An American Celebration: The Art of Charles Wysocki

American Celebrations

by Betty Ballantine, Charles Wysocki (Painter)

Charles Wysocki delights in his native land and portrays the joys of its early days so lyrically that he has become the country's leading painter of Americana. In AN AMERICAN CELEBRATION, his premier collection, the artist offers over 200 full-color paintings. Text by Betty Ballantine perfectly embellishes his sense of time and place, providing a further look into American lore, history, innovations, and accomplishments. Selection of the Literary Guild. Excerpted in Family Circle and Americana magazine. 118,000 copies in print.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful look at Charles Wysocki's art along with moments of days long past.

[Cathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned about Charles Wysocki's art from, of all things, jigsaw puzzles! The puzzles are challenging, interesting, and fun. We complete them over and over. This book is nice in that it collects all (?) most (?-who knows, they never tell you) of Wysocki's art in one place. But what I don't like is Betty Ballantine's childish writing. The writing has almost nothing to do with Wysocki's art and sounds like a 6th-grader wrote the text. The artwork depicted is in brilliant color and crisp printing, but no mention is made of the year each piece was painted, the artist's inspiration, or any "inside" information. Lastly, Wysocki died in 2002 but if he were still alive I would be tempted to write to him to tell him that there were indeed non-whites in New England AND The West during the 1800's. Shocking, I know. There are a handful of Native Americans in several paintings but that's it. Believe me, I looked at every single person in his dozens of paintings and they are all white. Dismaying and really detracts from the enjoyment, for me.

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is laden with very realistic, historic, and enjoyable artwork. It is truly enjoyable because there is so much to look at on each page. " I feel the greatness and beauty of America, and in it an endless source of inspiration for my paintings." Charles Wysocki
There are over 200 full color paintings showing Early America, and how it progressed. You will notice that almost every painting has an American flag on a building or elsewhere...at least one, and sometimes more. It's all about the work and play of the nineteenth-century. It is Wysocki's first album of his work.
There are so many details in each painting it will take you awhile to really look at each one, so you don't miss anything.Take your time with this book, and savor the paintings.

[Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok this one. I LOVEEEEEE Charles Wysocki but the writing in this was SOOOOOOOO BADDDD. Opinionated and ridiculous. I will keep for the art, but I will never read the words again hahah. Which is why I give it two stars.

[Tim Renshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful art

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another (if you've read any of my other reviews of art work books) of my late wife's books that I bought for her some years ago and have held on to as we both enjoyed it. She was an artist who worked over her life in various styles and schools (she could pick up a given style in a very short time doing original work in several during her life). I still enjoy this book and recommend it if it's to your taste.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to open again and again, if you're a fan of this artist. I keep the book out, so I can pick it up and just look at one of the paintings whenever the mood strikes me. There's always something new to see in his works because they are so detailed. And his sense of humor is oftened revealed in some of the minute parts of his paintings--the names on the barns and flags, the hiding places of the fox in certain works. I never stop enjoying his paintings.

[Judith the Book Gobbler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Americana inspiration!!