Nature in the arts Books

Book SynopsisFor all the bird lovers, the definitive collection of hummingbird illustrations by 19th-century naturalist painter John Gould, the British Audubon.This sublime collection of 418 superbly detailed hand-colored lithographs of hummingbirds, created by John Gould, the “British Audubon,” in the mid-1800s, represents all the known species at that time and is the most complete ever produced of hummingbirds. Unlike John James Audubon, whose work focused on the avifauna of a single country, Gould’s folios illustrate species from around the world. His original set of folios—Family of Humming-Birds—reproduced here in its entirety, depicts the magnificent jewel-like birds together with botanicals native to their habitats in the most remote and exotic ecosystems of the Americas. In her essay for the book, co-author Laura Oppenheimer tells the story of Gould’s colorful life and places his work in the context of a remarkable period wheTrade Review"A sublime collection of 418 suberbly detailed hand-colored lithographs created by John Gould from the mid-1800s...If you're a fan of natural history art, hummingbirds, or birds in general - this unrivaled master collection of antique prints is definitely a piece you'd want to add to your collection. " —Color Outside the Lines"John Gould, a 19th-century Englis hornithologist and bird artist, had a particular interest in hummingbirds. Who can blame him? This stunning volume features his superbly detailed hand-colored lithographs of hundreds of species. Plus, authors Joel Oppenheimer and Laura Oppenheimer tell hte sory of Gould's colorful life and place his work in the context of a period when the exploration of science and the world's natural wonders was at an all-time high." —BirdWatching

