Dragons Love Art - by Stephen Parlato (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"It should come as no great surprise that Dragons Love Art, after all Art is where Dragons first got their start."

So begins, with Dragons as our guides, a visually delicious tour through many of the ideas, styles and mediums of the world's Art history. Here is a fresh approach to exciting and engaging the very young about the Art of the past with the goal of inspiring them to use it to make a New Art, an Art of their own, of the NOW.

From the Back Cover

"It should comer as no great surprise that Dragons Love Art, after all Art is where Dragons first got their start." So begins, with Dragons as our guides, a visually delicious tour through many of the ideas, styles and mediums of the world's Art history. Here is a fresh approach to exciting and engaging the very young about the Art of the past with the goal of inspiring them to use it to make a New Art, an Art of their own, of the NOW.

Review Quotes

Praise for Dragons Love Art

"Highly Recommended. An absolute feast for the eyes, Dragons Love Art offers a unique visual tour of the many ideas, styles, and media of the world's art history. Matched with informative and educational passages detailing the specifics of each examined age of art, this book is a treasure trove of artistic forms and historical expressions.

In a book about art, it's no surprise that the illustrations are the biggest standout. Using mosaic collages that are certain to captivate onlookers of all ages, author and illustrator Stephen Parlato has created awe-inspiring double-paged dragon images inlaid with distinctly different styles of art. Starting with Stone Age carvings and paintings on rocks, readers are whisked away on a diverse and fantastic art adventure showcasing cultural, historical, and social styles of art, including coin engravings, molten glass, still-life paintings, and graffiti murals. Parlato is to be applauded not only for his gorgeous renderings but also for including both popular and well-known art, like that of Vincent Van Gogh, as well as lesser-known styles including orphism and the often maligned comic art. Dragons Love Art, with its embossed cover, is an unquestionable "must-have" not only for classroom and library shelves but also for art lovers of all ages. This is a book that will be well-read and well-loved. It will inform and inspire - to both appreciate art and to create it. As the final page puts forth, the most lovely art to look at is that which readers will be inspired to create after closing the book." -- CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"A unique ode to art and dragons, Dragons Love Art aims to inspire young readers to create fresh, new artwork of their own. As if wandering through an art museum, Stephen Parlato leads readers through the varying styles of art and mediums that have wowed art lovers throughout history. Readers are drawn in beginning with the striking cover image of a dragon that resembles the post-impressionist work of Vincent Van Gogh, followed by images of sculptures made from rock, designs struck on coins, tile mosaics, treasures made of gold and jewels, the art of silversmiths, spun glass, various painting styles, and digital artwork. Parlato has created strikingly intricate dragon collages made up of each featured art form or medium. The dragons each fill a double-page spread with theatrical effect. As the page turns, the reader at once sees a magnificent beast, but then the many intricacies begin to stand out and pull the reader deeper into the artwork to explore. The smooth rhyming text clues readers in on what they are seeing. Dragons Love Art offers a stimulating, digestible lesson in Art History that will appeal to both creatives and dragon lovers." - The Children's Book Review

"Dragon-shaped collages feature diverse artistic styles in this picture book. Parlato asserts that "Art is where Dragons first got their start" and explains the styles the beasts love. The work presents dragon-shaped collages filled with manipulated images of various elements. For example, when the text tells readers that "Dragons Love the Art struck on coins...meant to be spent and commemorate great achievements," the accompanying dragon is assembled out of vivid images of coins. Some dragons are collaged in particular art styles, like cubism ("Dragons Love how 'Cubism' re-imagines the world in simple flat and folded shapes"). Another piece incorporates a van Gogh painting. Some include images of everyday elements, like mosaic tiles, shells, fruits, and graffiti street murals. The author implores the audience to be artistic, noting that "the Art...Dragons most Love...is the Art you dear reader may be inspired to make." The tale's intricate collage renderings by the author are exceptional. Although the book relies heavily on its visuals, the educational narrative offers introductory insights into an assortment of artistic forms. Due to the detailed images, this work will function best as an art book that readers can take their time flipping through as opposed to a quiet bedtime story selection. Readers will enjoy visiting this book over and over again, as new facets in the collages will surely be found and appreciated. A creative and distinctive work recommended for art aficionados of all ages." - Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Stephen Parlato, originally from Levittown, Long Island, New York, resides and works in his studio in Baltimore, Maryland. A graduate of both The Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture and The Maryland Institute's Hoffberger School of Graduate Painting he is considered one of the foremost collage artists working today. Parlato is the author/illustrator of the picture books Dragons Love (Simply Read Books, 2009) and The World That Loved Books (Simply Read Books, 2008). Find out more at www.stephenparlato.com.