Art & Physics
Parallel Visions in Space, Time & Light
by
Leonard Shlain
Usually, I write about what I have been seeing in the art galleries, but I wanted to give you - the reader of this blog some rest before the next wave of art reviews come to this space. I thought that I would say something about books worth reading. I do try to read a few pages everyday, maybe you do too?
The artist and gallery owner Rick Muto, on a visit to my studio, told me about a book written by the author and doctor, the late Leonard Shlain. I had mentioned to Rick, that I had read a wonderful book by the same author years ago, called "Art & Physics" published in 1991 that explained many of the puzzles that I dealt with as I pursued my interests in art and mathematics. Leonard Shlain had opened the door to a whole new understanding - because at one time I thought that there was little connection, but after reading this book, I saw that art and math were different sides of the same coin.
Leonard Shalain's book on Leonardo Da Vinci
Now, armed with the tip I received from Rick Muto, I bought a copy of "Leonardo's Brain" and I am so glad that I did. Dr. Shlain took the time through writing this book ( his last unfortunately ) to give the reader a broad portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci from a number of vantage points - some having to do with art, and others having more to do with science. Dr. Shlain lays out a very convincing case for the genius in Da Vinci with many examples of how he was way ahead of his time. Some of Da Vinci's drawings were for inventions that would not come to fruition for several hundred years!
Why was it that so many of Da Vinci's paintings remained unfinished? How did Da Vinci draw out maps as if they were seen from an airplane? What made Da Vinci's time and place so unique?
Get a copy of the book and find out.
Helen Macdonald's book: H is for Hawk
As my brother Paul and I have just published a book about my father's artwork, I have been very involved in promoting our new art book about Arthur Singer and his life long involvement with birds. In the bookstore near me I bought a copy of "H Is for Hawk" by the British naturalist and writer Helen Macdonald. The book has a very artistic cover by Chris Wormell and inside it is a story about falconry. Helen Macdonald writes a personal account of learning the ways and means of the falconer - training a goshawk to come and sit on her glove and take some bites of food to gain the trust of a wild bird.
I thought that her observations were right on the mark, and I know this because I have brought falcons into my classroom for my students to draw, and over the years I have done this with the group here called Wild Wings, I have noticed how these birds behave when observed. Be prepared, if you buy this engrossing tale to take a roller coaster ride because this is a very emotional story told by a poet looking at nature through the eyes of a practitioner of a very old art form - falconry.
Arthur Singer, The Wildlife Art of an American Master
published by RIT Press
summer 2017
This is the view at Shop One, a place to buy arts and crafts at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Here we have copies of our new book for sale, along with three original paintings by my father Arthur Singer ( 1917 -1990 ). If you have bought a book already, bring it over to the University Gallery for our opening on Friday, September 8th, and my brother Paul and I will sign it for you from 5 - 7 pm. If you want to order our book, here is the link:https://www.rit.edu/press/