Read more less

Book SynopsisFlower fans and nature enthusiasts will fall in love with this charming art book from Instagram sensation Flora Forager featuring the best of her unique floral compositions created with botanical materials. Flora Forager creates images out of flower petals, leaves, stones, twigs, and other natural materials that she finds in her garden and in urban wild areas in her neighbourhood. This intimate, lovely book collects her best pieces, including 20% new, exclusive art, along with a peek into her unique creative process. Featured pieces include scenes, mandalas, animals, birds, fish, insects, mythical creatures, iconic women, old masters, and more. Each artwork is accompanied by explanatory text on a facing page including piece name, materials used, and a short, evocative description of the artist's process and inspiration.Trade Review“It’s always a treat to see how her imagination and artist’s eye will render bits of floral material that most of us wouldn’t give a second glance into true works of art.”—Flower Magazine “Collins' book is open ended but decorated with whimsical images of flora and fauna.”—Seattle's Child “Bridget Beth Collins uses flower petals that she finds in her neighborhood, her garden, and the forest to make art.”—The Stranger "Flower fans and nature enthusiasts will fall in love with this charming art book from Instagram sensation Flora Forager.”—Seattle Refined"The Art of Flora Forager is endlessly cool and filled with everything from peacocks to foraged versions of art masters like Van Gogh’s Starry Night."—Zavvi Rodaine"This interest in softly modeled three-dimensional collages is really revealing to me, because I think it helps to explain why Flora Forager’s representational collages are so delightful and impactful: the three-dimensional forms and fresh flowers create a sense of plausibility and give a lively presence to something that might not actually exist in reality."—Alberti's Window"Flower fans and nature enthusiasts will fall in love with this charming art book from Instagram sensation Flora Forager, featuring the best of her unique botanical composition."—Shelf Awareness"Seattle artist Bridget Beth Collins’ petite book features her fantastical flower arrangements practically jumping off the page."—Seattle Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"The richly illustrated catalog is handsome and instructive."---Karen Wilkin, Wall Street Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Roland H. Bainton Book Prize for Art and Music History, Sixteenth Century Society and Conference""[Bass’] study beds the manuscripts in early-modern empiricism, and beautifully complements the plates—a jewel box of exquisitely rendered sunfish, chameleons, bees, an Indian elephant and more."---Barb Kiser, Nature"****" * De Volkskrant *"[Insect Artifice] brilliantly brings [the] various facets of the depiction of insects together, in a study of the polymath and artist Joris Hoefnagel."---Kathryn Murphy, Apollo"Bass brings vast learning, remarkable facility with classical texts and meticulous first-hand analysis of the volumes in Washington to bear on her interpretation of Hoefnagel’s artifice. . . . This is a nuanced study, hovering between critical biography and wider intellectual and artistic history, of an easily overlooked sixteenth-century master. Bass has eloquently channelled Hoefnagel’s message – relevant to our own time – that small things do matter."---Albert Godycki, Burlington Magazine"This beautifully illustrated and exquisitely printed book offers a poetic reading of the Four Elements manuscripts."---Jessie Wei-Hsuan Chen, Nuncius"Bass provides an ideal, humanist reading of Hoefnagel’s oeuvre, positing the painter in opposition to the world of sixteenth-century court culture. . . . Insect Artifice is a magnificently illustrated, erudite, and profoundly insightful book. It offers an original and provocative interpretation of how Hoefnagel relied on art to remedy the wounds that the Dutch Revolt had inflicted upon him."---Dániel Margócsy, CAA Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisLauren Palmor’s Bouquets of Art isa gorgeous compendium that illuminates the rich history of floriography through the lens of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s expansive collection. This volume draws upon the rich history of the language of flowers in order to offer a new perspective through which to explore the permanent collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Featuring a sampling of floral imagery selected from across cultures, periods, and media, this guide builds on the methods of floriography as a means for navigating how the collection’s expansive array of objects intersects with the rich histories of floral symbolism and communication. Looking across the Fine Arts Museums’ holdings of American art, works on paper, costume and textile arts, European painting, and European decorative arts and sculpture, this selection of 50 floral objects presents the collection through a new lens, with accompanying texts that explore a rich variety of source material, including poetry, etymology, folklore, botany, popular music, biblical verse, mythology, histories of exploration and colonization, and systems of belief. A branch of azaleas recalls lines of poetry from the oldest extant collection of Japanese verse; the deep purple irises of a stained-glass window suggest the myth of Iris, the Greek goddess who carried messages of love from heaven to Earth; and a lemon blossom atop a piece of French soft-paste porcelain evokes the lyrics of a 1960s pop song. These connections reinforce an essential aspect of art appreciation: If approached with a keen eye, an open heart, and a curious mind, any artwork can be placed at the center of its own constellation of associations.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDavid Remfry MBE RA has long been fascinated by the relationships that develop between dogs and their owners. In this charming new book, his deft portraits in watercolour and gouache reveal the mutual understanding and sympathy of these partnerships. Many of his portraits are accompanied by sketches from the artist's many notebooks alongside brief accounts by his sitters of how dog and owner came to find each other. Remfry's lively watercolours and sketches illustrate such celebrities as Ethan Hawke (and Nina), Susan Sarandon (and Penny and Rigby) and Alan Cumming (and Honey). Some of the sitters were Remfry’s neighbours at the iconic Chelsea Hotel in New York.Table of Contents6 Love and Dogs 10 Alan and Honey 22 Michael and Dino 26 Laura and Oscar 34 Mayer and Louise 42 Drew and Fuzzy 46 Josh, Lucio and Acteón 50 Jeanne, Charley and Molly 56 Agnes, Tina, Giotto and Bronzino 64 Nikki and Wallis, Duchess of Pugs 70 Kate and Pickle 72 Lester and Devage 76 Geoffrey and Rocco 84 Susan, Penny and Rigby 90 Richard, Stephen and Mona 96 Jim and Teddy 98 Ethan and Nina 100 La Tasha and Kahlua 104 April and Ava 110 David and Blue 114 In the Park 115 Sketchbooks and Postcards 126 Prints

