10 NEW BOOKS ON GILDING THE LILY

This week we are celebrating the art of embellishment. We begin with 10 beautiful new books that feature various forms of decorative art, from beading, to cake decorating.

1. CONTEMPORARY GEOMETRIC BEADWORK

“Contemporary Geometric Beadwork,” by Kate McKinnon, presents the author’s magnificent beadwork. McKinnon’s pieces are groundbreaking, with a unique approach to sewn beadwork, forming architectural and geometric floral shapes.

With full color photographs, printed on fine matte paper, you’ll appreciate turning page after page. The book comes autographed. And it comes with access to a digital download.

2. ARTFUL DECORATION

“Artful Decoration,” by Andrew Fisher and Jeffrey Weisman, is a gorgeous book featuring Fisher Weisman interior designs. They excel in embellishment, adding handmade details to aspects of their rooms.

They hand-decorate chandeliers with shells, and adds ornament using materials such as  tortoise shell, gold leaf, and peacock feathers. They recover Biedermeier chairs in zebra hide. They coat rooms in rich chocolate lacquer.

The book features thirteen embellished residences in 200 vivid, full-color illustrations.

Monacelli Press 2013

3. LIBERACE EXTRAVAGANZA!

The king of bling before bling was bling, Liberace was one of the most embellished men in Western culture. Everything from his clothing to his piano to his homes were highly decorated. “Liberace Extravaganza!” by award-winning costume designers Connie Furr Soloman and Jan Jewett features the entertainer’s flamboyent outfits.

Beaded, sequined, feathered, embroidered, studded -- Liberace’s garments are stunning works of art. Some were encrusted with real diamonds. Over 4000 light bulbs embellished on of his suits -- he lit up with the flip of a switch.

The book was authorized by the Liberace Foundation. It features 260 full-color photographs, 20 original drawings from Liberace’s designers’ sketchbooks, behind-the-scenes stories from his inner circle, and a foreword from Michael Travis, Liberace’s principle designer.

Publisher: Harper Design (April 2, 2013)

4. ORNAMENT

“Ornament,” by Stuart Durant, is a beautifully produced book, that surveys decoration produced since the Industrial Revolution. It is filled with incredible illustrations ranging from nineteenth-century Encyclopedism, to Gothic Revival, to Orientalism, to the Arts & Crafts Movement, to Modernism, and beyond.

Many of the illustrations presented here have been reproduced from rarely published sources or original works. It makes and excellent reference source for interior designers and collectors.

Overlook Press 2014

5. THE ART DECO MURALS OF HILDRETH MEIERE

“The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière,” by Catherine Coleman Brawer and Kathleen Murphy Skolnik is the first monograph published on Hildreth Meière. Meière painted Art Deco murals on iconic buildings such as St. Bartholomew's Church, Temple Emanu-El, Nebraska State Capitol, and the National Academy of Sciences.

The book includes large-scale color photographs by the artist's granddaughter, Hildreth Meière Dunn.

Meière’s personal interpretation of Art Deco, incorporated Byzantine, classical Greek, and Native American influences.

Andrea Monfried Editions LLC (2014)

6. DRAWING WITH GREAT NEEDLES: ANCIENT TATOO TRADITIONS OF NORTH AMERICA

“Drawing with Great Needles: Ancient Tattoo Traditions of North America,” edited by Aaron Deter-Wolf and Carol Diaz-Granados, examines skin embellishments of Native American.

Spanning thousands of years of history, the book covers tattoo arts practiced in the Eastern Woodlands and the Great Plains, looking at the visual impact, symbolism and function.

University of Texas Press (2013)

7. THE PAINTED CLOSET OF LADY ANNE BACON DRURY

“The Painted Closet of Lady Anne Bacon Drury,” BY H.L. Meakin presents photographs of what might be the most embellished closet in history. Drury was Sir Francis Bacon’s niece. She expressed her artistic passion by lining her closet with elaborately painted panels, still on view at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, UK.

The painted panels included classical and Biblical references. Some reflect political passions. Some are original compositions by Lady Anne.

This book suggests that this closet was an expression of the female voice at a time when the constraints of the early modern patriarchal society in England otherwise hushed it.

Ashgate Pub Co; New edition edition (2013)

8. THE WORLD ATLAS OF STREET ART AND GRAFFITI

Graffiti murals are their own brand of embellishment. “The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti,” by Rafael Schacter, surveys graffiti from its origins in Latin America in the early 20th century to the 1950s when Latino gangs began to spread “cholo” graffiti around Los Angeles, to the ultra-ornate graffiti of today.

This beautifully illustrated book features specially commissioned “city artworks,” with insights into each of the locations. Because graffiti is site specific, the book is organized geographically by country and city.

The Atlas includes the works and profiles of more than 100 of today’s most important street artists, including Espo in New York, Shepard Fairey in Los Angeles, Os Gêmeos in Brazil, and Anthony Lister in Australia.

9. THE DECORATIVE ART OF JAPANESE FOOD CARVING

If you love the way Japanese food artisans style food, “The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions,” by Hiroshi Nagashima, with photos by Kenji Miura, belongs in your kitchen.   

The book explores mukimono, decorative garnishes and carvings. Vegetables and fruits are cut and carved to resemble beautiful natural elements such as blossoms, leaves, and insects. Plates become pedestals and platforms for edible sculptures.

If you are so inspired, the instructions are easy to follow, so you can become a master too.

Kodansha USA (2012)

10. EMBROIDERED STORIES: INTERPRETING WOMEN’S DOMESTIC NEEDLEWORK FROM THE ITALIAN DIASPORA

“Embroidered Stories: Interpreting Women's Domestic Needlework from the Italian Diaspora,” edited by Edvige Giunta and Joseph Sciorra, examines the art of storytelling through stitching.

Italian immigrants and their descendants used embroidering, sewing, knitting, and crocheting to express bits of their lives.

The book presents an interdisciplinary collection of 37 creative and academic works by authors of Italian origin. The creative works from thirty-seven contributors, including memoirs, poetry, and visual arts, focused on needlework from the late nineteenth century to the late twentieth century.

University Press of Mississippi (August 1, 2014)

Read more about Beautiful Embellishments, as they relate to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact.

 

Enter this week’s BN Creative Photo Competition. Our theme this week is Beautiful Embellishments. Deadline is 04.20.14.

Photo Credits: 

1. Courtesy of Kate McKinnon. Beaded Bracelet by Kate McKinnon.
2. Image: Courtesy of Kate McKinnan. Contemporary Geometric Beadwork.
3. Image: Courtesy of The Montecelli Press. Artful Decoration.
4. Image: Courtesy of Harper Design. Liberace Extravaganza!.
5. Image: Courtesy of Overlook Press. Ornament.
6. Image: Courtesy of Andrea Monfried Editions LLC. The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière.
7. Image: Courtesy of University of Texas Press. Drawing with Great Needles: Ancient Tattoo Traditions of North America.
8. Image: Courtesy of Ashgate Pub Co. The Painted Closet of Lady Anne Bacon Drury.
9. Image: Courtesy of Yale University Press. The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti.
10. Image: Courtesy of Kodansha USA. The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasions.
11. Image: Courtesy of University Press of Mississippi. Embroidered Stories: Interpreting Women's Domestic Needlework from the Italian Diaspora.
12. Photo: Courtesy of Dyanne Williams Mosaics. Mosaic.