The US Review of Books

2009-12-06T14:10:00.003-06:00

The US Review of Books

Any authentic work must start an argument between the artist and his audience. -Rebecca West

Art Student Field Guide: How to Trust Your Informed

Creative Self, Recognize Opportunities & Identify Challenges

by Pat Benincasa

Sentinel Printing Co.

reviewed by Elizabeth Loveland

"Whatever our task is, whether to create, design, illustrate, curate or direct, we do so in a social context, the world we live in."

This is a charming, creative book by artist and art teacher Pat Benincasa. The book is

broken up into three main sections, termed books. Book 1 is titled "A Field Guide By

Any Other Name," wherein Benincasa discusses why she chose to make a field guide

and some things she considers basic for art students to consider and to contemplate.

Book 2 is titled "Artists Story" and is a more retrospective section on living life as an

artist. Book 3 is titled "Conclusion To Start With" and is primarily concerned with the

idea of artist as citizen, discussing the responsibilities artists have to the society in

which they live. This book is targeted towards American students, primarily discussing

artists social responsibilities to American society in Book 3 and ending with a lengthy

list of American art schools, organized by state.

Art Student Field Guide is more than its name may indicate; it is a thought-provoking

read both for new art students and working artists. Benincasa mixes her personal

story, stories about other artists and events, ponderings about the place of art and

artists in the world, and specific activities for art students and artists that help them be

more effective artists and more content people. This book is of interest to almost all

art students and many artists. With an inspiring and offbeat feel, Benincasa's artwork

and the artwork of others are carefully pasted onto some of the pages, along with

sporadic pages that are blank except for the header "Notes to Self."

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