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Arctic is the ground zero of climate change, and the polar bear is on the front line. Filled with groundbreaking photography that reveals the breathtaking landscapes of the Arctic and the transformations of the environment through the changing lives of polar bears, it's a firsthand report from the top of our planet.Polar Tales tells the story of an ice world in transformation and a planet nearing its tipping point--the moment when Earth's climate begins to change irreversibly. This book is both a celebration of the wildlife that inhabits this most unforgiving and beautiful environment imaginable--mountains, fjords, enormous glaciers, and the seemingly endless pack ice of the Arctic Ocean--and a cautionary tale of global warming. Rising temperatures have put the Arctic at risk, and the habitats--and lives--of the animals there are increasingly threatened. Set against the dramatic landscape of ice floes and ragged mountains, readers see how polar bears, foxes, s

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"This visually striking guide honors the beautiful American landscape as it appears today."---Dave Pugl, Library Journal, starred review"[A] volume that must be savored. Turning each page is a delight for birders and nature enthusiasts alike."---Maileen Hamto, Seattle Book Review"This is a book for the naturalist, the scientist, the artist and the dreamer. It has both visual appeal and an important message for everyone. Read it, gaze at the illustrations with wonder and share it with others. Your day will be the better for having done so."---David Gascoigne, Travels with Birds"[A book] that would make a thoughtful gift for a young aspiring writer or artist." * Another Bird Blog *"A sumptuous book, packed full of art and history with a narrative that carries one along like a Mississippi Steamboat."---Bo Beolens, Fat Birder"Glorious watercolours and sketches."---Lorraine Connolly and Hadiyah Ilyas, The Countryman"[A] lovely book."---Mark Gamin, 10,000 Birds"Both fascinating and beautiful, and the mix of history and art is likely to appeal to anyone with an interest in either [nature or art]."---Stephen Menzie, British Birds

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA book that challenges us to change the way we think about elephants, and encourages us to take action to help save them.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe world’s best hikes and walks in one volume with breathtaking photography, detailed terrain and route guides, maps, and expert descriptions—whether you need to unplug for an afternoon or get away for longer.A carefully selected collection of 200 routes designed to appeal to perambulatory enthusiasts of all stripes. From vigorous hikes around Lake Tahoe to enjoying the charms of England’s Thames Valley, there is something for everyone.Itineraries cover a range of sights sure to appeal to a diverse audience: pastoral countrysides, dramatic mountain views, soothing seaside panoramas, and historical landscapes such as famous battle sites or medieval pilgrimage routes. Expert descriptions include facts and trivia only locals would know and call out special not-to-be-missed features. Some routes are easy and take a few hours, while others might require a few days to complete.The book is organized into 50 main itineraries that link to three

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten in collaboration with The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, this delightful box kit contains 50 classic botanical art postcards alongside a fascinating, full-colour guide on the history of botanical art, contained in a sleek lidded box. Plants and flowers have inspired humans for thousands of years - from ancient Egyptian wall paintings to contemporary textiles. The Kew Gardens Botanical Art Postcards celebrates this history and its wonderful creations. Inside you will find 50 postcards with illustrations selected from the extensive archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, showcasing some of the world''s most beautiful and rarest examples of botanical art. This is accompanied by a short history on the subject, tracing the history of botanical illustration through the ages and the diverse contributions is has made beyond the art world, from natural history, to cooking and medicine. There is also a Hall of Fame that celebrates the li

