Jane Sassaman
I had seen a couple of samples of Sassaman’s work in the book Masters Art Quilts. Coming from a strong graphic design background, Sassaman’s works are unlike any quilts I have ever seen. The designs are strong and bold, rarely using more than the smallest of patterns …
An inspiring collection of modern art quilts made by masters. Rich and detailed, these quilts rival any painting. From photo realistic trees, portraits and modernist grids this thick beautiful collection shows a dazzling array of fabric masterpieces.
Berkeley Breathed
I was kind of shocked when Breathed killed off Opus earlier this year. I understand his rationale that the world is really just too messed up for an Opus, no matter how feisty he is. However, I think Breathed did a great disservice by taking away a gently …
The Full Body Project – Leonard Nimoy
I heard a lovely interview by Nimoy months ago on his new book and the fear of working in this “new” medium. Unlike his past works (and most other photographers) Nimoy used plus-size models for his project. After being approached by a member …
Claire Nouvian
This book is gorgeous. While the subject matter, sea creatures of the deepest abysses, is certainly fascinating the pictures are what makes this book so wonderful. Some show perfect, tiny jeweled creatures floating in the dark. Others, lit by ROV lights, look like computer generated movie sets. Unreal …
James Christensen
Christensen is both an immensely talented artist and an excellent writer. His illustrations has the fantastic, otherworldly beauty of earlier artist/illustrators such as Arthur Rackham. While some of his work does tend to the maudlin and cutesily religious, the bulk of his work is brilliant and meticulously detailed. …
Ben Marcus
Have I ever surfed? No. Will I ever try? Maaaaybe. But gosh darn these surfboards are beautiful. Along with a pretty interesting history of the sport, major surfers and the evolution of design and materials and numerous gorgeous images of boards. Everything from the earliest all-wood boards to …
Teun Hocks – Aperture Books
Dutch photographer/painter Hocks creates amusing and bizarre painted photo images. Portraying a generic “everyman” Hocks highlights the absurdities of life. Standing on an ice-flow, his everyman looks concernedly at his briefcase and hat as they float away. Standing on top of a ladder, he shoves …
Peter Seidel and Manfred Sack
Seidel’s photos are a creepy, otherworldly collection of underground sits in Germany. The most benign include art vaults and wine cellars. More common, however, are shelters, prisons and command centers built to withstand war after war – including Hitler’s own bunker. Fantastically beautiful pictures, regardless …
Paul Budnitz
I was kind of vaguely aware of designer toys, having been dragged through numerous comic shops by friends. However, the “figurines” from popular comics cannot compare to these pricey gems. Divided by designer, I Am Plastic showcases some of the fantastic and bizarre creations from companies across the …
Joel Sternfeld
American Prospects is a nifty collection of photos from the 70s and 80s by a master photographer. Sternfeld focuses on contrasts of human objects placed existing in nature – a huge rock obstructing the view of a business office, towns dotting empty prairies, a rotting refinery in the …
Shel Silverstein
I idly picked up this Shel Silverstein collection while wandering through a used bookstore the other day and gave it a flip. Oh my. This is NOT your usual Silverstein wacky, quirky drawings. Actually, they are. They just have a lot more nudity and swear words. With his …
Eduardo Rodriguez, Andrew Moore, Andy Grundberg
Once, years ago, our friend Rebecca asked us to come out and look at her recently deceased grandmother’s house. It had been built during the civil war and had received its only wallpapering at that time – which was still hanging in black shreds …
Andy Goldsworthy
The artwork of Goldsworthy is about nature and impermanence. Like artist Robert Smithson (Spiral Jetty), Goldsworthy’s works are meant to erode and disappear over time. The only records are photos. Working with whatever is at hand, Goldsworthy sculpts and creates with leaves, rocks, ice and twigs. Short commentary …
Museum of Bad Art
http://www.museumofbadart.org/
After wandering through the Museum of Bad Art’s online gallery, look of abject horror frozen on my face, I HAD to see the book. My god, what were these people thinking?! The museum “is the world’s only museum dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and …
Lloyd Kahn
I love this book. I love it so much I actually bought it. With real money and everything. Kahn’s book is a massive collection of hand built shelters of every sort of building material possible. And they are truly inspiring. There are fantastic homes built of light concrete …
