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The Way Home
By David A. Neel. 2019
David Neel was an infant when his father, a traditional Kwakiutl artist, returned to the ancestors, triggering a series of…
events that would separate David from his homeland and its rich cultural traditions for twenty-five years. When the aspiring photographer saw a mask carved by an ancestor in a Texas museum, the encounter inspired him to return home and follow in his father’s footsteps. Drawing on memory, legend, and his own art, Neel recounts his struggle to reconnect with his culture and become an accomplished Kwakwa_ka_’wakw artist. His memoir is a testament to the strength of the human spirit to overcome great obstacles and to the power and endurance of Indigenous culture and art.Saga Boy: My Life of Blackness and Becoming
By Antonio Michael Downing. 2021
The triumph of Saga Boy is the triumph of Blackness everywhere--the irrepressible instinct for survival in a world where Blacks…
are prey."--Ian Williams, Giller Prize-winning author of ReproductionAn enthralling, deeply personal account of a young immigrant's search for belonging and Black identity amid the long-lasting effects of cultural dislocation.Antonio Michael Downing's memoir of creativity and transformation is a startling mash-up of memories and mythology, told in gripping, lyrical prose. Raised by his indomitable grandmother in the lush rainforest of southern Trinidad, Downing, at age 11, is uprooted to Canada when she dies. But to a very unusual part of Canada: he and his older brother are sent to live with his stern, evangelical Aunt Joan, in Wabigoon, a tiny northern Ontario community where they are the only Black children in the town. In this wilderness, he begins his journey as an immigrant minority, using music and performance to dramatically transform himself. At the heart of his odyssey is the longing for a home. He is re-united with his birth parents who he has known only through stories. But this proves disappointing: Al is a womanizing con man and drug addict, and Gloria, twice abandoned by Al, seems to regard her sons as cash machines. He tries to flee his messy family life by transforming into a series of extravagant musical personalities: "Mic Dainjah," a punk rock rapper, "Molasses," a soul music crooner and finally "John Orpheus," a gold chained, sequin- and leather-clad pop star. Yet, like his father and grandfather, he has become a "Saga Boy," a Trinidadian playboy, addicted to escapism, attention, and sex. When the inevitable crash happens, he finds himself in a cold, stone jail cell. He has become everything he was trying to escape and must finally face himself. Richly evocative, Saga Boy is a heart-wrenching but uplifting story of a lonely immigrant boy who overcomes adversity and abandonment to reclaim his Black identity and embrace a rich heritage.Anything but a Still Life: The Art and Lives of Molly Lamb and Bruno Bobak
By Nathan Greenfield. 2021
Molly Lamb and Bruno Bobak shot to prominence as war artists during the Second World War. Marrying shortly after the…
end of the war, they moved first to Vancouver and then, in 1960, to Fredericton, where they settled permanently. Molly’s paintings were vibrant and colourful, featuring dynamic crowd scenes and wildflowers that seem to wave on the page. In contrast, Bruno painted near-abstract cityscapes, stunning landscapes, and distorted bodies wracked with inner torment, work that is unique in Canadian art.In this book, acclaimed author Nathan M. Greenfield brings to light the private and public lives of two of the most important figures in 20th century Canadian art. Combining archival research with Molly’s diaries and letters, interviews with friends and contemporaries, and an analysis of paintings by both artists, he develops an intimate portrait of their life and art: their critical acclaim, commercial success, and a turbulent marriage that lasted over fifty years.Flower Diary: In Which Mary Hiester Reid Paints, Travels, Marries & Opens a Door
By Molly Peacock. 2021
Mary fought for a place as a professional artist without having to live as a tragic heroine. She married George…
Reid, Canadian muralist, and while their relationship was more equal than most, this was still the Edwardian age. How do you find time to paint when you need to get to the market to buy a chicken for dinner?Dean Worcester’s Fantasy Islands brings to life one of the most significant (but under examined) figures in the history of U.…
S. colonialism in the Philippines. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Worcester, a scientist who had traveled twice to the Philippines on zoological expeditions, established himself as one of America’s leading experts on the Philippines. Over a fourteen-year career as a member of the U. S. colonial regime, Worcester devoted much of his time and energy to traveling among and photographing non-Christian minority groups in the Philippines. He amassed an archive of several thousand photographs taken by him or by government photographers. Worcester deployed those photographs in books, magazine articles, and lectures to promote his belief that the United States should maintain control of the Philippines for decades to come. While many historians have examined American colonial photography in the Philippines, this book is the first lengthy treatment of Worcester’s role in shaping American perceptions of the Philippines in the early twentieth century.RX
