As a land artist Strijdom van der Merwe uses the materials provided by the chosen site. His sculptural forms take shape in relation to the landscape. It is a process of working with the natural world using sand, water, wood, rocks etc. He shapes these elements into geometrical forms that participate with their environment, continually changing until their final probable destruction. He observes the fragility of beauty while not lamenting its passing. What remains is a photographic image, a fragment of the imagination. While a visual record is materially all that is left, he also leaves us a reminder of the capacity, however feeble, of an individual to alter the universe by embracing the ceaseless changing of nature, actively contributing to it and in so doing, modulating and beautifying the outcome.

Rich in symbolism and metaphor, and blessed with its own varied and dramatic palette, the garden has proved to be an extremely fertile source of artistic inspiration. In The Garden in Art, acclaimed art historian Debra N. Mancoff reveals the many different ways in which artists from all periods of history - from ancient Egypt to the present day - have employed the motif of the garden. Featuring more than 200 illustrations of both renowned and lesser-known works, the book approaches its subject thematically, exploring such topics as working gardens, the garden through the seasons and artists' gardens. Complete with a detailed timeline and a suggested list of gardens to visit, The Garden in Art is an absorbing and highly rewarding examination of the meaning and significance of the depiction of the garden.

Claire is not your everyday practitioner of "urbex," the modern underground passion for "urban exploration" that lures 21st-century adventurers into the hidden labyrinths and decaying chambers of disused buildings and urban spaces. Claire is, you see, a bull terrier. And with her photographer companion, Alice Van Kempen, she has created the canine expression of the art . . . "furbex." Furbex is a dazzling photographic record of Claire's adventures among the abandoned spaces of Europe. It captures her ghostly presence in ruined hotels and grand houses; crumbling castles and palaces; forgotten theaters and cinemas. Fascinated by shadows and light, past and present, and the mysterious, dark worlds of abandoned places, Alice van Kempen uses thrift shop props and long exposures to create photographs with the air of Old Master paintings; while Claire's tragi-comic presence imbues every image with the pathos and comedy of a silent movie. The result is a haunting and hilarious gift book of unique photographs, which will appeal to urban explorers, dog lovers (most particularly the cult following of the bull terrier breed), and all lovers of the Gothic, the mysterious and the absurd.

In this second book in a series covering elements of the landscape, renowned watercolourist, David Bellamy shows how to paint skies, light and atmosphere and how choices involving these three key elements can affect a painting. Starting with skies, David Bellamy covers basic techniques, composition, clouds, special effects like silver linings, sunsets and shafts of light, and much more, then there is a step by step dramatic sky demonstration. Next comes light, with plenty of advice including warm and cool light, using glazes, cast shadows, light from different directions, painting the sun and reflected light, followed by a step by step demonstration featuring strong light and shadow. The atmosphere section covers haze and mist, fog, mountains in cloud, smoke and steam, rain, storms and tranquil moods, and is followed by an atmospheric step by step painting of a waterfall. David Bellamy's extensive travels and much admired painting style ensure that there are plenty of beautiful, inspiring paintings of skies, light and atmosphere throughout the book.

The story of the canine has been fundamentally entwined with that of humanity since the earliest times, and this ancient and fascinating story is told in Susan McHugh's Dog, now available in B-format. The book unravels the debate about whether dogs are descended from wolves, and moves on to deal with canines in mythology, religion and health, dog cults in ancient and medieval civilizations as disparate as Alaska, Greece, Peru and Persia, and traces correspondences between the histories of dogs in the Far East, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Dog also examines the relatively recent phenomenon of dog breeding and the invention of species, as well as the canine's role in science fact and fiction; from Laika, the first astronaut, and Pavlov's famous conditioned dogs, through to science fiction novels and cult films such as A Boy and his Dog. Susan McHugh shows how dogs today contribute to human lives in a huge number of ways, not only as pets and guide dogs but also as sources of food in Asia, entertainment workers, and scientific and religious objects. Dog reveals how we have shaped these animals over the millennia, and in turn, how dogs have shaped us.

Part of a series of exciting and luxurious Flame Tree Notebooks. Combining high-quality production with magnificent fine art, the covers are printed on foil in five colours, embossed, then foil stamped. And they're powerfully practical: a pocket at the back for receipts and scraps, two bookmarks and a solid magnetic side flap. These are perfect for personal use and make a dazzling gift. A Million Shades is one of many evocative floral artworks by Nel Whatmore who also paints landscapes and abstracts. She expresses her love of flowers not only through her fine art but also textile designs and regularly exhibits her work at the Chelsea Flower Show.

