Sacred Connections: Stories of Adoption

Customer Reviews:

If I could rate this book a 10, I would!.......2006-06-26

This was given to me by one of the people featured in the book while on a business trip to Texas. Honestly, I couldn't put it down! It is so lovely, so inspiring, and so celebratory of the act and diversity of adoption. I highly recommend it to anyone touched by adoption--especially those that need to start celebrating! The photography and testimonials couldn't be better and they represent each person in the adoption triad. Treat yourself and buy a copy!

Stories of Love.......2002-01-31

I re-visited "Sacred Connections" after almost a year. Any parent would benefit from these tender , moving stories of love, courage and commitment. The voices, of the subjects, reverberate in many of my personal encounters and experiences. It is a wonderful book.

It's a beautiful, hopeful book about adoption.......2001-08-31

I bought the book because I know some of the people interviewed in the book...but the book was even better than I had hoped it would be! The stories are very moving and brought tears to my eyes. It was nice to see a variety of closed adoption reunion and open adoption stories. I think the book shows people that contrary to current adoption stereotypes...adoptees, adoptive parents, and birth parents can all share a special bond or connection if they are open to it. Everybody has something special to add to the relationship...and having birth parents be a part of that relationship doesn't have to be threatening or confusing for anyone! This book would make a beautiful gift for anyone you know who is involved in adoption!

Artistry and Compassion.......2001-08-08

Wow! I loved this book. Letting people speak for themselves about adoption is so important. I sensed a compassionate hand in the editing of these stories that makes them a pleasure to read and gives an artful consistency without diminishing the individual voices. The photography is wonderfully evocative. By chance, I have had the opportunity to meet a few of the people whose stories are in the book. I was delighted to find that there was no disjuncture between my brief encounters and what I read, which added to its authenticity for me.

Beautifully done........2001-05-16

I'm a birth mother of a child in an open adoption, and I gave this book to my son's adoptive mother for Mother's Day. The black and white photographs are gorgeous, and they really sum up all the complex emotions inherent in adoptive relationships. The text for each story is well-written and illuminating, and the authors were obviously careful to represent the full range of adoption experiences. If you're looking for something special to express the lifelong connections between the adopted person and his or her birth and adoptive families, this is your book.

Book Description

An intimate look at renowned painter Thomas Kinkade's life and art, including never-before-seen paintings and photographs. Thomas Kinkade is America's most collected living artist. His mass appeal surely stems from his unique ability to emphasize simple pleasures and convey inspirational messages through his paintings. The Thomas Kinkade Story celebrates the twentieth anniversary of Kinkade's first published work and includes an intimate look at the artist's life and paintings through the eyes of Rick Barnett. The book examines each period in Kinkade's career, beginning in his early days as he meets the mentors who will influence him, moving on to his life in the eighties as he becomes a recognized painter and a husband, and continuing through the nineties as he paints groundbreaking scenes of national parks and San Francisco, and progresses from his English Cottage period to his use of soft light and broken color. The book also showcases never-before-seen private photographs and paintings, including new works that embody Kinkade's 21st century style.

Customer Reviews:

The McDonalds of the art world.......2005-05-02

This work is the equivalent of a chocolate sundae for the eyes.....you BET it is popular.....but unless you consider fast food to be fine dining...lets dispense with the superlatives accorded these artbits. As a more "healthy visual feast"I suggest as a starting point the work of Gustav Baumann or Christopher Burkett(photographer extraodinaire!) if you enjoy beauty in the landscape as your subject of contemplation.After seeing their work you may be embarrassed at your admiration for this stuff.Come on people....get OUT more!!

visions and dreams.......2003-12-13

Have you ever heard anyone scoff at Kinkade's work, because it is "too commercial" ? There are many who disdain work that is embraced by "the common man", and work that is reproduced for a mass market. So be it, but I do not agree with this elitist viewpoint, and think that in many years to come, Kinkade's work will be far more valued than some of what is "fashionable" in art circles today.
This is a magnificent coffee table book, with thick glossy pages and excellent color reproduction, and a well written text by Rick Barnett. I pored over this volume with a magnifying glass, examining the details, the brushwork, and the evolution of Kinkade's work over the years.

