"Remember Ben Clayton" - book review

This was recommended to me by two different well-read friends. After putting it off for several months, I finally dived in, and then ended up rationing my reading time over more nights than usual, wanting to stretch out the enjoyment.

Set just after World War I, the gist of the story is about a cantankerous Texas rancher who wants a sculpture made of his son who died in the war. He hires an equally "difficult" sculptor, who brings his adult daughter (who is also his sculpting assistant) to the ranch outside of San Antonio to gather images and information about the young man for the artwork.

Each of the characters is carefully, even lovingly teased out of their shells, to reveal the kinds of inner lives that most of us never reveal to the outside world. Some are the every-day joys and pains that we nevertheless experience alone, and some are devastating secrets that must be held closely, sometimes even from ourselves.

Besides the individuals, there is quite a bit of descriptive narrative about the Texas landscape, as well as about the process of creating a bronze sculpture, which I found fascinating but not too detailed or overwhelming.

These are beautiful character studies of a few individuals who are very different from each other, but in whom we might find familiar traits. Some are understandable, even forgivable, while others I found harder to understand and forgive. By the end of the book I was actually feeling proud of two of the characters. Ultimately, a worthy and fascinating read.

Book Giveaway: People & Portraits

I just LOVE Martha Sielman's series of art quilt books.  I had already pre-ordered her newest one, "People & Portraits", but then received an extra copy from the publisher for review.  (They needn't worry about my review ... the book is absolutely gorgeous.)

Here's a link to Martha's website.

So now I have an extra copy, and will give it away, FREE to a Commenter.  The winner will be chosen by my Random Number Generator (aka "Fifi").  The drawing will be held this coming Monday, April 8, so please leave me a Comment if you would like this book.

And now for the review ... Well, I'm always impressed with Lark books in general, and with anything put out by Martha Sielman.  The combination of the two makes for a beautiful reading and browsing experience.  The paperback cover is sturdy and the pages are very high quality, so that the pictures (after all, that's what we buy these books for!) are large, sharp and clear.  As far as I can tell from the images of art quilts that I've actually seen in person, the color reproduction is spot-on.

There is a clear Table of Contents that is broken down by artist and by gallery type ... Happiness, Contemplation, Community, Icons, Family and Friends, Work, and Play.  I love being able to compare and contrast the individual works in these categories.  In addition, there is an alphabetical Artist Index, plus 21 well-written profiles of major artists.

Of course, I long for profiles on each of the other 100 artists, but you can only cram so much into a beautifully-produced art book, retail priced at $24.95!  Martha has done a masterful job of selecting the artists, the art, and the photography for this book ... not to mention the writing.  I am a happy owner of this new treasure, and it's definitely a "keeper"!

Book Review: Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World

I’ve just received this new book for review (the first in a series) by Martha Sielman, Executive Director of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA).  My first instinct was to run my hand over the beautiful cover, which features “Peacock Pride” by Barbara McKie, and what a sweet little surprise it was to find the image lightly embossed … a delicate, subtle embellishment of an already stunning cover.  (Little things like that just make me happy.)

The book itself, like most recent art books by Lark, is printed on lovely, heavyweight paper that is a pleasure to handle.  The color photography appears to be true to the originals (at least according to my vivid memory of having seen some of them in person).

There are well-written profiles of 19 major fiber artists, including some of my favorites … Betty Busby, Paula Chung, Ginny Eckley, Ruth McDowell, Barbara McKie, and Annemieke Mein.  Plus, there are both full-page and smaller images of some breath-taking art quilts by more than 70 other artists.  I can honestly say that this is one of the most beautiful and informative art-quilt books I’ve seen, and it will have a permanent place in my library.  In fact, I’m very much looking forward to the next in the series.  (No affiliation, etc.)  Here are 192 pages of incredible artwork to feast your eyes upon, and to inspire you.  Highly recommended.

"Creative Quilting with Beads" - review & giveaway

Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader’s book on quilting with beads is now available in paperback format.  I’ve received a copy for review, and my first comment is that it is beautifully published on high-quality paper and with excellent photography … always my first requirement for any book to earn a place on my bookshelf.

