Monday, August 24, 2009

Books

What I have been reading:

1. Georgia O'Keeffe - A Life. Roxana Robinson. This book was generously lent to me by my friend and fellow artist, Lily Stockman. (Thanks, Lily!) It is a thick book, but I am enjoying it. I can tell that Ms. Robinson did a TON of research for this book. I once hated O'Keeffe's art! As I spent more time developing my own art and studying O'Keeffe and other great artists, I also began to respect and even love her art. One of the largest paintings I ever painted was a tribute to O'Keeffe. Here is a photo of it. It measured about 5 by 7 feet. Oil on canvas.



2. Jasper Johns - Gray. James Rondeau & Douglas Druick. This book was published along with an exhibition of the same title that was organized by the Art Institute of Chicago in November of 2007. A favorite quote: "I have attempted to develop my thinking in such a way that the work I have done is not me - not to confuse my feelings with what I produced. I didn't want my work to be an exposure of my feelings. Abstract Expressionism was so lively - personal identity and painting were more or less the same, and I tried to operate the same way. But I found I couldn't do anything that would be identical to my feelings. So I worked in such a way that I could say that it's not me. That accounts for the separation." J.Johns
This book was lent to me by another friend and artist, Tina Bluefield. (thanks, Tina!)

3. The War of Art. Steven Pressfield. Another borrowed book from the divine Tina Bluefield. I just started it this morning, since I just got it this morning.

Interestingly enough, I normally read fiction. I love the way a work of quality fiction transports me to another time and place. This reading of non-fiction is something new. Or maybe not NEW, but something I haven't done consistently since college.

I am an avid reader. Growing up, my family really didn't watch much television. To this day, I find reading to be a much more interesting past time for me than watching TV. In some ways, I realize this makes me a bit of an oddball. It's almost as though I am actually intended for a different era, when people didn't watch tv, but read books, wrote letters and made clothing by hand. Okay, so i don't make my own clothes, but in many ways I think there is something extremely rewarding to many of these kinds of tasks that we are missing out on in our present day lives. I love writing letters by hand. Even more so, receiving letters written by hand is the most delicious of gifts. See, I told you I was an oddball!!!

Fine by me.

What good books have you read lately?

5 comments:

bigBANG studio said...

So glad you're enjoying the O'Keeffe book! I would LOVE to get my hands on that Jasper Johns book. Never heard of it, and it sounds WONDERFUL. Yay! Loved reading about what's inspiring you these days. xo

ArtPropelled said...

I'm from the book reading era too. Reading a new book is like receiving a wonderful gift. Your O'Keeffe tribute is stunning!

pRiyA said...

Loved this post Karine. Let's start an oddball club together...
I just finished East West, a delightful book of short stories by Rushdie and I'm also reading and loving every page of Love in the time of Cholera. Last night I finished reading one of Alice Munro's short stories and felt i had eaten a really satisfying meal.

I am going to write you a hand written letter. By the way, i am one of those people who uses a fountain pen while writing.

Your tribute to O'Keefe is gorgeous.

bindu said...

Love the rich shades of white in your painting. The book I finished recently is Three Cups of Tea. Before that it was Omnivore's Dilemma. SO many books ... so little time!

lee said...

Love your painting, the colour..The book I am reading at the present is called the Shack. I love to read, I was known as the reader of the family, every where I went I had a book in my hand. At present I must have 6 books on my nightstand waiting to be read.