters are profusely illustrated with diagrams and photographs, providing a concrete image of the building process and a virtual introduction to the role of the kiln in the ceramic arts. For all potters thinking of making a kiln of their own, as well as for ceramic lovers who want to know more about how pottery is made, Building Your Own Kiln offers a wealth of information and shared know-how, provided by three Japanese potters with years of experience in kiln construction. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The collaborative effort of Japanese master potters
Illustrated with black-and-white as well as color photographs, Building Your Own Kiln: Three Japanese Potters Give Advice And Instructions is a meticulous, step-by-step guide covering everything from choosing the right materials and tools to measuring and construction, safety concerns, and properly operating the kiln once it is built. The collaborative effort of Japanese master potters Hiromi Itabashi, Roppo Tamura, and Naoki Kawabuchi, Building Your Own Kiln is an excellent and "user friendly" guide for pottery hobbyists and seasoned practitioners seeking to take their involvement in their craft to a professional level of quality. ... Read more

Book Description

"Paper Sculpture: A Step-By-Step Guide" will teach you the technical skills necessary to create visually appealing paper sculptures. Through easy to follow Photographs and text, you will learn a variety of white, coloured, painted and specialty paper techniques. The pristine beauty of paper sculpture is illustrated by nine artists who describe the curling, scoring and folding techniques used to create a wide variety of provocative paper sculptures. Full colour portfolio pieces by each artist demonstrate the myriad applications of paper as an illustrative medium. This must-have guide, for the novice or seasoned professional, will awaken your creative energy and assist you in producing your own artistic paper sculptures. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

good but not necessarily for the beginner
This is a good book for inspiration of ideas, however, it's not a step by step guide. Like just about every book that I've seen so far on paper sculpture, they skip crucial steps which will lose the layperson. Even I had to reread the book serveral times only to go about it on my own. The authors would do better to give a more thoruogh explanation of a work than fill the book with artist showcases. I am sick of picking up coffee table books. I want a book that gives time on paper quality and tools, and techniques first and foremost.

Beautiful, but not for beginners
A remarkable book showing what can be accomplished in paper sculpture, but definetly not for beginners. It shows some step-by-step projects, but not really the technique used. Good for inspiration, but it assumes that you already know what you are doing. Good reference when you are up and running.

Superb!
I consider myself an intermediate since I started with Clive Stevens' Fun with Paper Sculpture--I didn't really learn much more than I already knew. However, this book is suitable for anyone from a rank beginner to polished professional. I picked up some new techniques and discovered new types of paper and paints to use in my work. I've gotten the most use from the artist galleries beacuse they spur my own creativity to no end! I never tire of looking at the gorgeous pieces and find myself reading this book from cover to cover every now and then.

I don't draw very well, but I've found that I can easily build flowers and other objects from component shapes. The professional quality of featured projects spur me to do my very best to make my own stuff as polished and professional as possible. You'll be amazed with what you can create with little more than white glue and some cut up paper. There's even a lobster project that can be made from cereal boxes or toilet paper tubes! Great book, geat hobby, great price.

Relief-Style Paper Sculpture
I liked this book's diversity of relief-style paper sculptures. By relief-style I mean paper that is cut and then folded, rolled, mounted, etc. onto a flat surface. Other types of paper sculpture, such as cast paper sculpture are not covered. If you are interested in other ways to use paper I recommend the book The Art of Sculpting with Paper by Michael G. Lafosse.

This book is a combination gallery of each artist's work plus one project each artist did step-by-step demonstrating their techniques. The beginning chapter gives an overview of the basic techniques every relief-paper sculptor uses and types of paper suitable for relief paper-sculpting. It then launches into the artist demo/gallery format. The nice thing about the step-by-step demos is that you can copy that project for practice if you wish (although patterns are not provided so you would need to recreate the pattern on your own.) Each step-by-step demo is definitely of professional quality. Most, if not all, of the artists featured are graphic illustrators who work on these kind of projects as a living for various commercial clients. Therefore, you can expect that the art displayed inside is of similar quality to the cover photo.

Using this book I've begun a small project that I designed myself. It's definitely fun but I can see how it could become more time consumming. One thing I would've liked to have seen in this book was an estimate of the time it took for each artist to complete their project (not including the very initial sketch design). This would give me a better estimate of how long a similar project might be for me (although I'd estimate about 1/2 to 2/3 more time since I'm a beginner). I've enjoyed this book so much I plan to get the sequel. It's an excellent introduction to this style of paper art.

