Monet and the Impressionists for Kids
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Customer Review: A superb art activity book about the Impressionists for kids
The invention of photograph had a profound impact on painting. At the start of the 19th-century the goal of painting was realism, but with a camera that became a moot point. Eventually the art world decided the only rational thing to do was to go in the opposite direction and to find an alternative to reality. The Impressionists represent the first successful movement by paintings to capture the public imagination with “non-realistic” art. “Monet and the Impressionists for Kids” not only introduces young readers to Impressionism but also follows up with 21 activities that will allow them to try their hand at painting. These activities are what makes Carol Sabbeth’s book stand out from others on the Impressionists in general and Claude Monet in particular, because it is pretty much impossible to be exposed to these paintings and not want to try to do it yourself. The book is divided into two halves. Part I: The Impressionists introduces readers to “A New Way of Looking at the World” and then devotes sections to the life and art of Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Mary Cassatt. Monet is clearly the star of the book (he certainly defines Impressionism for me), and there are five activities devoted to his section. Part II: The Post-Impressionists looks at the painters Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Surat, with a final section devoted to “Lasting Impressions.” Sabbeth provides a concise biography for each of the artists, with reproductions of their most famous and important works, along with an Art Detective section that tells you how to spot their work in terms of distinguishing characteristics. Most of the activities are specifically tied to the paintings. Off of Monet’s “Regattas at Argenteuil” we learn about Painting Reflections; from the cloisonnism of Gauguin we experiment by making a Cup of Gauguin. These activities explore the uniqueness of these painters, from Cezanne?s brilliant rectangles of color to the sculpture-like circles of dancers by Degas. Some of these activities are truly creative, such as constructing your own little Monet haystack to appreciate the colors and light at different times of day. I especially liked the one for Seurat Sugar Cookies, where you make your cookies sugar-sprinkled masterpieces using the artist’s pointillist technique. I totally agree with the premise of this book, that there is no art form more appealing to children than Impressionism. If you are not a “real” Art Teacher (a distinct possibility in the wonderful new world of educational budget cuts) you will find “Monet and the Impressionists for Kids” both informative and instructional. Not only can you introduce children to the ballet dancers of Degas and the island scenes of Gauguin, but you can also find several activities for your students to do in class or at home. This is a very enjoyable and practical look at the great Impressionist painters. This book is for ages 9 and up, which is great because I qualify as being up.
Customer Review: monet and the impressionists for kids
This is a wonderful book with great ideas to do with kids so that they can get an understanding of the arts through hands on experiences.
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A White Knuckled Thriller Based on Actual Events
A dangerous game of cat and mouse has set into motion a chain of events that reveal a political conspiracy in the death of controversial Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. Jim de Booy, a tabloid journalist, stumbles into an investigation that puts his life and the lives of friends and family at risk as he races to bring the truth to light. Based upon the book by Tomas Ross.
“A political thriller shot in a flashy, frenetic fashion reminiscent of Michael Mann’s TV cop dramas.” - The Guardian
“van Gogh’s dramatic recreation is remarkably even-handed: a daring, white-knuckled thriller” - Toronto International Film Festival
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Customer Review: Essential to understand violence (including including Islamofascist terrorism) in European politics
This is an essential DVD for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of violence (including Islamofascist terrorism) on European politics. As time fades, fewer Americans remember the assassination of Pym Fortuyn during the Dutch election cycle of 2002. (Fortuyn is often described as a right-wing politician, but the facts that he was openly gay and that his concern was for the well-being of Dutch society seem to show the lie regarding his actual position on the political spectrum. Only if you make the assumption that his questioning of the Netherlands’ very liberal immigration policy would rouse nationalist fervor against all Arab/Moslem immigrants can you call him right wing - he thought that more controls were needed to not give haven to Islamic terrorists.) More of us remember the assassination of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh which occurred in broad daylight while this film was being prepared for distribution. This DVD includes van Gogh’s film about Fortuyn’s murder, Theo’s personal video diaries during the filming and post-production period, and a Dutch TV documentary one year later dealing with Theo’s assassination and the lack of action by the police before, during, & after his murder. Interestingly, the same ineptitude/possible complicity of the Dutch autorities can be seen in both the film and the documentary. One even could wonder whether the assassinations of Fortuyn & van Gogh were orchestrated by the same group of politically connected persons in the police forces… As a political junkie of an international stripe, I found this entire presentation captivating.
Customer Review: Excellent, almost…
The film was excellent and riveting up to the resolution, which was weak. I assumed someone else gave it a final edit after Van Gogh’s murder, maybe not. In either the case, the end wasd too 60ish. But, overall, well worth the seeing.
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