Artists and Prints: Masterworks from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art

Book Description

The creativity of the most celebrated artists of the modern period has been enriched and expanded by their work in the print medium. Exploiting the potential of such techniques as woodcut, lithography, etching and screenprint, as well as other processes, these artists have added immeasurably to their expressive vocabularies. Many have availed themselves of the expertise offered by master printers in professional workshops and have benefited from the fruits of such collaboration. They have found inspiration in traditional printed formats, such as portfolios and illustrated books, and have used them to explore thematic interests. As a result of these experiences, printmaking has exerted influence on their work in other mediums and has become integral to their creative thinking as a whole. Finally, the fact that prints are made in editions rather than as single impressions has enabled these artists to reach a much broader audience than would otherwise be possible. This volume includes the work of artists from the late 19th century to the present and demonstrates the imaginative ways in which they used print techniques. The potential of the woodcut was explored by Paul Gauguin and Edvard Munch, and the woodcut later became a major preoccupation of the German Expressionists Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde and Max Beckmann; lithographed posters were a specialty of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; Pablo Picasso and Joan Mir experimented with drypoint, etching, and lithography, among other techniques, in new and original ways; Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns exploited the painterly aspects of lithography and the commercial look of screenprint. The current generation of artists, among them Terry Winters and Kiki Smith, has gravitated to printed art as an essential aspect of their creative practice, with major bodies of work already produced. Including more than 200 illustrations, this publication is organized as an unfolding historical narrative with a focus on individual artists, each with a succinct text describing his or her relationship to printmaking. Bibliographic references cite the latest scholarship in the field. An index of artists, printers, and publishers reflects the involvement of various partners in the printmaking enterprise. All works reproduced are from The Museum of Modern Art's extraordinary collection of over 50,000 prints, the finest of its kind in the world.

Book Description

I am Jeremy and I am, unfortunately, 15 years old. A high school freshman with, thank God, four good friends but other than that a seriously boring life in a seriously boring town made livable only by the knowledge that someday in the far-off future at least this will all be over and I'll turn 16 and get a driver's license, which I so richly deserve, and then life will finally be good. Which it isn't now, although it isn't completely bad since I've got best friends (Hector and Pierce) that I can totally trust (seriously), Sara, a girlfriend (sort of) that loves me (sort of), a band that's beginning to come together, no joke, and sounds fairly okay but would sound even better if everybody would just show up for practice for once on the same day at the same time, which, by the way has only happened once. Oh, and my parents are seriously ruining my life. This Zits treasury combines strips from Thrashed and Pimp My Lunch. That means fans can once again enjoy such Zits classic moments as the joys of instant messaging, the proper way to apply deodorant, how to put on an attitude, and much, much more. This is Zits at its best.

Customer Reviews:

Laugh out loud funny.......2007-09-01

If you have a 15 year old son (or know someone who does) you'll think the authors have you (or them) on cadid camera. So many times my husband and I looked at each other AFTER we finished laughing as if to say, "that just happened here!".

We used to clip the comic strips to send to our son when he was in college. Turns out his roommates' parents were clipping them and sending them, too!

Now that he is a recent graduate and living far away from home, he still gets a few clippings from time to time.

This book is wonderful when you need a laugh!

3.5 Stars: A Bit of a Letdown.......2007-07-11

I have all the Zits' treasuries, and while I enjoyed this latest one, have to admit that it was the least entertaining of the bunch. Some of the jokes are retreads of previously done jokes from other books, and unlike previous collections there weren't any strips that segued together to form a storyline. I was also disappointed to see so many one panel strips, like Family Circus.

Entertaining, but not as good as previous compilations.

Jeremy sulks again.......2007-04-10

This is a great compilation of Jeremy's antics and that of all his friends who thrive to drive parents to the edge. It's hilarious as always, and anyone with a teenage son can relate to the moods and to the parents' frustration. It's fun and quick reading and when you get to the end, you beg for more. The wit and sarcasm is classic Zits.
Another fabulous book by Jerry Scott!!!

agreed.......2007-01-20

Thanks for the warning on the overlap. I am getting a little tired of that.

What books are in each collection needs to be noted.......2006-12-08

I agree with the previous comment. I LOVE Zits, but have spent a fortune and waaaay too much time, trying to make sure my sons have each issue
without duplicating them. Each collection needs to clearly indicate on the front which sketchbooks are contained therein - only a few of them do this.