Beautiful galleries, Some great projects
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in paper sculpture. Each project is followed by a wonderful gallery of similar work by the demonstrating artist. These make the book worthwhile for anyone who appreciates the medium even if they don't do the work themselves.

The book starts out with a brief introduction to paper sculpture and overview of paper sculpture techniques. Nine projects, each directed by a different artist, follow. Though the instructions are arranged step-by-step with photos, there are some advanced techniques involved and some experience and talent would be needed to create some of the more elaborate projects. There are also no templates, so making a project that looks exactly like the one in the book it almost impossible.

I didn't try all the projects, but did enjoy making the sun. It is fairly simple and looks so great using marbled papers. I would have liked to try the goldfish and the swan shown on the cover, but I felt they were a bit to time-consuming and complex for me. Other projects, like the Liberty Bell and too cute chicken wreath, just didn't perk my interest.

All in all, I'm glad I bought the book. The artwork examples are great and have inspired me to try some things on my own such as butterflies, fish and landscapes. I like that they list all the artists with contact information, awards they've earned and clients they've served. A list of schools that offer professional instruction is also a nice bonus. ... Read more

Book Description

Smirking, dim-witted, grimacing, or disgusted--that is how the character studies that Franz Xaver Messerschmidt cast in lead or cut into alabaster appear to viewers. They are sculptures that do not adhere to any classical ideal of beauty, instead confronting the viewer with a typology of the ugly. The fascinating character busts by the baroque sculptor Messerschmidt may be indebted to his contemporary Johann Kaspar Lavater, yet they never cease to amaze with their untimely artistic aggressiveness--their modernism even--exposing the flip sides of human expression.
Messerschmidt, who created conventional portraits of dignitaries such as Empress Maria Theresia and Joseph II while working at the Imperial Academy in Vienna, began his turn toward an exclusive production of character busts around 1770, a predilection that quickly gained him the reputation of a maverick. Having taken early retirement due to a psychological disorder that was never clearly defined, he spent the rest of his life as a recluse living in Pressburg. This extensive monograph about an exceptional artist attempts an interpretation of the deeper meaning in an oeuvre that is as unusual as it is uncompromising.
He's got a face like a busted sofa / She's got more chins than a Chinese telephone directory / He's got a face as long as an undertaker's tape measure / She's got a face like a road accident / He's got a face squeezed like a tea bag / She's got a face like a fried cod / He's got a face like a bulldog licking piss off a stinging nettle / She's got a face like a window cleaner's sponge / He's got a face that looks like it's been set on fire and put out with a mallet / She's got a face like a picture and it needs hanging / He's got a face like a franked stamp

Edited by Michael Krapf.
Essays by Maraike Bückling, Renate Fanta, Wolfgang Häusler, Magda Keleti and Almut Krapf-Weiler.

Hardcover, 9.5 x 11.75 in., 240 pages, 70 color, 130 b/w illustrations ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Thanks to all who reccommended this book!
After first purchasing a dud, I was skeptical that this book was all the reviews said it was. I was wrong! This book was exactly what I, as an experienced artist new to polymer clay, was looking for. I will wear this one out looking at the ideas and techniques.

Insipirational
This is an absolutely incredible book packed with unique artworkby over 50 different & highly talented artists. As an intermediatepolymer clay artist I look to this book when I need new ideas & inspiration.

Background information is given on each artist including education, technique & style. One or more the artists' best works are then displayed with basic information on the how the artwork was created.

Contact information for all the artists in located in the back along with a small dictionary & a list of reference books the artists' use. Several of the artists also answer questions about their working techniques.

Some on my favorite pieces are a chess set, a mosaic sunflower, a mushroom fairie & a millefiori trade rattle made out of a gourd. I also enjoyed the numerous pieces of jewelry including butterfly, fan & African animal pins.

Fascinating visuals of an extraordinary "new" art medium.
For any reader of Nan Roche's "The New Clay," this new book, "Artists At Work: Polymer Clay Comes of Age", is a refreshing addition to communicate the beauty, imagination, and intricacy of the polmer clay medium. Having personally seen the works of the the authors as well as contributing artists, this book demonstrates the limitless ways this medium allows artistic expression, from whimisical to serious. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing the best of polymer clay artists "performing" today. Laura Darlington Washington, D.C. ldarlington@comsysinc.com ... Read more

Reviews (2)

As an American whose heart belongs "a Firenze e a Roma"...
Charles Avery does an excellent job summarizing Gian Lorenzo Bernini's life and works. This is probably the best introduction to Bernini available as a starting point -- there are many other books that give more exhaustive analysis, text, photographs and diagrams. As a starter, you will have chosen the best with this book.