Renowned watercolourist David Bellamy shares his passion for painting seas and shorelines in this inspiring and practical book. There is advice on finding subjects and painting the different moods of the sea; rocks, crags and cliffs; adding figures and animals into your artworks; as well as an in-depth look at the painting and sketching techniques required. David's extensive travels mean that seas and shorelines from all over the world appear in the paintings.

The Society was founded in 2000 to record plants in Cornwall and those held at The Eden Project in particular, which opened its gates to the public in the same year. There are over 140 paintings in the archives donated by 31 different artists, many of whom exhibit nationally and internationally and hold RHS Gold medals for their work. `Each artist donates their time and their paintings generously to The Archives and The Trustees of The Eden Project. In gratitude and in order to acknowledge their generosity, skill and talent, this book has been written and compiled to help bring their work to a wider audience and demonstrate the quality of botanical illustration held by the Trustees. I hope it inspires our current members (of which there are 22 actively painting) to continue to paint and document this inspirational collection of plants, and others to join. This is my gift to these very special people.' Ros Franklin, Chairman of the `Flori'. `The Eden Florilegium Society creates artworks that not only celebrate the real beauty and diversity of the Plant Kingdom but also stand up to scientific scrutiny. The society's members invest their own time and resources to produce these truly exquisite, scientifically accurate illustrations of some of Eden's favourite plants.' - Chris Bisson Policy Development Manager Eden Project `It is essential that florilegias should continue to exist. In our adapting world with so many environmental changes, both natural and man-made, a true botanical study of a plant is as relevant today as it was in the 18th century.' - Mally Francis FLS, FEPFS . `When you view the works in the Florilegium, try to quell any impatience you might have and dwell a little time on each work. By looking closely you see into the wonder of living things, their complexity and their total fitness for purpose. Only by allowing yourself this luxury of time can you feel that tingling go up your spine which signals a glimpse of something very special.' - Sir Tim Smit KBE

A terrific bargain at only $9.95, this beautiful collection of Mark Kelley's photos of the Southeast Alaska Panhandle will literally "put you there." A must have coffee table book for any lover of Alaska.

A gorgeous, easy-to-follow, and inspiring guide to stunningly realistic botanical drawing that covers everything you need to draw our natural world. Achieve amazingly realistic and vibrant botanical illustrations, from flowers so dazzling you feel as if you might be able to smell them, to tomatoes that look as if they've just been picked from the garden. Wendy Hollender is known for her vivid, detailed, and inspiring illustrations and in The Joy of Botanical Drawing, she helps you take your art to the next level by sharing her perfected techniques through short lessons that start simple, then build on the basics with easy-to-use and clear step-by-step illustrations. Using colored pencils and watercolor pencils, Hollender shows you how to accomplish scientifically accurate botanical portraits of a spiraling pine cone, a spiky chestnut, a fuchsia-tined radish, a graceful morning glory, and many more. From colorful leaves to delicate petals to textured bark and slender stems, The Joy of Botanical Drawing will give you the skills to complete lifelike drawings while also enjoying nature and the mindfulness of a regular drawing practice.

Renowned for its luxuriant coastal rainforest, the Pacific Northwest also sustains an array of wildflower habitats ranging from mountains to deserts to river canyons. In this collection of flower portraits, landscape photographer Larry Ulrich and nature writer Susan Lamb share their favorites among the shy as well as the showy flora they have discovered in exploring Oregon, Washington, and western Idaho. Born of abundant moisture from the ocean and long hours of summer sunlight, the wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest region represent biodiversity in terms we can appreciate. Not only charming but useful, flowering plants play key roles in the green and growing world around us.

An important reconsideration of landscape photography in 19th-century America, exploring crucial but neglected geographies, practitioners, and themes Although pictures of the West have dominated our perception of 19th-century American landscape photography, many photographers were working in the eastern half of the United States during that period. Their pictures, with the exception of Civil War images, have received relatively scant attention. Redressing this imbalance is East of the Mississippi, the first book to focus exclusively on the arresting eastern photographs that helped shape America's national identity. Celebrating natural wonders such as Niagara Falls and the White Mountains as well as capturing a cultural landscape fundamentally altered by industrialization, these works also documented the impact of war, promoted tourism, and played a role in an emerging environmentalism. Showcasing more than 180 photographs from 1839 to 1900 in a rich variety of media and formats-from daguerreotypes, salted paper prints, tintypes, cyanotypes, and albumen prints to stereo cards and photograph albums-this volume traces the evolution of eastern landscape photography and introduces the artists who explored this subject. Also considered are the dynamic ties with other media-for instance, between painters and photographers such as the Bierstadt and Moran brothers-and the distinctive development of landscape photography in America.

