Provence: The Art of Living

Customer Reviews:

The Essence of Provence: colors, design & gardens.......2000-06-28

I bought this book for ideas on paint colors for my 1920s Spanish Colonial home. It is beautifully done, full of design details and the gorgeous colors of Provence, the south of France, that derive from the paint colors, the food, the gardens, pottery and the surrounding dry, burnished mediterranean landscape. It is the perfect inspiration for any California home or a richly hued coffee table book!

The Illustrated Cottage: A Decorative Fairy Tale Inspired by Provence (Country Living)

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a decorative fairy tale.....
Lovely,dreamy
HOME DECOR. WITH A STORY TO TELL
Cottage Art at its best
Provence Captured

The Illustrated Cottage: A Decorative Fairy Tale Inspired by Provence (Country Living)
Nina Williams
Manufacturer: Hearst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0688165419

Book Description

Country Living editor Niña Williams had never visited Provence, yet visions of that fabled French region permeated her dreams. And so, with a little help from some talented artists, she transformed her own simple Denver home (inside and out) into a small bit of Provençal heaven. Everywhere trompe l'oeil murals turn the walls into a storybook peopled with imaginary characters and landscapes from a tiny imaginary Provençal village. And each detail, from the ceramic dishes to the small soaps in the bathroom to the wrought iron furniture on the patio, has the perfect Provençal touch. Williams herself explains her inspiration, and the reasons behind all her choices. A pure delight and true original, this blend of romance and design primer also includes tasty tidbits like Provençal recipes (Garlic Rabbit) and information on the Provençal crafts of lacemaking, enamelware, and more.

Customer Reviews:

a decorative fairy tale............2002-01-22

As stated in the book's introduction, the decoration of this
house does indeed capture the mood, spirit and colors of
Provence. Anyone looking for ideas or studies of trompe l'oeil
will totally enjoy the art on every page. I remember the
first time I saw the art of Fisher and Chappell in an old issue
of Country Living magazine. They artfully painted a garden
shed and it made the cover of the magazine. A story unfolds
as you go room to room in this house, the walls are the illustrations. French tiles, a mouse on garden tools, rabbits
in a hutch, windows to lavender fields, murals of glorious
Provencal landscapes, a broken plate on the floor, pearls on the stair steps, rose petals on a window sill: are they
real or painted? An excellent addition to a collection of
interior design books. You can't go wrong here. The resource
guide in the back features decorative sources, fabric and upholstery sources, garden catalogs and graphic designers.
Lots of garden pictures too as Nina Williams was the founding
editor of Country Living Gardener. From the kitchen to the
atelier, the boudoir to the foyer you will find inspiration!
Thumbs up!

Lovely,dreamy.......2002-01-11

This book, although not practical, is lovely and dreamy. Great for thumbing through on a weekend afternoon. The author has tapped into my psyche by fueling my dream of having a getaway cottage. We want a dreamy place not in Europe but close enough to home so that we can escape every weekend if we want to. Fortunately, that is possible in our part of the country where vacation homes are common. I've searched for vacation homes and cottage books, and the best are:
SECOND HOME. Rating: 10. This gorgeous coffee table book is also practical. Great houses, dreamy photos of locations, but the homes, which are in all styles from cabins in the woods to big family homes on the Atlantic, aren't out of reach. The book has tips on finding a location and that sort of thing as well as decorating. Nice resource list with internet sites for more information. Blends dreamy beauty with information.
THE CABIN. Rating: 6. Another pretty coffee table book. Not practical in any way but nice to look at. More of an architecture book than anything else.
COTTAGE STYLE. Rating: 8. All about decorating any home so it looks like a weekend cottkage. My decorating "bible."
ADIRONDACK STYLE. Rating: 5. Good pictures of homes and interiors. But it's limited to one rustic style, of course.

HOME DECOR. WITH A STORY TO TELL.......2001-12-13

I can't finish this book. It's so good,
I want to leave some for other days.
The decor is fasinating.