From June to December 1976 I was a student on the Florida State University study program "a Firenze", which totally changed my life and world view, causing me to return almost ten times since 1976. Bernini is my favorite Baroque sculptor.

A Must For Sculpter Lovers
This is a beautiful book. The works are shown from different angles,instead of just one frontal photo, so the reader gets the details of the work, with a good accompanying text. I accidently discovered this sculptor, and findto my surprise that some of his work is more appealing than some of the more famous artists of this genre. There is a great deal of detail, in fact, a whole chapter devoted to his fountains, particularly,The Fountains of the 4 rivers. I wish I had this book before I went to Rome and saw it in person. Any lover of sculpture will not be dissapointed with this purchase. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive volume on the leading sculptor of influential Bay Area figurative movement. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Neri is a National Treasure
This very beautiful book is a good introduction to Manuel Neri's sculptures, but it is also cherished by those who have followed his career for years.

The book is filled with fantastic photographs!The elegantphotographs of his work (going back to the 50's) are magnificent.It is anart in itself to photograph sculpture, and I am sorry to say that my searchfor the photographer's name ended in frustration.He or she deserves a lotof credit.

There are also wonderful snapshots from Neri's life, with manynice photos of the artist with second wife Joan Brown (see Tsujimoto,Karen: The Art of Joan Brown).It's a real slice of an exciting era inwest coast art: the 50's, 60's and 70's.

What Neri has done forfigurative art covers a greater scope than that of the San Francisco BayArea, yet he is firmly part of the Bay Area figurative tradition.All thecontributors speak of the atmosphere into which Neri arrived as an artstudent, but particularly Beardsly places him in a unique, thrivingartists' society.He does this by writing about how Neri's relationshipswith Joan Brown and Mark DeSuvero impacted his work; their images live andbreathe with profundity in certain of Neri's sculptures (shown with thetext).

The book is divided in two: the artist's work and the artist'slife; both are compelling enough, it would have been unwise to mix them. The book is very well organized.

Neri's work may at first appear toorough to the eye that only knows Rodin and Donatello, but a second lookwill discover the grace and energy the artist creates in every work.It isa great book for anyone interested in figurative art. Neri's studies anddrawings are quite beautiful by themselves... A great book for any artistwho enjoys capturing the figure, either the one who just likes to dabble inlife drawing or the serious and technically-minded draftsman.Anyone atall can find in Neri's work a new way to look at line and the figure.Alsogreat for anyone who wants to get to know Bay Area art. ... Read more

Book Description

Mysterious, graceful, and majestic, the African mask has long been the subject of great fascination for those interested in tribal civilizations and cultures.Now available in paperback, this beautiful volume presents nearly 250 of the finest African masks from the incomparable Barbier-Mueller Collection, which is unique in its vast number of masterpieces and wide geographic scope.

The book includes one hundred color plates accompanied by in-depth descriptions, as well as numerous black-and-white photographs of the masks as they are used in religious and secular celebrations.An introductory text by renowned scholars describes how the masks are constructed, examines their significance in African culture, and offers insight into the universal practice of masquerading.A unique contribution to literature on African art, this book is also a wonderful introduction to countless fascination, ages-old spiritual traditions still being practiced today. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

African Masks
This is the best book I have found on the psychology and understanding of African masks. Just fantastic, worth the money. 80% color plates, brief outline of basic African mask types and their interpretation, grouped by region and by style.

African Masks from the Barbier-Mueller Collection, Geneva
First-rate, high quality throughout, this volume does what a book of this type should do: packs in plenty of color plates of the masks, and shows them being worn (in black-and-white in situ photos) on the accompanying left-hand pages of the spreads. The collection is far-ranging and, though it cannot include every type of mask, it does manage to convey the incredible variety, richness and paradoxical sophistication of this art form. Highly recommended.

