Customer Reviews

No Green Berries or Leaves: The Creative Journey of an Artist in Glass

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paul Stankard, by all accounts one of the most recognized and successful glass artists alive today, has collected his experiences from decades of work with hot glass into a small tome of reminiscences. His memories are organized into a dozen and a half essays, loosely chronological but often overlapping, doubling back upon, and fleshing out earlier episodes. Additional materials include 32 full-color pages of photographs after the Epilogue, and an unexpected but handy Index following that. All of this is bundled within a thoughtfully-designed cover that cradles Mr. Stankard's prose in tones of green and cranberry.

While short in length (183 pages, not including the Foreword and Preface), No Green Berries or Leaves is densely packed with feeling and reflection. Despite the weight of the material, it is a quick and easy read, owing to the fact that the voice which comes through is Paul's. It resembles more a story he might share over a cup of coffee rather than a piece of print. It is this quality, coupled with the way the book is broken down into small bites of his life rather than chronological chapters, that is the underlying strength of the book. No lofty phrasing or clinical assessments are found here, just plain words written with warmth, thought, and honesty.

Paul gives more than just a standard re-telling of how he got here from there. History is interwoven with artistic philosophies, psychological states, and spiritual beliefs, resulting in a story rich with detail and meaning. He relates his youthful dreams, training, and creative yearnings that led to career changes, but also reveals personal struggles with a learning disability, anxiety, and nagging self-esteem issues, all of which culminate in the development of Paul Stankard the artist, family man, friend, mentor, and human being.

Several themes are reinforced throughout: hard work, perseverance, the importance of continually educating one's self, harmony with Nature and its Maker, and gratitude, to name a few. Paul is forthright about the difficulties he endured, but also encourages his readers that if he was able to overcome those to become the acknowledged glass master he is, others can do the same through hard work, dedication, and faith in one's abilities. He strives to be an inspiration to others just as he was mentored throughout his career. His appreciation to all of the people who played a part in his journey flows through the pages, another prominent layer to the book and the person.

For the paperweight enthusiast, this book offers a rare look into the heart of a master craftsman, delving into what originally inspired him to take up the torch to recreate those lovely handfuls of glass, what drives him to push the boundaries of the genre, and how the medium's siren call draws him ever closer into communion with its mysteries.

Mr. Stankard's story, at it's core, resonates with me. As a enthusiast of glass art, I expected to be interested in his journey, but I did not anticipate Mr. Stankard's level of candor and honesty. The combination of his balancing act of family, his struggle with dyslexia, and the pursuit of excellence is more than an inspirational story, it's an affirmation of life as an artist.

I found it very inspiring and informative to read about Paul Stankard's path as a glass artist, including his stuggles and triumphs. Not only was this an entertaining read, but I also relate to some of the tribulations Paul has faced along his path and I really connect with his love for nature. As a glass artist myself, I find it comforting to see that with perseverance, one can find the right path and eventually be successful doing what one loves to do. Thank you Paul for sharing so deeply and honestly of your experiences.

The book is a well written collection of autobiographical essays that sometimes include astonishingly honest descriptions of his life and thoughts. It describes his personal journey from a troubled dyslexic schoolboy to an internationally known glass artist. His pathway to success and international recognition was not an easy one - instead, it was marked by his relentless determination, commitment, and an unquenchable desire and pursuit for overall excellence and perfection of his work.

I found the book easy and delightful to read. His stories give a personal insight into this most recognized paperweight artist and leave you feeling that you have personally known and understood him for years. Some of the stories are funny, some are touching and some explain his intellectual and artistic blossoming. His spiritual core values, work ethics and artistic integrity become clearly obvious. In this book, Paul wrote "In the studio, I promote excellence like a holy doctrine."

This book is a great read.

It's well written, interesting (especially if you're into glass), and moves along quite well. Mr. Stankard's story is illustrated beautifully through a combination of honest, effective writing and an awesome photo gallery.

If you enjoy reading about an artist's journey to the top, this book is definitely for you. It's an inside look at life, the struggles that come with it, and how they can be overcome.

I enjoyed "No Green Berries or Leaves." It was fun to follow Stankard's development, and it brought back memories of my own learning process, too. I especially appreciated the author's frankness in discussing his challenges and occasional struggles along the way. In some respects I think that is the most valuable stuff to share, because it lets students know they are not alone in their struggles.

With unabashed honesty, Paul has captured profound soujourns of discovery in the human experience that artists and non-artists alike will appreciate. Pertinent to any individual who seeks solace in knowing that they are not alone in fascination with the simple journey of life.

As he shares the engaging accounts of his own journey with family, freindship, self, god, humanity, and glass, Paul articulates many personal experiences in a way that anyone who has ever considered the human experience profound will give thanks and relate to. Readers will undoubtedly appreciate the honest delivery that Paul has provided, and contemplate the revealing accounts long after they have put the book down.

Buy it. Read it. Keep it.

I'm biased in my review of this book because I have known Paul Stankard personally and studied (briefly) under him. When Bonnie Marx, glass art dealer suggested I buy and read this book, I did so at my earliest opportunity. I became very emotional as I read through Paul's own words which described his struggles as a passionate and motivated but dyslexic individual. I knew something about his career and his love of nature, but did not want to be disappointed by reading a book that fell short of my perception of Mr. Stankard's accomplishments. I was more than satisfied when I read it -- I was deeply moved.

I am enamored of true stories that transport the reader through the hero's growth process from frustration to partial success and manage to succeed with page-turning suspense to recreate his experience of artistic and technical breakthrough. I reread books like this one again and again and store them in my library where I will never lose them as a precious resource.

I did not know that Paul Stankard had suffered with dyslexia, but I do remember my experience one day in Corning, New York. During an afternoon field trip portion of one of Paul Stankard's classes in paperweight making, he took us into the small wooded area next to the Corning Museum's Studio where we searched for wildflowers. When we discovered one lovely specimen, I was able to identify its scientific name because I was also a lover of wildflowers, and Mr. Stankard seemed pleased that others enjoyed this passion also. I had never even dreamed that an artist could recreate these gems of nature inside glass with such clarity and magnificence. This book takes the reader into the world of creativity in a way that few others can do. Read it and enrich your soul.

"No Green Berries or Leaves" is a poignant and revealing self-portrait of an artist driven to create and express his vision, despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

If you're familiar with Stankard's work but not his life, this story will no doubt take you by surprise and instill an appreciation for the journey of this important American artist. His successes and victories go well beyond his artistic achievements, which in themselves are monumental. As his work inspires the artist in all of us, his story touches the humanity we all share.

In addition to Stankard's personal story, this book offers insight into the birth of the contemporary glass art movement, its modest beginnings, and perspective into the important role it has claimed in the art world. Paul's story is all the more fascinating as the reader is afforded insight into the influential role this artist has played and continues to play in the development of this magical art form.

Brad Pressman, Architect

This was a straight through read for me. The book showed up Saturday afternoon and could not put it down until I was done. I think in the future I will be able to look back on "No Green Berries or Leaves" as an inspirational high point. I have always possessed the inner creative flame but due to many factors, all self induced, I have never perused them to the point of feeling satisfied.

Paul's descriptions of his own trials and tribulations has given me a new perspective and renewed spirit to follow the inner voice. His description of quality and following the dream has run true with me and I hope it will with you as well.

Thank you Paul for your honesty and your ability to tell your truly inspirational story.