Arts and Culture

During the middle of the 20th century, neon signs turned North America's roadside into a luminous wonderland. The most compelling signs were figural: imaginative, cartoon drawings in light. These unforgettable depictions of exploding bowling pins, crashing cars, baton twirling majorettes, and lassoing cowboys were the fodder for legend and lore.

This is a book that explores into two worlds, the appreciation of wood as medium for sculpture and a practical look of technique. The history of sculpting directly into wood is explored, illustrated with many classic examples of the art, from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century. But this book is also a vital resource for those seeking to create sculpture in wood.

In the world of costume jewelry, the name Lea Stein Paris® is recognized as the most notable and innovative designer of plastic jewelry of the 20th century. Her use of sculptured laminated celluloid in many novel combinations of textures, colors, and designs resulted in her whimsical and colorful world of original animals, people, and geometric delights.

Chinese pottery and porcelain has been admired, sought after, fought over, and emulated throughout the history of the civilized world. In form, color, and technique, China led the world in the ceramic arts. Its perfection of hard paste porcelain in the Ming Dynasty followed a fascinating record of ceramic production that is traceable back to 5,000 B.C.

The islands of Murano, in the lagoon of Venice, have been a sheltered community of glass artists for at least 700 years, leading the world in blown techniques and design of beautiful and functional objects. This new study captures the artistry of Murano glass as well as the multi-generational world of discovery, innovation, alliances, and realliances that have fostered that artistry.

This retrospective of Jims skateboard art bombards the reader with colorful decks, logos, ad art, ad layouts, photos, and stickers to illustrate the history of skateboarding, from the urethane revolution to the present. Take a ride with an inside view of Phillips Studios, to observe the wacky world of his crazed studio artists and examine their graphic assignments.

Traditional American tattooing has a rich, extensive heritage. Often underappreciated, it represents a true folk art, encompassing design motifs and themes that are expressions of the heart, the desires, loves, and ambitions of the artists and those who wear their artworks. After carefully studying work by renowned American tattoo artists (including Paul Rogers, Leonard "Stoney" St.

Over 200 stunning color photos provide a unique perspective on life in and around Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The author/photographer presents vistas and places beyond well-known tourist attractions, boats, and lobster buoys to provide a more expansive look of Cape Cod.

Visit 12 Florida cities and tour over 40 stunning historic Mediterranean revival homes, captured inside and out in over 350 images. Spanish and Mediterranean revival architecture was all the rage in the 1920s and '30s, when stars of the silver screen were fashioning their celebrated personal estates, which were copied by those wanting to share in the glamour and sophistication.

The iconic American guitar is the Gretsch model 6120, that Chet Atkins has endorsed and George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Brian Setzer, and other well known musicians used. 334 bold color images reveal its evolution into a highly collectible instrument produced in limited numbers. Fresh insights, compelling images, and significant new information explain what contributed to its development.

Tattooing is a very old and spiritually respected art form that has existed in many different cultures around the world. After many centuries of not being practiced in Europe, tattooing was re-introduced to the Western world through the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean.

Instructive text and 275 color photos guide readers through all the necessary steps to create natural looking garden pools and swimming ponds. Imagine paradise in your own garden–a combination of bathing pleasure with the possibility of observing nature and recreation. A comprehensive guide to get to what you have dreamed about and how you can contribute directly to the project.

Tour sixteen beautifully restored homes built and decorated in the Arts and Crafts style, an early twentieth century movement to counter the increasing urbanization and mechanization of human life. Nearly 300 color photos detail links between nature and human skill, and capture architectural elements of the Arts and Crafts bungalow.

A rare opportunity to appreciate the incomparable beauty of Brazil’s women in the equally striking environs of this tropical paradise. Photographer Joaquim Nabuco’s collection of nude art photos creates a lush, whimsical, and sensual landscape that revolves around the feminine, exotic, and vibrant character of these women.

The most comprehensive review of the Provincetown Artist Colony to date, this two-volume set is complete with conversations with many artists, including Robert Motherwell, Jack Tworkov, Red Grooms, Raphael Soyer, and Chaim Gross, and nearly 300 images of works by those artists, as well as Childe Hassam, Hans Hofmann, Franz Kline, Adolph Gottlieb, Edward Hopper, and numerous others.

Images of the classical female figure are more prevalent in the contemporary figurative art world, as the nude male has been shunned as too potent or treated as a sex symbol. This book bravely showcases works by male and female artists from around the world that focus on this classic subject.

Learn the fascinating story of the flax to linen process in history, legend, song, crafts, lesson plans, and recipes. With 414 images, this comprehensive book dates back thousands of years, from how flax was cultivated in the Middle East and Europe, its beginnings in America, to its use in the twenty-first century.

Here is the long awaited update of research on the Rufus Porter Landscape Mural School, greatly expanding the knowledge and understanding of this uniquely American folk art field of the 1820s to 1840s. The text provides detailed documentation never seen before in print.

As one of the oldest costume jewelry companies still in existence, Monet has, for almost 70 years, made jewelry that cannot be surpassed for its quality, craftsmanship, and audacious design. Monet: The Master Jewelers is a long overdue, in-depth look at this innovative and enduring company.

A thoughtful survey of fiber sculpture and wall art portrayed in 335 vibrant images and insightful text. Explore the work of three generations of fine artists who have opened their minds and spirits to the boundless range of expressive possibilities in textile methods or materials.