4/21 days – Art book | COLOUR COTTAGE

I wondered before the prompt (don’t I always) what Tara meant by today’s title? An art book I love to look at, learn from, or a book of my own art, a journal, a sketchbook, a book as an art object in itself?

I don’t actually have a lot of art books, as I’ve been shopping weaving books the last few years – end earlier I couldn’t justify the cost. I’m also a very avid user of interlibrary loans to avoid too many useless buys. Of the few I own, I’ve chosen to show you these.

Ann Blockley despite the fact that I don’t get along well with watercolour. I so like her mark making and intuitive/expressive treatment of the non-detailed part of a painting. (I obviously would make a louse art critic, I know what I feel and think about things, but not the words to match. It’s a style I’d like to incorporate in my own landscapes. I didn’t buy it fro detailed instruction, in fact I get bored by that type of art book easily, but for the image inspiration.

The second is Otto Frello, a Danish artist. I don’t love his painting style as much as his imagination, the stories unfolding in each gigantic painting (I’ve been lucky to see them live twice), the surreal people, garments, strange critters, the way a million things are happening not just center stage but all over the canvas, behind a door, outside the window, under a leaf.

There are no very high resolution images available – last time I checked anyway – but Google does show a selection of Frello’s works.

As for books as art, on my bucket list is in fact book binding. I want to make painted covers, handmade paper pages, and, and… But I’ll have to hold my horses and restrain my urge to want all the things at the same time. Some day. I’ve dabbled a bit in messing up old books with paints and bits, but it’s a project that keeps getting sidelined for above reasons.