Wonderful!
This book has fantastic photos and information about the masks pictured. There are also archival photos of similar masks from earlier times. The most impressive part is the photos of the masks in use. I have often had trouble imagining how the masks were worn or used until this book. Not only are there photos of many of the masks in use the whole costume is also pictured. Truly one of the best books I've seen on the subject. ... Read more

Download Description

The gentlewoman, also slightly blushing, said: You know well that I want you to serve me; and reaching me the lily, told me to take it away; and gave me besides twenty golden crowns which she had in her bag, and added: Set me the jewel after the fashion you have sketched, and keep for me the old gold in which it is now set. On this the Roman lady observed: If I were in that young mans body, I should go off without asking leave. Madonna Porzia replied that virtues rarely are at home with vices, and that if I did such a thing, I should strongly belie my good looks of an honest man. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

An entertaining autobiography
Cellini was one of the most famous jewellers in the Rennaisance. He was also a sculptor, connoseur, lover and fighter. Not too blessed with modesty, this book filled with intrigue and mania is fascinating reading. Cellini is hedonistic and yet passionate about his art. We get to see a whole slice of papal, court and artisan society in Italy. Cellini is imprisoned and makes escapes, attempts on his life are regular and yet he continues to make amazing commissioned work.

The reason I didn't give the book more stars is because it is at times difficult to understand and appreciate. Much of the details with respect to the alliances of Cellini's Italy are hard to follow for someone who doesn't know that much about the Renaissance. Also, he does seem to be a little overbearing on occasion. Still, a great read.

My original acquaintance with Cellini was with Alexandre Dumas' "Ascanio" - where he takes the autobiography as a basis to spin his usual tale of high suspence. As a comparison, reading this and then Ascanio is a pleasure.

Shameless, vulgar, and intoxicating
Somewhere in France, Michel Montaigne was working on his immortal "Essays." Gibbon described him as the only man of liberality in the 16th century, aside from Henry IV. His honesty, his good will, and his probing nature have recieved the acclaim of posterity.

Somewhere in Italy, the same time, a more representative portrait was being painted -- the Autobiography of Cellini. While it has the same honesty, it lacks the grace (written in a colloquial style), the liberality, and the meditation of Montaigne. It is probably more represantative of the Renaissance man, and of modern man altogether. Reading Cellini, one comes to understand what Camus meant by the "culture of death" at work in Western history.

Written as a novel (seen, in fact, as a progenitor of the Romantic novel), the Life of Cellini is a remarkable glimpse into the Italy and France in the times of Michelangelo and the Medici. Characters like Francis I of France, Duke Cosimo, Pope Clement VII, and artists like Michelangelo and Titian come to life in brilliant colors. But one shouldn't mistake the intent of Cellini's book as painting a portrait of his times -- no man on earth was ever so in love with himself, and HE is the subject of this book (I had to cringe every time Cellini, about to describe something fantastic, stops and declares "... that is the work of historians. I am only concerned with my affairs..." and leaves off).

I can't say for sure, but the veracity of this book must be almost incontestable, for the most part. Cellini was simply too shameless to be too much of a liar. A few times he tests our credulity: "mistakenly" leaving France with the King's silver, an arbesque "accidentally" firing and killing a man, etc. For the most part, however, we get the whole truth, and in fact more than we wanted to know.

Despite the fame and prestige Cellini comes to, he is little more than a common street rogue and villian. In the course of the book, he murders three people in cold blood, each murder worse than the last (the third time he shoots a man in the throat over a saddle dispute... on Good Friday). He delights in describing his violence ("...I meant to get him the face, but he turned and I stabbed him under the ear."), and he revels in warfare, brawling, and the misfortune of his enemies. Aside from the three murders, there are innumerable foiled and aborted murder attempts. Cellini's sadism reaches new heights when he forces one of his laborers to marry a whore, then pays the woman for sex to humiliate the man. In his descriptions of his crimes, his many run-ins with the law, and his violent disposition, Cellini seems completely unaware of himself and without shame. In fact, the intent of the book is to show him as the virtu -- a hero of divine virtue in a world of lies and deceit.

The portrayal of King Francis alone makes this book worthwhile. He is everything historical events point him out to be. Generous, jovial, and shrewd. The descriptions of the years Cellini spent as Paul III's personal prisoner are another high point, unfortunately capped by the lengthy and horribly tedious poem, "Capitolo," where Cellini clumsily elaborates on his suffering.

As a history and an autobiography, there are few greater works. But aside from its historical and literary value, the Autobiography of Cellini was just fun to read. The audacity and conceit of this horrible man is almost comical, and the loose and efficient prose makes it a smooth read.

