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May 25, 2010

Best Price Preserving Cultural Landscapes in America (Center Books on Contemporary Landscape Design)

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , , , , — yanisa @ 7:09 pm

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Preserving Cultural Landscapes in America (Center Books on Contemporary Landscape Design) Overview

Historic preservation efforts began with an emphasis on buildings, especially those associated with significant individuals, places, or events. Subsequent efforts were expanded to include vernacular architecture, but only in recent decades have preservationists begun shifting focus to the land itself. Cultural landscapes — such as farms, gardens, and urban parks — are now seen as projects worthy of the preservationist’s attention. To date, however, no book has addressed the critical issues involved in cultural landscape preservation.

In Preserving Cultural Landscapes in America, Arnold R. Alanen and Robert Z. Melnick bring together a distinguished group of contributors to address the complex academic and practical questions that arise when people set out to designate and preserve a cultural landscape. Beginning with a discussion of why cultural landscape preservation is important, the authors explore such topics as the role of nature and culture, the selling of heritage landscapes, urban parks and cemeteries, Puerto Rican neighborhoods in New York City, vernacular landscapes in small towns and rural areas, ethnographic landscapes, Asian American imprints on the western landscape, and integrity as a value in cultural landscape preservation.

Contributors: Arnold R. Alanen, University of Wisconsin-Madison • Luis Aponte-Perés, University of Massachusetts-Boston • Gail Lee Dubrow, University of Washington, Seattle • Richard Francaviglia, University of Texas, Arlington • Donald L. Hardesty, University of Nevada, Reno • Catherine Howett, University of Georgia, Athens • Robert Z. Melnick, University of Oregon • Patricia M. O’Donnell, Historic Preservation Consultant, Charlotte, Vermont • David Schuyler, Franklin & Marshall College

Preserving Cultural Landscapes in America (Center Books on Contemporary Landscape Design) Review

This book is well worth your time. If you have any interest in preservation and /or landscape you should read this book. It is very thought provoking and intelligently written. It poses more questions than it answers…which I believe is the intention of the editors. Because this book raises many questions and issues, I would recommend it for a book discussion club or a seminar class.

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May 15, 2010

Best Price Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books))

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , — yanisa @ 6:50 pm

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Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Features

Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Overview

The increasing popularity of fantasy and science fiction themes in art is visualized and celebrated in the sumptuous Spectrum series. Unique in its concept, significant in its content, breathtaking in its execution, Spectrum is designed for readers who want to satisfy their sense of wonder, and serves as an invaluable resource for art directors and illustrators. Spectrum 10 includes 300 color illustrations and features artists from Germany, England, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Canada, France, and the United States. The art comes from books, magazines, comics, video games, films, TV, advertising, and unpublished works from the artists’ personal portfolios and gallery shows. Included are works by artists such as Peter DeSeve, Anita Kunz, John Jude Palencar, Dave McKean, and Jon Foster.

Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Review

Sci-Fi and Fantasy artists have always seemed like illustration’s poor step-children, often ignored (and sometimes sneered at) while the historical and Western painters wore the mantel of respectability. Thank goodness Spectrum came along to point out to the naysayers that Art is Art and that the practitioners of “fantastic” art are as gifted as anyone working today (if not better).

Spectrum 10 is chocked-full of beautiful and imaginative work by veterans and fresh faces alike. Personal favorites include the previously unpublished gallery paintings by jillion-times-Hugo-winner Michael Whelan, the Expressionist-flavored space ships by John Berkey, the monsterously proportioned toy robots by Eric Joyner, and the fantasy scenarios of Paul Bonner. There’s art for films, paintings for books, sculptures (which I personally enjoy seeing), and work from comics; serious, mature pieces followed by wonderfully whacky and whimisical images. There’s really something for everyone. It’s fun to go through the book and compare the judges’ selection of award-winners in each category with what *I* think should have won.

And thank goodness someone has finally acknowledged Michael Kaluta (#10’s Grand Master Award recipient) as one of the most worthwhile illustrators working today. Kudos to the Spectrum Board!

