The Animated World Of Sheila Graber: Art Animated

This collection of four animated shorts highlights Graber's playful approach to art. In "Expressionism," Graber begins with Edvard Munch's haunting portrait "The Scream," and traces symbolic imagery (often in the form of faces) from ancient Egypt, through Greek and Roman culture, and early Christian representations of Christ on the cross, before moving into modern examples by Van Gogh, Picasso, and others. A mixture of painting, and clay animation, "Expressionism" is a beautiful meld of rich colors and constant movement. "The Face in Art," uses the same fluid movement to trace differences in line and color of the human face from ancient Egypt through the present. "Four Views on Landscape" is a delightful rendering of landscapes by characters representing Constable, Turner (in his case, a seascape), Monet, and Van Gogh. The scene with Van Gogh has him riding a painting tree across his unfolding landscape and then shooting up into the starry sky. The final piece, "Face to Face," is a haunting evolution of the life cycle, from birth to death, starting with the face of a baby and making minute and gradual changes until that same face becomes a skull. Highly recommended for libraries who can afford it. (Available from: Chip Taylor Communications, 15 Spollet Drive, Derry, NH 03038; 1-800-876-CHIP.)