Part I, "The Early Years": Born in 1958, Kinkade was drawing before he could walk, and his first mentor was the Bay Area artist of renown Glenn Wessels, who in 1974 moved to Thom's Placerville, California neighborhood. Later while studying at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he painted "The Prince of Peace", which he saw in a vision, and it is a powerful piece.

Part II, "20 Years of Published Work":
"The Early Works, 1984-1989". Many of these pieces are massive scenic vistas and city street sceenes, and my one and only complaint of this book is that it does not give the dimensions of the original paintings.
"The Artist is Recognized, 1989-1993". On page 55, is a piece I find startling, "New York, Snow on Seventh Avenue, 1932", painted in 1989; with its extraordinary perspective, and skyscrapers bathed in the light of the setting sun, it captures the feeling of another era and there is a palpable sense of movement in it...and it is a painting I could look at for years and never tire of.
In 1990, during a family trip to England, the cottage paintings were born. The one that I find incredibly lovely is "Spring at Stonegate". The graceful slope of the roof, and the dappled sunlight are beautiful.

"Chasing the Horizon, 1993-1997". The Kinkade family moved to the South Bay area of San Francisco, and the plein air paintings took flight. My favorite of this genre is "Wailea Pool, Maui" (1996), with broad free strokes, the wind is ruffling the palm trees, and the clouds seem to be dancing.
There also seems to be a heightened idealism emerging during these years, which becomes even more evident in "The Golden Era, 1997-2000", where the landscapes take on a misty, eerie light. In the world of "Cobblestone Bridge" (2000), Kinkade says "man and nature live in God's perfect balance".

"Light of Freedom, 2000-2004". Inspired by a dream, Kinkade painted "The Light of Freedom" in 2002 as a tribute to 9/11, and from 2001, "San Francisco, Lombard Street", with an entire vista of the city, is a marvel; another treasure is "Desert Sunset" (2002), with its red sky and magical twinkling lights in the distance.
Motivated by his faith, and dreams and visions, Kinkade's gentle world of peace and light is sure to shine for many generations.

Average customer rating:

Great Reference Resource for the Serious Collector

Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies, C. 1800-Present, With Value/Price Guide, Featuring over 20 Years of Auction Records (American Indian Art Series, 1)
Gregory Schaaf
Manufacturer: Center for Indigenous Arts & Cultures (C I A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Native American | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Pottery & Ceramics | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies With Value/Price Guide : C. 1800-Present (American Indian Art Series) (American Indian Art Series) (American Indian Art Series)

Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies, Ca. 1800-Present, With Value/Price Guide Featuring over 20 Years of Auction Records (American Indian Art Ser)

Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni

Santa Clara Pottery Today (Monograph Series - School of American Research, No. 29)

Pueblo And Navajo Contemporary Pottery: And Directory of Artists (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

ASIN: 0966694813

Customer Reviews:

Great Reference Resource for the Serious Collector.......2000-06-21

Gregory Schaaf's latest book has turned out to be one of the most valuable and most used in my collection of books on this subject. Not only does he provide a concise and well structured biography on every important potter of the Rio Grande Pueblos, he also provides family trees, some great color plates and a number of black and white photographs of both the artists and their work. Bur Mr. Schaaf goes further than that, and supplies his reader with all-important pricing info, including the prices some of the potters fetched for their work at recent auctions. I use this book for researching; confirming or refuting the extraneous piece of information, and for simple reading pleasure. Sometimes I get the book down just to look (again!) at the pictures. A great job, and a wonderful companion to his earlier book of biographies on the Hopi potters. Armed with these two volumes, any collector of pueblo pottery will find himself making fewer mistakes on who to pursue, what to buy and how much to pay for it. I highly recommend this book.

Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies, Ca. 1800-Present, With Value/Price Guide Featuring over 20 Years of Auction Records (American Indian Art Ser)

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Hopi-Tewa Pottery
Most Comprehensive Volume
A Hallmark Book of Hallmarks
Get this if you are into buying Hopi pottery

Hopi-Tewa Pottery: 500 Artist Biographies, Ca. 1800-Present, With Value/Price Guide Featuring over 20 Years of Auction Records (American Indian Art Ser)
Gregory Schaaf
Manufacturer: Center for Indigenous Arts & Cultures (C I A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Pottery & Ceramics | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0966694805

Customer Reviews:

Hopi-Tewa Pottery.......2007-09-09

Granted this is a huge undertaking. And it is at present the best book on the subject. But it, like the rest of the "American Indian Art Series," is not particularly well edited. And without seriously acquainting yourself with its form and arrangement - it is difficult and often frustrating to use efficiently. But it is all we have... and it is not a bad value.

