Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions: An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: favorite collections, Gail Rieke

Editorial Reviews

Review

Perrella, Lynne. Art Making, Collections & Obsessions: An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists. Quarry: Quayside. 2008. 160p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-59253-363-3. $26.99. FINE ARTS Perrella (Beyond Paper Dolls) features creative uses by 35 artists of found and collected objects such as buttons, shells, textiles, photos, suitcases, utensils, and other castoffs that are given second lives in art projects. Examples of each artistÆs works are displayed on a colorful double-page spread, with large photo reproductions and commentary that includes quotations from writers and musicians. Some of the most innovative and clever applications are wedding-cake-box sculptures, worn and painted gloves, and outlandishly decorated corsets and military garb. Instead of serious intellectual art, this is more a showcase of works by artists having fun with trinkets and treasured ephemera. Contact information and artist web sites are included at the back. A popular crafts addition suitable for many public collections.

Russell T. Clement, Northwestern Univ. Lib., Evanston, IL, Library Journal, April 2008

Product Description

A glimpse into the personal collections and work of 35 major artists.

This large format, full-color, inspirational book is about how artists use their collections to make artwork. The gallery-style format allows readers to see what artists collect, and the resulting spectacular artwork they make from it. The book will feature the collections and the artwork of thirty-five major mixed-media artists. The artwork will include journals, assemblages, altered books, as well as jewelry pieces, and detailed descriptions of the materials and techniques used, plus tips and insights into using unusual materials and collections.

Mixed-media artists are naturally collectors. They are fascinated by the stuff of life, and they are always looking for the right elements to add to their collages and journals. This book offers a juicy combination -- sort of a walk through an artist-filled flea market, and a gallery of the pieces created using these collections with tips and insights on collecting and creating, and how they go hand in hand.

Features a lineup of 35 contributing artists including:

• Lynn Whipple
• Graceann Warn
• Gail Rieke
• Beryl Taylor
• Keith LoBue
• Michael DeMeng
• Nina Bagley
• Susan Lenart-Kazmer
• and more

Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions features a beautiful collection of inspirational artwork. You'll enjoy artist's tips, creative ideas, and advice on working with unusual materials for collage.

See all Editorial Reviews

---

Product Details Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Quarry Books (February 1, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 1592533639 ISBN-13: 978-1592533633 Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #167,896 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #12 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Museums & Collections > Private #79 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Mixed Media #91 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Pop

---

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

› Visit Amazon's Lynne Perrella Page

Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
favorite collections

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Gail Rieke

Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Search Inside This Book:

---

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	51% buy the item featured on this page: Art Making, Collections, and Obsessions: An Intimate Exploration of the Mixed-Media Work and Collections of 35 Artists 4.2 out of 5 stars (28) $17.81
	13% buy Creative Paint Workshop for Mixed-Media Artists: Experimental Techniques for Composition, Layering, Texture, Imagery, and Encaustic 4.8 out of 5 stars (23) $16.49
	12% buy Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects 4.2 out of 5 stars (21) $15.63
	12% buy Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists 4.5 out of 5 stars (50) $15.63

Explore similar items

---

Tags Customers Associate with This Product  (What's this?) Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people. Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.  altered art(11) collage(9) collecting(7) collections(7) mixed media(7) artists(6) creativity(6) art journaling(4) art(3) art journal(3) Agree with these tags? See all 18 tags... Your tags: Add your first tag

Search Products Tagged with   See most popular tags

---

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

---

 