Read more less

Book SynopsisAttracting more than 2.5 million visitors a year, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is an essential destination for plant lovers of all ages. As a dedicated scientific research facility and with a global reputation for its work in the protection of endangered species, the Royal Botanic Gardens have been at the forefront of widening our knowledge of the world of plants. The gardens at Kew were established in 1759 by the mother of King George III and were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe rose is the world's favourite flower - and always has been. It is the greatest floral symbol of love and romance the world over, and touches people's hearts at many points in their lives as the flower most often chosen to celebrate significant milestones - weddings, anniversaries, births and deaths. This book traces the journey of the rose across the centuries, from battles to bouquets, charting its botanical, religious, literary and artistic history. From Cleopatra's rose-petal-filled bed to Nijinsky's Spectre de la rose, from the highly prized attar of rose oil so beloved by the ancient Persians to top-brand perfume labels today, and from Shakespearean myths about the Wars of the Roses to the significance of Queen Elizabeth I's embroidered dresses, Rose encapsulates the story of what makes this botanical family so loved. Using historical, literary and botanical sources from the world's major rose-growing nations, with vibrant illustrations from across the centuries and tales of medieval best-sellers, nurserymen's rivalries and changing tastes in the flower bed, Rose will be a delight to read for both the gardener and non-gardener alike.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of 200 of Bob White’s best paintings and drawings--of fly fishing, upland and waterfowl hunting, game fish, birds, and dogs, as well as landscapes from Alaska to Patagonia--showcases his talent and versatility as one of the premier sporting artists. Text and sidebars provide background and highlight the artist’s process.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Beth's sense of home is not of a static dwelling, but of a place of seasons, cycles, and lifespans, or experiences and memories. This is a book for your soul." -- Freeman Patterson * Telegraph Journal *"Powning takes her camera, her pen and, most important, her spirit into the landscape. . . . The delicate, often beautiful photographs combine with a quietly spirited naturalistic prose in an Annie Dillard-Henry David Thoreau mode to produce a work evocative in both sensual and domestic ways." * Globe and Mail *"Beth Powning's beautiful celebration of natural life is meet and proper for these unnatural times. I think it will be read for years to come." -- E.L. Doctorow

