Discover 100 of the most important artists of our time on this comprehensive tour of the west coast from San Diego to Vancouver. Each artist share with you, in their own words, the thinking and feelings that are the essence of their work and their world. This fine art compendium is sure to delight your eyes and imagination. This book is for all who want to educate themselves about contemporary art and artists, whether they are collectors, frequent museum and gallery visitors, or merely curious.

Explore the creative minds of artists up and down the American West Coast, enjoying paintings and mixed-media art that runs the stylistic gamut from abstract to landscape. A mix of emerging, mid-career, and established artists makes this a valuable tool for galleries and collectors. The broad range of artists creates a wonderful experience, with multiple exhibitions all within two covers. Sit back and enjoy the show, meeting each artist as they share, in their own words, the thoughts and feelings expressed in their work. Each of over 400 full color photographs is sure to delight your eyes and imagination. This book is for all who want to educate themselves about contemporary art and artists, whether they are collectors, frequent museum and gallery visitors, or merely curious.

50 West Coast Artists presents a critical selection of some of America's most influential contemporary sculptors and painters. The striking concept and design of the book provide the reader with special insights into the enormous vitality and diversity of the art and artists of California.

Throughout his long and prolific career, Ray Stanford Strong (1905–2006) strove to capture the essence of the western American landscape. An accomplished painter who achieved national fame during the New Deal era, Strong is best known for his depiction of landscapes in California and Oregon, rendered in his signature plein air style. This beautiful volume, featuring more than 100 color and black-and-white illustrations, is the first comprehensive exploration of Strong’s life and artistry. Through family papers, archives, photographs, and a two-year series of interviews conducted with the artist personally, Mark Humpal traces Strong’s journey from his childhood on an Oregon berry farm to his artistically formative years in New York and San Francisco. After moving back to the West Coast, Strong produced important works for the WPA, executed major diorama projects for two world expositions, helped organize the Santa Barbara Art Institute, and served as teacher and mentor for a new generation of plein air artists. But, as Humpal emphasizes, Strong distinguished himself by resisting the drumbeat of the avant-garde. During an era when many artists were experimenting with abstract expressionism, Strong never relinquished his personal vision and adherence to a more traditional style. With his outgoing personality, he forged friendships and associations with such prominent artists as Frank Vincent DuMond, Maynard Dixon, Ansel Adams, Frank Lloyd Wright, and John Steinbeck. Ultimately, Strong had little concern for his place in the sweep of art history. The proficiency he achieved through years of formal and informal study allowed him to craft a personal style difficult to categorize but unique and engaging. By expanding our understanding and appreciation of Strong’s artistic contributions, this book offers a fitting tribute to one of America’s finest landscape artists.

This stunning book is the long-awaited result of an extensive review of New York painters and their widely diverse works. It presents an overview of styles, mediums, subjects, even philosophies of art found in galleries, museums, and artists' studios of present-day New York, the oft-acknowledged Art Capital of the contemporary world. Although you may recognize the names and works of many, this company of 100 painters also features works by artists less celebrated, though no less deserving of attention. Expect to find recent works, as well as paintings from an earlier period of an artist's oeuvre -- as near as Kelynn Alder's "Coney Island," painted specifically for this book, and as distant as George Tooker's iconic allegory, "Subway," painted in 1950. Brief biographical sketches accompany each artist's work, providing insight into their emotional and philosophical connection with art as well as their schooling and accomplishments. Experience for yourself this visual feast showcasing the unique works of 100 gifted New York painters. This book is a must-have addition for the library of any art connoisseur and/or collector.

Original and innovative, the carefully tested recipes and techniques in this guide--collected from the West Coast's most talented bartenders--are sure to delight and satisfy all cocktail fans from novice to connoisseur. Written in a style that is both playful and appreciative, the book provides invaluable information on topics such as what people ought to know about ice (and don't) and what role egg whites can have in a drink. The mouth-watering recipes and lush photographs featured here will make readers excited to create the amazing cocktails of professional mixologists.

Catalog of the exhibition Summoning Ghosts: the Art of Hung Liu, organized by Rene de Guzman on behalf of the Oakland Museum of California and presented March 16-June 30, 2013.