The first part of the book, “The Basics”, truly is a simple, basic overview of tools and supplies, techniques, and even several easy options for hanging an art quilt.  There are no extensive bead-stitching instructions, but the basic techniques shown are well-illustrated and explained.

The second part, “The Projects”, contains 24 fun projects, including several purses, a vintage pillow, an apron, and a soft art-doll.  The rest are art quilts, at various levels from sweet-and-simple to sophisticated-and-striking.  One of the little handbags, by Veronica Hofman Ortega, actually serves as a sampler of beading techniques on the front of the elegant little bag.  There is a convenient “Templates” section in the back, for those who want to follow along with the projects, or you can just use the projects as inspiration.

As a somewhat experienced beader myself, I was most taken with the pieces by Sarah Ann Smith, Larkin Van Horn, and Deborah Boschert, but many of the other pieces would definitely appeal to beginning-to-intermediate beaders, traditional quilters who are looking for a slight twist to add to their work, and those who just want to experiment a bit.

The third section is the “Gallery”, with smaller images of some pretty exciting beaded artwork by other artists, including two of my favorites, Susan Shie and Susan Sorrell.  I have already found a lot of inspiration in these images, and look forward to going back through them again.

There is a nice section at the back (“About the Designers”) which gives background, website, and contact information for the designers who contributed. The actual Index only references “The Basics” section on tools and techniques, and it would have been helpful to have indexed the artists’ names with the page numbers of their artworks here.  This is really the only issue I have with the book, however, and consider it a very nice addition to my bookshelf.

Now, who would like to win a copy of this lovely book?  I want to mix it up a little this time, and have an actual contest instead of just a drawing.  Leave me a Comment with a haiku (5-7-5 syllables) and I will pick a winner.  It can be about art, beads or beading, quilts or sewing, anything that inspires you.  (Don’t worry about not being a poet … I’m not a tough grader!)

Here’s one to start you off:

            Calmly stitching beads.

            Nosy cat jumps in my lap …

            All beads on the floor.

If you’re new to haiku, it’s fun!  Sometimes it’s easier for me to start off with the last line, and build up to it.

Good luck!  I’m looking forward to reading your haiku, and sending this lovely book to the winner.

"Room" - book review

Available at Amazon.com

I had bought this book some time ago, and forgotten what it was about, so I started it without any pre-expectations.  Oh my gosh.  It is one of the most riveting books I've ever experienced.  Written in the voice of a five-year-old boy who has been raised by his captive mother in total isolation, it is both harrowing and sweet, if it's possible to be both at the same time.  I totally fell in love with the little boy, and empathized with his mother.  I had a few issues with the coy way the author treated some aspects of the story, but they are minor.  An excellent read, and highly recommended.

From Felt to Fabric - book giveaway!

Since I am not a felter, I thought I would provide the publisher's description of the book:

"Acclaimed fiber artist Catherine O'Leary introduces her distinctive, painterly approach to nuno felting with trademark techniques that make the craft easier to master, more creative, and more personal. Her exciting innovation, nuno pre-felts, integrates commercially printed fabric into the process and then uses these patterned pieces as design elements to create artful wearables and accessories. O'Leary explores principles of art and composition, like shape, color, and texture, and offers aspiring feltmakers inspirational projects plus a gallery of works illustrating the wide-ranging possibilities of her method."

All that is just to say that this looks like an easy, vibrant method of creating art-to-wear without the technical process being too complicated.  The instructions look clear and easy to follow, and there are tons of gorgeous pictures for illustration and inspiration.

As I said, I'm not a felter, so I'm giving this brand-new book away.  If you'd like a chance at winning it, just leave me a Comment below, and I'll have a drawing on Monday.  Good luck!

Book review: PUSH Stitchery

PUSH Stitchery can be purchased at Amazon.com

I just received this little book of stitchwork by 30 different artists who are “exploring the boundaries of stitched art”.  It first caught my eye because of the unusual cover … the arrow shape ends with a die-cut hole in the cover which reveals one of the stitcheries contained in the book.  It’s a tantalizing taste of what lies within.

