Getting It: A Guide to Understanding and Appreciating Art

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Summary: I finally got it!!!
Review: For the first time in my long life I finally get it!! I have reread this wonderful book twice recently before going to cities with major art museums to remind myself how to look at and how to feel the art. This book cuts to the core of the wonder and the mystery of art and helps nonartists like myself understand a lot more than we would have without it. Beautifully done.

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Summary: Getting begets Giving!
Review: I received this book as a birthday gift (from artist mother to artist daughter) together with a note: "I know you could have written this book yourself, but hope you'll enjoy it anyway!" The author's inscription reads "I hope this little book speaks to you in a big way." Let me just say it is one of the best gifts of countless perfect gifts I've received from people who seem to "get it!" I have a fairly ecclectic library of books on art and artists, and this one will have its place among the rare gems that I refer to often. Although the author may have intended this book for an audience of non-artists, I believe her collection of essays and charmingly simple illustrations will be just as refreshing to art-majors and professionals. She is funny, yet serious, and the book is as much about getting art as it is about getting anything worth getting in life. As a bonus, the format suits the topic and is ideal in every way. It feels as good as it looks as good as it reads as good as it is. Don't think twice about Getting It!

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Summary: All you ever wanted to know about Art!!!
Review: The subtitle says it all. Becky Hendrick deftly guides readers who want to "get" art, whether they are novices to the field of art or informed art enthusiasts. Based on Hendrick's college class for non-art majors, the book is a mini-course on how to objectively view and think about art. Getting It is packed with insights about Art with a capital A. For example, in one chapter Hendrick explains the vocabulary of art, defining elements and principles such as line, shape, and balance. In another she describes art styles, explaining how they reflect the period in which they developed. In a later chapter, she takes readers into the mind of a Cubist artist planning a creation. As a curriculum specialist who has written about art, I'm amazed at the energy and ease, and even humor, with which Hendrick approaches her subject. If you are a high school student, college student, docent, or art teacher, or if you are simply interested in learning more about art, definitely add this book to your must-read list. I assure you that you will never look at Art in the same way.