New Rules Next Week: Corita Kent's Legacy through the Eyes of Twenty Artists and Writers

by Corita Art Center, Rebeca Anaya (Illustrator), Gail Anderson (Illustrator)

Twenty contemporary artists and writers reimagine Corita Kent's iconic creative manifesto.

Known for her vibrant and powerful serigraphs, Corita Kent left an equally important legacy through her teaching. In the late 1960s, she and her students at the Immaculate Heart College developed their Art Department Rules. From "Consider everything an experiment" to "Be happy whenever you can manage it," these ten deceptively simple principles capture the magic of Corita’s approach to creativity, culture, and activism. In this volume, ten writers and ten artists look back at the rules and show us how vital and resonant they remain today. The wide-ranging roster of contributors includes Vashti Harrison, Lisa Congdon, Natacha Ramsay-Levi, Dan Paley, and Erin Jang. 
 

COMPELLING AND INSPIRING Corita Kent was a Roman Catholic nun, a wildly popular pop artist, a social justice advocate, and a beloved art teacher. Her Art Department Rules continue to speak to people today. This book celebrates the way Corita's work resonates through contemporary art and offers inspiration for your own creative practice.

TWENTY AMAZING Illustrators, designers, educators, curators, former students and colleagues of Corita's—the illustrious contributors to this volume offer a kaleidoscope of perspectives on the artist's legacy. 

PERFECT This book makes an impactful gift for creative minds, especially students. The ten rules offer encouragement and guidance to anyone who aspires to begin or expand an artistic practice. 

 

Perfect

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

88 pages, Hardcover

Published June 27, 2023

Reviews

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Scott ❤️

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Rules Next Week: Corita Kent's Legacy Through the Eyes of Twenty Artists and Writers, edited and with an introduction by the Corita Art Center, is both a tribute to the memory of Kent as well as an inspiring work for anyone who thinks creatively (which includes everyone from artists to engineers).

If you grew up in the late 60s and early 70s as I did there is a very good chance you know of Corita Kent. You almost certainly know of her work. In the silk-screening unit of my 8th grade print class, the teacher taught not just the techniques but a little about the history and practitioners, and that was the first time I put her name with some of the images I was already familiar with.

This book offers an essay and a piece of artwork for each rule. The essays give the reader some perspective on what the rules mean, or could mean. Part of the entire purpose of the rules was flexibility, so to claim a definitive way to understand each seems to go against the intent. As long as the spirit of the rules are kept in mind, the rules offer ways to enhance and fulfill whatever roles you may have in your life. The artwork, for me, was more like taking a time trip, they mostly resembled things you would have seen during that time.

I recommend this for not just those who place creativity front and center in their work (artists, writers, etc) but also those who need to look at things from creative perspectives in order to solve problems (engineers, scientists, etc). Make them yours, adjust them to fit your situation, but keep the spirit of them alive in doing so.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Jennifer Gibbons · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley had this available to read before the publication date. I've been a fan of Sister Corita Kent for years. Hearing from past students/colleagues who knew her or were inspired by her work/teaching was a delight. The paintings in the book are lovely. Highly recommended for writers and artists. I think it would a perfect graduation gift. I want to buy a paper copy when the book comes out. Thanks NetGalley and Chronicle books!

[Nav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty plain visually but the rules are a treat.

[Taylor]

i wanna be an educator so bad… <3

i wanna be an artist too and i already am one!

thanks Mom for the christmas present

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, but so short!

[Kim Rader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely tribute to Corita Kent. Makes me want to learn all I can about her.