All right, here we go again! It seems that my self-portrait is, well, wordy, and I guess now’s as good a time as any to admit to you that this as well is one of my traits!
To pick up where we left off... my previous post ended after six books, and I’m working my way from top to bottom.
Next, Designa. Oh, Designa! A reference of classic design through the centuries, I have gone back to you again and again for years! I have become so rich because of you that each time I see you displayed in a bookstore I give a happy, contented sigh. You’re the best part of that Wooden Book bunch.
Soup for Supper? Yay! A children’s book with delightful illustrations that I’ve read to all our kids. I tried to buy it as we always used library books, but it was out of print. Our oldest son actually found it - eureka - and gave me this most delightful gift! Now I have been reading it to my art students and this year had them copy some of Phyllis Root’s incredible work. Personally raising up a new generation of Phyllis Root lovers.
Okay, leaning on the stack, just trying to get into the picture, is Color. Oh how I have loved this book. When I get my art students busy creating I will often read to them. Even with my high schoolers, if I say the phrase, “It’s story time!” they will give up a little cheer. Who doesn’t want to know that the color yellow used to be made from the urine of cows fed mango leaves, a beautiful purple or mauve was resultant from the massacre of millions of snails, or that wars were fought over a red made of bugs’ blood? Even today some of your makeup and some of the things you drink contain bugs’ blood. It’s nice to know you’ve chosen organic. :) And oh, how dearly I love the groans and horror rising from my students when they learn these wonderful things. Just makes me so happy.
Continuing downward we come to Bouguereau. Bouguereau is one of my favorite artists. Highly favored in his lifetime, his work fell out of favor when he died, and he was actually ‘rediscovered’ fairly recently. Love, love love his work, and many artists I highly admire have also been inspired by him.
The Rembrandt. Note that it’s in Dutch. I picked this one up when we were in The Netherlands. It represents several things. He’s one of my Top Ten artists and he’s also Dutch. As am I. Two famous Dutch artists, right? :) I also chose the Dutch version because I love to figure out other languages. Call it a hobby.
A Passion for Colour. This is one of the newest in my stack, but I cherish it. I LOVE color! This woman and I, yep... we’d be good friends.
Picasso Black and White. A number of years ago the MFA Houston had this exhibit. I thought, “...ah, Picasso. But just black and white? They’ll probably have some little pencil drawings and some black crayon and it’ll be boring.” Oh my goodness I was so wrong! I went in planning on spending an hour and going to an appointment I had later on. I staggered out after four or five hours totally missing my appointment and incredibly inspired! Those black and white paintings have given me a lifetime of inspiration!
Under that, Roger Dean’s Views. Oh, Roger, Roger, Roger! How I have loved you since I was 16 and bought my first Yes album! Your work! Your crazy, colorful, otherworldly abstract but totally representative work! Your analogous and complimentary colors. I have both drooled over and been inspired by your artwork for all these years. And I am very sorry and angry you didn’t win that lawsuit with the Avatar movie people stealing your inspiration as their own. Seriously. Anybody with brains could see you all over that movie.
Okay, one last book and I will post this so you can take a reading break! We end with James Herriot’s Treasury for Children. We wore two of these out with our kids and I give this book now as baby gifts. Anyone that knows anything about James Herriot will understand.
All right, that’s it for now. You will find me working through the stack in my next post which will be Self Portrait, Part the Third. See ya!
