Customer Reviews

The World of Richard Stine

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

 

 

Few people who have encountered a dozen of so drawings and captions by Richard Stine are likely to have forgotten them, but if their acquaintance with his work has gone no further, as mine had not before serendipitously coming upon this volume, I doubt whether they will have divined the zealous urgency that informs it. For Stine is a philosopher as much as an artist -- a sort of folk philosopher who prides himself on his naiveté. He is a true romantic, whose work comes straight from the heart. The heart, indeed, figures in many of his works and is his ultimate touchstone of value -- in fact, Stone believes that the heart in each of us possesses a deep connection with the entire universe: "...our universe is one. Deep down everyone knows everything lives and breathes in the same being. The mind will protest, but never the heart. The heart always says, 'Together, we are all together.' The mind stands back and looks and thinks and says, 'This is good, that is not good.' Maybe there is a time and place for that, but the heart at its core stays even. Bad, good, different, up, down -- all exist in the mind, not the heart. And if the mind sits on the heart then it will have a nice* perspective. If not, it just chases its own tail until it's kissed by an angel, the kiss of peace, and then it will never be the same." If you find in these words some luminous glimmering of precious real truth, you'll treasure this incomparable volume.

*Note: as behooves a philosopher, Stine chooses his words most carefully, and I think he means here not the casual term of general approval but rather the sense of *nice* as "able to make fine or delicate distinctions; delicately skillful; finely discriminating." (*Webster's New World Dictionary*, 4th ed.)

This collection of Richard Stine's artwork and thoughts is brimming with enthusiasm. This fervency breeds inspiration as the artwork demonstrates, as well as evokes, the same intense emotions which penetrate the reader through the text.

I used to have a t-shirt with my favorite of his drawings - A romantic enters the world. I loved it so much I ordered a framed print of it and now can cherish the image forever. I guess I am that little romantic in the cartoon, as are so many of us that love Richard Stine's art and perspective. Enjoy this book, and like the little dogs eyeing each other over that tasty bone, share it with your friends!

couldn't figure out another place to put this request to find a book by stine I used to have and love called, "smile in a mad dog's eye". anyone seen it?

couldn't figure out another place to put this request to find a book by stine I used to have and love called, "smile in a mad dog's eye". anyone seen it?