About the only downsides are the occasional typos and several pages with cramped lay-outs, but all-in-all a must-have book for anyone with an imagination–and at a bargain price at that!

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April 29, 2010

The Picture Book: Contemporary Illustration

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , — yanisa @ 9:28 am

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The Picture Book: Contemporary Illustration Overview

A bible of contemporary illustration, this visually stunning book presents a comprehensive survey of new and exciting work from across the globe. Compiled by award-winning designer Angus Hyland, The Picture Book presents a broad spectrum of styles, techniques and subjects representing current trends and innovations to create an amazing compendium of art. Each artist’s work is accompanied by a self-portrait and a short, illuminating profile exploring their inspirations and their approach to illustration and their career. As the last word on the contemporary illustration scene, this compilation is an invaluable resource for illustrators, graphic designers and anyone commissioning illustration, and a must-have for the enthusiast.

The Picture Book: Contemporary Illustration Review

This is a great book of modern illustration. It does have a wide variety of styles and methods. My only complaint is that it seems to have more “simple” style art than I care for. It leaves it a little thin and insubstantial in that sense, but overall the majority more than makes up for this problem. Definately modern style, so if you aren’t into that I don’t recommend this.

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February 19, 2010

Buy, Cheap, Low Price, Discount, Pueblo And Navajo Contemporary Pottery: And Directory of Artists (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — yanisa @ 5:52 pm

ItemRating : 1.0

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Pueblo And Navajo Contemporary Pottery: And Directory of Artists (Schiffer Book for Collectors) Overview

This special pottery combines the traditions of Pueblo and Navajo artists from Arizona and New Mexico with daring new interpretaions by the modern generation. In hundreds of beautiful color photos, styles inherently connected with old beliefs and Southwest clay are shown to have a fresh appearance in the hands of contemporary potters. Bowls, plates ollas, pitchers, and vases by potters in Acoma, Hopi, Jemez, Navajo, San Felipe, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Santa Ana, Zia, and Zuni families are featured along with storytellers and charming animal figures. The Directory of Artists, including kachina carvers, jewelry makers, sculptors, and potters, cross-references the pottery shown in this book. This reference section alone makes the work indispensible for all who are concerned with contemporaty Indian arts.

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February 4, 2010

Buy, Cheap, Low Price, Discount, Spectrum 2: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , , — yanisa @ 5:18 am

ItemRating : 4.5

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Spectrum 2: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art Review

Lavishly, lovingly put together, the fairly awesome SPECTRUM annuals have been rolling along now since 1994, and each one has been worth the getting, each one an ideal centerpiece for your coffee table. SPECTRUM 2: THE BEST IN CONTEMPORARY FANTASTIC ART was published in 1995 and it’s more of the same stuff, a visual feast compiling the very best art from the sci-fi/fantasy genre for that past year and rendered in various mediums. Familiar representation comes in the persons of Donato Giancola, Jim Burns, Don Maitz, and other much-in-demand contemporaries. For those with a taste for the surreal, Phil Hale and John Jude Palencar grace these pages and what they offer is very offbeat indeed. Even the veteran John Berkey, whose paintings are generally sci-fi themed, contributes, doing his best John Harris impersonation (or, wait, is that the other way around?). I feel almost sheepish listing the names on this roster of artists because, if you’ve checked out the other SPECTRUM entries, these names pop up repeatedly.

These annuals are broken up into several categories: the editorial segment, from the advertising field, book covers, from comics, and institutional (which includes statues and busts). The final two pages give a nod to the 1993 Chesley Award winners. Meanwhile, the inaugural Spectrum Grandmaster Award goes to the unbelievably deserving Frank Frazetta. To plenty of illustrators, Frazetta is God and, honestly, any accolade ceded to him is merely giving him his propers.