Most Comprehensive Volume.......2005-01-07

With this first volume, the team of Dr Greg and Angie Schaaf began their welcome and comprehensive American Indian Art Series. The reader can only begin to imagine the amount of work involved in such an undertaking. The Schaafs should be commended for their efforts. From A-Z the biographies of nearly 500 Hopi potters are included. From Nampeyo to the masters of today (Rondina Huma, Steve Lucas, Rainy Naha, Mark Tahbo, etc, etc) to the elders who sell from the doorsteps of their homes ... all are included. This being an initial volume, there are certain inherent shortcomings. All photographs are reproduced in black and white. Artists photographs, in many cases, were far from current. The first edition, published in 1998, has a photo of Rondina Huma which is over 20 years old. Similar 'vintage' photos are included. Examples are not consistent. Some potters have numerous examples included while certain award-winning potters have 2-3 at most. Again, one can only begin to imagine the amount of time and effort to meet publication deadlines. A second printing (Nov, 2004) is now available and it is my understanding that some updating has been done. It is good to know that the price is now within reach of all readers. A secondary market price of over $200, for the first edition, was totally out of reason! If you are a collector, this publication and others in the series would be valuable additions. Subsequent volumes, in the series, are in color and the biographies appear to be more current.

A Hallmark Book of Hallmarks.......2003-11-21

Here's hoping this robust hardback book is reissued in an affordable soft cover to assist those who really need it . . . researchers and beginners! Its presence since 1998 has had a wide and dramatic impact on Hopi pottery interest levels and is already, itself, a First Edition collectible, jumping from its $60 issue price into the $300-$400 collectible range (at the time of this writing - amazon.com).

The author has gathered what might be only a smattering of the Hopi-Tewa potters who have produced quality Hopi Pottery over the decades. There are doubtless many more equally deserving of similar literary attention. But this book is an especially strong start and lays a sound foundation for future volumes.

Some artist biographies offered in its pages are fairly sketchy; otherwise, the author has done his homework. For example, if you own an Evelyn Tootsie specimen, you might be disappointed to discover her name and nothing more. On the other hand, if you own a similar quality piece made by Garnet Pavatea, you'll be delighted to unearth a page and a half of valuable bio, museum, photo and auction info. Schaaf can assemble tons of information and seems to go to extremes to find bio data on his included artisans. It is curious there is no mention of the Indian traders in the area, even those serving the local Hopi populace (and who are doubtless rich sources of such bio data). Interestingly, the book is heavily laced with photos of specimen from Schaaf's own collection.

The author's promise to revise and expand this book with additional artisans also includes a welcome tool for added information from the adoring public of Hopi potters. This volume includes a handy "artist survey" to encourage the inclusion of more Hopi potters in future editions. Hopefully, more Hopi-Tewa pottery artists, their families and collectors will seize the opportunity contribute and, thereby, expand the known world of Hopi pottery.

Quality features of this First Edition production could use an upgrade in any subsequent reprinting. The book utilizes a flashy dust cover with thick, glossy face; then the book falls back on traditional cost saving features; a measly 4 pages of color photos followed by whopping 180 pages of black and white. The paper stock is thick, coarse and unwieldy. The book does not deliver the workshop feel of a research-type book (or even measure up to a typical auction catalog), although the linen hardback cover is heavy and strong. The binding imparts a fragile feel, making me wonder how much archival quality the book will maintain over the years. Under heavy use I fear the result would be loose and failing page structure. If you buy this edition, don't plan on using it much. My copy already delivers a disturbing crackling noise from the binding, not good.

Overall, I would not say this book is a great instrument to support and motivate collections of Hopi Indian pottery. I don't feature it as a scholarly approach to Hopi pottery; however a biographical volume such as this spawns interest and promotes added value to Hopi pottery in general. Its place in the pantheon of Indian books is sound.