Read more less

Book SynopsisReproductions of oil paintings of pioneer barns built in the 1800s to the early 1900s. Each image is annotated with a personal story or reflection by the author. Artist Ernie Faessler has dedicated his artistic energy to preserving on canvas the heritage of North American barns. This book includes thirty-two color reproductions of his paintings of pioneer barns built during the period of the mid-1800s to early 1900s. Some of these barns still stand in good condition, others have collapsed or are deteriorating from neglect, but many others have been demolished to make way for more modern structures. While many of these barns no longer serve their original agricultural purpose their historical legacy is invaluable - they convey the community spirit and diversity of the pioneers who built them.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis coloring book allows children to give full play to their creativity while helping them to understand the story behind the Chinese zodiac and recognize their own zodiac sign. Unique and beautiful illustrations. You will get 36 gorgeous and adorable hand-drawn, original zodiac images to enjoy in this book.Single-sided images. Each image is printed on its own separate page to prevent bleed-through and allow you to easily remove and frame your favorite piece(s) of art.7.25 * 10.25-inch images printed on bright white premium paper. The large format pages make it easy for children to color, and the paper is suitable for any drawing tool including pencils, crayon, water colors and markers!Diverse zodiac characteristics. Each Chinese zodiac sign has three diverse images designed to reflect the different personalities represented behind the zodiac sign. Children can learn adjectives representing different personalities in coloring, and can also understand the connection between the zodiac sign and personality.A great enlightenment book. This book introduces the traditional culture of the Chinese zodiac in a diversified way.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStunning photography and personal reflections abound in this beautiful collection of images highlighting this unique landscape.Converging Waters explores an area on the northern coast of Vancouver Island on the edge of the Broughton Archipelago: Queen Charlotte Strait, Broughton Strait, Cormorant Channel, Blackfish Sound. This part of the Namgis First Nation territory is characterized by tree-covered islands, pebble beaches, foggy mornings, rocky islets, orcas, eagles, and an ever-changing light. Boats are at least as important as trucks for the few who live here. The sea and sky dominate the land, and marine mammals and fish seem to overshadow the human residents.Daniel Hillert's inspiring photographs focus on the wild essence that still permeates these converging waters, while Gwen Curry's prose dives beneath the surface to appreciate not only the natural wonder of this place but its history, people, and present-day challenges.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTwo wartime artists, one bustling harbour, and a city ravaged by the Halifax Explosion. Two perspectives on Halifax one year after the Explosion.A year after the city was devastated by the Halifax Explosion Harold Gilman (British, 1876–1919) and Arthur Lismer (Canadian, 1885–1969) were working in Halifax as war artists. Both commissioned by the Canadian War Memorials Fund to record the war activity on the home front, the two men struck up a friendship and worked side-by-side on occasion.Gilman seemed to wipe clean the desolation of the Explosion, ignoring the site of a human-made catastrophe in favour of a glowing landscape. In contrast, Lismer, a member of the Group of Seven, recorded the port’s activity up close, producing a series of drawings and paintings of camouflaged battleships embedded in the Maritime landscape.With more than 30 reproductions and essays by Anabelle Kienle Ponka, Lily Foster, and Sarah Fillmore, Halifax Harbour 1918 traces the artists’ meticulous approach to their mission and their role during a critical moment in the history of Canadian landscape painting.Deux artistes en temps de guerre, un port animé et une ville ravagée par l'explosion d'Halifax. Deux perspectives d’Halifax un an après l'explosion.En juin 1918, l’artiste Arthur Lismer (1885–1969) accepte une commande du Fonds de souvenirs de guerre canadiens (le Fonds) et se rend à Halifax pour documenter l’effort de guerre sur le front canadien et représenter le port de cette ville à la suite de l’explosion d’origine humaine la plus meurtrière à survenir avant l’apparition des armes nucléaires.De son côté Harold Gilman (1876–1919), grande figure du groupe londonien Camden Town Group et seul artiste de guerre britannique envoyé au Canada, est chargé par le Fonds de peindre un grand tableau du port de Halifax pendant la guerre.Avec plus de 30 reproductions et essais d’Anabelle Kienle Ponka, Lily Foster, et Sarah Fillmore, le port d’Halifax 1918 retracent l'approche méticuleuse des artistes à leur mission, les défis de travailler au lendemain de la tragédie et leur rôle au cours d'une moment dans l'histoire de la peinture de paysage canadienne.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA century of landscape art inspired by the Mount Assiniboine area of the Canadian Rockies from 1899 to 2006. Jane Lytton Gooch''s Mount Assiniboine: Images in Art is a stunning collection of 42 colour plates, only seven of which have been previously published. They represent a wide variety of styles and media from 23 artists, including: A.P. Coleman Carl Rungius James Simpson Belmore Browne Barbara and A.C. Leighton Catharine and Peter Whyte W.J. Phillips A.Y. Jackson Colour plates are divided into three sections: approaching Assiniboine from the northwest; east of Assiniboine; and Mount Assiniboine itself. Each section is introduced with a black-and-white archival photograph and a quotation. In addition, four black-and-white archival photographs, along with five colour reproductions of Mary Vaux Walcott''s stunning watercolours of wildflowers sketched in the Assiniboine area, complement Gooch''s introduction. Gooch also discusses the history of exploration of the region, early ascents of Mount Assiniboine , the development of tourism and the significant artistic activity this majestic peak has inspired.