Average customer rating:

CRACK OF NOON: A ZITS TREASURY.
Jerry & Jim Borgman. Scott
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P241FI

Book Description

Duh! The Stupid History of the Human Race is a hilarious collection of the stupid things that people do-even the really smart people. "Part 1: The Stupid Chronicles" details the unbelievably idiotic things people have done, organized by such topics as politics, history, sports, arts, science, and dumb plays in the face of fate. "Part 2: Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Stupidity but Were Too Smart to Ask" looks at the track record of human stupidity in all its dumb glory. And "Part 3: How to Destupify" offers tongue-in-cheek advice on how to avoid ending up in a future edition of the book

Customer Reviews:

total bollocks.......2007-06-20

I did not find this book enjoyable at all. I bought it as a coffee table book, something to page through, find something interesting, discuss. Most discussions revolved around the irrelevance of any story or quote in the book. I suppose this might not be mine (or any friends) sort of humor. Some of it does seem like the George Carlin style (make two assertions, connect them to a person, criticize (and 'humorize') what that makes them, laugh, repeat. I do enjoy some Carlin, enough to set his book in the open, but I felt Fensters writing lacked any....thing. The book was bland, the writing bland. The only thing strong about the book are my feelings against it.

Not bad first half but . . ........2006-11-14

The first sections of the book do what the title implies, tell about stupid things people have done. OK, that's what the book is about. The last couple sections are somewhat (OK very) preachy and it is somewhat obvious the author is not a fan of tecnology, TV, the NFL, the military (to make this more timely - his comment that soldiers have to be stupid to follow orders reminds me of a senator in the news about now, Nov. 2006), corporations, etc.

He also seems to believe that successful people are "lucky" even referring to getting a good education as being lucky. I guess I was lucky when I worked my way through college and recieved grades that were good enough to receive a fellowship to graduate school even working full time. Yep, I just won life's lottery.

The last section on advice really seemed to be more out of Poor Richard's Almanac than anything that would really help someone.

What a stupid book.......2006-01-13

The first couple of chapters, which probably sold the publisher on the idea, are amusing enough, but I was constantly irritated by the author's opinions and snide comments woven throughout the book. As one reviewer put it, it's as if he thinks the reader isn't smart enough to understand the humor of stupidity on its face.

The book steers clear of controversial subjects that show the history of stupidity, such as sexual ideals developed during the Victorian age. Thus, it's nowhere near a complete history. It's not a terrible book to keep next to the toilet, but the author's comments only add to the stink in the room.

The book is a waste of paper and time........2005-12-25

This book was recommended by a friend. Luckily, I found a copy locally in the bargain bin for $1.50 and even that was more than it was worth. Besides ruining what could be considered potentially good satire and comedy with the bias and commentary of your average six-year-old, the book has become an example of its title by repeating urban legends and quoting historical "facts" that are unverifiable by established sources. Considering its bias, the historical fallacies and the urban legends presented as fact, the only conclusion one can come to for supporting this book is lack of education or a simplistic and easily amused mentality. Too bad 1 is the lowest number assignable.

Bathroom Humor .......2005-01-13

It's a good enough idea for a book, but it's not nearly as funny or as simple as it might seem at first glance. And it's way too cynical, in a George Carlin/David Sedaris sort of way: funny at first, but it gets tiring really fast. Of course, if you're constantly trying to reassure yourself that you're not an idiot and need to know how stupid other people are to feel good about yourself, then you'll probably enjoy it.

It's obvious that much of the book is made up or heavily embellished, and the author even goes so far as to explain why half of the stuff is funny or stupid, suggesting that the average reader is not bright enough to see the humor for him or her self.

It comes across as a few good stories surrounded by acres and acres of boring ones stuck in there to make the book seem bigger. I blame the editor and the publisher. It's obvious that the author has done a lot of work to bring it together.

I keep the book (a secret Santa gift from an unimaginative coworker) on the back of the basement toilet for Saturday mornings, but otherwise never look at it.

Duh! The Stupid History of the Human Race

Average customer rating:

Duh! The Stupid History of the Human Race

Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0760750521

Product Description

Size: 5.25 x 7.25 in.

Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race 2004 Day-To-Day Calendar

Average customer rating:

A few gems surrounded by Duh!
Cute calendar, good gift

Duh! The Stupid History Of The Human Race 2004 Day-To-Day Calendar
Bob Fenster
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Calendar

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ASIN: 0740736582

Book Description

Back for a second year with all new entries, this calendar will continue to amaze readers with its intelligence on stupidity. A hilarious collection of the incredibly stupid things people do and say - even the really smart people - the Duh! 2004 Calendar entertains readers bypointing out some of the many people out there who are more stupid than they are. Anyone would feel smart next to the guy who died from snake bites after he and his friend played catch (with rattlesnakes); or next to the crook who stole a car, found a camera inside, used it to take pictures of himself, then left the camera in the car (his next photo was a police mug shot); and especially next to the guy from Sunderland, England, who glued his nostrils shut after confusing a bottle of glue with nasal spray. Readers get a double benefit with this calendar: a smart laugh every day and a boost in self-esteem.