Except for the soaring secondary market on this edition, I'd say every Hopi pottery researcher and collector should have one. Finally, if you don't have a few hundred dollars to squander on the lofty collector price of the First Edition, you might be better off waiting for the author to make good on his promise to expand and republish.

Get this if you are into buying Hopi pottery.......2000-06-15

If you are ready to make an investment in Native American pottery from the Hopi, this book is a "must have". Every gallery I've been at pulls this book out when I ask them something about who made a particular piece of pottery. The author provides information on every known Hopi potter. It includes complete family histories, who they learned from, and how much some of their art has sold for. Also included is an appendix on common signatures and hallmarks. If you're a new-comer to Native American pottery, this is not a good starting point -- try "Southwest Pottery: Anaszai to Zuni" by Hayes & Blom. Also, if you are looking for thousands of pretty color pictures, this is not the best book (even though there are some nice photos). But if you're going to spend money on pottery, check it out.

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Viva! Maestro Montoya... Ho!

Information: 20 Years of Joda
Jose Montoya
Manufacturer: Chusma House Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0962453617

Customer Reviews:

Viva! Maestro Montoya... Ho!.......1999-03-07

This book, "In Formation" illustrates how oral tradition and literary style can be artistically combined to tell the story(ies) of Chicanos. As an original member of the Rebel Chicano Art Front, and later as an adobe plane pilot in the Royal Chicano Air Force el Maestro honors in a tender and honest manner the people that live in our communities and are overlooked and/or placed in negative light by those who misunderstand the purpose for which they live. The poem entitled "Jefita" provides a vivid reminder of the love, dedication, and strength of our mothers who live as unsung heroes to all except their own family. The Pachuco is honored too for the openly carrying the pride that has been stripped from many who watch and scorn him. Finally, the words that Montoya selects are those spoken by familia and Compadres and as a consequence will ring very familiar to ears which learned to listen in Spanish and Ingles. The book also highlights Jose Montoya's artistic talents which provides the reader with a visual guide to the poems in every section of the book. HO!

The Citizen Artist: 20 Years of Art in the Public Arena : An Anthology from High Performance Magazine 1978-1998 (Thinking Publicly.)

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But is-it art?

The Citizen Artist: 20 Years of Art in the Public Arena : An Anthology from High Performance Magazine 1978-1998 (Thinking Publicly.)

Manufacturer: Critical Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Criticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1883831105

Customer Reviews:

But is-it art?.......2000-04-17

This book is an anthology from High Performance Magazine about the Public Art. In this book there are two importants questions: what is exactly the new relationship between the artists and the public space in the postcolonialist time? A contemporary artist is a social activist? In the texts and in the interviews, made from 1978 to 1998,the book to talk about the new important relations between the art and the contemporary anthropology in the public art. I think that this is a very good book for everybody interested to the relation life/art, social/art, public/art.

The Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan

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haven't recieved
GREAT: THE BOOK OF THE SEASON

The Journey Of A Woman: 20 Years Of Donna Karan
Ingrid Sischy
Manufacturer: Assouline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Fashion | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 2843236193

Customer Reviews:

haven't recieved.......2005-07-12

i ordered this book, but have yet to recieve. ordered several weeks ago. my account was charged, but no book. please credit my account.
thank you.
william h. brown jr.

GREAT: THE BOOK OF THE SEASON.......2005-01-19

This book is fantastic! Better than Tom Ford's book. Filled with the most beautiful images from her advertising campaign.
Beware that the slipcover is very sensitive and damages easily!
Wow, i love this book!

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20 Years/20 Artists
Suzanne Feldman , Suzanne Farver , and Robert Hobbs
Manufacturer: Aspen Art Museum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0934324263

5 X 20: Five Abstract Painters, Twenty Years on

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5 X 20: Five Abstract Painters, Twenty Years on
Bruce Russell
Manufacturer: Art Books Intl Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

At 20 years, Neodata Endowment still helping artists, arts organizations : An article from: Boulder County Business Report

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At 20 years, Neodata Endowment still helping artists, arts organizations : An article from: Boulder County Business Report
Laurie M Fisher
Manufacturer: ProQuest Information and Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000BH8NME
Release Date: 2005-09-19

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