Best Art Books

I recently hosted an open house and studio visit for my students. At the end of the visit, someone commented on seeing art books around the house and asked for a list. It wasn't my first request for book recommendations so I thought I'd share a list on the blog of art books I've enjoyed from my collection. Art books can be found throughout our house. Maybe one day I'll get organized and put them all in one spot, but then again, to quote my student, ours is a "house dedicated to art."

I've read and enjoyed each of these books and they are the ones that have survived various book purges. Get those Christmas wish lists out!

Books on the nightstand.

I have separated them for you into How To, Art Theory and Inspiration, Books About Artists categories.

How To:

Classical Drawing Atelier, by Juliette Aristides (I recommend ALL of Juliette Aristides book. I learned so much from them and continue to refer to them.)

Lessons in Classical Drawing, by Juliette Aristides

Classical Painting Atelier, by Juliette Aristides

Lessons in Classical Painting, by Juliette Aristides

Oil Painting Secrets From a Master, by Linda Cateura- (One of the first books about oil painting that I ever bought, other than textbooks. It is written by a student of David Leffel and consists of ideas he presented in class. It was helpful in my journey to being a good oil painter, but not great if you are looking for a step-by-step)

Alla Prima II Everything I Know about Painting--and More, by Richard Schmidt (The first book was out of print so I was really happy when this one came out a few years ago. Expensive, but chock full of good info about oil painting)

The Artist's Complete Guide to Figure Drawing, by Anthony Ryder (so good)

The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards (This was the text years ago when I taught as an adjunct at Brevard Community College in FL)

The Human Figure, by Vanderpoel (I've read this one multiple times and new things click every time)

Bridgman's Complete Guide to Drawing From Life, (left over from college days and I still refer to it)

Artistic Anatomy, by Dr. Paul Richer (anatomy reference, also left over from college)

Drawing the Head and Hands, by Andrew Loomis (if you look around this one is available as a free pdf for download)

The Practice and Science of Drawing, (Illustrated) by Harold Speed

Books in the studio.

Art Theory and Inspiration:

ART & FEAR, by David Bayles and Ted Orland

The Art Spirit, by Robert Henri

The Age of Insight, by Eric R Kandel, (this is a fascinating book about science, medicine, and art, and how the mind and brain relate to art)

The Story of Painting, by Sister Wendy Beckett

The Painted Word, by Tom Wolfe, (A short, but must read for contemporary realists)

The Object Stares Back, by James Elkins

What Painting Is, by James Elkins (this book changed the way I think about painting.)

The Art Instinct, Beauty, Pleasure and Human Evolution, by Denis Dutton

What Painting Is, by James Elkins

On Ugliness, by Umberto Eco

History of Beauty, by Umberto Eco

The Secret Language of Symbols, by Fontana

The Artist's Way- A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, by Julia Cameron (Still working my way through this one)

The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How, by Holly Dewolf

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg (not specifically about art, but about navigating the business world and the ever-changing role of women in our culture)

The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings on Authenticity, Connection, & Courage, by Brene Brown (Audible) Brene's work and research is a powerful force for reason, understanding, creativity, and love, and living a meaningful life, her other books are on my to-read list)

Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, by Krista Tippett (not specifically about art, but valuable for connecting with ourselves, the world, and people around us.)

Guns Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond (not specifically about art, but very thought-provoking about societal issues)

Manage Your Day-To-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus & Sharpen Your Creative Mind, by Jocelyn K. Glei (editor)

Books About Artists:

Leonardo Da Vinci, by Walter Isaacson (Still reading this one)

A Life, Sacred and Profane: Caravaggio, by Andrew Graham-Dixon

J. W. Waterhouse, by Peter Trippi

Essential Klimt, by Laura Payne

The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh, edited by Mark Roskill (this is an amazing insight into Vincent's mind and process)

The Passion of Artemisia: A Novel, by Susan Vreeland

Behind the Easel: The Unique Voices of 20 Contemporary Representational Painters, by Robert C. Jackson with Pamela Sienna

Many of these books are probably available used, in paperback, or the out of print ones might be available as downloadable PDFs. A few I have on audible, but if there are pictures I like to own a hard copy.

If you have favorites, please put them in the comments section below, because books are great items to put on a Christmas list. And as artists, we are always looking for inspiration.

I have a book about my work, too The Incognito Project. If you have a book about your art feel free to leave a link in the comments. Happy Reading!

