Here in Toronto we have an excellent library system, with a beautiful collection of Art Books. There are new books and old books, big and little books. All ART BOOKS are full of pictures. Here are some of my favourites, you will find most of them at your local library, or I suppose you could even buy them if you like.
| The Book | And why you need this book | |
|---|---|---|
| Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon | This little book is at the top of the list for a reason. You will love it, fun and thought provoking | |
| Great Women Artists published by Phaidon | This is a beautiful big book that I want to place here at the top of the list too. It features more than 400 artists from 50 countries, spanning 500 years. The book is full of pictures and tells engaging stories about the lives of these historic women. | |
| Toronto Street Art Strolls by Nathalie Prezeau | Do you like to walk the city? This guide will point you in the right direction for hot street art spots, guiding you into and through 43 different neighbourhoods. You'll find the book everywhere, including the Toronto library. | |
| CANADIAN ARTISTS | ||
| Pahgedenaun Robert Houle | In 2009 Houle decided to confront his residential school experiences. These are his drawings and stories. | |
| Robert Houle Life and Work by Shirley Madill | Learn about how this remarkable artist recreated the vision of the indigenous role in Canadian history. | |
| Story Teller, The Art of Roy Henry Vickers | Vickers unites the stylized forms of his aboriginal ancestry with the realism of European art, creating vibrant images. | |
| Kim Dorland | Showcasing the vibrant contemporary Canadian Artist. This book accompanied his 2014 show at McMichael Gallery | |
| Peter Doig: no foreign lands | One of the most inventive painters working today, raised in Canada and London and now lives in Trinidad. | |
| Douglas Coupland: Everywhere is Anywhere is Anything is Everything | Contemporary Canadian, painter, writer, installation artist, speaker, creator. Fascinating work, he is everywhere! Book is based on his show at ROM and MOCCA in 2015. | |
| In the Footsteps of the Group of Seven by Jim Waddington | Jim and Sue Waddington have spent 35+ years determined to locate, document, and photograph the actual places that inspired the Group of Seven. | |
| Chris Cran: Sincerely Yours | Contemporary artist from western Canada. Bold mixed media work. Based on 2016 show at the National Gallery. | |
| Celebrating Life the art of Doris McCarthy | Doris McCarthy lived in Scarborough and was a well-loved artist and art teacher in Toronto | |
| Colville by Andrew Hunter | Alex Colville was a well loved Canadian artist from Nova Scotia. This book accompanied his show at Art Gallery of Ontario, 2014 | |
| Norval Morrisseau : return to the house of invention | Retrospective of Canada's most important native artist. Many more books about this artist are also available. | |
| 1920's Modernism in Montreal: The Beaver Hall Group | Early adopters of new modernism painting techniques. The Beaver Hall Group are exceptional in that they included women as core members of the group. | |
| Arthur Shilling, The Ojibway Dream | Twenty-one paintings that re-create the faces of his Ojibway people. | |
| Paterson Ewen | Magnificent large scale works on gouged plywood. Several books, all older, not readily available. | |
| Painters Eleven: The Wild ones of Canadian Art | Beautifully illustrated book about 11 Toronto area artists from the 50's and 60's. | |
| The Automatiste Revolution Montreal 1941 - 1960 | Stories about the young and innovative artists from Quebec. A cultural revolution. | |
| Emily Carr Collected, by Emily Carr | This collection of beautifully reproduced art showcases the breadth of Carr's career. There are many more books about this important artist. | |
| Lawren Harris: Contrasts: in the Ward | Beautiful little book, showing Harris's early works featuring "the Ward" along with his poetry. | |
| Lawren Harris: The Idea of North | Showcases Harris's iconic mountain and iceberg paintings, based on the 2016 show at the Art Gallery of Ontario. | |
| Jack Bush by Marc Mayer | Large beautifully illustrated book with a retrospective of his work. Currently out of print, so hard to find. | |
| Painting Canada, Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven | An overview of the work of this iconic group. There are many more books about these artists available. | |
| La collection Riopelle du Musée du Québec | A beautifully illustrated book. Although I cannot read the French text, the magnificent pictures make this a necessary book. | |
| Takao Tanabe by Ian Thom | Inspiring and subtle minimalist Canadian landscapes. Book appears to be out of print, very hard to find. If you find one, grab it! | |
| William Kurelek: | Fascinating and playful images representing life in Canada. Kurelek was a story teller. Many books available: Kurelek Country, A Prairie Boy's Winter, the Last of the Arctic, and more | |
