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The turn of the 20th century offered few professional career opportunities for women, especially in the artistic arena. In the early 1890s three talented woman banded together with a forth to form a 'family' and create an environment in which creative ideas could cross-polianate and careers blossom. Artists Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green and Violet Oakley captivated Philadelphia society with their brilliant careers, charming english garden hospitality and unconventional lifestyle. Readers will enjoy the combination of biographical sketches, rich photographics and examples of all three artists work delightfully arranged throughout the book.

Reviewed by Helene B., Main Library

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Have you ever read a book and said "Now there's a person I'd like to spend a day with." Tasha Tudor is definitely one of those persons. At 81 she is a children's author, illustrator, gardener, and craftswoman. She lives on a farm in Vermont where she has recreated a Victorian world in which she goes about daily life doing all the things herself that today we depend on others to do for us. She also paints happy family outings, animal families, and peaceful scenes. There are more than 100 color photographs of a simpler life. This is not 1800's; it is the Private World of Tasha Tudor and you won't want to miss it.

Reviewed by Carol S., South County Regional

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New York Times art critic, Michael Kimmelman, presents interviews with contemporary artists exhibiting in the Met and the Louvre. Each artist talks about various pieces of their choosing. For instance, Kiki Smith discusses ancient Assyrian relief sculptures, while Hans Haacke focuses on the politics of the museum itself. In this way, a portrait of each artist’s personality emerges. More interesting is the artist's insight on those qualities which make art a vital experience – briefly counteracting the distanced, institutionalized effect of the museum setting.

Reviewed by Dominic C., Morrison Regional

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Newell Convers Wyeth is well known as the illustrator of a shelf-full of classic books, and as the patriarch of an artistic brood, the most famous of who is Andrew Wyeth. The artist produced illustrations for such classics as The Yearling, The Last of the Mohicans and Treasure Island. For many readers his illustrations are the definitive versions of these characters. In N.C. Wyeth the author examines both the artist's life and work. In spite of his financial and popular success, Wyeth still felt he was a failure as an artist and also suffered from debilitating bouts of depression. In spite of his real or imagined failings, N.C. Wyeth produced a body of work that has stood the test of time. The reader is left with an appreciation of his timeless illustrations - with a vibrant New England sun illuminating the adventures of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver.

Reviewed by Tom V., Main Library

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More than any artist, Diego Rivera has shown Mexico to the world. Often seen through the fog of its Spanish colonial past or the shadow of the giant to the north, Mexico still struggles with feelings of inferiority. For so long Mexico looked to Europe for models of identity. Rivera was one of the artists who turned his eye, and that of the world, towards his own heritage. His work has presented Mexico’s indigenous beauty to the world, and indeed to Mexico herself. This lively and beautifully illustrated volume presents Rivera the man and his work, revealing him as a very flawed man, but one of the most important artists of the 20th century.

Reviewed by Mark B., Main Library

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Do you normally think of art as boring, predictable and dull? Then you probably have never come across the works of the artist Salvador Dali, a man that is none of the above...not boring, not predictable, definitely not dull and many would even say not even normal! He is the man that became one of the most well known Surrealist painters of the Twentieth Century. What is Surrealism you might ask? It is an artistic movement that attempts to express the subconscious by fantastic imagery and dreamlike images. This book, with its vivid reproductions and photos, describes the life of Dali and how he delved into his subconscious for creativity. It includes 21 activities to help you do the same. Even if you don’t like art, you will be fascinated by the man that has inspired musicians, filmmakers and poets.

Reviewed by Michelle F., Hickory Grove Branch

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Has an art book ever been so much fun? Circular snakes that seem to rotate on the page, flashing dots that disappear, words that read the same backwards and forwards, and other optical illusions draw you through Masters of Deception with smiles of pleasure and looks of amazement. Using text and pictures, the book introduces a group of artists who created a delightful, and, at times, a literally dizzying array of imaginative pieces. The examples of op art, trompe l’oeil, shadow sculpture, double imagery, and other playful styles provide a fascinating tour of visually appealing yet thought-provoking works that trick our perceptions while making us question our view of the world.

Reviewed by Charles D., Morrison Regional

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No one has visually captured the rugged beauty of North America like Ansel Adams. In Ansel Adams: 400 Photographs, the reader takes both a chronological and comprehensive journey through the life's work of this American visionary. Many places of natural beauty were photographed repeatedly by Adams over six decades, from childhood photos of Half Dome in 1916 to classic Ansel Adams icons, like "Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, 1960." Adams was a technical giant, as well as an intuitive artist. Notes are included on selected images, providing insights into mystical moments of light and shadow, like the image captured by just one 8x10 negative, the famous "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941". Both meditative and mesmerizing, this compilation of Adam's photographs is the largest ever published.

Reviewed by Lydia T., Main Library

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Readers who are interested in art, history, true crime, or any combination of the three will like what Museum of the Missing has to offer. Simon Houpt chronicles the history and different types of art theft throughout the years. The book also provides a background of recovery efforts of stolen art and advancements that are being made in crime prevention. The best part of this book is that the pages are interspersed with excellent color photos of the actual paintings, in order to truly appreciate what you are reading about. This book is a great find for art buffs, yet is also readable enough to be enjoyed by beginners hoping to learn about the world of art.

Reviewed by Sandra S., North County Regional

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Creating art in the 21st century is both harder and easier claims Calvin Tomkins, author and art critic for The New Yorker. Obstacles faced by today’s artists include unlimited freedom of style or subject and constant pressure to succeed. Nor do society’s obsessions with media and money ease the burden to create something original. In his book, Tomkins profiles ten admired and prolific contemporary artists, ranging from painters to filmmakers. He feels that these ten artists are uniquely connected through the various ways they deal with the challenge of living. Tomkins successfully explores this connection by looking past the art and into each life, proving his belief that “if the work is interesting, the life probably is too.”

Reviewed by Kim W., University City Regional

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