The Incognito Project

They Went Incognito and Still Got Recognized

Three of The Incognito Project paintings have been named Finalists in The Artist's Magazine's the 30th Annual  Competition. Woohoo!

These paintings are The Mariner, Professor Rattus and Her Royal Court, and Home Maker.

These are paintings from my portrait series completed last fall, and included in The Incognito Project book. The book is available on Amazon, on my website, or in the side bar of this blog.

For all the veracity implied by her meticulous and unflinching style, the works maintain a seductive fantasticalness and seem to dance a jig on the line between the real and the imaginary.
                         ~ Graham C. Boettcher, Curator of American Art, Birmingham Museum of Art

Click Read More below for more about the project and a video.

ABC 33/40 in the Studio

A few weeks back I had a fun visit in the studio from ABC 33/40 TV anchorman Dave Baird and cameraman Johnny Rockett.

The Incognito Project exhibit and book had come to his attention and he wanted to do a TV segment for the Focus at Four show.

The books are on sale worldwide for 9 days only, April 22-30, 2013, at the special Portrait Society of America Conference price of $55, on Amazon or with PayPal through my website.

Below is the video. He did a great job editing out my nerves and eloquently summarizing The Incognito Project in two minutes, something I've never been able to do. I loved the Wizard idea for his alter ego, totally!


The book is available through Amazon, or through my website, or blog.

It will also be available at the Portrait Society of America's, Art of the Portrait Conference, Atlanta, GA, Artist's Book Table or at the Artist's Book Signing, Friday, April 27, 2013, 12:30 PM. Stop by and see me!

The Incognito Project Book on Sale!

The Incognito Project book is on sale for $55, April 22-30 for 9 days only!

I'm going to the Portrait Society of America's Art of the Portrait Conference in Atlanta, GA next weekend and will be participating in the Artist's Book Signing event, Friday, 12:30-1 PM at the Grand Hyatt.

The book will be available to conference goers at the PSoA's Artists Book Table all weekend long.

So we thought why not make the book available at the conference price to everyone worldwide the week of the conference! On Amazon or my website, or email me at terrystr@terrystricklandart.com

I know you can't judge a book by it's cover so here are a few 2 pages spreads and pictures from the event.

Alabama Shakes, Lilly Ledbetter and The Incognito Project

The Incognito Project seems to have sparked people's imagination much as it has mine. I'm honored that this month it is written about in B Metro : The Magazine of Metro Birmingham Living.

The article, written by Phillip Ratliff, is about the painting project, the show and the book. It is in their January 2013 feature, The A-List.

From the magazine:
Our annual list of people who fascinate, inspire, and make this city a great place to live.

Each year we put together a list of people (and this year we added an event) that we think have had really exceptional years and are poised or equally great things in the year to come. This year our list includes a comedian, a potter, rock and roll stars, equal-pay advocate, two artists, a convention center executive, a marine general turned college president, and the Dia de los Muertos festival. It’s a compendium of achievement we are proud to have associated with our magazine and our city.

Other people on the list this year are the amazing musical group Alabama Shakes, (their debut album is my new favorite music), Roam Project visionary-Greg Wingo, and Equal Pay Advocate-Lilly Ledbetter.

I had a total fan girl moment and got a secret thrill to see Lilly and President Obama on the page before The Incognito Project since I'm such a huge fan of both!

The magazine is in bookstores and news stands locally till mid-February and you may read it online here.

Steampunk Rats and Blue Ribbons

I'm pleased to announce that Professor Rattus and Her Royal Court, The Incognito Project has won 1st Place in The Portrait Society of America's, 2013 Member's Only Competition, Outside the Box category.

Professor Rattus and Her Royal Court, The Incognito Project,  24x18, oil on panel

The painting is of my daughter, Carly, and her pet fancy rats, Queenie and Dutchess.

Here's Carly's "Witness Statement" from the book: 

I find that my ability to converse intelligently is inversely proportional to my proximity to a furry mammal. If it’s furry and friendly, I want to hold it and talk to it to the exclusion of the humans around me. My conversation, that may have started as, “Why, yes, I did hear that the Large Hadron Collider created an event that was a hundred thousand times hotter than the sun,” devolves into, “My goodness! Who’s a furry critter? You’re a furry thing. Yes, you are.” Take equal parts Asimov and Conan Doyle, two writers I’m passionate about, and add a dash of furry minions, and I can wallow in a mystical land tailored just for me. ~Carly

The painting is included in my book about the project, pages 94-99.

