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Between the lines: Art, science coloring book will By Allen O. Pierleoni -- Bee Staff Writer When is a coloring book much more than that? In this case, when it's "Art + Science" by Mary Jo See (Natural Genius Books, $15.95, 96 pages). In her introduction, See writes, "This coloring book explores the journey of the pioneers in art and science who made the truly amazing discoveries that shaped our modern world." That's the jumping-off point for what's inside - images from science, nature and art teamed with explanatory and biographical text blocks. For example, Manet's "Bar at the Folies-Bergere" is there to color, with text explaining how the artist had made history by showing two scenes that "occurred at different times and from different views, but Manet put them into the same painting." Of course, the pages for the Jackson Pollock entry are blank - create your own abstract art. "The book evolved out of years of teaching art and science workshops," See said. Her background includes seven years of teaching communications studies and graphic design at California State University, Sacramento. Though the coloring book is for ages "9 and up," we found it as appropriate for adults as for children. It's available at the Sacramento Museum of History, Science, Space & Technology, which reopens Sept. 24 (916-575-3941), Tower Books, A Brighter Child Homeschool Books (916-722-2228) and at www.naturalgeniusbooks.com. A one-of-a-kind eclectic coloring and learning experience, January 12, 2006 Art + Science is both a coloring book for ages 9 and up and a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's "Theory of Relativity". Wavy lines assemble into shapes illustrating great scientific discoveries, and the text segments honor both fascinating ideas and the people who labored to reveal them. From a coloring picture illustrating principles of horizontal convergence and foreshortening in art, to a hydrogen atom circled by an electron to illustrate subatomic particles, to a simple picture of Einstein himself playing his the violin, Art + Science is a one-of-a-kind eclectic coloring and learning experience, highly recommended as an educational rainy-day activity. -Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) For many years I have heard the phrase, “Art and Science are the links to understanding the world; they bridge communication and expand the boundaries of fact and fiction within the conscience and subconscious mind.” Mary Jo See in her book, “Art + Science Coloring Book: A Tribute to the 100th Anniversary of Albert Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity”” blends the world of Art and Science in such an amazing and creative way that both youth and adults can expand their basic comprehension of these two distinct and yet intersecting disciplines of study. Utilizing Art and Artists she skillfully links scientific theory validating that time, space, energy and matter are all connected within ourselves and the universe. -Josie S. Talamantez, Art + Science explores how curiosity and imagination naturally leads to discoveries that help us interpret our inner and outer universes. Mary Jo See's coloring book gets past the usual tendency to separate these two creative disciplines, and the result is rich and rewarding. As an intuitive creative parent who loves science, I was excited to share and enjoy this book with my intuitive creative daughter, who always wants to know the why and how of everything. -Kirstin Miller, Editor, |