I once read that a good children’s book can be more difficult to write than a novel. On the surface that seems absurd. Yet, a child’s book must convey a story within a small package, each sentence carefully crafted to capture the imagination of a young boy or girl.
Our latest book “Good Eye” has some of those same qualities found in a good children’s book. It’s not some monumental tome explaining furniture design in exhaustive detail. Instead, the text is compact, letting illustrations carry much of the load. The real storyteller in this book is not Jim or George, or even the old historical books we’ve used in the past. Actually, the real storytellers are the survivors. Old furniture pieces, beloved for their beauty and usefulness, filled with lessons to pass onto a new generation of artisans. Like an old song reworked to be sung for a new audience in a new time.
Good Eye is a deep look into a number of iconic furniture forms, searching for timeless design lessons. Its focus is not the parts that spoke to the fashion of the day, but to those qualities that have an appeal across time and across cultures. Here’s the best part. Good Eye can also help you to see and hear the stories woven into furniture and buildings in your world. You won’t be able to unsee it.
Good Eye is available through Lost Art Press or directly through our website.