"Nature and Its Symbols is the fifth volume in the series A Guide to Imagery, reference guides whose goal is to explain the symbols used in art. This volume includes chapters on plants, flowers, fruits, and animals of the earth, air, and water, as well as fantastical creatures such as centaurs, griffons, and dragons. The vivid illustrations, which include paintings and tapestries from some of the world's premier museums, are accompanied by texts that offer careful analyses of the artists' depictions of the natural world. Each entry discusses the symbolic significance of the particular plant, fruit, or animal portrayed, its mythic or literary origins, and the episodes or individuals associated with it. These salient points are also called out in summary form within each entry, making the information easily accessible. The reader discovers, for example, that the iris can represent Jesus or the purity of the Virgin Mary as well as the kings of France or the city of Florence. The monkey, which can be symbolic of the devil, heresy, or bad temper, is also associated with the three wise men who traveled to Bethlehem to pay homage to the infant Jesus. By bringing to life the natural world as portrayed in art, this book will surely be an indispensable resource for museum visitors, art lovers, and students.

A guide to landscape painting for complete beginners with simple exercises. Hazel Soan is a hugely successful painter and an outstanding teacher and author of art books, which have introduced the wonders of art to a generation of amateur artists. In this book she teaches you how to get to grips with watercolour landscapes in the space of an afternoon. The book explores the basics of watercolour landscapes with lots of simple exercises and step-by-step demonstrations that are perfect for beginners. That life-long ambition of painting somewhere that is important to you can become a possibility with the help of this nifty little book. Topics covered include creating space, composition and focus, light and shadows, colours of the landscape and the mixing of watercolours. Watercolour painting techniques such as painting en plein air, brushwork, creating texture, wet into wet and wet on dry are explained. The book also explores specific landscape themes such as skies, foliage, forests, gardens, seascapes, wilderness, sunsets, urban landscapes, panoramas, sunsets and many more.

Step-by-step photographs and clear explanations show how to achieve the effects needed to paint the various elements of a landscape with watercolors. From the initial sketch to the finishing touches, getting started is easy with this manual that features a pull-out section of tracing papers that guide the hand and establish a balanced composition. Learn how to create impressive paintings of snowy villages, poppy fields, country woods, and more from among the featured projects that build skills, build confidence, and enable beginners to develop their own style.

HorseLife defines what it is to love horses and how that appreciation influences everyday life. You may not own a horse or even live close to one, but anyone who has taken the reins before knows the transcendent calm that comes from something as simple as watching the setting sun on horseback or a nuzzling velvet nose on your palm when you return to the stable. Artful photography and heartfelt passages make this book the perfect gift for the horse lover in your herd. Ride softly, listen carefully & love completely.

Nature provides the subject for the beautifully intricate patterns and graceful lines of the art of Charlie Burk. His subject is clearly grass, with a horizon line or a slice of sky visible in many of his works as he moves in his world of sumptuous colors and delicate patterns. In a complex play of call-and-response, one brushstroke calls for the next. ""What really interests me,"" he says, ""is the texture grass creates and the way it moves in space."" Another equally powerful pull is the visual beauty and the artistic journey it presents, that ever-fresh experience of dancing on the edge between abstract and representational art.

"An arboreal odyssey" - NATURE "One of the most quietly beautiful books of the year" - DAILY MAIL Evening Standard Books of the Year 2018 The Times Gardening Books of the Year 2018 Discover the secretive world of trees in Jonathan Drori's number one bestseller... Bestselling author and environmentalist Jonathan Drori follows in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg as he tells the stories of 80 magnificent trees from all over the globe. In Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori uses plant science to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable. From the trees of Britain, to India's sacred banyan tree, they offer us sanctuary and inspiration - not to mention the raw materials for everything from aspirin to maple syrup. Stops on the trip include the lime trees of Berlin's Unter den Linden boulevard, which intoxicate amorous Germans and hungry bees alike, the swankiest streets in nineteenth-century London, which were paved with Australian eucalyptus wood, and the redwood forests of California, where the secret to the trees' soaring heights can be found in the properties of the tiniest drops of water. Each of these strange and true tales - populated by self-mummifying monks, tree-climbing goats and ever-so-slightly radioactive nuts - is illustrated by Lucille Clerc, taking the reader on a journey that is as informative as it is beautiful. The book combines history, science and a wealth of quirky detail - there should be surprises for everyone. Perfect for fans of Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees, this new book will certainly whet the appetite of any tree lover to take an around-the-world trip, or simply visit your local botanic garden. The perfect travel guide for nature enthusiasts. Winner at the Woodland Books of the Year Awards 2018. "An irresistible mix of science, culture, botany, history and vicarious travel" - SYDNEY MORNING HERALD