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Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain; Seven Lessons to Enhance Creativity and Artistic Self-Confidence
The lessons in the video helps the drawing student break down the drawing of 3D visual objects to help them view it in a simplified shape to be transformed into a 2D drawing which appears to be 3D.This is a very hard concept for many drawing students to see and create, thus people stop trying to draw becasue they do not get the final product they wish to see.This video shows a variety of techniques to use to train the eye and the hand to create a more true to life drawing than the typical childlike drawng many people have as a final product of their efforts.If you are not happy with the final outcome you eventually stop trying.With the techniques in this video you learn ways to see and ways to draw what you see.Lessons are easy to follow and will give you the product you are trying to create.

great video!
This is an outstanding and informative video of Betty Edwards teaching her methods and principals of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain."It is well-produced, easy to follow, and a must-have for anyone learning to draw or desiring to increase their drawing skills!

Excellent instruction.
I read the book - Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain - but it was this video that made it all gel.I had an "Ah-ha" moment with this video.All my life I loved art, but could never seem to quite figure out how to draw or transfer images I had to paper - and even with the few drawing lessons I did have - I found that the instructors expected me to already know how to draw - which seemed odd since I did not know how to draw and simply wanted to learn.This is a great video that cuts straight to the heart of the matter.I would recommend this to anyone who has sat and stared at a piece of paper, pencil in hand and sighed becuase they just could not get the image on the paper.I orginally got the video in the portfolio set that Betty Edwards uses at her workshops (which can be bought, without attending the workshop, from Betty Edwards' website)- and while you will need to get a few items to use with this - it will be worth it or purchase them prepackaged from the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain website. ... Read more

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Reviews (9)

I liked this video on technique
I am an artist/painter of 20 years and I got a lot out of this video. Sometimes a little technique can give you your own break through!

A good overview of technique possibilities
This is a great video. You'll notice on the cover there are 16 squares. This is the project that is demonstrated in the video. In each of the squares, a different technique is demonstrated as a sort of mini-project. What you end up getting is a sampler of various ways to handle acrylic paint, with techniques that can be combined. Find your favorite way(s) of working! These basic techniques offer quite a range of possibilities.
wonderful instructional video
If your'e just wanting to watch a painting being painted ,forget it! This is technique video. If your'e new to acrylics its a must. It instructs you on all the mediums you can use to inhance your art and the techniques to use them.Even if you have been painting with acrylics, there are little tricks and techniques to be learned. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts & Crafts    2. Instructional    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests   

Editorial Review

Anne Lamott is your run-of-the-mill recovering alcoholic and drug addict, born-again Christian, left-wing liberal, and single mother who just so happens to have written Read more

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Reviews (2)

Anne Lamott is an inspiration
I watched this film after reading "Bird by Bird" and "Hard Laughter" and found that Anne Lamott was just as I expected her to be...funny, sentimental, sometimes emotional, caring, loving, kind, passionate and considerate.She truly is a beautiful person who has grown through pain and talks very candidly about her faith and what it takes to get to a place in one's life where it feels good to be alive.I laughed and I cried when watching this video and really appreciated her honesty about the things she has struggled with.She has a lot of strength. Quintessential Anne Lamott!!
I love this Video!I am a Lamott fan and first heard her on a radio show.I was attracted to her wit and humor BUT that humor and wit (as with so many comedians) was clearly grounded in deep personal pain and suffering.So, I started reading her books and was pleased when this short video became available!It is short! Only an hour long,but it follows Anne through some interesting vignettes in a one year period of her life.There is one scene where she presides over the gay marriage/wedding of two men in an outdoor wedding ceremony that may not be for all or appreciated by some.Other than that I liked her letting us in to her life to show us that one can lift themselves from rock bottom of addiction and suffering.There is a scene of Anne with a piece of paper, a bottle of white out, and her writing on the page looks like that of a school child's!!!Yes, she writes like all of us did, excrutiatingly trying to get something, ANYTHING!, down on paper.Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Biographies    3. Documentary    4. Special Interests    5. Television Documentary   

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Reviews (9)

The Greatest Documentary Ever Created!
This documentary is one of the best making-of documentaries ever produced. The voice re-enactments helped give the documentary details that I heard in only one other documentary but these details were far more interesting. The re-enactment of the first preview of the film was the most stunning. There was even great detail about how the parts of Rhett and Scarlett got cast. The screen tests of Linda Watkins, Frances Dee, Susan Hayward, Joan Bennett, Jean Arthur, Mary Ray, Lana Turner, Vivian Leigh, Paulette Goddard, Margaret Tallichet, and Anita Louisealso made the details about the casting more interesting than ever.