Cottage Art at its best.......2001-10-31

Nina Williams has created a gift for those of us who are artists who like to make our homes or in my case my cottage a day to day living canvas. Not only did I appreciate the "theme" which is basically a young girl flowing into adulthood but like Ms Williams I have a serious free spirit mode that is very Bohemian.

The photos are wonderful and one sees how an artist creates beauty that is a mix of fairytale and reality. And I am also a grower of French lavender and could almost smell the lavender tucked in the curtain or in the mural of the French lavender fields that seemed to stretch for miles.

And the whimsy of the strand of pearls broken and dropping down the painted stairs of her home, the mouse on the stairs the looks so lifelike and the flowers...oh my they look so real, as if freshly picked. And the young girl at the window, caught in a far off thought with love letter in hand.

And the colours and hue are so vibrant and I so love the way the artists creates smiles on peoples faces. How you open a door and see a painting on the other side. How rooms blend paintings with tile work and furniture.

This is a book I would recommend for all my fellow artist friends who love creating and are not afraid of working on non canvas surfaces.

Provence Captured.......2000-12-03

Owning a residence in Provence, We werelooking for inspiration for a redesign. This will be my bible. She perfectly captured the mood and colors of Provence. The Trompe L' Oeil work is some of the finest I have ever seen. It weaves the tri-themes of the book together perfectly. Personality makes a room.

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Definitive French Style Source
Enjoyable to read over and over.

Provence: Style of Living
Jerome Coignard
Manufacturer: Hachette Illustrated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844300072

Book Description

Proud villas, farms surrounded by cultivated land, simple stone buildings in the middle of vineyards, and fields of lavender: that’s Provence, and these homes, photographed by Maisons Côte Sud magazine, showcase the region’s beauty and style. On display are brick tiles that stay cool in the summer, big clay pots displayed on either side of a door, mosaic stone paving, sunny kitchens full of yellow and green earthenware, comfortable bedrooms with cotton furnishings, wrought-iron banisters, gates, and window grills, and courtyards bathed in dappled light. It all adds up to a combination of heritage and stylishness unlike any other.

Customer Reviews:

Definitive French Style Source.......2006-12-31

This book describes typical Provencal style elements and shows stunning photo examples. If you are a Cote Sud magazine reader you can be assured of the same high quality images and graphic design. However, here you will find the helpful instruction you are seeking if you are building or decorating in the French Style. I have many style books and this remains my favorite!

Enjoyable to read over and over........2006-06-27

I had been buying the magazine Cote De Sud off and on for some time when I came across this book on Amazon. I still get the magazine but I refer to the book many times during the year. I have enjoyed this book very much. Of all my French Decor books It is probably my favorite. Color is intense and photos are large and well defined. Good read and good design ideas.

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Living in Provence (Jumbo S.)
Barbara Stoeltie , and Rene Stoeltie
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3822825271

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Living in Provence (Living In . . .)
Dane McDowell , and Christian Sarramon
Manufacturer: Flammarion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 2080111396
Release Date: 2003-05-02

Book Description

Provence is a way of life. Its gardens are visions of paradise rediscovered, its houses--whether looking out over sea, forest, the countryside, a shady terrace, or a patio full of flowers--reflect a secret harmony between interior and exterior.

Today's architects and interior decorators have in no way renounced Provençal tradition, but rather have drawn tried and tested knowledge from it. They play on the purification of lines, the fluidity of spaces, the rhythm of volumes and the refinement of details. A house in Provence can mean a cardinal's palace, the showcase for a contemporary art collection, or a simple cabin screened by trees. What is important is the spirit of these places, which reflects the gentle way of life that is the specialty of the Midi. This book features sections on gardens, interiors (including contemporary houses, village houses, farmhouses, log cabins and lodges, and historical buildings), and useful information on restaurants, hotels and guesthouses, and best sources for authentic decorating in the Provence style.

