In late 19th century England, Oscar Wilde popularized aestheticism, also known as art-for-art’s-sake – the idea that art, that beauty, should not be a vehicle for morality or truth, but an end in-and-of-itself. Rothko and Jackson Pollock enthroned the idea, creating paintings that are barely graded panels of color or wild splashes. Today, pop culture is aestheticism’s true heir, from the perfect charismatic emptiness of Ocean’s Eleven to the hyper-choreographed essentially balletic movements in the best martial arts movies. But aestheticism has a dark core, one that Social Justice Activists are now gathering to combat, revealing the damaging ideology reflected in or concealed by our most beloved pop culture icons. Taking Bryan Fuller’s television version of Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter as its main text – and taking Žižek-style illustrative detours into Malcolm in the Middle, Dark Knight Rises, Harry Potter, Interview with a Vampire, Dexter and more – this book marshals Walter Pater, Camille Paglia, Nietzsche, the Marquis de Sade, Kant and Plato, as well as Dante, Shakespeare, Milton, Blake, Baudelaire, Beckett, Wallace Stevens and David Mamet to argue that Fuller’s show is a deceptively brilliant advance of aestheticism, both in form and content – one that investigates how deeply art-for-art’s-sake, and those of us who consciously or unconsciously worship at its teat, are necessarily entwined with evil.

"The art of fish carving has experienced a rapid growth of popularity and appreciation over the last few years. There are probably lots of reasons for this. My own interest came from a love of nature and the beauty of these creatures. They offer the carver the same challenge for fine detail and form that bird carvers have known for years, and there is an endless variety of species and poses, which leaves much room for creativity." Rick Roth leads the carver step-by-step through three fish and pond life carvings: The Brook Trout, the Pumpkin Seed, and a Northern Painted Turtle. Each step is clearly illustrated with a photograph and a description of the technique. The painting sections are illustrated in full color with color palettes. In all there are over 800 step-by-step photographs plus drawings and palettes. He uses a combination of power carving, traditional carving, and woodburning to bring life to his carvings. His painting techniques add the final touch of realism. While challenging to the novice, this book makes the carving of fish and pond life an enjoyable, fulfilling adventure.

When the well-known wood carver, Tom Wolfe, turns his talents to a new medium the results are wonderful. The almost limitless medium of polymer clay and Tom's eye for character and caricature combine to produce some endearing and delightful creatures. For years Tom has been using clays as a modeling tool for his wood carving. At the same time, though, he has created some characters in clay that are just meant to stay that way. The polymer clay comes in a variety of colors and can be shaped in almost any way imaginable. For those thousands of hobbyists and artists who use polymer clay, this new book will open new doors of expression. So, for woodcarvers and clay modelers alike, this is a welcome new book. Fully illustrated with beautiful color photographs, it takes the modeler step-by-step through the process of creating a male and a female caricature bust. A gallery will spur the imagination even further.

Tom Wolfe returns to an old friend of his, Santa Claus. In his own special way he leads the carver through each step of the carving process. The result is a traditional Santa in stride, heading for the reindeer pen to hook up for the Christmas flight. He is accompanied by old Rudolph, who looks a bit bewildered by the night that lies ahead. Every step, from the blank to the painted Santa, is documented with a color photograph and a clear instruction. Patterns are provided for the project, the reindeer, and several other interesting Santas. A gallery of the other Santas is included for reference to the other possibilities. This is a book for all to enjoy and learn from!

Look at the molding above the doors in your home. What do you see? The Bolingers saw space for some new and exciting woodcarving designs bound to perk up your home in any season. The designs and tips in this unique book will inspire you to anticipate the seasons and carve a new corner piece for each season or even each month. There are plenty of ideas and designs to provide for an entire year's worth of carving! Paul and Camille Bolinger introduce designs for the home that capture the color, fun, and spirit of the seasons. The innovative and captivating designs give you a variety of quick and easy yet eye-catching items to carve as gifts or for sale. Ten individual patterns are provided in the book along with design ideas and tips, and step-by-step design techniques. The gallery provides detailed shots of finished pieces as well. With the designs and the inspiration you will gather from this book, no corner in your home need go overlooked or under decorated. So, grab some wood and your tools and get carving--your house awaits your creations!

As portrayed in this monograph, sculptor Simeon Nelson's work examines human attempts to define, order, and classify nature throughout the ages, questioning how human understanding of the natural world has evolved in relation to the changing fashions of scientific and artistic inquiry.

