The Artful Dodger: Images and Reflections

After reading and loving Bantock's Griffin & Sabine trilogy I stumbled upon this book. I was thrilled to learn background information straight from the author. I loved the trilogy but was left curious about the author and the works of art themselves. I enjoyed seeing his work develop over time and found it interesting to read about how he got started in his professional art career. I also appreciate his candid comments about the publishing industry and that he shared some negative opinions of his work with us-it shows he is not arrogant or an egomaniac! I loved that the images are laid out chronologically. This book contains a lot of previously published work but that is fine with me-how else would he discuss his works if we could not look at them while reading about them?!? I liked reading what led him to begin working on a certain project or what drew him to continue working with a medium (i.e. designing his own stamps). I liked hearing where he gathers pieces to use in his collages and how he puts his collages together. After reading this book I have an even deeper appreciation for his books and artwork.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this cover-to-cover and delighting in his gorgeous artwork. It is truly inspirational. As a person who is naturally better at writing than making art, I envy Bantock's ability to make such beautiful and thoughtful artwork!

Autobiography written in a very relaxed, informal, and fun style. Excellent use of samples of his work from various times in his career as a great counterpoint to the text. Absolutely recommend this for people who are already fans of his work, and I also recommend it for people who like to learn about the creative process, how a particular artist develops their style and what their inspirations are.

For fans of Nick Bantock, 'The Artful Dodger' is an absolute must. Not only will you have 350 full-color works of art from his college days to his latest creations, but you will also get insights into the merger of words and images. There is all kinds of insider information and humorous stories about the publishing and art worlds, as well as clues to the meaning of Griffin & Sabine. This is THE book for inspiration direct from the man, his creative process, and the sychronous events that have shaped his life. For more info be sure to check out his personal website too.

This book is absolutely fantastic. I am a huge Nick Bantock fan and this book is very special in that it gives so much information. There are details about most of his books, plus (my favorite part) about books that he has started or created, but never finished or released. The pictures are glorious! I also love the pictures of bookcovers Bantock has done. This book is a wonderful edition to my collection of Bantock books and a MUST have for any art lover or Bantock fan. YOU HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK!

I've been waiting for this book! Part biography, part coffee table book, this is a real treat. Although it has a hefty price, and although most of the illustrations we have seen in Bantock's other books, his descriptions of how he created this art is terrific. I like the large-page format, especially when looking at the photos of his assemblages. What detail! What great ideas! This book inspires me to create my own collages/assemblages a la Joseph Cornell. If you are a Bantock fan, you will want to add this book to your collection.