Jamie Chalmers (“Mr. X” of the U.K.) has curated this book with an eye towards showcasing the cutting edge of stitchery and where it is going, blurring the line between craft and art.  As a stitcher himself (and author of the blog, Mr. X Stitch, Mr. Chalmers seems to have the ability to seek out some of the most innovative stitchers I’ve seen in a while.  (As an art quilter myself, I try to keep up with what’s new and exciting, but I had never heard of some of these artists before … and they are well-worth hearing about.

Each  artist is given a generous 5 or 6 pages to showcase his or her work.  Although most have chosen fabric as their medium of choice, there are some unexpected and exciting alternative mediums to see, too … such as Clyde Olliver’s work in stone, and Severija Incirauskaité-Kriauneviciené’s work in found metals.

Cayce Zavagla uses crewel embroidery to create masterly images that rival oil-painted portraits.  The detailing is incredible, and I want to reach out and touch them.  Rosie James works in stitched drawings, and her sketches in thread are vibrant and exciting.

There are artists who work in collage, illustration, vintage linens, photography, reclaimed fabrics, paper, mixed media, old textbook images, and found objects.

Alicia Ross uses a combination of the computerization of sewing with pop art to create extremely unusual works that are impossible to describe.  She states that her work “examines contradicting female roles and the simultaneous attraction and repulsion to their objectification.”  This is not merely a lofty-sounding artist’s statement, it truly deserves further investigation.

Of course, not every artist’s work is to my taste, nor will it be to yours.  But I find that I learn something even from those whose work I dislike at first.  Upon second or third examination, I can see “where they are going”, and even tag along for a while.

William Schaff’s work in this book focuses on some bizarre religious imagery that may shock some.  Aya Kakeda’s embroidery appears to be childlike and innocent at first, but can turn out to be dark and violent upon closer inspection. 

There is some beautiful and sweet embroidery, some complex stitchery, some figural and some abstract artwork, and vibrant color alongside stark black-and-white imagery.  There is even an installation artist included, Louise Riley.

One artist that I am familiar with is Jimmy McBride (USA), who “works for an intergalactic shipping company”, and whose “views out my window provide amazing inspirations for the quilts that I make.”

There’s no room to name all the artists and all their works … needless to say, I can wholeheartedly recommend this little (about 7”x9” with 176 pages) book.  The photography is excellent, the artists’ interviews are concise and clearly written, and I’m glad to have added this one to my library.  (I received this book from the publisher (www.larkcrafts.com) for the purpose of an independent review.)  As always, I could wish for a larger size, but there is something to be said for a smaller book, too, as it’s easier to tote around in my bag and share with friends.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had avoided this book when it first became popular quite a few years ago. The title was off-putting to me, as I didn't really want to read a book (especially a long book!) based on religion. However, I love several of John Irving's other books (The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampsire, The Ciderhouse Rules, etc.) and when I started listening to books on tape I decided that I could finally give it a chance.

It's a good thing I was listening to it during a long driving trip, because the first quarter of the book didn't really grab me. But since I couldn't really put the book down and pick up another one, I was committed to hearing it through. Wow, am I glad I did! The characters in this book never ceased to surprise me, and I literally fell in love with the title character. The narrator ... Owen's lifelong friend, John Wheelwright ... at first seems a little stiff and self-righteous, but as the story unfolds, you begin to understand him too. As in most of Irving's books, comedy and tragedy seem to always go hand-in-hand.

Since I listened to the book instead of reading it, I don't know how a hard-copy book-reader would have felt about Owen's distinctive voice, which is one of the most unusual and important things (along with his diminutive size) about him. In the audio book, the reader created an "Owen voice" that at first was irritating to me, but ultimately became very endearing. I would highly recommend listing to the audio book for this reason alone.

One my favorite Owen quotes: "Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!"

I wish Owen Meany were a real person, and I wish I knew him.

View all my reviews

Masters: Art Quilts Vol. 2

I was excited to receive my copy of Masters: Art Quilts, Volume 2 in yesterday’s mail, and couldn’t wait to review it for you here.

Curated by Martha Sielman, this second volume of “major works by leading artists” has been eagerly anticipated by those of us in the art quilt field, as well as those who collect and appreciate fiber art as Fine Art.

Ms. Sielman is well-known as the Executive Director of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), and has earned her stripes as a professional artist, author, lecturer, juror, and arts administrator, with too many professional credits to name here.  Suffice it to say that she has created another masterpiece with this book.