wonderful
This documentary is both cleverly done and very entertaining. We all know how GWTW turned out but the story of how it was made is fascinating. David O. Selznick was nuts--- mad scientist nuts mixed with Motzart nuts and he just about drove everyone involved mad as well but he made a great movie. Can you imagine Erol Flynn as Rhett or Paulette Godard as Scarlet? Although Flynn was only in the running for the role for the blink of an eye Paulette almost got the role but luckily she lacked ambition and something in Selznick just made him keep on looking for a Scarlet until Vivian Leigh came to America.
Great piece of film
This documentary was liking watching a newsreel of the time and the place where the stars were working and promoting this wonderful piece of work. It's historical and quite memorable of the achievement in the film itself which behind the scenes also had its dramatic twist and turns. ... Read more

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Reviews (11)

Martial Arts Filmography
This is an excellent video for collectors and enthusiasts.Those who plan to learn martial arts, should look elsewhere though.
Must be on DVD!
This is the best martial arts Documentary A Very Good Documentary
Narrated by John Saxon, who played a fellow martial artist in "Enter the Dragon" with Bruce Lee, Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan...Wait, they're all potrayed in this tape!Along with Jet Li and the others this documentary gives you insight on how it is to be a martial artist.Gives you good, clean information and very crisp fight scenes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action / Adventure    2. Documentary    3. Martial Arts    4. Martial Arts / Kung-Fu    5. Movie   

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Reviews (9)

a wonderful trip from home
Tasha Tudor claims that her "whole life has been a vacation". Watching this video is like taking a trip with her to a different place and time and coming back with a renewed spirit. While I also enjoy "Take Peace" - especially during the Christmas holiday season -"Take Joy" is a wonder for it's aesthetic qualities and insight into the private life of a noted illlustrator as well as a valuable reference tool for the gardener. It mirrors the same tone set in the three "coffee table" books about Tasha Tudor done by Tovah Martin, Richard W. Brown, and Tasha Tudor. This short video is artistically crafted,giving the viewer a glimpse into her private life: her kitchen, her gardens, her dollhouse and marionettes, her books and illustrations, her family history through photographs and some vintage film clips, her sense of humor, her steadfastness and her self-sufficiency. Tasha - True Artist, True Child
If you need to be refreshed, this is the video for you.Tasha Tudor is child inside artist and she succeeds in introducing a charming world to the viewer.Her garden, her art, her life philosophy is fresh and reminds us all what life is made of.It really refreshs the spirit.Oh that we all were as young and new as Ms.Tudor.If you want to give a really great gift, give this video.Itis true gold.

Simply enchanting
Over the Christmas Holiday's, I saw 'Take Joy-Magical World of Tasha Tudor' & 'Take Peace-Corgi Cottage Christmas' for the first time on cable TV. I can't begin to describe how I felt after viewing these twofilms. Miss Tasha Tudor enchanted me. Her life seemed simple, graceful andmagical. I never knew about her until I saw the films. Corgi Cottage isvision of delight, peace and harmony. It's a place I could only hope tohave someday. Thank you Ms. Tudor for enchanting us with your world ofdreams and fantasies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Educational    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests   

Editorial Review

This 1977 documentary was produced toward the end of O'Keefe's life, at a time when the artist was at one with her art and her life. The hour-long film plays mainly off of O'Keefe's own words; there is no narrator's voice, there is barely an interviewer's voice. O'Keefe speaks alone--with a soft, gentle eloquence that we can also hear in her paintings, a well-articulated firmness that is unintimidating, witty, provocative, and in the end, beautiful.Read more

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AS AUTHENTIC AS THE ARTIST HERSELF
It's a memorable experience for art aficionados when Georgia O'Keeffe appears on camera to discuss her life and her work. The Muse Speaks through Georgia
An eloquent view of one of the great 20th century artists who painted for her own amusement.Despite some critics who did not get her or her subject matter, Georgia remained true to her Muse and painted the view of her mindseye. This personal tour of her life and place gives us a sense of hervision.

this is true "georiga"
i just wished this movie was longer.....i just enjoyed this so much...it's a must see if you like georiga. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Drama    3. Movie    4. Performing Arts    5. Special Interest   