By Rachel Lindsay. 2018
A graphic memoir about the treatment of mental illness, treating mental illness as a commodity, and the often unavoidable choice…
between sanity and happiness.In her early twenties in New York City, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Rachel Lindsay takes a job in advertising in order to secure healthcare coverage for her treatment. But work takes a strange turn when she is promoted onto the Pfizer account and suddenly finds herself on the other side of the curtain, developing ads for an antidepressant drug. She is the audience of the work she's been pouring over and it highlights just how unhappy and trapped she feels, stuck in an endless cycle of treatment, insurance and medication. Overwhelmed by the stress of her professional life and the self-scrutiny it inspires, she begins to destabilize and while in the midst of a crushing job search, her mania takes hold. Her altered mindset yields a simple solution: to quit her job and pursue life as an artist, an identity she had abandoned in exchange for medical treatment. When her parents intervene, she finds herself hospitalized against her will, and stripped of the control she felt she had finally reclaimed. Over the course of her two weeks in the ward, she struggles in the midst of doctors, nurses, patients and endless rules to find a path out of the hospital and this cycle of treatment. One where she can live the life she wants, finding freedom and autonomy, without sacrificing her dreams in order to stay well.Fashion Climbing: A Memoir with Photographs
By Hilton Als, Bill Cunningham. 2018
The untold story of a New York City legend's education in creativity and styleFor Bill Cunningham, New York City was…
the land of freedom, glamour, and, above all, style. Growing up in a lace-curtain Irish suburb of Boston, secretly trying on his sister's dresses and spending his evenings after school in the city's chicest boutiques, Bill dreamed of a life dedicated to fashion. But his desires were a source of shame for his family, and after dropping out of Harvard, he had to fight them tooth-and-nail to pursue his love. When he arrived in New York, he reveled in people-watching. He spent his nights at opera openings and gate-crashing extravagant balls, where he would take note of the styles, new and old, watching how the gowns moved, how the jewels hung, how the hair laid on each head. This was his education, and the birth of the democratic and exuberant taste that he came to be famous for as a photographer for The New York Times. After two style mavens took Bill under their wing, his creativity thrived and he made a name for himself as a designer. Taking on the alias William J.--because designing under his family's name would have been a disgrace to his parents--Bill became one of the era's most outlandish and celebrated hat designers, catering to movie stars, heiresses, and artists alike. Bill's mission was to bring happiness to the world by making women an inspiration to themselves and everyone who saw them. These were halcyon days when fashion was all he ate and drank. When he was broke and hungry he'd stroll past the store windows on Fifth Avenue and feed himself on beautiful things.Fashion Climbing is the story of a young man striving to be the person he was born to be: a true original. But although he was one of the city's most recognized and treasured figures, Bill was also one of its most guarded. Written with his infectious joy and one-of-a-kind voice, this memoir was polished, neatly typewritten, and safely stored away in his lifetime. He held off on sharing it--and himself--until his passing. Between these covers, is an education in style, an effervescent tale of a bohemian world as it once was, and a final gift to the readers of one of New York's great characters.Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids: His Life and Ideas
By Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen. 2014
An engaging, kid-friendly exploration of America's leading architect and his work This revised and updated edition of a longstanding classic,…
Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids, details the life, times, and work of the celebrated architect. Through simple, kid-friendly prose and anecdotes, author Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen describes the influences of Wright's Wisconsin childhood filled with nature, music, and close family ties; his struggles to find work as a young architect; the unique style that led him to the top of his profession; and masterpieces such as the Robie House, Hollyhock House, Fallingwater, the Guggenheim, and many others. Also discussed are Wright's sometimes controversial private and public life and the people and times that influenced him and vice-versa, with new sidebars on topics such as the Chicago and Bauhaus schools of architecture, Friedrich Froebel and his toy blocks that enchanted Wright as a child, and the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Budding architects will delve into architectural and design concepts while having fun through 21 hands-on projects, such as creating an edible model of Fallingwater, making a miniature Japanese kite, reading an architectural plan, and much more. A time line, glossary, bibliography, and list of houses to visit are also included.The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss
By Kathleen Krull. 2004
Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book
By Tom Spurgeon, Jordan Raphael. 2003
Based on interviews with Stan Lee and dozens of his colleagues and contemporaries, as well as extensive archival research, this…
book provides a professional history, an appreciation, and a critical exploration of the face of Marvel Comics. Recognized as a dazzling writer, a skilled editor, a relentless self-promoter, a credit hog, and a huckster, Stan Lee rose from his humble beginnings to ride the wave of the 1940s comic books boom and witness the current motion picture madness and comic industry woes. Included is a complete examination of the rise of Marvel Comics, Lee's work in the years of postwar prosperity, and his efforts in the 1960s to revitalize the medium after it had grown stale.Leonardo da Vinci for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities (For Kids series)
By Janis Herbert. 1998
The marriage of art and science is celebrated in this beautifully illustrated four-color biography and activity book. Kids will begin…
to understand the important discoveries that da Vinci made through inspiring activities like determining the launch angle of a catapult, sketching birds and other animals, creating a map, learning to look at a painting, and much more. Includes a glossary, bibliography, listing of pertinent museums and Web sites, a timeline, and many interesting sidebars.Michelangelo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, with 21 Activities
By Simonetta Carr. 2016
Art historian Simonetta Carr draws on recent scholarship that challenges the traditional view of Michelangelo as a recluse. Readers will…
also learn about the complex and fluid era of the Italian Renaissance and how the times affected his life and work. Lavish photos, informative sidebars, a time line, glossary, and suggestions for further readings add value, while 21 hands-on activities help young readers identify with the artist and his work.Van Gogh on Art and Artists: Letters to Emile Bernard
By Vincent Van Gogh. 1872
These letters, written from 1887 to 1889, are among the most important and relevant sources of insight into van Gogh's…
life and art. 23 missives, accompanied by reproductions of a number of his major paintings and facsimiles from his letters, radiate their author's impulsiveness, intensity, and mysticism. Chronology. Select Bibliography. Index. 32 full-page black-and-white illustrations.Bringing Aztlan to Mexican Chicago: My Life, My Work, My Art
By Marc Zimmerman, Jose Gamaliel Gonzalez. 2010
Bringing Aztlán to Mexican Chicago is the autobiography of Jóse Gamaliel González, an impassioned artist willing to risk all for…
the empowerment of his marginalized and oppressed community. Through recollections emerging in a series of interviews conducted over a period of six years by his friend Marc Zimmerman, González looks back on his life and his role in developing Mexican, Chicano, and Latino art as a fundamental dimension of the city he came to call home. Born near Monterey, Mexico, and raised in a steel mill town in northwest Indiana, González studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Notre Dame. Settling in Chicago, he founded two major art groups: El Movimiento Artístico Chicano (MARCH) in the 1970s and Mi Raza Arts Consortium (MIRA) in the 1980s. With numerous illustrations, this book portrays González's all-but-forgotten community advocacy, his commitments and conflicts, and his long struggle to bring quality arts programming to the city. By turns dramatic and humorous, his narrative also covers his bouts of illness, his relationships with other artists and arts promoters, and his place within city and barrio politics.River of Shadows: Eadweard Muybridge And The Technological Wild West
By Rebecca Solnit. 2003
The world as we know it today began in California in the late 1800s, and Eadweard Muybridge had a lot…
to do with it. This striking assertion is at the heart of Rebecca Solnit’s new book, which weaves together biography, history, and fascinating insights into art and technology to create a boldly original portrait of America on the threshold of modernity. The story of Muybridge—who in 1872 succeeded in capturing high-speed motion photographically—becomes a lens for a larger story about the acceleration and industrialization of everyday life. Solnit shows how the peculiar freedoms and opportunities of post–Civil War California led directly to the two industries—Hollywood and Silicon Valley—that have most powerfully defined contemporary society. .American Witness: The Art and Life of Robert Frank
By Rj Smith. 2017