| Joyce Wieland: Artist on fire | Abstract Expressionist artist who lived in Toronto's beach | |
| Michael Snow, Sequences: a History of his Art | Iconic Canadian artist from Toronto. | |
| Morning Glory on the Vine, by Joni Mitchell. Early songs and drawings | Many years ago Joni created a hand-made book, just for her friends and family. That book was published in 2019. Beautiful!! | |
| Rita Letendre, Fire and Light | Showcasing the paintings of the iconic Canadian painter. A beautiful book. | |
| Lemieux, by Robert,Guy | Iconic Quebec artist, painted desolate and mysterious Canadian landscapes and people. | |
| INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS | ||
| Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks | Get to know this iconic artist and his processes through his writings and drawings. This book and many more are readily available at the library. | |
| Wolf Kahn | Landscape painter who uses expressionist brush strokes and brilliant colour. He is truly a colourist. | |
| David Hockney, 82 Portraits and 1 Still-life | British artist, very creative. Recent work, all in acrylic | |
| David Hockney, A bigger exhibition | Shows the broad scope of his work, completed since 2000. | |
| Wolfgang Bloch The colours of coincidence | Using a subdued palette, along with modest and unexpected materials, he produces traditional but sublime seascapes. Beautiful book, but hard to find. | |
| Chuck Close: Work by Christopher Finch | Show casing his massive-format abstract portraits. One of Americas most celebrated living artists. | |
| Inside the Painter’s Studio by Joe Fig | This book shows the studios, stories, and techniques of contemporary New York area artists. | |
| Gerhard Richter | One of the most important artists of the 20th and 21st century. Several books available: Cage, Beirut, Large Abstracts, Red Yellow Blue, and more. | |
| 100 Girls on Cheap Paper, by Tina Berning | Fun and interesting little book, featuring 100 drawings. Tina uses everyday paper and drawing tools. Book is hard to find. | |
| Elaine De Kooning: Portraits | Beautifully illustrated book. Elaine De Kooning was an abstract expressionist painter, her loose style comes through beautifully in her portraits. | |
| Georgia O’Keeffe: | One of the most important in influential artists of the 20th century. Many books available | |
| Georgia O’Keeffe & Ansel Adams: Natural Affinities | Painter O'Keeffe and photographer Ansel were friends and both captured the natural and man-made environment | |
| Dove/O'Keeffe: Circles of Influence | How Georgia O'keeffe and Arthur Dove influenced one another | |
| Richard Diebenkorn | Abstract and figurative expressionistic painter from California. Several books available: The Berkley Years Ocean Park Series Figurative Works on Paper | |
| Bay Area Figurative Artists | Expressionistic figurative works by several artists from the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1950s' | |
| Willem de Kooning | Abstract Expressionist painter, famous for his "women" series, often considered disturbing. | |
| Forever Now Contemporary painting in an atemporal world | Showcasing 17 young painters featured at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2014-15 | |
| Lucian Freud Portraits | Showing his figurative and portrait works, all from life. | |
| Milton Avery, the Late Paintings | American artist, beautiful "colour field" landscapes and more | |
| SOME EARLIER PAINTERS | ||
| Edvard Munch: The Modern Eye | Norwegian painter who focused on evocative psychological themes. Created "The Scream". Many books available | |
| Kandinsky The path to abstraction | Russian painter, considered one of the pioneers of abstract painting. Vibrant colours, highly energetic work | |
| Renoir In the 20th Century | Covers the final 25 years of his work. A master at painting people and faces | |
| Van Gogh Up Close | This book accompanied the exhibition at the National Gallery of Canada. This books includes many lesser know works. | |
| Egon Schiele, 1890-1918: Desire and Decay | Austrian artist who focused on provocative figurative work and self portraits. | |
| HOW TO AND OTHER BOOKS | ||
| Blue and Yellow don't make Green, Michael Wilcox | A new look at the art and science of colour mixing | |
| Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards | The most widely used and highly praised drawing-instruction book in the world. | |
| The Artist's Way, a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. by Julia Cameron | A course in discovering and recovering your creative self | |
| The Age of Creativity, by Emily Urquhart Art, memory, my father and me | A thoughtful and beautiful story, about artists and aging, starring her father, Tony Urquhart. | |
| Show Your Work by Austin Kleon | Another fun little book, intended to "poke" you; it is quite successful | |
| Keep Going Austin Kleon's 3rd little book | 10 ways to stay creative in good times ad bad. It is delightful | |