Customer Reviews

28 Reviews 5 star:  (18) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (3) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 22 of 23 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars A lost opportunity, February 19, 2008 By  Susan Wood (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I've been anxiously awaiting this book since it was first announced. The topic fascinated me. The list of artists included is inspiring. The book is lavishly illustrated. So why is it only worth two stars? For me, the book doesn't deliver on its promises. I was hoping for in-depth discussion of how and why individual artists collect and how their collecting and collections influence their work. What the book delivers is a series of 'sound-bites' which don't go beyond superficial observations. It never comes to grips with its theme. The organisation of the book doesn't help, with comments and work from each artist spread across several (loosely) thematic chapters. Perhaps a meatier book would have resulted if each artist had been covered in a section of their own. The reader would have certainly got a better sense of each artist's work that way. The images are beautiful, but they too are frustrating. Some are badly framed. Not everything is captioned, and the captions that are provided are not very informative. Many of the photographs are over-styled. This is particularly annoying when it is the work itself that is being shown. In some cases it is impossible to tell where the work stops and the other bits and pieces start. It is a pretty enough coffee table book but lacking in substance. I'm happy enough to keep it, but if I'd seen in a bookshop it would have stayed on the shelf. 14 of 16 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars Boo Hoo!, March 4, 2008 By  A. Platten - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I ordered this book with the expectation that I would get to see inside artists studios with all their "stuff". I want to see the environment other artists work in and how they tick including those things they are obsessed about having in their studios to work with or be inspired by. Well, that's NOT what I got in this book. While the photography is stunning, I was disappointed to find that there are only a few photos even shot inside an artists studio but also that all the "collections" for the photos were very staged. It makes for a 'pretty' book but that wasn't what I was looking for. It's a coffee table book for people who just like to have books laying around. It's not something to sink your teeth into. I love all of Lynne Perrella's other books but this one was disappointing. Had I realized I had 30 days to return it, it would have flown back to the post office the day I opened it. I just ran across the receipt and had hit my 30 days so I'm stuck with it. I felt I wasted my money. Maybe I just had wrong expectations of the book and it just wasn't for me. 8 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars mixed reception, March 26, 2008 By  N. Bales "Collage Doc" (Hollister, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    Although I knew before purchasing this book that it was focused on the collections of different artists, because the lead person is Lynne Perrella I guess I expected it to be more artful. Although it was lovely to look at and the various collections were interesting, this book really isn't more than eye candy -- expensive eye candy. I would recommend that you go into a bookstore or library and look it over before you make this purchase.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars Disapointing outing from an author I usually enjoy This is a coffee table book. period. I did not get "an intimate exploration of the mixed-media work" I got to see what they collect and some pictures of their work but I didn't... Read more Published 7 months ago by ldivagirl 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and inspiring! This is beautifully done and inspirational - the artists featured are wonderful and the information is interesting - I recommend this book for those who love objects and the world... Read more Published 15 months ago by K. Damon 4.0 out of 5 stars Love it or hate it I found this book to be an emotional book. Although this isn't the type of art I enjoy, I am drawn to look thru it from time to time and usually am stimulated to get going on a... Read more Published 15 months ago by Harriett Anderson 4.0 out of 5 stars NICE pictures Great pictures, just the kind of eclectic stuff I love. The written part seems entirely superfluous--actually, I read every word and all were apt, it's just that I bought the... Read more Published 16 months ago by B. Smith 5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It! I have always loved the work of Lynne Perrella, but she has outshone even herself by compiling this book of artists from the same ilk as herself. Read more Published 17 months ago by Di West 3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Eye Candy I recently stated that I shouldn't buy any book without "Look Inside." I did and everyting is beautiful. Read more Published 17 months ago by Elisha Granger 5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Collections Anyone who has the collecting gene will love this book. I liked seeing the displays of these artists' collections with examples of how they incorporated their pieces from their... Read more Published 18 months ago by J. Meier 5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning book for art lovers Art Making, Collections and Obsessions is a stunning book. The photography beautifully captures not only the work of some of America's best mixed media artists working today, but... Read more Published 18 months ago by Jennifer Cushman 5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, interesting, original, a new Lynn Perella, beautiful I'm a huge fan of Lynn Perella's books and I would have bought it anyway, as I always did. This time, it is a new Lynn Perella's style, who goes, I think, further in the Art, and... Read more Published 19 months ago by Mme Yael Bolender 5.0 out of 5 stars Art Making,Collections,and Obsessions:an intimate explorationof the mixed media work and collections of 35 artists This is a fabulous collection of some of the most noted Mixed Media Artist around. I loved every page. I know you will all love it also Published 19 months ago by William Ventura Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

---

Customer Discussions

This product's forum Discussion Replies Latest Post No discussions yet Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight Start a new discussion Topic: First post: Receive e-mail when new posts are made Prompts for sign-in   Guidelines Active discussions in related forums Discussion Replies Latest Post crafts Is anyone on Etsy.com (PART III)? i would like to see your stuff! 214 6 hours ago crafts Your Favorite Craft Books 3 12 hours ago crafts Ordering pencils from Amazon 16 22 hours ago crafts arts and craft group 2489 3 days ago crafts Do you have a crafty website? Please share! 135 4 days ago crafts Thanksgiving boredom and remedies 1 6 days ago crafts Etsy, iCrafts, others? Opinions? Results? Preferences? 22 9 days ago Search Customer Discussions Search all Amazon discussions

The Altered Art community Latest activity 1 day ago 870 customers have contributed 349 products, 4 discussions and more... › Explore the community The Collage community Latest activity 16 hours ago 1,232 customers have contributed 554 products, 53 lists & guides and more... › Explore the community The Mixed Media community Latest activity 48 minutes ago 1,167 customers have contributed 498 products, 5 discussions and more... › Explore the community Related forums altered art (4 discussions) collage (3 discussions) crafts (109 discussions) mixed media (5 discussions) Explore more › See all Customer Communities › Your communities

---

Listmania!

