Art of the State New Mexico

by Cynthia Overbeck Bix

This is one of a series of compact books designed to celebrate the essence of each of the 50 United States, illustrating and describing its natural wonders, historical and cultural milestones,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0810955539
• ISBN13: 9780810955530
• Release Date: March 1998
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Enchanting book on the "Land of Enchantment"

Years ago, when preparing for my three-year 50-state road trip I'd purchased a load of travel guides to help plan what to see in each state, and was fairly satisfied until I stumbled upon my first ART OF STATE book in Iowa. This unique book made all other travel books pale by comparison. Although small and slim the books throughout this series are packed with meaningful information. Beautifully designed and written, they are thoroughly engaging and a joy to read--like finding an ancestor's scrapbook or diary in the attic and reading a fascinating family heritage while viewing images of a buried past. Each author in the ART OF STATE series must be a native or a deliberate transplant, for each state story is lovingly told with a deep appreciation of the state--and not just its good features, but the blemishes, too, described evenhandedly and complemented by photographs of architecture, landscapes paintings, crafts and memorabilia. Each book presents the state's history, climate, landscape, traditions, symbols, recipes, must-see destinations as well as a statewide calendar of events. I've since purchased all the books in the series (20 of the 50 states as of 2008). If your budget won't allow you to buy all 20, at least buy two: one of your home state and one of your adopted state. You'll be amazed at what you'll discover. I apologize for raving so much about THE ART OF STATE series, but it was such a find for me, like discovering a diamond in a sea of glass. I can't help but gush. Each book's frontispiece has a wallpaper design: a background color, unique to the state, dotted with a state motif. I've begun playing a game with each new book I purchase in this series trying to guess what the wallpaper motif will be before opening the boo. Sometimes I correctly guess the motif, but rarely the background color. For New Mexico, it's bright red chili peppers dotting a Yucatan yellow background. Sweet. Now, about the New Mexico edition ... On the dark side, New Mexico served as the hideout for two killers: Billy the Kid and the atom bomb. But that's the only shadow on this sun drenched land. Read about the various Pueblo, Mexican, Spanish and American influences in this state of fabulous landscapes, luscious cuisine, turquoise jewelry, and clay art, architecture and crafts. The vast desert vast terrain and limitless sky not only attracted artists, but aliens, too, in the town of Roswell, where aliens landed and a museum marks the spot. The fabulous land of mountains, deserts, mesas and pine forests attracted writers and artists to Taos and Santa Fe which became celebrated artist colonies, by accident. In the 19th century two traveling artists broke a wagon wheel en route to California and stayed in the glorious state, founding artist societies in each town. Famed New York artist Georgia O'Keeffe spent the second half of her 90 years painting the doom of the New Mexican desert bones, abandoning her typical bold blooms. Writer D.H. Lawrence said: "I

The best history book thru art on N.M. that I have read.

I loved the book. I have lived in N.M. for 27 years and find this book the best short history thru Art I have ever seen. It has everything you would want down to the UFO's.