On the Art of Life and Vice Versa

Enjoy our first ever book review, courtesy of resident bookworm and printer's devil, Christine.

The Accidental Masterpiece: On the Art of Life and Vice Versa by
Michael Kimmelman

This slim book is a fabulous collection of meditations on the art that surrounds us everyday. Written by Michael Kimmelman, art critic for the New York Times, it is a collection of essays on paintings, sculpture, etc that is perceived as Art, and the process of looking at our lives and the lives of others as being artful. One of his underlying themes is the importance of passion in creating art. That passion can be in the form of collecting an example of every light bulb known to exist and sharing that collection in your basement. As the former curators of the Squished Penny Museum, I can really relate! Or the passion can take the form of putting yourself in harm's way or at least risk in order to experience something like the Antarctic explorers and the photographer who documented their journey. Kimmelman provides a thoughtful reflection on what art is, and made me think about why so many people seek art in their lives.

One of my favorite pieces in the collection explores the PBS denizen of peace and tranquility among happy trees, Bob Ross. Michael Kimmelman instinctively grasps Ross' love for both art and the process of finding that artistic space within yourself, a passion that he shared for hundreds of quietly encouraging hours of his televised paint-along series. The most provocative part of the essay was when Kimmelman shared the fact that Bob Ross knew that most viewers were not painting along, but simply enjoyed watching him paint. Kimmelman explores the idea that it was the sight of creation rather than the act of creation that was so compelling. It is this kind of insight that makes this book well worth exploring.

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