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Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Documentary    3. Movie    4. Musicals (Theatrical)    5. Performing Arts   

Editorial Review

Taped in high-definition television, the images in this hour-long documentary are superb. Produced in 2000 by the PBS affiliate station WETA, this program is based on a major touring exhibition of John Singer Sargent's work, organized by the Tate Gallery, London, in collaboration with the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Sargent's luscious portraits and landscapes from the late 19th and early 20th century benefit greatly from the quality of the filming in this program. The details are exquisite--his rendering of fabric and costumes, of skin tones and gestures.Read more

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Reviews (1)

Outstanding Story about a Misunderstood Artist
This video about John Singer Sargent presents an interesting story about the life and work of a talented artist. I enjoyed viewing this video because the compelling and artistically pleasing story of the artist's lifeis told through theclever use of words, music, and artwork. I nowunderstand why Sargent was misunderstood as an artist and why his workcontinues to endure. ... Read more

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Reviews (4)

A throwback to more pleasing times - a WONDERFUL Woman!
I can't get enough history on Tasha Tudor. This video takes a look at a wonderful lady who enjoys the SPIRIT of Christmas, working with her hands on Natural gifts provided with the help of Mother Earth. This video WILL leave you feeling good. Ms. Tudor takes you back to the days when Christmas meant family being together; taking the time to enjoy each other's company and adoring the wonderful naivety of the Child.
CHRISTMAS TOPPER
THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN GATHER ROUND AND WATCH THIS MOST MOVING AND BEAUTIFUL PIECE ON TASHA TUDOR..IT IS A TRUE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC..WE HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WATCH EVERY YEAR WHILE DRINKING COFFEE AND TEA..IT JUST RELAXES EVERYONE AND THE TRUE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS IS FOUND..NOT PREACHY OR SO SERIOUS JUST , INTERESTING AND COMTEMPLATIVE..MUST SEE BY THE WHOLE FAMILY...

Back in Time
This is a beautiful movie, a glimpse into a time when Christmas was not the commercial blow-out that it is today. Instead, it focuses on the real things that count in life, handmade gifts which are really the gift of our time, the closenes of friends and family and special Christmas traditions...making the advent wreath,bringing in the tree,reading the Christmas story, special food for the animals who have the gift of speech on Christmas Eve, as well as cooking the feast. There are also some great closeups from some of her favorite books including Corgiville Fair. All of this is interspersed with scenes of the lovely Vermont surroundings in which Tasha Tudor lives in her 1830's style house..a gentle retreat from todays world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Educational    3. Kids & Family    4. Special Interests   

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Reviews (30)

still the best dvd
I bought the Little Laureate's for the Love of Art in February this year after reading all the reviews and I'm glad that I did.This is still the only dvd that can capture my 20-month-old daugther; she has been watching since she was eleven-month old and she is still watching today. The production is more tasteful and sophisticated than Baby Einstein.None of the other DVDs---Baby Einstein, Baby Prodigy or Brain Baby could keep her attention, not even five minutes; I'm glad that I didn't spend $$$ to purchase the Einstein DVD series because the production is so cheesy and cheap.I borrowed the other Litle Laureate's for the Love of World Travel from a local library but my daughter didn't like it as much. I highly recommend it.

The BEST video out there!!!!
I LOVE this video.My 6 month old loves it as well!She will sit and watch the entire 30 minutes without a peep.The music is fantastic and the artwork is amazing.Unlike other videos, the music isn't annoying to me.I could listen to the music over and over (which we do) while getting things done around the house while she is watching the beautiful artwork.The fact that the music and artwork presentation is choreographed so that the art hits the beats in the music is great!
Good, but not Baby Einstein
Don't get me wrong; this video is good!The music is great, the artwork is lovely, and parents can enjoy it even though it's been played 100 times.However, the artwork/music presentation is like a piece of choreography that was overworked to hit everything in the music and ended up being less-than-pleasing.And then the makers slacked on editing the scenes/sounds of children talking and doing art.Also, each peice of artwork shown includes print of the title and artist on the lower corner ON the artwork (not off to the side), interrupting the enjoyment of the art.The print is very small and hard to read -- really distracting.Since the artists and titles should be shown somewhere, why not put that information at the end?This video tries but isn't quite the standard of Baby VanGogh. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Art History/Portofolios    3. Children's Video    4. Childrens    5. Educational    6. Kids & Family    7. Movie    8. Special Interests   