Wild times in a wild time
Benvenuto Cellini was a great sculptor of the 16th century. He was not, by trade, a writer, and his rough prose and sprawling narrative testify to that.

But what he lacks in writing skill, he more than makes up for in personality, so much so that his brilliant life and gusto for living bursts through the awkward form.

Cellini, it is clear, loves life -- he leaves nothing out when telling it, and so he represents very well what it must have been like to be one of the great artists of the Italian Renaissance in the patronage of the papacy, the great Medici family, and Francis I (who supported Da Vinci in his last years).

We meet Lorenzo de Medici, Cosimo, Francis I, Cosimo's wife who needs Cellini to help her get a pearl necklace, competitors, thieves, Popes, and beautiful women, whom Cellini kept for modeling and for "company."

And we get to hear Cellini discussing the design and creation of classic works that still exist today, like the salt cellar, the Nymph of Fountainbleau, and his masterpiece, the statue Perseus, which he describes as so astonishing to the people of the day that they composed sonnets about it and posted them up all over Florence.

Cellini recounts his many affairs, duels, scrapes, imprisonments, and commissions, one adventure after another, so that his whole life sweeps by in a grand and vibrant portrait. He always seems to come out on top too, which makes you wonder if he's telling the whole truth, but nonetheless Cellini's autobiography is a thrilling read and filled with life in a time when all the world was stirring with art and passion.

Intimate portrait of the Renaissance
There are few books about the renaissance that are as entertaining and rewarding as this autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, one of the most celebrated glodsmiths and artists of that time. The book is candid and can also serve as a tour guide of Florence for the more adventurous. Certainly I would recommnend reading it if you're thinking of visiting. Cellini describes other artsist of the time, famous spats between artists and between artists and their masters. despite the genius of the man, Cellini's book is more interetsing as a first hand docuemnt of what it was like to live in that time. One gets the imperssion of the sort of education parents siught for their children. Cellini describes this without holding back contempt, we also learn of his musical talents and his childhood. Cellini vividly describes his father beating him on the ears in order to leave the lasting impression of the wonderous sight of a salamander in the fireplace. the heart of the book is set in Rome, where he meets the Pope and is then imprisoned in the Fortress of castel Sant'Angelo - the very same made famous by Puccini's Tosca. Unlike the Puccinian Cavardossi, cellini is bale to escape thanks to the cliché use of bed linens. But remember this is not fiction. I would also suggest to thos interested in this book looking for Anatnio Vasari's "Lives of the Artists", Giovanni della Casa's "Il Galateo" and of course "The Prince" by Macchiavelli. Other renaissance accounts were written by Gucciardini and the Bolognese Paolo Giovio. As a final note I read the original Italian and parts of the English translation featured here. The Tranbslation was very good.

A fantastic life!
Cellini's story reads better than a novel. He is the quintessential Renaissance man. In his service to popes, kings and a slew of dukes he was a goldsmith, painter, sculptor, soldier and he may have had more near death experiences than any other that I have ever read about. Of course, his tale leaves himself always and forever blameless in each conflict, betrayal or other unfortunate episode that he finds himself in, which is tremendously entertaining. At first, the reader is seduced into believing that this man has been wronged countless times by a world full of the most slippery types of people. By the middle of the book, however, it dawns on the reader that Cellini must have played some part in creating the misfortune and danger that he is constantly in. Cellini's writing evokes vivid images of the places and people that he meets. One of the most engrossing stories in the book is Cellini's imprisonment and later escape from the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome, where he was confined by order of the Pope (who, according to Cellini, was bent on having him killed in order to prevent his own embarrasement). His escape from the place is a mix of (apparently) classic methods (he climbs down the side of the building using knotted bed sheets!) and terrible misfortune (he breaks his leg, is nearly killed, and is also attacked by mastiffs while crawling away for his life!). Very soon after having escaped the prison, though, he was again imprisoned by the Pope in a wretched and dank little cave in the Pope's own garden (where Cellini claims to have had mystical visions). Cellini has many other adventures in Italy and France (and on his journeys back and forth). Each tale is centered on how he creates his artworks in the service of some nobleman, how the nobleman is always astonished at the work, how Cellini is then betrayed by someone he was kind to (which, through no fault of his own, often puts him in the bad books of the patron). Cellini frequently ends up in a fight where he either wounds or kills the person, and then goes on his happy way. There is a great deal that one could say about this book and its author. It will suffice to state here that the book is a wonderful read, it offers excellent insights into life in the 16th century, and (as is true on my part) it makes the reader crave just half the adventure that this fellow has had.


