"A selection of over one hundred of the new paintings has been made for this new monograph. The full color plates and myriad details are accompanied by text and commentary by Francesco Colonna, an Italian art critic who first discovered McKnight's work at a rare exhibition of McKnight's paintings in an obscure gallery in New York in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. Colonna subsequently interviewed the artist at his haunts in Europe and America. In an essay he discusses how McKnight's latest work is situated in a new but traditional way of looking at and thinking about art. This new body of work by one of the major artists working today is collected here for the first time and it will transport the reader to the earthly paradise of the painter's imagination."--BOOK JACKET.

The wide appeal of McKnight's world is explained in part by its mixture of wild beauty and domestic luxury. His idyllic islands in the sun invariably include aspects of the developed culture he considers indispensable. McKnight's paradise has the best of everything -- what better definition of heaven can there be? Clearly and strongly, his beautiful images of places near and far appeal to our senses -- his lush but subtle color, his charming and elegant compositions, his skillful rendering of form -- these qualities we admire and enjoy in the works of master artists of all time. Thomas McKnight's work is in the collections of major museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and millions of his paintings and silk-screen prints have sold through galleries and print stores across the nation. McKnight, who has devoted his time exclusively to art since 1972, is best known for his pictures of serene and beautiful rooms. These inviting, jewel-toned spaces have large windows or archways overlooking equally attractive outdoors scenes both local (Boston Public Garden or Manhattan Penthouse) and exotic (Venice, Parts, or the Greek isles).

Uses color photographs and text to showcase some of the best decorative wall designs from around the world.

It was a hot afternoon in August 1856 when people in southern Iredell County, North Carolina, gathered for a special event. The train was on its way, bringing officials, a brass band, and the economic future. John Franklin Moore viewed the railroad tracks as an opportunity to fulfill his dream of starting a community and building a town. He knew that trains would bring customers and new citizens and carry freight to and from markets. Moore took a bold step by providing land for a depot and siding and offering land for homes and businesses. Moore's Siding prospered and grew, and in 1873, the village was incorporated and named Mooresville to honor the founder. Generations of Mooresville citizens have taken daring steps into the future, building a community that is more than just a place--it's a home. This is a story of Mooresville, the Queen of Iredell.