Customer Reviews:

A few gems surrounded by Duh!.......2004-11-06

I was given this calendar for Christmas last year and it seemed very promising - it's exactly the sort of thing I go for. There are some entertaining entries, but I think the author ran out of good material.

The entries consist of stupid things people have done or said, as well as famous quotes about human stupidity, and the author's own thoughts on human stupidity. Most of the first three are ok, producing some real gems occasionally, but the author's own thoughts on stupidity are simply awful - they lack cleverness, insight, and sometimes even sense.

The calendar is a great concept, but I can't recommend it. The really entertaining bits are balanced by the painful bits, and the rest is just filler.

Cute calendar, good gift.......2003-12-27

I purchased this calendar for my husband as a Christmas gift. I started the tradition of putting a page-a-day calendar in his stocking every year, and up until this year, it was always "The Far Side". This year, as I was looking through the Amazon listings for "The Far Side", I stumbled upon "Duh!" and checked it out. It seemed funny enough that I thought it would make a nice change from the usual.
As it turned out, this calendar was pretty funny. Some of the anecdotes are a little goofy, but most of them (I peeked ahead!) are good for a nice chuckle, especially if you just can't believe some of the stuff people do!
If you enjoy a laugh (and maybe even if you want to feel less bad about your own life seeming like a never-ending sitcom), you'd enjoy this calendar. The only downfall is that I couldn't read just one, so I've already gone through most of the year. They're funny stories to share with friends or magnet to the fridge, too.

Book Description

Peter Schumann and his Bread & Puppet Theater are likely the most important, and surely the longest-lasting, contributors to modern American theater history. Since the early sixties Schumann and his puppeteers have been pouring out work after work on every scale: political works, mysterious works, grand works, modest works, works on the street and works in fields, works to be played in every size theater on four continents, books, prints, posters, and banners which live as show-and-tell in so many homes. Now Ron Simon and Marc Estrin, a remarkable photographer, and a long-time puppeteer, who have each in his own way contributed to the shows, recorded events, and reflected on them. Out of their experiences they have created Rehearsing with Gods: Photographs and Essays on the Bread & Puppet Theater. Far more than history or documentation, they identify eight archetypes engaged repeatedly by Peter Schumann and his crew. Their book consists of parallel meditations--the texts not commenting on the photos, the photos not illustrating the texts--unified and intertwined by the chapter themes of Death, Fiend, Beast, Human, World, Gift, Bread, and Hope. Altogether, it's a collaboration that reflects their sixty-odd man-years of personal experience in, hidden narratives of, and speculative reflections on Peter Schumann's projects, ever-more relevant to our times. This is a book that will engage both fans and newcomers--an inside-view of Peter Schumann's political-artistic world.

Customer Reviews:

A Must for Bread & Puppet Fans.......2007-07-11

If you like Bread & Puppet, you'll be very happy with this book which is a celebration of their work. I've sold lots of them--especially at festivals where people can browse the pages and see what a high quality work the book is.

Important, thoughtful, beautiful work. Ah!.......2004-08-02

This is a simply breathtaking book, a wonderful and sorely needed piece of work. It captures in one volume a sample of the beauty and intelligence of the Bread & Puppet Theater which has not been recorded before. This radical puppet theater troupe, directed by the venerated Peter Schumann, is among the most important in the postwar theater; it is influenced by Brecht and hippie culture, but its work is unlike anything else before or since, and its brilliance has not yet been chronicled, much less sufficiently appreciated by criticism.

You can use it as a one-stop introduction to the Bread & Puppet Theater -- something which has long been needed, for the radical puppeteers have been among the most important artists of the last half-century but also the least known (at least outside radical politics and the Northeastern U.S.). And you can, and should, read it to reflect on the beauty of Bread & Puppet even if you already know the theater well. Ronald Simon's photos are stunning examples of spontaneous photography, capturing the essential feeling of being around Bread & Puppet, and are beautifully reproduced here at a decent size. Marc Estrin's essays on clusters of little topics -- World, Bread, Fiend, Human -- capture some lovely details and meditate intelligently on the life and aims of the theater. Read George Dennison's book (An Existing Better World) as well, but this is the place your Bread & Puppet reading should begin.