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The author is definitive in his works:
The author is so well-known in his highest quality scholarly works that if the book is by him, one can rest assured that you are reading among the very best in art history. Enough said. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With half of the text devoted to thorough coverage of the basics, this guideprovides an excellent introduction to an increasingly popular medium. Polymer clay isreadily available and easy to work with, but must first be prepared properly. NewWays explains everything from conditioning to adding texture to working withvarious tools to baking procedures. The second half offers 10 step-by-step projects,including boxes, picture frames, jar lids, and a variety of ornaments. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

New Ways With Polymer Clay
Kris Richard's book is an excellent book. In fact, I own two: one for my use and one for my school art students' use. In this well written and clearly illustrated book, there is accurate information on the comparable strengths and ease of workability of various clays. Also, basic use and techniques for working with the clay are covered to help both beginner and advanced clayers.

With this sound preparation, the reader is able to progress through a variety of projects from jewelry to home decor. In fact, the Internet Pen project was such a hit with my art students, I still refer to it when teaching them how to cover pens. It is wonderful to have projects that succeed time after time due to proper and concise directions.

I would highly recommend that this book be added to any clay enthusiast's library.

Everything You Need to Know to Get Started With Polymer Clay
New Ways with Polymer Clay by Kris Richards is a great book for a beginner interested in learning as much as they can about polymer clay. Kris Richards has taken the mystery out of the different brands available. Her charts showing technical comparisons make it easy to understand when and why you would choose various products. ALL the important foundation knowledge is here.

Not only does Kris set the record straight on clays, tools, and basic techniques, she goes on to actual projects in the second half of the book. These projects offer beautiful, clear drawings showing exact hand placement that you can refer to over and over again. How many times have you paid for an expensive workshop and couldn't see the teacher's hands during the demonstration for various reasons? Kris gives it to you step by step. AND, the projects are original and innovative. All beginners want to see immediate results and Kris's book guarantees success!

Bravo to Kris and her wonderful book! I've taught polymer clay for six years and I highly recommend this book to my students.

Exactly what I was looking for!
I am relatively new to polymer clays and was feeling abit overwhelmed not knowing what to do next. This book caught my eye after having looked at several books that were just abit too 'newbie'. Kris Richads bridged that gap between 'newbie' and what the heck do I do now phase with this well written book:) The basics section in part one was more than just basics, which was exactly what I was looking for and the projects in part two are simple but could be modified to the intermediate/semi-advanced with ease:):) All around great book and worth every red-cent:)

Disappointing
I was VERY disappointed with this book. This is for beginners. The title claims the techniques are new and it's the 'next generation.' Okay, so it's a few years old--but everthing in it has been written about before this came out. Directions are not complete. Ornaments are 'cutesy.' Get the Weekend Crafter book if you want good projects to learn techniques.

A must have for your Polymer Clay Library!
As a Polymer Clay artist and a person who tries to help many other people in real life and on the internet learn more and more about Polymer Clay, Kris Richards Book "New Ways with Polymer Clay" is on my SHORT LIST, of must have books for the PC beginner! If you have a question, you will get an answer from this book! Kris Richards has been writing about Polymer Clay for many years and all of her books give you a wonderful basis to build your knowledge of this incredible medium! ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com

Joseph Beuys (1921-1986), who reached cult status in his native Germany, was perhaps the most important artist to emerge in Europe after WW II; he was certainly the most influential thinker and teacher among artists of the postwar generation. His doctrine was that "every man is an artist," and his more radical aims included a restructuring of the economy and free access to all educational institutions. Beuys considered art a medium for social and political change, and the prosaic materials he employed--felt, animal fat, and wax were among his favorites--had a spiritual dimension and could be invested by the artist with healing power. His iconic "felt suit," for instance, expresses the idea of physical warmth. Arranged chronologically and spanning four decades, this is the only book that provides a definitive survey of this innovative artist's work in every medium--from drawings, sculptures, and printed works to objects, environments, and actions. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Confessio
I like Beuys. There I said it so sue me

