The Dickson Gallery of Fine Art

	.—Art Related Books
		On Becoming an Artist by Ellen Langer WHOA! Check out this mind-blowing read!! We are "our own worst enemy." We will start our creativity (paint, music, draw, write, whatever) tomorrow ... when we have time ... when we're empty nesters, etc. We do everything but create. "Someday" could be tomorrow if you read and take to heart Langer's message. In our creativity we need to distinguish the end product from the art/experience of creating it. Too many of us believe that a "rich creative life" belongs to a few select people. Wrong, creativity is in everything we do. Refrain from judging and just do. Start your personal renaissance. Becoming An Artist may just be the jumpstart you need. Get this book!
		The Art of Possibility by Roz & Ben Zander Another, Gotta Read this Book! In a lively, sensible manual for turning life's obstacles into possibilities, the Zanders introduce various "tools" for transformation, drawing on their extensive experiences with musicians, students and patients in therapy (Rosamund is a psychotherapist and painter; Benjamin is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic). In a chapter entitled "Giving an A," for example, Benjamin relates a classroom technique that allows students to envision their own futures: all students in his class receive an A if they write him a postdated letter relating "the story of what will have happened to you by next May that is in line with this extraordinary grade." Other chapters emphasize practices such as thinking in terms of making a personal "contribution" rather than stark "success or failure"; "lightening up" in order to see a problem from a new perspective (e.g., a patient of Rosamund's was able to have a sensual experience with her husband even though she was angry at him); and reassessing "frameworks for possibility" (e.g., a teacher shaved her head in order to "reframe the meaning" of a hairless class member who had leukemia). The authors' emphasis on "practice," the importance of "flow" and the joy in creation and expression is apt and often truly inspiring.
		Stone by Andy Goldsworthy In "Stone," as in his other books, Andy Goldsworthy takes the natural play of a child--fooling around with sticks, leaves, water, stones, mud, and more--and elevates it to something above and beyond its natural status. He never falls over the line into obvious, coy, or precious art--he simply lets nature be what it is with a tiny little bit of rearranging on his part.
		Wood by Andy Goldsworthy Andy Goldsworthy creates forms that echo the patterns of nature so completely the viewer is almost convinced that mother nature herself made them, rather than human hands. Goldsworthy's sculptures are more than works of art. They become integral yet fleeting parts of the landscape that surrounds them.
		Ansel Adams : Trees by Ansel Adams Internationally famous for his photographs of the natural world. You know what to expect of an Ansel Adams book. Black and White photographs carefully selected, merged with insightful text, printed (in Germany) with impeccable quality.
		The Artist's Guide to Selecting Colors by Michael Wilcox Select your paint with confidence and protect your valuable work. This book is about artist's paints, a guide to the selection of a suitable palette in watercolors, oil paints, acrylics, gouache or alkyds. It will enable you to identify the good, the indifferent and the bad. It also outlines the characteristics and temperaments of each color and lists the suitable as well as the unsuitable pigments that you will come across. Vital Information for the concerned artist.
		The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques by Ralph Mayer, Steven Sheehan This edition of the reference is revised by Steven Sheehan (Yale Art School). It covers pigments, oils, acrylics, tempera, grounds, watercolor, pastel, mural painting, gums, waxes, chemistry, conservation and various other topics including toxicity. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. This is the Artist's classic, and the Artist's Bible of not only what materials are but when they came into use, how they are formulated and why. Want to learn how to make your own gesso for silverpoint? Want to cut a quill pen? Want to make your own pastels? Can't remember how to make your own sizing or gesso? Want to know which colors in the spectrum are likely to fade (are fugitive colors) in watercolor and which are not? It's here.
		The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron With the basic principle that creative expression is the natural direction of life, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan lead you through a comprehensive twelve-week program to recover your creativity from a variety of blocks, including limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity.
		Curatorial Care of Works of Art on Paper by Anne F. Clapp Curatorial Care of Works of Art on Paper is one of the most authoritative books available on the proper care of prints, drawings, sketches, watercolors, and other works of art on paper. In its previous form, as a monograph published by the Intermuseum Laboratory of Oberlin, Ohio, Curatorial Care became an invaluable reference guide for countless students, artists, and professional conservators. This new trade edition, substantially revised and augmented by the author, will prove just as popular. Included in this book are complete, detailed treatments of such subjects as: factors harmful to paper - light, acidity, moisture, temperature extremes, pests - and how to control them; monitoring and control of interior climate; examination, cleaning, and treatment of deteriorated artworks; matting, framing, storage, and display; and much more. Curatorial Care of Works of Art on Paper belongs on the shelf of every conservator, conservation student, serious collector, and art professional.
		Watercolor Paper Handbook by Werner Mertz This is a wonderful book by a special telented person. This is the only book of its kind - not only is it informative but the paintings are delightfully executed.