Altered Art and Mixed-Media Extravaganza!: A list by Erin R. Perry   Books for a Crafty Chica: A list by Kathy Cano-Murillo "The Crafty Chica"   Ultimate Soul Nourishing Guide to Creative Journal Writing: A list by J. Whitford Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

---

So You'd Like to...

Caffeinate Your Inner Artist: A guide by Penelope   Be Inspired to Create Art: A guide by Kimberly A. Hambric "Fiber Artist and Home Decorating Fanatic"   immerse yourself in collage and mixed media techniques: A guide by Stacey Apeitos "go-make-art.com" Create a guide

Search Guides

---

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Be the first person to add an article about this item at Amapedia.com.

› See featured Amapedia.com articles

---

Look for Similar Items by Category

• Books > Arts & Photography > Design & Decorative Arts > Graphic Design
• Books > Arts & Photography > History & Criticism
• Books > Arts & Photography > Instructional & How-To
• Books > Arts & Photography > Museums & Collections > Private
• Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Mixed Media
• Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Pop
• Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies

---

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:
Art & design styles: from c 1960
Handicrafts
Art Media (General)
Arts And Crafts
Art
Art & Art Instruction
Art / Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions
Art / Techniques / General
Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Private
Crafts & Hobbies / General
Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General
Mixed-Media
Assemblage (Art)
Handicraft
Fine Arts / Art History


i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Ad feedback

 

Feedback If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? Is there any other feedback you would like to provide? Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed.

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

› View and edit your browsing history

Get to Know Us Careers Investor Relations Press Releases Amazon and Our Planet Make Money with Us Sell on Amazon Join Associates Self-publish with Us › See all Let Us Help You Shipping Rates & Policies Amazon Prime Returns Help

Canada | China | France | Germany | Japan | United Kingdom  And don't forget: Amazon Windowshop | AmazonWireless | Askville | Audible | DPReview | Endless | IMDb | Shopbop | SoundUnwound | Warehouse Deals by Amazon | Zappos Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Quarry Books (February 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592533639
• ISBN-13: 978-1592533633
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #167,896 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #12 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Museums & Collections > Private
  #79 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Other Media > Mixed Media
  #91 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Pop

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A lost opportunity, February 19, 2008

By	Susan Wood (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been anxiously awaiting this book since it was first announced. The topic fascinated me. The list of artists included is inspiring. The book is lavishly illustrated. So why is it only worth two stars?

For me, the book doesn't deliver on its promises. I was hoping for in-depth discussion of how and why individual artists collect and how their collecting and collections influence their work. What the book delivers is a series of 'sound-bites' which don't go beyond superficial observations. It never comes to grips with its theme.

The organisation of the book doesn't help, with comments and work from each artist spread across several (loosely) thematic chapters. Perhaps a meatier book would have resulted if each artist had been covered in a section of their own. The reader would have certainly got a better sense of each artist's work that way.

The images are beautiful, but they too are frustrating. Some are badly framed. Not everything is captioned, and the captions that are provided are not very informative. Many of the photographs are over-styled. This is particularly annoying when it is the work itself that is being shown. In some cases it is impossible to tell where the work stops and the other bits and pieces start.

It is a pretty enough coffee table book but lacking in substance. I'm happy enough to keep it, but if I'd seen in a bookshop it would have stayed on the shelf.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Boo Hoo!, March 4, 2008

By	A. Platten - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I ordered this book with the expectation that I would get to see inside artists studios with all their "stuff". I want to see the environment other artists work in and how they tick including those things they are obsessed about having in their studios to work with or be inspired by. Well, that's NOT what I got in this book. While the photography is stunning, I was disappointed to find that there are only a few photos even shot inside an artists studio but also that all the "collections" for the photos were very staged. It makes for a 'pretty' book but that wasn't what I was looking for. It's a coffee table book for people who just like to have books laying around. It's not something to sink your teeth into. I love all of Lynne Perrella's other books but this one was disappointing. Had I realized I had 30 days to return it, it would have flown back to the post office the day I opened it. I just ran across the receipt and had hit my 30 days so I'm stuck with it. I felt I wasted my money. Maybe I just had wrong expectations of the book and it just wasn't for me.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars mixed reception, March 26, 2008

By	N. Bales "Collage Doc" (Hollister, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although I knew before purchasing this book that it was focused on the collections of different artists, because the lead person is Lynne Perrella I guess I expected it to be more artful. Although it was lovely to look at and the various collections were interesting, this book really isn't more than eye candy -- expensive eye candy. I would recommend that you go into a bookstore or library and look it over before you make this purchase.