What a perfect way to kick off the new location of carp(e) libris – by adding an artistic facet to the blog. I am including art books for reviews and giveaways here now, and Essential Elements is a beautiful beginning to our new chapter.

Essential Elements showcases the work of Andrew Stevovich, an Austrian-born artist whose work focuses on people – people in subways, coffee houses, diners. The colors are clean and bright, full of round faces and almond-shaped eyes. Each work gives the viewer a glimpse into a scene of everyday life, sometimes public, sometimes private. At first glimpse you may feel you’ve seen all the artist intended, but on further study, you find clues and the mind creates its own story. In fact, the writerly mind will find page after page of guaranteed inspiration.

What captivates me in Stevovich’s Essential Elements is a mixture of 1930′s flavor and the modern world. A women might be dressed as though she resides in pre-World War II, while there may be a cell phone or a laptop in front of her. Deciding when she happens is for the viewer to choose.

I’ve been drawn into this book since it entered my house; the smooth lines, the deliciously rich colors, the snippets of life that make me want to eavesdrop. Stevovich’s work has been inspired by dreams, early Italian Renaissance, or a sudden flash – all of these are elements that invite the viewer to interpret what they will.

And now I invite you to win a copy of this exquisite book. To enter, leave a comment here telling me what you like about the work below, entitled Woman with Fish Bowl, (which seems the obvious choice for this blog). For a second chance to win, link to this giveaway on your site and let me know in the comments or by email (themommyspot(at)gmail(dot)com). As always, subscribers to carp(e) libris are automatically entered into this and all book giveaways.

I will draw a winner on Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 12:00 noon EST.