One of my favorite courses in college was Art Appreciation. The professor was amazing and truly just wanted the students to learn to love art for what it is. It taught some art history but also ways of looking at art. Today's products remind me a bit of that class. The first is a unique art history book. It is Scratch & Sniff Art History: A Smellable Guide to Becoming an Art Expert by Elizabeth Lunday. Talk about adding another dimension to art! It is recommended for ages 14+.
Publisher's Summary:
Scratch and sniff your way through five centuries of art history with this interactive book that’s perfect for any art lover!Experience the world’s most iconic paintings like never before through the magic and delight of scratch and sniff. In this fun, informative, and interactive board book of 12 eternal masterpieces, readers scratch each painting and engage with art history in a whole new way.
Smell the robust chianti in Caravaggio’s Bacchus. The fishy sea air of Great Wave off Kanagawa. Stale diner coffee in Edward Hopper’s Night Hawks—and much more!
Each painting also features witty museum-style captions with unexpected facts about the artists, their works, and the stinky zeitgeists from which they flourished. Fun, funny, and splendidly tongue in cheek, it’s an irresistible gift for any art lover.
From Me:
Elizabeth Lunday approaches art in this book with humor and fun. There is a bit of history and information about each of the pieces of artwork. The art ranges from 1591 to 1964. It includes many famous pieces of work from around the world. Artwork like Hokusai's Great Wave off Kanagawa and George Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte and Mary Cassatt's The Child's Bath.
Each piece of artwork has at least one clear circle that is where the scent is. Some pieces have multiple circles with different scents. The scents are meant to capture the scene in the picture. Some of the scents are pleasant like the fruit in the sample page above. Other scents are not like the bad breath of The Scream pictured below. Each scent however gives the reader a new thought and understanding of these twelve pieces art throughout time and cultures. This is a fun book to gift an art lover, an art student or to share in an art class. Discover works of masters with a new dimension!
Our next product is a calendar for 2027. It is The World of John Derian Flowers 2027 Calendar by John Derian and Workman Calendars. You can pick your calendar for next year early this one is beautiful!
Publisher's Summary:
A year-long calendar full of exquisite vintage images curated by celebrated artist and designer John Derian.- EYE-CATCHING IMAGERY: Beautiful floral images and illustrations are carefully selected from 19th-century books, lithographs, and prints to welcome you into John Derian’s world.
- GORGEOUS GIFT: Art lovers, designers, and vintage enthusiasts will appreciate this unique and elegant calendar.
- NOW PLASTIC-FREE!: Workman wall calendars are completely plastic-free! Now printed with an extended paper flap closed with a fully recyclable seal—no more shrink-wrap!
From Me:
I always love a pretty calendar. I look forward to the new picture with each change of the month. This calendar shares a piece of John Derian's beautiful flower artwork each month. It also has many of the holidays from various countries marked on it and includes the heritage months. The artwork is wonderful, and the pages are a good quality. This calendar is perfect for flower lovers as well as fans of John Derian's work. The illustrations give a sense of older drawings and I know it is perfect for one of my sister's!