By limiting the number of artists to 40 (in this 412-page book), Ms. Sielman has been able to showcase a fairly wide range of each artist’s work, along with a satisfying, but not overwhelming, amount of information about each artist and his or her working philosophy and/or techniques.  Each artwork is named and dated, with the size, materials, and techniques also indicated.  (One of my pet peeves about some other books is not being able to tell how large or small an artwork is, so this is a big plus for me.)

The artists showcased here are pulled from a truly international base, and the quilts  reflect the most sophisticated kind of artwork of any genre.  For instance, Emily Richardson’s quilts of silk organza and acrylic paints could easily be mistaken for abstract oil paintings. 

Genevieve Attinger’s graceful portraits and nudes could be straight out of an old master’s studio, with the addition of her delicate stitches.  Pamela Fitzsimons’ highly textured Australian landscape pieces are painstakingly created by hand, from dyeing to stitching. 

For a refreshing take on land- and seascapes, take a look at the collaborations of Gayle Fraas and Duncan Slade.  They combine realistic landscapes with unusual framing elements that make you stop and look again … and again. 

Linda MacDonald enjoys inserting humor into some of her environmentally sensitive message quilts.  Although some see her graphic images as similar to comic-book art, they always remind me of delicate wood-block cuts.

In addition to Ms. Sielman’s introductions to each artist, there are short quotations by the artists scattered throughout each section.  One of my favorites is by Laura Wasilowski:  “Fabric scraps are like starter dough.  The possibilities are endless.”

This book is large enough to allow for good-sized images and a few detail shots, without being an oversized “coffee-table” book.  I do wish there had been room for more (and larger) detail shots, but then the book would have had to be much bigger and heavier!  The paper is very high quality, and the photography is superb.  Highly recommended as a gift or for yourself.   Although I often give books away, I’m keeping this one!

Disclaimer:  I received this book for the purpose of writing an independent review.

Book Review: Quilt National 2011

This beautiful hardback book presents, in striking color photography and detailed-yet-concise descriptions by the artists themselves, the 86 works of fiber art that were accepted for the 2011 exhibition at The Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens, Ohio.

Quilt National is possibly the most prestigious juried art-quilt exhibit in the U.S., and has been called “the premier international showcase for contemporary quilts” by The Wall Street Journal.  As a fiber artist myself, I know that it takes tremendous talent, imagination, and determination to ultimately have a piece accepted by Quilt National.  Many fine artists try for years and years before finally (if ever) having work shown there.

Some previous editions of the Quilt National book have not had, in my opinion, the excellent quality of photography that this 2011 edition displays.  Each image is large, clear, and, as far as I can tell, color-correct.  Many of the pages also have detail shots, so that the reader can see a closer view of the piecing, painting, stitching and other minutia of these works of art.  It is especially exciting to be able to see the fine quilted details.  The artists’ statements are all well-written and interesting, adding yet another layer of personal enjoyment to the images.

I received this book in consideration for writing an independent review, but having now reviewed it, I can honestly say that I would have bought it anyway.  Definitely a keeper for your library, this book can be ordered directly from Lark Crafts or through Amazon.com.

P.S.  Deb Boschert has posted a unique review of this book on her blog.  If you are interested in unusual, if unofficial, statistics about Quilt National entries, take a look ... it's quite fascinating! 

Soulless

Well I seem to be on a reading-and-reviewing jag lately.  As someone who has always loved science fiction and fantasy but finds the current craze for all-things-Twilight a bit gag-inducing, it was refreshing to find a light, humorous, and literate take on the vampire/werewolf genre.

First, I should say that I'm sure that the Twilight series is fine for innocent young things whose mothers are anxious for their daughters to remain pure for their future husbands ... and for those same mothers who long for their own days of sheer romance without the dangers inherent in more mature relationships.  However, when I first heard of the original book ... long before the movies ever came out ... I tried (the operative word being "tried") to read it.  I literally could not force myself beyond the first couple of chapters, the book was so poorly written.  I was actually astonished that it found a publisher and an editor who allowed it to come to print in its current form.  Nevertheless, that series is aimed at a different readership, and is not the subject of this review.