From the author of the acclaimed James Brown biography The One comes the first in-depth biography of renowned photographer and…
filmmaker Robert Frank, best known for his landmark book The Americans.As well-known as Robert Frank the photographer is, few can say they really know Robert Frank the man. Born and raised in wartime Switzerland, Frank discovered the power and allure of photography at an early age and quickly learned that the art meant significantly more to him than the money, success, or fame. The art was all, and he intended to spend a lifetime pursuing it.American Witness is the first comprehensive look at the life of a man who's as mysterious and evasive as he is prolific and gifted. Leaving his rigid Switzerland for the more fluid United States in 1947, Frank found himself at the red-hot social center of bohemian New York in the '50s and '60s, becoming friends with everyone from Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and Peter Orlovsky to photographer Walker Evans, actor Zero Mostel, painter Willem de Kooning, filmmaker Jonas Mekas, Bob Dylan, writer Rudy Wirlitzer, jazz musicians Ornette Coleman and Charles Mingus, and more. Frank roamed the country with his young family, taking roughly 27,000 photographs and collecting 83 of them into what is still his most famous work: The Americans. His was an America nobody had seen before, and if it was harshly criticized upon publication for its portrait of a divided country, the collection gradually grew to be recognized as a transformative American vision.And then he turned his back on certain success, giving up photography to reinvent himself as a film and video maker. Frank helped found the American independent cinema of the 1960s and made a legendary film with the Rolling Stones. Today, the nonagenarian is an embodiment of restless creativity and a symbol of what it costs to remain original in America, his life defined by never repeating himself, never being satisfied. American Witness is a portrait of a singular artist and the country that he saw.Twenty Over Eighty: Conversations on a Lifetime in Architecture and Design
By Aileen Kwun, Bryn Smith. 2016
Twenty Over Eighty is a collection of insightful, intimate, and often irreverent interviews with twenty architecture and design luminaries over…
the age of eighty. Revealing conversations with leaders from a variety of fields--including graphic designers Seymour Chwast, Milton Glaser, Lora Lamm, and Deborah Sussman; architects Michael Graves, Denise Scott Brown, and Stanley Tigerman; urbanist Jane Thompson; industrial designer Charles Harrison; furniture designer Jens Risom; and critic Ralph Caplan--spotlight creators, thinkers, and pioneers whose lifelong dedication to experimentation and innovation continues to shape their disciplines well into their ninth decade.Twenty Over Eighty is not only a record of the remarkable histories and experiences of design's most influential figures but also a source of knowledge and inspiration for contemporary creatives and generations to come.Keith Haring Journals
By Keith Haring. 1988
A stunning Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition of the activist artist's extraordinary journals Keith Haring is synonymous with the downtown New…
York art scene of the 1980's. His artwork-with its simple, bold lines and dynamic figures in motion-filtered in to the world's consciousness and is still instantly recognizable, twenty years after his death. This Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition features ninety black-and-white images of classic artwork and never-before-published Polaroid images, and is a remarkable glimpse of a man who, in his quest to become an artist, instead became an icon. .Shelter: An Architect's Journey into Sustainability
By Wayne Bingham. 2014
After practicing conventional glass, steel, and concrete architecture for more than thirty years, an award-winning architect discovers the concept of…
sustainable living and embarks on a journey that ends with his own strawbale home at the foot of the Grand Tetons. A complete source of information for sustainable and off-the-grid construction, Shelter explores the principles of sustainable living and then illustrates actual execution of those principles in the author's strawbale home. Both an exploration of sustainability from an architect's point of view as well as a practical reference for home builders, Shelter is an indispensable resource to those interested in leaving a smaller foot print on the environment. Follow the author from the beginning idea through the planning, designing, and constructing to the realities of living in his strawbale dream home.Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
By Javaka Steptoe. 2014
A visually stunning picture book biography about modern art phenomenon Jean-Michel Basquiat, written and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award…
winner Javaka Steptoe. Jean-Michael Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe's vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat's own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn't always have to be neat or clean--and definitely not inside the lines--to be beautiful. Winner of the Caldecott Medal