Well, now that I have more shelf space in the studio, I can buy more books!  I say that partially in jest, but my book-loving mind does think that way to an extent.  There is a practical, organized side of me, though, that understands limits are good and things are only valuable if I can interact with them meaningfully.  They have to be accessible and useful to be enjoyed, so keeping that in mind, there will always be some limits.  That being said, I really, really love and use my art books.  I visit and revisit them regularly, so I feel like I can justify making more room for more books without feeling guilty.

I have learned, though, that I need to be intentional about the books I curate, so I’ve gotten in the habit of maintaining a pretty meticulous art books wish list.  When I see a book I’m interested in, I’ll add it to the wish list, and, in most cases, I’ll leave it there for a while to think about what it will add to my collection and how much I might revisit it.  I have enough art books now (reference books, instruction books, as well as books on individual artists, museum collections, special exhibitions, or specific art movements) that I can be particular about what I buy.  Do I already have a lot of books on that artist?  Is this new book potentially better with higher quality reproductions than what I currently have or, contain drawings, paintings, or information not included in books in my library?  Running decisions through these filters helps me keep the book acquisitions under control.

Some books have sat on my wish list for 2-3 years, some are removed over time, and others wait just a few days before I make the purchase.  And, some books are added to the list in anticipation of when they are released.  I sometimes preorder a book, but I try not to do that too far in advance so my book money isn’t tied up in something I won’t receive for several weeks or months.  Since I can’t rely on other customer reviews, because the book hasn’t been released yet, I look at the publisher, page count, book size, and description.  I have enough art books to trust the publishing quality of certain brands and I rarely buy an art book that’s less than 8 x 10 and 150 pages.  I want my art books to have heft, to be chunky, to be filled with colored photos, and to be big coffee-table-style books.

So, based on that research, here are some art books coming in 2024 that I’ve added to my wish list and I plan on purchasing…

February releases

My favorite kind of art books are the books that show studies, sketchbooks, and drawings.  It can give us a glimpse into the approach and creative process of an artist, which is like gold if you want to learn from someone who isn’t around any longer!  So, of course, I was excited to see Drawing on Blue, a book dedicated to drawings on toned blue paper.  I even bought a sketchbook with blue-toned paper in preparation for some studies.

A Place Apart

You can pretty much count me in on any book about creative workspaces, so I am all over A Place Apart.  I love looking into the workspace of others to see how they set up the lighting and even to snoop at their art supplies.  As with sketches and studies, it gives a glimpse into the way an artist works, which is always interesting to me.  I can not wait to get my hands on this book!

April releases

I have been following Jenny Aitken on Instagram for a while and I always marvel at how she captures bright sunlight with paint.  It really is like magic!  You almost feel like you need to squint when you’re looking at the reflections of sunlight off of water in her paintings.  I saw she was coming out with an art book and I added it to my wish list as soon as it was listed on Amazon. Painting into the Light is one I’m excited to study.

Children in Impressionist Art

Impressionist art is my favorite and I have more books on that movement than any other.  In fact, 3 1/2 out of 6 of my bookcases are largely populated by books about Impressionism and Impressionist artists.  You might think I wouldn’t look at adding more Impressionist books to my shelf, but they are still what I get most excited about.  When I saw Children in Impressionist Art in the “coming soon” category of art books on Amazon, I didn’t hesitate to add it.  (Isn’t that cover painting just delightful?)

Käthe Kollwitz

When I see a book by an artist I’m unfamiliar with, I’ll usually do a Google search of their work and see if the pieces speak to me.  If not, I might add them to my wish list for further consideration or I’ll just pass.  I wasn’t familiar with Kathe Kollwitz but I loved the sketches shown in the preview of the book as well as what I found online.  It’s not specifically my style, but I enjoy studying art that might push me in new directions.  I’ve come to appreciate work that is outside of aesthetic and wheelhouse as long as it speaks to me.  There is always more to learn and I’m looking forward to learning from Käthe.

May releases

Mary Cassatt at Work

If you’re not familiar with her, Mary Cassatt is an American Impressionist who made quite a name for herself in a world dominated by men.  While I prefer the work of some other impressionists, I do love studying her paintings and I appreciate her feminine perspective in her subjects.  She painted women, mothers, and children in a way that reads differently (to me) than her male counterparts.  I only have two books on Mary Cassatt and both are older books, so I felt I could justify adding the new Mary Cassatt at Work to my library.

Paris 1874

Paris 1874 doesn’t even have a cover yet, but because it’s about Impressionism, I added it to the list.  It’s published by the National Gallery Washington and has almost 300 pages, so it’s right up my alley.  When I get a better preview of the book, I might remove it simply because I have a lot of books about impressionism, but it is hard to resist a new book on the movement!

I do need to share some of my recent art book purchases and give some video tours and reviews.  I learn so much when I read about art and artists.  Yes, I look at books to improve my techniques, to do studies, and to learn by copying/emulating, but I also love reading about the insecurities of great artists, their struggles, and their journeys.  There is so much encouragement to be found in the fact that Van Gogh believed in his work even if he didn’t receive a lot of success from it.  It’s comforting to know even John Signer Sargent, who is considered one of the best portrait painters ever, was critical of his work and even had to redo some portraits because he (and his clients) were so unhappy with the likeness.  I love reading about Degas and Manet meeting at the Museé du Louvre when they were both making etchings after a Velázquez painting and how impressionist painters often shared studio space, models, and still life arrangements to save money.

It takes these artists, who seem like giants in the creative world, and makes them relatable, fallible, and encouragingly human.  And maybe, beyond the brush strokes and technique, that’s where the real lessons lie.