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Reviews (4)

So Damn Good--Needs to Be Re-Released So That More Will Have Access
I cannot believe that this documentary is so hard to find. I never thought I would be able to find a copy in my lifetime. One appeared about a month ago at a reasonable price and I cannot believe my luck in picking up a copy. Remarkable 116 minute documentary by Emile de Antonio. The artists that appear in this film are very relaxed and forthcoming. There is no dumbing down here but it is not esoteric either. Unique product. My copy is well worn so I will have to copy it to my computer and make a DVD or VCD copy because eventually all VHS degrades further until it dies. This is required viewing for anyone who is crazy enough to have painting on his mind every day of his life like I do.

Insiteful
This film/video is rich with ideas, thoughts, philosophies, humour and it gives a wonderful glimpse into this period in American painting.
Better than digging up a timecapsule
The Abstract Expressionists have been cannonized and mythologized to such an extent by popular culture, that the reality of the most important American Art Movement is difficult to experience from the recent books and treatises on the subject. Painters Painting, itself an important art work by film-maker Emile de Antonio, propels us back into that existentialist time in such a complete and satisfying way, that we finish feeling like we just had dinner ourselves with all the suspects of the time at the Cedar Tavern . We discover even the notorious critic Hilton Kramer has a face. From deKooning to Warhol, the musings of the artists include Frankenthaler, Hoffman, Motherwell, Barnett Newman (my personal favorite in this film: "I believe that art theory is to me as an artist what ornithology must be for the birds"), Johns, Rauschenberg, Noland, Olitsky, Pavia, Poons, and Frank Stella. Interviews include the controversial Clement Greenberg at his best. As you can tell from the artist list, the film begins with Abstract Expressionism, winds its way through Hard-Edge and Color Field painting, before it finishes with the Grande Dame of the New York Art Scene of the 60's, Andy Warhol. This is a documentary not to be missed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

To answer the first and most important question: no, this compilation of Oscar broadcasts from the 1970s through the '90s does Read more

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Reviews (6)

And the Oscar Goes To...
The video compiled some of the most memorable and infamous moments of the most popular award show in the world from 1971 up to 1991. I don't know the significance of the year span that they chose to include in this video, but it would've been interesting to see the earlier clips of the show.
Oscar's Greatest Moments-1971 to 1991
This video is a well put together montage of memorable moments from twenty years of Oscar telecasts.The video wasproduced by the Academy and hosted by then Academy president Karl Malden, who introduces each section of the video.The compilation of outtakes include musical productions, Best actor and actress presentations, embarrasing moments (recepients political statements, snubbing of the Oscar's, etc.), segments of acceptance speeches and outtakes by presenters and hosts. LONG OVERDUE!!!
WOW. This compilation is great, you might miss the cheesiness indeed, but overall you get most of the great stuff from that period. Including the whole performance of Madonna's "Sooner or Later", I just wish they'd do the first years of the show!!!!Read more

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Reviews (1)

Franz Kline-Strokes of Genius Series
This is one of the few vhs/dvd's available about Franz and his work so you have to be patient with it, the video starts off slow and seems to be more about the history of the Village and has DeKooning and his wife Elaine talking about the old days and what people did for fun and where people ate and drank. It's very choppy at first and doesn't get around to really showing pictures of Franz and his best known art until the half way point, and in a thirty minute video that's not much time to cover the complex ideas and forms he is famous for creating. However, if you can pick up a used copy then I would buy it at least to have it in my video library of great artists. I only wish it had been longer and more detailed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Artists    2. Biographies    3. Special Interests    4. Television & Documentary   

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Reviews (1)

Irrational non-linear, psychedelic, artful and philosophical
This masterful video captures the very essence of the philosophical motivational yearnings of "the master". Proving he is not crazy, but rather a futurist in thought, mind and expression. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios   

Editorial Review

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo's preoccupation with death is ably explained in this documentary on her life and work. Although the film is old, with simple editing techniques, it eloquently portrays the artist's life in her home in Mexico City that she shared with her husband, the famous muralist and painter Diego Rivera. Married, divorced, and remarried to Rivera, Kahlo captured the agonies of personal suffering in her self-portraits, which often had symbols of her emotions floating in space around her head and body. Due to a near-fatal accident at 18, she suffered intense physical pain, which back surgeries could not cure. This also made her incapable of bearing children, an emotional distress so profound that many of her paintings deal with the topic of fertility. These emblematic works that include surrealist elements make her an influential figure in today's art world. Passionate to the point of compulsion, she had many affairs and her passion for her husband was unquenchable. During her final three years, which she spent largely in hospitals, an easel was fashioned so that she could continue to paint in bed. Painting became her only way to heal her emotional and physical wounds, capturing her thoughts and feelings. This program provides an excellent overview of her artwork, explaining her choice of subject matter in detail. Read more