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn Tantramar Revisited, Revisited, Thaddeus Holownia returns repeatedly to record the landscapes and architecture of the Tantramar Marshes and Cumberland Basin. In the accompanying essay, Tom Smart examines how Holownia''s acute vision chronicles the relationships he observes, how the land reveals its history, and how time and human events affect change. This Smythe-sewn paperbound edition features 29 duotone reproductions.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs our relationship with the world unravels and needs to take a new form, The Wanton Green presents a collection of inspiring, provoking and engaging essays by modern pagans about their own deep, passionate and wanton relationships with the earth. "Where do we locate the sacred? In a place, a meeting, memory, a momentary glimpse? The Wanton Green provides no easy answers and instead, offers a multitude of perspectives on how our relationships with the earth, the sacred, the world through which we move are forged and remade." Phil Hine. Contents: Foreword (Graham Harvey) ,"She said: ''You have to lose your way''"(Maria van Daalen), Fumbling in the landscape (Runic John), Finding the space, finding the words (Rufus Harrington),Stone in my bones (Sarah Males), A Heathen in place: working with Mugwort (Robert Wallis),Wild, wild water (Lou Hart), Facing the waves (Gordon MacLellan),The dragon waters of place: a journey to the source (Susan Greenwood), Catching the Rainbow Lizard (Maria van Daalen), The rite to roam (Julian Vayne), Places of Power (Jan Fries), Natural magic is art (Greg Humphries), Pagan Ecology: on our perception of nature, ancestry and home (Emma Restall Orr), Because we have no imagination, (Susan Cross), The crossroads of perception, (Shani Oates), Devon, Faeries and me, (Woody Fox), Lud''s Church, (Gordon MacLellan), Places of spirit and spirits of place: of Fairy and other folk, and my Cumbrian bones (Melissa Montgomery), A life in the woods: protest site paganism, (Adrian Harris) We first met in the north, (Barry Patterson), Museum or Mausoleum (Mogg Morgan), Hills of the ancestors, townscapes of artisans (Jenny Blain), Smoke and mirrors (Stephen Grasso), America (Maria van Daalen), Standing at the crossroads, Meet the authors.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBow Lake in the Canadian Rockies has inspired artists for almost a century. An early explorer who recognized the beauty of this alpine landscape was Jimmy Simpson, a legendary guide and outfitter who also collected art and painted in watercolours. He welcomed artists such as Carl Rungius, Belmore Browne and Peter and Catharine Whyte to his camp beside Bow Lake, which eventually became the storied Num-Ti-Jah Lodge. A.C. Leighton and his wife, Barbara, along with Walter J. Phillips were among the early artists at Bow Lake. This artistic tradition has been carried on with the current artist-in-residence program at Num-Ti-Jah, attracting many contemporary artists to paint the spectacular landscape. This volume includes an introduction describing the history of exploration and the early artistic activity generated by Jimmy Simpson, followed by brief biographies of 18 contemporary artists whose works are also included in the 47 colour plates, all documented and described, of which only 6 have ever been published before.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Jane Gooch first camped at Lake O''Hara in 1975, she could not have foreseen how important the Rockies would become in her life. She travelled from her home in Vancouver many times during the summer months to hike in the mountains, and her love of the alpine landscape eventually inspired her to study the artists who have painted in the Rockies. Her great enjoyment of the outdoors and a lifelong interest in art were combined with her academic background in writing and research. Mount Robson: Spiral Road of Art celebrates the centennial of Mount Robson Provincial Park with over a century of remarkable landscape paintings inspired by the Robson region in the Canadian Rockies. This volume includes an extensive introduction with historical and cultural background to the 50 colour plates, all documented and described, illustrating artists'' works in a variety of styles and media from 1907 to 2012. Early artists include A.P. Coleman, the first explorer, and Group of Seven members A.Y. Jackson and Lawren Harris. In addition, the works of 17 contemporary artists show that the Mount Robson area continues to stimulate landscape art up to the present. Only ten of the images have been published before.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLavishly illustrated with beautiful, evocative watercolors, this record visits dozens of locations influential to the life of Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan, best known for his play The Time of Your Life. Accompanied by well-documented biographical research, this series of paintings highlights places critical to Saroyan''s life, such as his family''s ancestral home of Bitlis, Armenia; the Fred Finch Orphanage in Oakland, where he spent five years of his early childhood; and the MGM Studios in Los Angeles, where he enjoyed a short and tumultuous career as a screenwriter. The majority of this collection, however, explores the beloved vistas of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley from which he drew his inspiration -- from the Armenian churches of Fresno to the sprawling vineyards of the surrounding California landscape.

Read more less