Today when we hear the word “craft,” a whole host of things come immediately to mind: microbreweries, artisanal cheeses, and an array of handmade objects. Craft has become so overused, that it can grate on our ears as pretentious and strain our credulity. But its overuse also reveals just how compelling craft has become in modern life. In The Shape of Craft, Ezra Shales explores some of the key questions of craft: who makes it, what do we mean when we think about a crafted object, where and when crafted objects are made, and what this all means to our understanding of craft. He argues that, beyond the clichés, craft still adds texture to sterile modern homes and it provides many people with a livelihood, not just a hobby. Along the way, Shales upends our definition of what is handcrafted or authentic, revealing the contradictions in our expectations of craft. Craft is—and isn’t—what we think.

Chewbacca sock puppets. Jabba the Hutt body pillows. Hanukkah droidels. This guide offers a variety of fun and original projects to bring the many beloved elements of Star wars to life.

An introduction to shapes through the acclaimed art of Josef Albers The influential art of Josef Albers is used to teach shapes in this stylish read-aloud board book, which takes children through Albers' range of geometrics, one artwork per page, beginning with squares and returning to them as a familiar refrain throughout. The variance of colour, scale, and quantity adds to the richness of the visual arc, and the accompanying text provides a humorous and engaging commentary. Readers will not only learn their shapes, but also grow familiar with fine art in this second title in the 'First Concepts with Fine Artists' series. Includes a read-aloud 'about the artist' at the end.

Innovative approach to bookbinding explains techniques that elevate handmade books into extraordinary artworks. Simple, well-illustrated directions explain how to make pop-up panels, pages that "explode" from the spine, slipcases, and more.

Little Ewe would rather jump on logs and investigate spider webs than follow the shepherd when he calls. But what happens when she gets lost? How will she find her way home? Told in whimsical rhyme, this humorous counting book for our littlest ones is a delightful reminder that, like a loving parent, our Shepherd will find us and care for us, even when we wander from the path. In Little Ewe: The Story of One Lost Sheep, award-winning author Laura Sassi and illustrator Tommy Doyle tell an endearing tale of a distracted sheep and her persistent shepherd, inspired by the Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15.

From Japan's first forays onto the international stage of world's fairs in the late 19th century to the dynamic creativity of the 1920 and 1930s, from the heady post-World War II period to the present day, Japanese crafts have exhibited a rich diversity of media and techniques. One of the first illustrated surveys in English of modern-era Japanese crafts--including ceramics, lacquerware, metalcraft, and wood--this elegant book, with 70 color illustrations, is an invaluable guide for the collector and scholar. Focusing on an important collection of Japanese crafts destined for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the text discusses the artists and ideas that shaped and defined the aesthetic of 20th-century Japan, noting that this nation--which so deeply appreciates and fosters its crafts traditions--hails its artists as "living national treasures." The book also includes artists' biographies and reproductions of their signatures and marks. Published in association with the Philadelphia Museum of Art Exhibition Schedule: Philadelphia Museum of Art (December 6, 2008 - fall 2009)