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Reviews (3)

A psychological portrait of the artist Frida Kahlo
I learned about the life and paintings of Frida Kahlo this summer, so finding this fascinating documentary was a treat.I do not think I have ever seen an artist who did as many self-portraits as Kahlo, who was one of the greatest Mexican artists of the 20th century.Beyond that, I have yet to come across an artist for whom painting was as much of a form as therapy as it was for Kahlo, who used her art as a sort of private exorcism, painting unpleasant things from her life (for example, "Sin Esperanza"/"Without Hope," which was painted after a serious illness).Narrated by Sada Thompson, this 62-minute documentary explores Kahlo as the center of the Mexican renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, not just as an artist, but as a tragic figure as it follows not only her painting career and her growing interest in politics, but also her tempetuous relationship with her husband, the equally famous painter Diego Rivera.This film uses not only her artwork, but photographs and diary excerpts to flesh out its portrait of Kahlo.But want stands out the most are how Kahlo's paintings stand as fascinating psychological insights into the mind of an artist.I would suggest that you have a book of Kahlo's paintings handy while watching this film, becuase you will want to take a second (and third) look at some of her paintings at your leisure.

Viva la vida and viva Frida Kahlo !
This documentary presents some of the most magnificent work done in the 20th Century. Frida Kahlo's exrtraordinary paintings are shown beautifully here, along with fascinating photographs and excerpts from her diary. There are many paintings not seen very often, and it also shows her home of 25 years in Mexico City, which she shared with her husband Diego Rivera, now known as the Museo Frida Kahlo. Impressive narrative of an outstanding woman and painter.
Wonder and admiration for Frieda Kahlo is brought to life through the narrative and visual presentation of her life's work, where she expressed the joy, pain and sorrow of a woman-painter who happened to live ahead ofher time.There is a feeling that one is perhaps a part of Ms. Kahlo'sexciting, yet tormented existence.Impressive. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Drama    3. Movie    4. Musicals (Theatrical)    5. Performing Arts   

Editorial Review

This BBC series consists of five one-hour cassettes featuring 10 episodes of a masterful odyssey through early art, the Renaissance, and baroque art to romanticism, the age of revolution, and modernism. Lumpy, likable Sister Wendy Beckett guides us on a spirited tour of art through the ages that the entire family can savor and repeatedly enjoy. This woman is a scream--acerbic, astute, and surprisingly earthy. Oh yes, and very, very knowledgeable. Within each 30-minute program are several segments covering much canvas, but always in easily digestible amounts.This is perfect for the artistically deprived, the artfully minded, or anyone with a brain and a sense of humor. Read more

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Reviews (11)

Buckle Your Seat Belts!
...because this is one quick story! Is it wrong to think that five hours isn't enough time for so lengthy a subject? In this case, it didn't seem like enough, but I understand that the producers had to stop somewhere.
All the World Loves a Lover
Prior to encountering Sr. Wendy, I liked art.Through Sr. Wendy, I have come to love it.One might first be struck by her rather odd appearance -- she is a rather frumpy nun.But the second thing one notices, and what one is ultimately swept up by, is her passion for art. wow?
Who'd've thought that a nun, a woman dedicated to a life of religion and chastity and serving the church would have such an insight on the sexual content of works of art?Well, that sounds a bit ignorant on my part, but Sister Wendy does do an excellent job at giving us a guided tour and commentary of some of history's most beloved and admired works of art.Some works are not included in art history books used by educational institutes and some are so discussed that the viewer can almost take pride in hearing that Sister Wendy shares their opinion.This is a great collection to add to any art education/art history curriculum (high school/college and edited versions for middle school). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Instructional / Educational    3. Movie    4. TV Shows   

Editorial Review

"I can only talk about what has moved me or intrigued me," says filmmaker Martin Scorsese (Read more

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Reviews (21)

