Collecting Art, Glen Helfand in Association with Genartsf: If you have ever espoused the theory that “one was not enough” then quite likely you are a collector of something.  Once you’ve moved on from collecting “something” to wanting to collect art, then you just might be intimidated by the vast world of art. Where does one begin? Where does one go? This journal offers prompts that will help you “define your taste, track museum and gallery visits, and record those unforgettable pieces you’ve seen and can’t wait to own.”

What Helfand says early in the journal is that the art you buy is what you’re going to live with every day, so make sure you’re not going to get tired of it any time soon. He also suggests that you make regular visits to museums and really open your eyes to the texture, structure, use of color, etc. Make notes in this handy little journal about what pieces of art speak to you and what pieces you are drawn to.  Then the author suggests going to non-profit galleries. Check out publicly funded, city supported or alternative galleries that don’t concentrate solely on sales. Again post what is appealing to you and what artist you particularly enjoyed.

Step by step, This author takes you to signing up for art history classes, lectures, seminars, and events to purchasing a piece of art, appraising it, and insuring it. It’s a great little book. Look for it at sales or online – Published by Chronicle Books.

Decorating with China & Glass, Caroline Clifton-Mogg: I found this beautiful hard-cover book at a college bookstore sale. It sells for $29.95 and I purchased it for under $10. With photography by Simon Upton, every page of this book is gorgeous and looks like a decorator’s showcase. Clifton-Mogg details the history of most popular shapes, colors, and patterns of china and glass. Collectors of course will love this book, but anyone who owns china and/or glass will find this book helpful when it comes to the art of the table, displaying glass and china, caring for them and storing them.

Pointing out that the shape of an object was first determined by practical requirements and function, and then led into decorative and aesthetic considerations. One beautiful example is a small dinner plate that is hand-decorated from Lebanon with elaborate gold scroll work and which sits upon a plain pink square Lenox plate, which essentially acts as a frame for the smaller dish. “The combination is both extremely ornate and delicate. From jugs and teapots to tureens and bowls, this book has a great deal of historic and decorative information. For instance, did you know that because tea was originally very costly, teapots were quite small?  It makes sense of course. Tea was used sparingly. However as tea became less expensive, the pots became larger. Making a table setting of odd plates looks especially charming on a table especially when accentuated by cranberry glass. The glass section, which covers everything from candlesticks to goblets, is equally impressive. In one photo, the author combines clear glass candlesticks with classical silver candlesticks for quite a sparkling tablescape. Look for this book published by Bulfinch Press.

Leslie Linsley’s Decoupage – Design, Create, Display by Leslie Linsley: This is another gorgeous over-sized table-top book with full color and a soft cover. While decoupage has been around for centuries, when  you read that this woman did it and sold her creations at places such as Bendel’s, Bergdorf Goodman’s, and Tiffany’s, then you know this is extraordinary decoupage. That she started doing it to make some extra money for college, her work is so exceptional that it became quite a business. While you look upon everything from tables to glass plates that have been beautifully decorated, you’ll also enjoy this writer’s excitement as she tells stories about celebrities who bought and buy her work. This is a project that you can do on a grand scale or a simple scale. The thing is that by the time you finish going through this book, you will definitely want to decoupage.  It is published by Bulfinch Press.

I can’t imagine anything more satisfying than finding a great book at a reduced price. With summer here, tag sales, book sales, and online sales are making it possible to purchase some very special books that will not only provide interesting reading, but actually might get  you collecting and creating.  Have fun.