You may see a big post about the painting here, that covers the Steampunk aesthetic and more close-up details.

The painting is now at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA. The books are available through my website, or in the sidebar to the right or at the gallery. In Santa Fe you may also purchase the book at Sugarman Peterson Gallery.

Amy Strickland has done a series of posts about how she ran our successful Kickstarter to fund publishing of the book. You may find the first one here. Just follow the link at the bottom of each of her posts to see all six. 

Incognito Project Books Have Arrived!

They are finally in our hands and they are beautiful. Thank you Global, PSD for the wonderful work!

That's why we had to pay for a truck with lift gate and pallet jack. It's all becoming clear to me now. 

Ok, so it took Dan and Carly and the burly delivery guy to get the pallet up our driveway.

So pretty!

So exciting!

The Incognito Project Exhibit

Whew! That was fun. I haven't gotten pictures from the photographer I hired to shoot the opening yet but I took a few pictures of the show before the opening so I'm sharing those.

I am definitely feeling the love. I shook hands, hugged necks, and heard very nice things from people excited about the project for four hours. It was awesome and honestly kind of a blur.  Thank you Birmingham, Alabama for making me feel welcome in my own hometown!

Art Folk Gallery is a gorgeous space and I was thrilled to exhibit this project there.

Wall quote:

“This form of play is her invitation to her friends, and her skill as a painter is devoted to communicating to them, and to us, her affection, both for the person as they are, and as they understand themselves.”

~Daniel Maidman, The Huffington Post (from The Very Serious Dress-Up Playtime of the Soul, Oct 12, 2012)

Wall quote:

“...these individuals are not merely playacting, nor are the identities they assume false. Rather, they are making a confession of sorts. They use costumes and props not to become someone they are not, but rather to enable the artist, and thereby the viewer, to see something that they are or want to be.  By going incognito, they give outward expression to their inner lives, revealing fantasies, fetishes, dreams and desires.”

~ Graham C. Boettcher, Curator of American Art, Birmingham Museum of Art, ( from The Incognito Project book foreword)

The front sides of the free standing walls were hung with the paintings.

The back sides of the free standing walls were hung with large photos from the original event and enlarged sketch book pages where I had journaled ideas for The Incognito Project. The first entry was in 2008. 

I displayed a shelf holding various props that were used in the paintings. 

The space was so large that I had room to show a few extra recent paintings.

We had a Matter Deep Publishing table so people could see what the family has been up to for the past year and to sell advance copies of The Incognito Project books, which came in just in the nick of time. 

We did the drawing for the my painting, Daydreams, Some Other Self, at the end of the  evening and it was won by Fred Leggett, of Tampa, FL. Fred is a collector of limited edition art books and was a big supporter of The Incognito Project book Kickstarter. Congratulations Fred!

I want to thank my family, my patrons and friends for making this project happen. Thank you for supporting the kickstarter to fund the book, for coming to my show and for being all around awesome!

The last shipment of books will be here on Nov 26, then we'll mail out the rest in plenty of time for Christmas. If you'd like to purchase a book, $65, you may email me at terrystr@terrystricklandart.com

I'll do another post when I have pictures of the space filled with happy people. 

The Incognito Project Exhibit is Upon Us!

I can hardly believe the show is tomorrow!

The 5 year old in me wonders why there is no smell of cookies baking. I'm so excited, surely it's the day before Christmas.

It's been a busy week, varnishing, framing, hauling, shopping, cleaning and organizing. I am savoring every minute as this project comes to a close. 

My daughter cropping large pictures of the event that are included in the show. 

Three levels of shelves in the Mazda.

Hubby Dan hanging the show.

Yesterday our 80 advance copies of the book came in. Talk about close timing. I've never been so happy to see a FedEx guy in my life! All the parts of the project have come together.

The only thing left is the "Partying, partying, partying, yeah."

Which we actually started a little early when I previewed the show for a few VIP friends that are going to be out of town for the weekend.

The playful boys from "Let the Games Begin"

Friends.

The model for "The Rake".

And "The Harpist" model. 

So if you're in the Birmingham, AL area tomorrow, Nov 3, 2012, 5-9 pm, stop by and see us!

 Art Folk Gallery, Young and Vann Building, 1731 1st Avenue North.