The French menu cookbook;: The food and wine of France-season by delicious season-in beautifully composed menus for American dining and entertaining by an American living in Paris and Provence

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The French menu cookbook;: The food and wine of France-season by delicious season-in beautifully composed menus for American dining and entertaining by an American living in Paris and Provence
Richard Olney
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Simple French Food

ASIN: 0671203657

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Living in Provence
Sara Walden
Manufacturer: Conran Octopus Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1850298459

PARADISE FOUND LIVING EASY IN PROVENCE: HOW TO LIVE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE FOR UNDER £500 A MONTH.

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PARADISE FOUND LIVING EASY IN PROVENCE: HOW TO LIVE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE FOR UNDER £500 A MONTH.
J.E. Keeble
Manufacturer: Carnell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TWC9QM

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Provence-Cote d'Azur Lifeline
Val Gascoyne
Manufacturer: Survival Books, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1901130681

Book Description

The latest title in unique series of guides targeted at residents, homeowners and long-stay visitors in France. It is packed with vital information to help readers avoid or alliveviate problems that can turn a holiday, business trip or retirement into a nightmare.

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In a Tuscan Castle

Manufacturer: JonesAlley Fine Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Product Description

Reminiscent of Peter Mayle's memoir, A Year in Provence and Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun, this book explores the authors' Italianization on an unnamed Chianti hilltop. Howard, a museum educator, and Mello, an artist, decide to move into a medieval castle. They're welcomed by new village neighbors who share their stories. Abundant drawings and lithographs illustrate the book.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2006-11-11

I got the book months ago and often look at it. I was a student at ICP in New York and had the great fortune to have Stephen Ferry as an instructor. I found it a very important topic captured in a beautiful way. I can recommend his book to everyone, especially for those who have travelled in this area.

The Miners of Potosi.......2004-11-22

I thought Stephen Ferry's look at the miners in the context of the 500th year anniversary of the Spanish conquest was insightful. By looking at the effect the conquest had on this mountain's past and the current lives of the descendants as opposed to the usual anniversay scenes he summons a well balanced idea of cause and effect. He obviously has passion for this story and tenderness toward the conditions that yeild the people towards their daily work. Although this book is a general look at the people living there, the spirit of their sensiblity transcends with beautiful color and light in each photograph. The book is beutifully printed the quality is a superb 10.

Captured images of the otherworldliness of the Potosi miners.......2001-06-17

Miners live in a world that almost defies description, except by the miners themselves. And the Potosi miners live in an exceptional world in itself, because the altitude of Potosi and the consequent thinning of the atmosphere at that height confer mining work, and even merely being there, with a permanent feeling of irreality in all your actions and thoughts. And that is what Stephen Ferry's images have captured in this outstanding book, the work of a real adventurer of the printed image. And Galeano's text is a fitting companion to such singular and excellent photographic work.

Wonderful!.......2001-05-27

First off, I had the opportunity to sit in on 3 of Mr. Ferry's Photographic lectures on Latin America, with one of them dealing with Potosi. At first sight of these photos I thougth they were good, but after he explained the particulars behind each and every picture, the book comes to life. It is now one of my favorite photographic books of all time. Eduardo Galeano fills in the historical aspect of the book and Ferry satiates the contemporary features of Potosi, Bolivia. In response to an earlier review(the only really negative review of Ferr'y book) I respect the fact that you are a native born Bolivian, but if you look at Latin American History as a whole, there really in not much that is good about it. I am sure there are small subtle lifestyles that are interesting, but people want to read and learn about historical mishaps and atrocities, such as the the colonial raping of Potosi and the current poverty of the same region.

FUNNY PICTURES.......2001-01-30

I'll try to make a constructive critique as a Bolivian born and raised in Potosi. As some of the books published in the US, this book portrays foreign life styles with an "american" mentality that is narrow in concept visualization as a whole. Yes, those pictures show a very harsh reality among "mineros" in Potosi. However, the pictures do not show, in any form, the subtle aspects of their lives that make them really unique and respectable. The photographer would have to live a reasonable time with them to really understand the situation and I'm sure he would take pictures with a different approach. By the way, I'm also a photographer.