Customer Reviews:

SOME GREAT SUTFF, SOME NOT SO GREAT.......2006-08-01

WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CD, I WAS EXPECTING ALL OF THE SONGS TO BE TRADITIONAL AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL MUSIC, COMPLETE WITH DIDGERIDOO. BUT A LOT OF THE SONGS ON THIS CD ARE MORE MODERN SOUNDING, ALTHOUGH THE CUTS THAT ARE STRAIGHT AHEAD ABORIGINAL MUSIC ARE GREAT. MIXED REVIEW FOR THIS CD.

Average customer rating:

The most important clown book you can have!

Perfect Book for the Novice

If you are a serious clown...er...wait a second

An inspiring book indeed!

Creative Clowning for the Beginner!

Creative Clowning
Bruce Fife , Tony Blanco , Steve Kissell , and Ed Harris
Manufacturer: Piccadilly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Be a Clown!: The Complete Guide to Instant Clowning

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Clown Act Omnibus: Everything You Need to Know About Clowning Plus over 200 Clown Stunts

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ASIN: 0941599167

Customer Reviews:

The most important clown book you can have!.......2007-01-04

My absolute favorite clowning book! If you can only get one clowning book get this one! Covers everything!!! Whenever I am writing clown shows I always go to this book. There are so many skit, gag and prop ideas in this book to build off of. It is truly GOLD!!! In addition to all the skit, gag and prop ideas it also covers make up techiniques as well as costuming. This book stays not on my book shelf or even out on a table but in my truck, so I always have access to it even when I am at work. I think one of the things that really makes this book so special to clowning is the fact that it is not just one author, there are around 10!! Each one writing on their speciality or passion.

I really wish they would come out with a second eddition of this book that would include websites and email address of clown scripts, ideas, gags, etc.

Perfect Book for the Novice.......2002-12-18

I'm considering setting up as a childrens entertainer, so I purchased a good few books. This is without doubt the best of the bunch.

The book covers lots of aspects of clowning, gives great ideas, and is an easy read.

The only downside is that it does not have space to go as in depth in some areas as I would of liked - but there are plenty of speciality books to do so.

If you are a serious clown...er...wait a second.......2002-11-04

Every hobby has one or two definative books. This is it for clowning. Everything I wanted to find out and more. Like any good reference book it started me down the path and I have read several books recommended.

If you are going to get into clowning you need this book.

An inspiring book indeed!.......2001-09-28

Having read four customer reviews of this book, I might have had high expectations. Maybe I didn't realize it's true value at first, but after learning various skills, you may want to try others, which didn't catch your interest at first. Then you realize how powerful a tool this book is.

Until now I've focused on juggling and unicycling. The book not only teaches you how to ride a unicycle, -it also provides a lot of amusing variations. Though I knew how to ride before buying this book, it taught me how to ride in a very ridiculous way, seemingly out of control. I've experienced a tremendous effect when acting upon these hints in front of an audience. ...

Just recently I grew interested in the stiltwalking sections and made a pair of wooden tie-on stilts. I'm not exactly an engineer, but following the instructions, all I needed was a saw, some wood, a drill, some glue, some bolts and screws.

Reading the ingenious instructions given sometimes make me laugh out loud, thinking of how it would work in real life. The illustrations are really amusing, and I do enjoy all the hints on starting a clowning business. Lots of detailed information.

Also, the book is packed with numerous jokes and material that can be used for shows. The next stage for me will be learning how to twist balloons into different animal shapes.

I was actually looking for a book on how to put on clowns' make-up for my unicycling. This book is all you need to know about various types of make-up for various clown types, plus so much more. If you're thinking about clowning, either for fun or for money, I highly recommend this book!

Creative Clowning for the Beginner!.......2000-08-02

I thought this book was informative, extremely informative for new clowns. You get a history of clowning, pictures of famous clowns, and jokes on most of the pages to use when performing. There is a chapter on how to develop your own clown character which also explains the different types of clowns (Whiteface, Auguste, Tramp and Character), their makeup and their character. Mimes are not excluded either! Topics covered are: clown outfits, props, routines, expression, timing, and working with partners. There are even chapters on balloon art, puppets, juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, and balancing objects. I found the last few chapters very helpful. They gave tips on designing your own business cards so people won't throw them away and how to get bookings and also how much to charge. There is a great Publications and Organization section full of books and suppliers. I would certainly recommend this book to any one who is interested in clowning around! This book has it all!

Book Description

Creativity is crucial to business success. But too often, even the most innovative organization quickly becomes a "giant hairball"--a tangled, impenetrable mass of rules, traditions, and systems, all based on what worked in the past--that exercises an inexorable pull into mediocrity. Gordon McKenzie worked at Hallmark Cards for thirty years, many of which he spent inspiring his colleagues to slip the bonds of Corporate Normalcy and rise to orbit--to a mode of dreaming, daring and doing above and beyond the rubber-stamp confines of the administrative mind-set. In his deeply funny book, exuberantly illustrated in full color, he shares the story of his own professional evolution, together with lessons on awakening and fostering creative genius.