The Finest Movie Documentary of All Time.
Anyone who knows anything about Martin Scorsese knows that he is a walking film encyclopedia. But I do not know if those who know Scorsese know about this movie. Made with the BFI, as kind of an antidote to those dull AFI lists, this movie about movies gives viewers all kinds of information that few people in this world know about. Or at least they didn't before they saw this movie.
A walk down Hollywood Blvd
How much do I love Martin Scorsese ? more than any other director alive or dead. How objective am I when it comes to his work ? very !!! Therefore when I write that this is good, it is reaaaally good.
Magnificient View
This is an incredible look at the history of American Cinema through the eyes of the greatest American Filmmaker.Martin Scorsese's ability to tell story is moving.The man loves movies and shares this love through his extensive knowledge of the subject, but somehow manages to remain humble and lets you know that this is of course his view, His Personal Journey.It is amazing to think that if a younger filmmaker were to be asked what his influences were they would surely include Scorsese among their greater influences and give praise to such a master. In watching this DVD you can see the same admiration any young filmmaker would have for Scorsese coming from Scorsese himself towards the Greats that came before him and shaped his View. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Documentary    2. Movie   

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Reviews (1)

David Hockney's Novel Approach to Photography Scores!
This video, subtitled "Hockney the Photographer," is composed of a fascinating set of interviews with the artist demonstrating his "joiner" technique of creating photographic collages that vastly expand the limits of the art of the photo. Hockney says that although he took pictures for years, he always thought of the medium as inferior because it freezes just a single moment in time, whereas paintings and drawings are not subject to this limitation. In this video he shows how he came to realize that just taking a series of photographs of a simple action--here a woman coming down a flight of steps and giving her friends each a cup of coffee--and making a "joiner" of these photographs is much more vivid and interesting and provides more information than either a single still photograph or a movie. In fact, it becomes a true work of art. Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Documentary    3. Movie    4. Musicals (Theatrical)    5. Performing Arts   

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Reviews (3)

good for Public Libraries!
I was first exposed to Robert Hughes's unique and valuable insights into the world of art & art criticism with his groundbreaking SHOCK OF THE NEW (BBC documentary--which I would LOVE to see re-released on DVD!! Hint! hint!) on the history of Modern Art....there are some points of intersection, obviously, between AMERICAN VISIONS and SHOCK OF THE NEW.But AMERICAN VISIONS encompasses the entire sweep of American art from Colonial and Revolutionary America down to the 1990s, and Hughes does a very good job...perhaps only as outsider (Hughes is a native Australian) can...of demostrating what is uniquely American about the Art found in AMERICAN VISIONS.I refrain from giving Hughes 5 stars because he has grown more curmudgeonly with age, and I find I am turned off by his unsympathetic dismissal of 1990s "multi-culti" (his words) trends in arts & culture.While I'll offer no blanket endorsement of Postmodernism either, I won't, like Hughes, throw the baby out with the bathwater.Whereas Hughes sneers with contempt at contemporary Taos, NM, for example--I find the New Mexico art & cultural scene much more sympathetic, almost an after-echo of the 1960s.Still, one has to admire Hughes's forthright opinions.He didn't get to be the renowned art critic of TIME magazine by being unfailingly nice to everyone either.
Invaluable, informative, highly entertaining, & prestigious
American Visions is a superbly crafted and presented introductory survey of American Art and Architecture from colonial times down to the present day in eight splendidly produced, 60-minute episodes. Articulately narrated by Time magazine art critic Robert Hughes, each program is a fascinating and informative blending of visual imagery with live interviews and spectacular photography. The eight volumes comprising this unique and comprehensive history include: The Republic of Virtue; The Promised Land; The Wilderness and the West; The Gilded Age; A Wave from the Atlantic; Streamlines and Breadlines; The Empire of Sings; and The Age of Anxiety. Told with reference to key artists and architects whose work typified or influenced American art and architecture, and within the broader cultural context of their times, American Visions is an invaluable, informative, highly entertaining, and prestigious addition to any personal, school, and community library collections.

A Glimpse into American History, Culture and Art
I found this series to be in a word fascinating.Robert Hughes manages to view the art of America through a historical and cultural perspective - particularly for the international viewer.It explores the cultural andsocial forces which influenced the artists and I must say that I throughlyenjoyed the series.For a non-American I found it an excellent study intothe wealth of American Art - which is not especially that well-knownoutside American itself.Highly recommended! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art History/Portofolios    2. Documentary    3. Movie