Reading Soulless, by Gail Carriger, was like finding a surprising little crystal dish of fresh strawberries, when you were expecting a lump of heavy bread pudding.  (I use the food analogies intentionally, as the heroine is refreshingly interested in all things gustatory, and makes no bones about her determination to remain well-fed.)  Set in an alternate-world Victorian England where supernatural beings are well-known, "Soulless" starts off with a bang:  at a ball, after having retreated alone to the library, Miss Alexia Tarabotti happens upon "an unexpected vampire."  He advances toward her, "darkly shimmering out of the library shadows with feeding fangs ready.  However, the moment he touched Miss Tarabotti, he was suddenly no longer darkly doing anything at all.  He was simply standing there, the faint sounds of a string quartet in the background as he foolishly fished about with his tongue for fangs unaccountably mislaid."

  Since our heroine is "different" in many ways from her mother and sisters, she is considered to be an unmarriageable spinster at the ripe old age of 26.  As a result of this status, she is rather more adventurous, outspoken, and hardheaded than other ladies of her station in life, and has decided that she might as well enjoy it.  With the addition of some of the most interesting and delightful characters I've encountered in a long time (a loud, messy, gorgeous werewolf police inspector, an adorably effeminate Lord of the Realm vampire who takes her under his wing, a stalwart old-family butler who reminds me of Jeeves, and who I hope to see more of in subsequent books, a silly girlfriend with atrocious taste in hats but a warm heart, and several others), Soulless has become my favorite-book-of-the-week.

How to classify this book?  Well, obviously a Supernatural Fantasy, but unlike anything I've read in that genre before.  A Romance, yes; but again, not typical at all ... Miss Tarabotti is entirely too independent-minded and mischievous to fall into that trap!  A Mystery, yes; although a not too taxing one.  The best part of reading this book was how many times I giggled and re-read favorite lines and paragraphs and whole passages ... some of which were quite erotic in a very proper Victorian way, and some of which were just so wonderfully well-written that I had to enjoy them again.

It's not surprising to find that the author, Gail Carriger, is the daughter of British expatriates.  Her sense of humor carries over into her brief Interview located at the end of the book.

Unfortunately, my blasted Editor's Eye caught several errors, including a couple of anachronisms.  They were few and far between, however, and should not impinge upon your enjoyment of this wonderful addition to your library.

Highly recommended ... and I can't wait to read the next one, Changeless (which is luckily already in my possession.)

A Bad Day for Sorry

Well I just had to get back to the computer in order to share a (new?) book that I just finished, that just tickled me pink.  (I love the cover artwork too.)  Not exactly a work of great literature (nor was it intended to be) ... a bit rough in patches, but well written (hooray!), and very much worth a summer read, especially for women who:
     * have ever been abused or known someone who has been abused;
     * have ever had Justice Fantasies about someone who has hurt them;
     * have a good sense of humor;
     * can handle a little bit of bad language every now and then ... not overdone;
     * have a soft place in their hearts for comfortable, sweet Southern dialect;
     * have ever wondered about unusual ways a rotary cutter could be used (and I don't mean slicing pizza!)

A Bad Day for Sorry:
This little book (280 pages ... anything under 400 pages is "little" to me) was a fast and fun read.  It bills itself as a crime novel, but it's really much more than that.  I won't tell you much more than that our heroine, Stella Hardesty, is a 50-year-old widow who had "dispatched her abusive husband with a wrench" before the story opens, and a few years later, is "so busy delivering home-style justice, helping other women deal with their own abusive husbands and boyfriends, that she's barely got time to run her sewing shop."

I fell in love with Stella, her soft heart and hard ways.  There are other characters who will surprise you, too -- it's not only Stella's own personality that teaches us not to judge a book by its cover!

As soon as I closed the cover on the last page, I immediately started looking for another book by this author, and found out that this was her first novel!  She does have another one out, called "A Bad Day for Pretty", but so far, it's only in hardback, and I must wait for it in paperback ... I'll let you know when that one comes out too.  It's so rare that I find an author that I really like, and Sophie Littlefield is one ... I just wanted to share my enjoyment of this book with you.

I've been loving these past few rainy days in San Antonio ... too gloomy to go outside, just perfect reading weather.  Now back to Studio cleaning!