Library Finds - Vera The Art and Life of an Icon
Good Information Never Grows Old
title: Vera - The Art and Life of an Icon
author: Susan Seid
date published: 2010
publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 978-16-88598-44-7
Who is this book for?
Anyone who loves mod style
People who work with or want to work with silkscreens or other handmade surface printing or painting techniques
Surface designers of all types
Anyone who loves travel sketchbooks
Anyone who is interested in successful female business leaders
Why we love it -
This book is truly a celebration Vera Neumann’s life. If you’ve never heard her name, you’ve probably seen her work and not realized it. Examples of her florals and bold graphic designs abound along with inspiration photos, sketches and final products. The stories of her life are told simply and with warmth. My favorites? All of the birdcages, an apple designed for Mikasa tableware, and a simple but busy market scene sketch along with the final design in shades of blue on a scarf.
Library Finds - Color Charts: A History
Good Information Never Grows Old
title: Color Charts A History
author: Anne Varichon
date published: 2024 (English)
publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691255170
Who is this book for?
Anyone who loves color. This book is a treasure trove of vintage color samples and charts from all types of textiles, surface treatments, and even cosmetics.
Why we love it -
This book feels like sifting through your grandmother’s button box with her narrating the story of each button.
Even if you don’t read a word of the beautifully translated (from the original French) text you could spend hours pouring over the lush color plates featuring paint sample cards, tassels, ribbons and even feathers. Printed on satisfyingly heavy paper, the author guides us through the history of color samples beginning with the 15th century. Among my favorites are a tri fold paint chart from Ripolin c. 1902 and a 1930 felt chart where the swatches are cut in the shape of a gentleman’s hat. We tend to see the past through a black and white or sepia tinted mindset. These charts show us just how colorful our ancestor’s lives really were.