Play With Art - DK Canada

Who doesn't love being creative? I've always enjoyed creating and making. And so does Little Guy!

I thought Play with Art from DK Canada would be a title he would enjoy exploring. Check out the other titles in DK's Celebrate the Arts boutique.

Little Guy always likes looking at the cover before he opens a book. The cover of Play With Art is colourful and inviting. The inner flyleaf is covered in fingerprints with faces drawn on. I quite liked this one - I can see framing a set for Gramma. So, he wanted to know how to do that one right away.

We made it to the table of contents. He loves tables of contents, so we had to read out the name of every craft within before looking at pictures. The crafts are broken down into: Painting and Printing, Paper Craft, Drawing and Coloring, Make and Create.

I know I used some of these techniques and crafts with my own children when they were little, but I had forgotten many of them until I saw them again in Play With Art.

Make dinosaur tracks by dipping a plastic toy in the paint, use nature items - flowers, leaves, fruits and veggies as your brush. (But we'll hold off on the 'use your feet' until we can do it outside!) There's many more ideas in this chapter.

Cutting paper is fun when you've mastered the art of scissors. Paper chains, free form scuptures, tracers, shadow puppets and more in the Paper Craft chapter. Do you remember wetting down crepe paper for a watercolour picture?

Drawing and colouring. I'm always fascinated by what Little Guy chooses to portray in his drawings. Remember scratch art? Colouring, then covering it with black paint, then scratching in a picture.

Make and create. Save those empty rolls and cardboard boxes - staple elements of 'making things'.

Play With Art has some good, basic ideas (50) for creating for the 3-5 year old crowd. It also fits nicely into the STEAM educational approach to learning. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) There's no right and no wrong in creating and imagination is a wonderful thing. As is the satisfaction of making something. This one's going to wait on Gramma's bookshelf for Little Guy's next visit. See below for a peek inside.

The Improbability of Love - Hannah Rothschild

The Improbability of Love is Hannah Rothschild's debut novel.

The Improbability of Love is actually a painting - although the title can be applied to many of the relationships in the book. Annie's fourteen year relationship has ended, she is a talented chef, but works for two sketchy art dealers, her mother is a life long alcoholic and her attempts to find friends - and love - have fallen flat. When she comes upon a dusty little painting in a junk shop, she just likes the way it looks. She has no idea that it's a lost masterpiece. But others who spy her with it are aware.....the cast of art collectors, art dealers and art thieves is large and eclectic.

Rothschild has a keen eye and wit, skewering the art world with tongue firmly in cheek.  I suspect insider knowledge has much to do with this - Rothschild is Chair of the Trustees of the National Gallery - UK.

Her character are all richly drawn and fleshed out. The art aficionados were by turns evil, funny and desperate. (Some readers may find this cast too large) It's impossible not to fall in love with Annie and hope that she does indeed find happiness and love again.  But the character I enjoyed the most came out of left field - the painting itself has a sardonic voice - and memories. Through those recollections we learn the provenance of the picture and the details of the man who painted it.

Annie is a talented chef, using food as her empty canvas. Rothschild's description of Annie's meals and their inspiration mirror her evocative descriptions of the paintings and art history used throughout the book. Both were equally fascinating for me.

Clever, very clever, is the first description that springs to mind in describing this book. Those looking for a literary art novel with a distinctly satiric tone mixed with history, romance, dodgy dealings and more, will enjoy The Improbability of Love. Read an excerpt.

In Color - Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams is perhaps best known for his stunning black and white nature and landscape photography.

During his lifetime, Adams never fully embraced color photography as he did the black and white. Part of that reason was the poor quality of color reproductions at the time. He did save thousands of transparencies though.

The first edition of In Color was published in 1993. With the advances and evolution in computer and digital technology, this new version is just released. The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust has entrusted Little, Brown and Company as the only authentic publisher of Adams' works, since 1976.

Included in this book are fascinating essays by Adams, espousing his views and struggles to accept and master color photography. Personal notes and letters give us an intimate view of this iconic photographer.

What captured me the most of course were the photographs. I'm not much of a photographer, but I was enthralled by his eye. Each of the pictures deserves and demands to be spent time with, to fully appreciate his talent.

My favourites were Tree Barn Hills C. 1950 and Sunset, Alaska C. 1948. There is one city landscape included that I really enjoyed as well - View From Beaumont and Nancy Newhall's Apartment 0n 56th Street, New York, new York , C. 1942. The facades of upper windows in a straight line amidst all the business behind captured me. There are over 50 stunning prints reproduced.

In 1983 Adams wrote " I don't like photographic color. If anyone thinks there is "hope" for my transparencies, let them fuss with them."

I am glad that someone 'fussed.' The genius of Adams shines through, color or not. A wonderful 'coffee table' book that any art or photography lover would enjoy. The photographs are timeless and remind us of how beautiful our world is.