An always neat thing for me is that, what with my reading so much sci-fi and fantasy literature, I end up recognizing plenty of the artwork on these pages. In this one, off the top of my head, I remember the covers to Simon Green’s SHADOWS FALL (cover by Donato), Spider Robinson’s THE CALLAHAN TOUCH (cover by James Warhola), and Roger Zelazny & Robert Sheckley’s A FARCE TO BE RECKONED WITH (cover by Don Maitz). Except that, here, we get to ogle the full untrimmed original art pieces.

What captured my eye? Donato Giancola’s fantastic “Construct of Time” (pg. 57), Steven Assel’s realistically rendered “The Light Bearer” (pg. 67), Rick Berry’s contemplative “Death” (pg. 82), young stud Luis Royo’s “The Neverending Sparkle” (pg. 95), Gregory Manchess’s “Morning Angel” (pg. 119), and Carl Lundgren’s very cool “Impudence” (on pg. 136). By the way, it’s always a treat checking out Lundgren’s ever recurring angel motif, and “Impudence” is probably my favorite one, never mind that it’s actually featured in the brief Chesley Awards portion of the book, and not in the main SPECTRUM segment. To put a pretty bow on things, Rick Berry lands the cover to the originally published SPECTRUM 2 and his subject happens to be Neil Gaiman’s Death, my all-time favorite Sandman character. Meanwhile, the 2006 reprinted edition of SPECTRUM 2 features Steven Assel’s “The Light Bearer.” I don’t exactly know how this happened, but I own both editions.

SPECTRUM has always showcased some of the most imaginative and creative imagery out there, and flipping thru these pages is like gazing at marvelous eye candy after eye candy. SPECTRUM 2 brings it with 237 glossy, full-colored works done up by 137 artists (138, if you count Frazetta – and, by Crom, why wouldn’t you count Frazetta?). SPECTRUM is up to sixteen annuals by now, with the earlier editions being very, very hard to come by. Me, I’m lucky enough to have just about all of them in my collection. But you can’t really see over my coffee table anymore.

Spectrum 2: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art Overview

The acclaimed Spectrum series is the premier venue for fantasy and science fiction artwork. The only book to thoroughly address the amazing variety and quality of fantastic art created each year, the release of each annual issue is an eagerly anticipated event for artists, readers, and art directors alike. The early issues in the series had very small print runs, sold out quickly, and today, are much sought-after by collectors. Now in print for the first time in ten years, Spectrum 2 features works by Hugo Award-winner Michael Whelan; Caldecott winners Diane and Leo Dillon; James Gurney, creator of Dinotopia; and more than 200 other pieces created by artists from Germany, England, the Netherlands, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and America. Drawn from books, comics, magazines, art galleries, advertisements, and artist?s portfolios, these visionary portraits of the future offer fans an intriguing look at the evolution of fantastic art over the past decade.

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January 27, 2010

Buy, Cheap, Low Price, Discount, Spectrum 13: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books))

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , , , , — yanisa @ 11:31 am

ItemRating : 5.0

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Spectrum 13: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Review

Este libro es realmente una joya. Si estas estudiando ilustracion, arte, o si quieres ampliar tus horizontes, este libro te servira de ventana tanto para inspirarte como para observar como distintos profesionales del mundo aplican su metodologia y resuelven conflictos de composicion, tecnicas, etc. Son solo imagenes, no hay tutoriales de “como lo hizo”, si buscas ese tipo de libros esta no es tu opcion… solo te sera util si tienes el deseo de analizar, y observar por cuenta propia. definitivamente una joya, un profesor en casa.

Spectrum 13: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Overview

For 13 years the Spectrum annual has been the preeminent showcase for fantasy and sci-fi art and an invaluable resource for art directors and illustrators. Drawn from work created for books, comics, magazines, art galleries, advertisements, and the portfolios of some of the finest fantasy artists working today, the illustrations in this collection extend the boundaries of the imagination and explore new realms of creativity. Spectrum 13 has a wider reach than any previous volume, with nearly 350 pieces by creators spanning the globe, including works from Germany, England, the Netherlands, Korea, Australia, Japan, Canada, and France. Eagerly awaited by both artists and readers, Spectrum 13 is divided into seven categories: Comics and Graphic Novels, Advertising, Book, Dimensional, Editorial, Institutional, and Unpublished Art. This edition also honors Jeffrey Jones with its prestigious Grand Master Award, presented to a living artist for career excellence.