I AM RICH POTOSI: THE MOUNTAIN THAT EATS MEN

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I AM RICH POTOSI: THE MOUNTAIN THAT EATS MEN

Manufacturer: Monacelli Press NY (1999)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I9WRDQ

Book Description

Since the debut of Cooper's ongoing comic book series Weasel in 1999, which has already garnered several industry awards after only three issues (including one Harvey Award and two Ignatz Awards), Cooper has become Fantagraphics' most successful creator to debut in the 1990s since Chris Ware. Cooper is also one of the most idiosyncratic and talented cartoonists working today. Dan & Larry is a twisted fable about an ugly young duckling named Dan and his best pal Larry. Unlike most ugly duckling fables, this duckling stays ugly, and the only way he ever looks good is in contrast to an even uglier world surrounding him.

A highly uncomfortable and thinly-veiled portrait of adolescence, Dan & Larry is a story of lost innocence as told through a surreal landscape and anthropomorphized "funny animals" cast as children, all rendered with Cooper's impeccable composition and linework. The story addresses themes of sexual and verbal abuse with unflinching candor, while Cooper's dark sense of humor resonates throughout his wildly imaginative visuals. Cooper is also an accomplished animator, creating designs for animated television series like Matt Groening's Futurama.

Customer Reviews:

A surreal journey through your mind with eye candy.......2004-06-28

This book is absolutely astounding! It tells the story of Dan; a 12-year-old chicken, and his much older friend Larry. A lot of the issues here are pretty warped, but the way it's told makes them very interesting and engaging. Best of all though, is that these serious subjects are dealt with such humor. This book is so funny, and in so many places! And then there's the artwork, holy wow! This artwork is insanely good! The abstract landscapes are so captivating, and the characters expressions are totally down to a pin point. Everything is exaggerated, and emphasized, which creates an interesting balance, or imbalance depending on how you look at it, but that's part of what makes this so interesting.

I've read "Suckle" and "Crumple" too, both amazing books by Dave Cooper, but this is my favorite definitely. Infact this is without a doubt my favorite book ever! The worlds Dave Cooper creates are so engrossing, they suck you in, and you really feel for the characters and their situations too. If you have an open mind, and want to try something new, and are bored of comic stereotypes, or realistically drawn comics, then try this. I'm absolutely amazed that Dave Cooper's work isn't more popular, because his incredible artistic talent and the way he tell his stories is like no other!

Pointless.......2002-03-28

Sorry, not impressed. I haven't read anything else by Cooper, but this particular book reads like a not very good variation on ideas which were revolutionary when Robert Crumb used them in the 60s. There's nothing shocking or original or unique in telling a story of adolesence and confused sexual identity with cartoon animals portraying people, it was done many times before. The whole story is a pointless collection of very pointless stories, the only point of the whole thing being a rather obvious, cheap psychological, contreversial-like (only it isn't) message about sexual abuse and homosexuality. If you don't have an original approach, at least try to approach a subject that was less overdone.

So why three stars? For the artwork. It's really quite good, especially the large surrealistic landscapes. The book could have been much better if it was all just full-panel landscape shots. Cooper's black and white work is excellent, and the character design is also very nice. If you're into black and white comics - and if you're into comics mainly for the artwork - you'll enjoy this. If you're a big fan of underground comix, you'll enjoy this too. But it's by far not one of the best in the genre. Try 'Lenore', 'Johnny the Homocidal Maniac', anything by Daniel Clowes, Will Eisner or R. Crumb.

MOST EXCELLENT.......2001-09-12

This book was so interesting..you will want to read it a few times...it really opened up some interesting dicussions between me and my friends. I love Mr. Coopers work.

Dave Cooper's Dan & Larry in don't do that!

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Dave Cooper's Dan & Larry in don't do that!
Dave Cooper
Manufacturer: Fantagraphics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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