Packed with patterns for small-scale projects ideal for beginning and intermediate crafters, this companion features original relief projects that stand alone beautifully or that can be easily incorporated into functional and decorative items in the home. The entire carving process is demonstrated, employing a country apple quilt square project as the example, alongside detailed information on necessary tools, a review of the best woods to use, and instructions on how to achieve the appropriate levels of depth. Patterns include wildlife, botanical, mythical, and landscape subjects, and each project includes two detailed patterns: a line and a shaded variety. Fifty additional patterns for gorgeous corner designs that can be incorporated into a variety of crafts projects--from carving and wood burning to painting and quilting--are also included.

The often surprising predicaments in which we find ourselves are personified in this wooden cowboy and his hapless steed. Cleve Taylor takes you step-by-step through the process of carving the cowboy, his horse, the cliff, and all the little details that complete this delightful work of art. Concise directions, 265 color photographs, and detailed patterns guide you through the carving process and detailed painting instructions complete the project. Cleve's text is also peppered with his wry humor to keep you chuckling while you work. A gallery of color photos gives you a close look at the details. Hanging' In There is a wonderful project for intermediate to advanced carvers and an educational challenge to beginners.

Learn all the steps necessary to create unique carved wooden Christmas tree ornaments. 132 clear color photos illustrate every step for a songbird project and 23 additional patterns, ranging from an American Goldfinch to a Titmouse. Provide new and exciting challenges, including a unique method for attaching the finished songbird to a tree, wreath, or centerpiece. The text includes necessary references for feather parts, types, groupings, and texturing; eye setting or carving; he tools required to successfully complete these projects, and nstruction for painting and sealing the completed ornament. Create heirloom decorative songbird ornaments that will pass down through future generations. This book brings challenges for novices and joy for experienced carvers.

A practical project book for 37 indoor and outdoor mosaic pieces, ranging from furniture, frames, pots and other accessories for the home. The projects featured are contemporary but timeless and each project requires the minimum of specialist equipment, artistic ability, time and money.

Bernini and His World is a unique exploration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini the sculptor, offering new insights and including discussions of the artist's stylistic innovations and the ways in which he approached sculpture. Placing his life and work within a social, anthropological and historical context, Livio Pestilli gives a fascinating and in-depth account, from the Rome in which Bernini lived and its reception of foreign sculptors to the myth-making narrative of his biographers, and the judgements of his critics. Beautifully illustrated and engagingly written, this book draws on a deep familiarity with both historic and modern Italian culture to give readers a vivid account of sculpture and sculptors in early modern Rome, and of Bernini's lasting legacy.

Through meticulously researched case studies, this book explores the materiality of terracotta sculpture in early modern Europe. Chapters present a broad geographical perspective showcasing examples of modelling, firing, painting, and gilding of clay in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. The volume considers known artworks by celebrated artists, such as Luca della Robbia, Andrea del Verrocchio, Filipe Hodart, or Hans Reichle, in parallel with several lesser-studied terracotta sculptures and tin-glazed earthenware made by anonymous artisans. This book challenges arbitrary distinctions into the fine art and the applied arts, that obscured the image of artistic production in the early modern world. The centrality of clay in the creative processes of artists working with two- and three-dimensional artefacts comes to the fore. The role of terracotta figures in religious practices, as well as processes of material substitutions or mimesis, confirm the medium’s significance for European visual and material culture in general. This book will be of interest to scholars working in art history, Renaissance studies, and material culture.

An urgent and fractious national debate over public monuments has erupted in America. Some people risk imprisonment to tear down long-ignored hunks of marble; others form armed patrols to defend them. Why do we care so much about statues? And who gets to decide which ones should stay up and which should come down? Erin L. Thompson, the country's leading expert in the tangled aesthetic, legal, political and social issues involved in such battles brings much-needed clarity in Smashing Statues. She traces the turbulent history of American monuments and its abundant ironies, starting with the enslaved man who helped make the statue of Freedom atop the US Capitol and explores the surprising motivations behind such contemporary flashpoints as the toppling of a statue of Columbus at the Minnesota State Capitol. Written with great verve and thoroughly researched, Smashing Statues gives readers the context they need to consider the fundamental question: Whose voices must be heard and whose pain must remain private?