Originally self-published and already a business "cult classic", this personally empowering and entertaining look at the intersection between human creativity and the bottom line is now widely available to bookstores. It will be a must-read for any manager looking for new ways to invigorate employees, and any professional who wants to achieve his or her best, most self-expressive, most creative and fulfilling work.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring, creative, and a thought-provoker. Not to miss........2007-09-22

"Orbiting the Giant Hairball" by Gordon MacKenzie is a not-to-miss book for anyone who is looking to tap into their creative mind.

The book is not for the dull-minded, however. MacKenzie recalls several situations in his career at Hallmark cards, and offers advice in the form of examples.

The last chapter of the book was what made this book completely worth while. I highly recommend this book to everyone. I guarantee you will not regret it.

A Guide to Chaos, Confinement, and Creativity.......2007-08-21

What Orbiting the Giant Hairball (OTGH) is not is another book on corporate management, although heads of creative departments would do well to understand the principles Gordon MacKenzie suggests. OTGH is a guide to chaos, confinement, and creativity. As an artist, I've worked most of my career in the corporate world (the Hairball). The paradox is that creation takes an entirely different set of rules (mainly the defiance of them), which puts creativity at odds with the organizational compulsion of the Hairball. On the one hand, a company can't exist without structure; on the other, artistic expression is antithetical to defined limits. How do you find congruence as a Creative hemmed in a left-brained organization? MacKenzie suggests the middle ground is an orbital path that is free to explore the infinite, but not independent of the organization.

MacKenzie's book is an effortless read, laid out to take advantage of white space. Doodles mark the margins and gaps, with chapter heads and illustrations taking up 4-page spreads. Some chapters break out in freeform cartoons on lined notepaper, with Chapter 19 devoted to the statement, "Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license." Often digressing, you feel there's always a point to the random character of the work. The book presents itself as an artistic exploration, even if the drawings are primitive in the style of a child's hand. What MacKenzie has to say is thought-provoking. Don't get tangled in the hairball, becoming another crony of the institution. Mentoring is not the same as managing. Dynamic forces exist in the chaos of uncertainty. Orbit provides a place for creative expression that isn't stifling. Find your unique voice and express your one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

How to become a Corporate Fool !.......2007-05-26

What a delightful book! You have to read this - if you interested in fostering creativity within a corporation.

The author is Gordon McKenzie, who worked for Hallmark Cards (the main greeting card company here in the US) for 30 years. His last title at the company was ¡¥Creative Paradox¡¦.

The main point in his book is that corporations come into existence through the creativity of their founders, but subsequently start to become stratified and ossified because of the need to do things ¡¥that we know work¡¦, thereby discouraging creativity.

The bias against creativity does not just exist in large corporations. I particularly liked his story about asking school children in different grades how many thought they were artists. Invariably, the older the kids, they less hands would go up. They have been taught that they were not creative, or that being creative is not ¡¥normal¡¦.

The giant hairball is his analogy for the corporate body with all the rules and regulations, and his prescription is to know how to keep within the orbit of the corporation without being absorbed and suffocated into the main mass. Another useful analogy is how when water-skiing, you do not need to follow directly in the wake of the boat, but can at times move in an arc around the back of the boat, or even sometimes get ahead of the boat.

This is a small book full of gems! I highly recommend it.

Here is a quote I really like:

¡§If we do not let go, we make prisoners of ourselves¡¨

The book¡¦s subtitle is: ¡§A Corporate Fool¡¦s Guide to Surviving with Grace.¡¨ So, go ahead and read it. You too can become a Corporate Fool º.

Ignore How It Looks.......2007-03-15

This book sat on my shelf for five years before I ran out of things to read and picked it up. Had I know then what I know now, I would have dropped everything and read it then and there. Mr. Mackenzie encourages individual thinking and creative looks at how things can be in a corporate culture, where dollars and cents are more important than pressing forward and being truly innovative. There is not a business where this sort of creativity cannot be applied.

Must Have for Designers.......2007-03-13

As a professor in the field of graphic design, I've found this book useful and inspirational. It gives a great perspective on maintaining your creative integrity in a business environment. I recommend it to all my graduating students as they prepare for creative careers in the "real world". It's an easy read with delightful illustrations and loaded with relevant advice. I actually own more than one copy because I loan it out on a regular basis.

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