Essentialy Essential Beuys
This book is a great introduction and overview of Beuys difficult and varied work. It contains many photos, which are enormously important to gain understanding of an artist whose work is frequently ephemeral and time based. There are also essays which touch on the myths surrounding Beuys, both of his own making and subsequent to his death. The relationship between this creating of a personal mythology and the materials he uses becomes evident. ... Read more

Book Description

A comprehensive guide for the student sculptor who wants to learn about clay and wax modeling, wood carving, stone carving, ceramics, moist clay products, and mold making, casting, and enlarging.Addresses all aspects of the use and function of sculpting tools and materials used in traditional sculpture.Each chapter concludes with a troubleshooting section which answers questions most frequently asked by the student and those troublesome areas experienced by the sculptor. Also explains how tools are made.Charts on proportional requirements of materials, weights and measures, plus an extensive glossary of terms are provided.A key word technique can be used to easily explore a topic. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

No fluff, just the facts!
I took up sculpting several months ago, and I've found my "niche" with polymer clay doll-making. I've dabbled in ceramic and terra-cotta medium, but I'm also willing to try different methods of creations in the 3D World. I bought this book to give me some insight into different techniques, and that's just what it contains. Unlike so many books that try to be everything to everyone, this book gets down to the facts quickly, giving the reader a good idea of what a venture into a new sculpting medium will mean in terms of equipment and expertise. There are plenty of books that will walk a reader through every little step to create a clone of what the writer or artist has created. This book guides the reader towards the tools and different methods, without incringing on the reader's own creativity. I hope to find other books like this one on subjects like painting and photography, although sculpting is quickly becoming a passion and consuming most of my "art time". Bravo to the writer(s) and publishers of this book, and thank you!! ... Read more

Book Description

Many elements converge in the construction of a high-quality art collection, making it a fascinating, intellectual and emotional adventure, a journey of discovery and a labour of love. Formed over the course of thirty years by Udo Horstmann and his wife, the Horstmann collection is rather exceptional inasmuch as it offers a captivating vision of the variety of solutions adopted by black artists over the course of the centuries: nearly 120 extraordinary sculptures, figures, masks, household objects and weapons from Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Kenya and Sudan.

The origin of the artworks-- selected for their perfection transcending the mere utilitarian function-- touches all of the lands of the continent, including the southern and eastern lands rarely so authoritatively represented in other collections, and their execution covers an arc of time of several millennia.

The presence of ancient works contributes to the demolition of the preconception that has weighed unfairly until recent years on African art, and that is the absence of evolution in the artistic creation of Black Africa, and therefore of any historic quality. This is a difficult negation to cancel if African sculpture is still often labeled as "primitive."

Another meritorious quality of the Horstmanns lies in the fact that they chose the sculptures in their collection, not out of any generic passion for the exotic and neither for any abstract demand for representativity of ethnicity or significance or destination, but for their quality, for the enchantment of the "form," or better, of the "forms."

Paging through the book, the reader will discover that the artistic creation, that is, the need to give "form" to the formless, is a common heritage of mankind, shared by the artists of Black Africa.
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Book Description

Deborah Butterfield transforms selected pieces of scrap iron and found wood into majestic, life-size horse sculptures that are, as art historian Wayne L. Roosa has written, "simultaneously, like ancient, noble archaeological remains, skeletal and grand." This elegant and lyrical volume presents a retrospective look at this important American artist, whose early works fashioned from wood and sticks caused a sensation at the 1979 Whitney Biennial Exhibition.

The color photographs of the sculptures-the visual core of the book-have been provided by the artist and were taken in gallery installations, her studios, or her foundry. An insightful essay by the noted author and horsewoman Jane Smiley sensitively captures the depth of Butterfield's passion for horses both living and sculpted. John Yau, poet and art critic, adds a formal analysis of the artist's work, and a selection of poems by the late, noted poet Vicki Hearne, a close friend of Butterfield's, evokes the world of horses. Author Robert Gordon has followed the artist's career for a quarter century and brings unique insight to her body of work. The first major monograph on this heralded sculptor, the book is timed to coincide with exhibitions at various galleries across the country and a major retrospective at the Yellowstone Museum. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Magnificent
My heart swells with pride and admiration. What a wonderful tribute to an artist that completely captures the spirit and nature of the majesic equine beast she loves. The line and content of her work is perfect. How marvelous that her work is across the nation, how poetic and musical is the word that describes her work. A marvelous book. ... Read more