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January 13, 2010

Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books))

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , — yanisa @ 10:03 am

ItemRating : 5.0

Available at Amazon : Check Price Now!

Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Review

Sci-Fi and Fantasy artists have always seemed like illustration’s poor step-children, often ignored (and sometimes sneered at) while the historical and Western painters wore the mantel of respectability. Thank goodness Spectrum came along to point out to the naysayers that Art is Art and that the practitioners of “fantastic” art are as gifted as anyone working today (if not better).

Spectrum 10 is chocked-full of beautiful and imaginative work by veterans and fresh faces alike. Personal favorites include the previously unpublished gallery paintings by jillion-times-Hugo-winner Michael Whelan, the Expressionist-flavored space ships by John Berkey, the monsterously proportioned toy robots by Eric Joyner, and the fantasy scenarios of Paul Bonner. There’s art for films, paintings for books, sculptures (which I personally enjoy seeing), and work from comics; serious, mature pieces followed by wonderfully whacky and whimisical images. There’s really something for everyone. It’s fun to go through the book and compare the judges’ selection of award-winners in each category with what *I* think should have won.

And thank goodness someone has finally acknowledged Michael Kaluta (#10’s Grand Master Award recipient) as one of the most worthwhile illustrators working today. Kudos to the Spectrum Board!

About the only downsides are the occasional typos and several pages with cramped lay-outs, but all-in-all a must-have book for anyone with an imagination–and at a bargain price at that!

Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)) Overview

The increasing popularity of fantasy and science fiction themes in art is visualized and celebrated in the sumptuous Spectrum series. Unique in its concept, significant in its content, breathtaking in its execution, Spectrum is designed for readers who want to satisfy their sense of wonder, and serves as an invaluable resource for art directors and illustrators. Spectrum 10 includes 300 color illustrations and features artists from Germany, England, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, Canada, France, and the United States. The art comes from books, magazines, comics, video games, films, TV, advertising, and unpublished works from the artists’ personal portfolios and gallery shows. Included are works by artists such as Peter DeSeve, Anita Kunz, John Jude Palencar, Dave McKean, and Jon Foster.

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Buy, Cheap, Low Price, Discount, Spectrum 10: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books))

December 30, 2009

Check Out Contemporary Gothic (Reaktion Books – Focus on Contemporary Issues) for $13.35

Filed under: Arts Photography — Tags: , , , , — yanisa @ 2:08 am

Contemporary Gothic (Reaktion Books – Focus on Contemporary Issues) Review


In this book on popular culture, Spooner writes about how “Gothic narratives have escaped the confines of literature and spread across disciplinary boundaries to infect all kinds of media, from fashion to advertising to the way contemporary events are constructed in mass culture.” This is evident in the clothing worn by many punk-rock musicians, the prevalence of tattoos and body piercing, and the popularity of horror movies. But Spooner not only engages in an entertaining inventory of the diverse manifestations of the gothic in contemporary culture, but also delves into the historical and literary roots of the gothic and reasons for its attraction and persistence. In its idiomatic, inimitable way, the gothic represents the potent psychic themes of subconscious memories of the past and ties to the dead, the creation of the “other” (e. g. Frankenstein’s monster), the fragmentary self, the mutability of the body, and one’s own death and reincarnation. The gothic does not resolve anxieties “both personal and collective” attending these, however. Spooner’s general perspective is that it is a way of dealing with the anxieties. The periodic reawakening of the gothic usually originate among younger people for its graphic imagery connoting unconventionality and a degree of rebelliousness. Spooner is a lecturer in literature at England’s Lancaster University and author of the 2004 book “Fashioning Gothic Bodies.” Her sure hand with the wide range of subject matter makes for an especially lucid exploration of the vein of the gothic in today’s pop and youth cultures.

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