A Year in Art (2006, Hardcover)

This is a hardcover book (9 1/2" x 6 1/2") that is also a calendar diary. It is not year specific; starts on january 1 and ends december 31 - good for any year, which is a plus! Each calendar page contains the Month and Day; a pithy quote from artists, writers and other sources; along with the title, creation date, artist and holding gallery/museum for an amazing array of art. Each facing page contains a beautifully printed copy or closeup of famous and non-famous artwork.

I wasn't sure what I was getting when I ordered this, it was intended for use by a pre-teen absolutely obsessed by art. However, now that I have seen the quality of this book, I confiscated it and have jealously guarded it for my own use until the additional copies I ordered arrive. It is an excellent teaching tool, because each day provides the opportunity to research and learn more about the artists and the context of the specific art. Additionally, it is fun and exciting to find and understand the biography and historical significance of each quoter and the real/intended context of each day's quote.

This is a book that I will gift for years! For every person interested in art or literature; this will be the book of a lifetime. This book/calendar/diary includes 7 blank lines to journal and presents a piece of fine art for each day of the year and should foster a curiosity to better know the quoted and the artist. This book is perfect for anyone, specifically any middle school or high school art class, homeschoolers, every entering college freshmen, your favorite teachers, educators and cultured (or uncultured) friends.

Perfect examples of the eclectic mix in this book:

December 4, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Pablo Picasso. Full page artwork: Night Fishing at Antibes, 1939, Pablo Picasso, Museum of Modern Art, NY.

July 7, "Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him." Matthew Henry. Full page artwork: Paradise (Adam and Eve), c.1616, Peter Paul Rubens, Mauritshuis, The Hague.

April 6, "The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance." Aristotle. Full page artwork: Still-Life with Attributes of Art, late 18th century, Jean-Baptiste Siméon Chardin, The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow.

January 28, "Faith is a knowledge within the heart, beyond the reach of proof." Kahlil Gibran. Full page artwork: Moses Produces Water from a Cliff, 1633-35, Nicolas Poussin, National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh.

Every page is a gem of inspiration and beauty. I highly recommend this book & calendar & diary because of the tremendous quality, the educational and cultural opportunities (3-5 minutes per day on wikipedia.org) and because it far surpasses any "Word a Day", "Farside" or "Garfield" calendar.