For over five decades, Michael Newberry has painted, taught, and written about art with a single conviction: that art is the technology of the soul. These six books distill that lifetime of practice. From the sweeping vision of how art evolves, to the working mechanics of color and studio craft, to a philosophical defense of art itself. Whether you paint, study, or simply love looking, there is a book here that will change how you see.
This is a candid self-portrait written by the American artist whose luminous, emotionally charged paintings resonate. In this open and honest account of his life up to 2002, Michael Newberry tells of his Southern California childhood, his transition from world-class tennis player to full-time artist at nineteen, and his years painting in The Hague, New York, and on the Greek island of Rhodes. He writes about friends, influences, artists, travels, and art, sprinkled throughout with landscapes, portraits, and figurative works. Reflective and vivid, Newberry’s narrative is about an artist unveiling the artistic process from introspection to observation, to ideas and fulfillment.
Featuring over 150 artworks.
Evolution Through Art decodes visual art. We will examine key artworks from 40,000 years ago to the present and the ideas that framed them, from the cognitive breakthrough of prehistoric cave paintings to the rise and fall of art movements. We will look at da Vinci and Van Gogh with fresh eyes, unpack the connections between Kant’s aesthetics and postmodern art, and explore Aristotle’s concept of eudaemonia via art. Lastly, we look at new inroads by innovative contemporary figurative artists moving humanity forward one step at a time.
“Beautifully executed from its beginning glimpse of the artists’ drawings in ancient caves to examples of extraordinary contemporary artists and their works. Art, history, and how to experience the joy of life, all in one place.” – Elaine Ring
Integration is the Secret
This book is for engaged readers and artists who want to learn more about the magic of color theory in art practice. When it comes together, it creates a magnificent sense of harmony, surprise, and boundless possibility.
In studying this book, not only will you receive the equivalent of the most advanced fine art college course, but also you will be abreast of this new aesthetic development. You will come away with a better understanding of:
- How brightness is achieved
- How opposites give an irresistible beauty to the shadows
- How placing colors in depth gives a deeply rewarding psychological feeling
- How the different colors of atmosphere achieve a scope of moods
“I am reading and re-reading your analysis of light and color and thinking about how to apply these theories, the works you are creating are lovely to look at and to think about.” -Robin Purcell, Artist and Signature Member of the National Watercolor Society
“Subtle, gentle, mesmerizing. Love them!” -Mathieu Brousses, Co-Founder of Provence Art Experience Journeys and Workshops
“The Art Studio Companion is brought to life on the strength of an inimitable human spirit that is an excellently-blended alloy of artistic creator, teacher, curator, critic, historian, and analyst… a timeless work of art, crafted to keep the truth and honesty of art alive.” – Abiodun Olaku
Art has been called the technology of the soul. With that in mind, we’re going to delve into the technology of art fundamentals and some of its furthest advances. Deeply understanding the technical and expressive means in art is one of the best ways to understand the human psyche. In this book, not only will you learn about what makes art tick, but you’ll also learn how to better express yourself as an artist. With its suggested practices at the end of each chapter, you’ll definitely maximize your artistic potential.
There is a newly-discovered version of the legend of Pandora’s Box. In this third version, insanity, despair, and hatred had overrun the world and Pandora, driven by a sense of hope, opened the box by unlocking it with a key. Out from the box rose up all the glories of humanity and they spread throughout the world with undiminished splendor. Pandora discovered that the glories had never disappeared, but it was humankind that had lost the key to identifying the magnificence that lay before them.
This collection of essays will give you the key that unlocks the transformative power of art. You will discover how art is great tool to protect your sense of identity, how it inspires a non-cynical, romantic view of life, and how it gives you a sense of living in a benevolent universe where your dreams are possible.
You will gain insights into:
- How great art fortifies you with independence, confidence, and certainty in the good, the noble, and the best within you.
- Why the plague of postmodernism has been promoted by dark forces and how it was accomplished.
- What makes great art great: art tools that artists need to take their art to the highest levels.
“… dive into it for a wonderfully expansive book-full of philosophical and biographical essays, which include some deeply insightful, eye-opening, and devastating depth charges that expose and obliterate the egregiousness that is postmodernism…all directly from the heart…and art…of the marvelous eudaemonic Michael Newberry.” -TallCat
Explorations: The Freedom to Go Anywhere is a catalog that accompanies Michael Newberry’s solo exhibition at the Figure Ground Gallery, running from June 1 to July 31, 2023. This publication invites readers to embark on an artistic journey, exploring a diverse collection of drawings and paintings by Newberry.
With a masterful command of mediums like charcoal, graphite, ink, pastel, and oil, Newberry enthusiastically explores form, color, and expression in his artwork. Each piece captures the essence of its subject, evokes emotional resonance, or showcases the artist’s technical curiosity, highlighting his unwavering commitment to exploration.
Beyond displaying Newberry’s artistic growth, the catalog provides insights into his creative process and philosophical perspectives. Explorations: The Freedom to Go Anywhere celebrates Newberry’s life-long dedication to expanding perception and pushing artistic boundaries. It encourages readers and viewers to contemplate their own creative journeys of self-discovery and artistic exploration.
“The artist is inviting you to see the World through his eyes with the help of traditional simple mediums (charcoal, graphite, and pastel.): The result is deep emotions and wonder for the beauty of life and living.” – Petia Lilova Matschke
A Brief Overview of Why the Art World Has Become Trivial and A Manifesto
Have you ever been puzzled by the postmodern art shown in contemporary art museums? Or speculated on the motivations of artists and curators who show it? Or wondered what it says about our contemporary culture—and if there is hope for our future? In Art: Modern, Postmodern, and Beyond, philosopher Stephen Hicks and artist Michael Newberry sift through the seemingly inexplicable aesthetic confusion to arrive at meaningful understanding of art and its antithesis. With this book you will gain an understanding of:
- How modernist reduction led to postmodern nihilism
- Why the postmodern experiment is self-defeating
- How understanding postmodern art enables us to remove it from its favored status and replace it with more substantial art
- How aesthetic ideas matter in shaping flourishing ends
- How being reasonable restores excitement, confidence, and joy in everything to do with art
This book will give you fundamental aesthetic perspectives and tools to enrich your capacity to evaluate art on emotional, intellectual, and sensory levels, i.e., to engage art as a technician of the soul.
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