January: A time for “Gentlemen & Players”
First off, I will admit that I was cutting things very close with the art portion of the Artful Readers Club challenge. I have all kinds of excuses, but let’s face it, you don’t care, and truth be told, neither do I. I am so excited to have spent time in my studio getting back into the mixed media work that I love.
The book I chose for January was the novel “Gentlemen & Players” by Joanne Harris. I rate my books on a scale of one to five, which is something that I started doing when a group of women from my neighborhood began a book club in 1998 (although with them there always seems to be a discussion about allowing halves). I gave this book five stars because I enjoy books that have a lot of character development and it was the last 100 pages, which included a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, that pushed this into the five star rating.
I have debated on what to include in my review and description of my art piece because I don’t want to give away the ending of the book. I enjoyed it so much I would rather just encourage others to read it. So I’ve decided to give you the text from the book’s dust jacket, which is as follows:
” Audere, agere, auferre.
To dare, to strive, to conquer. ” For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald’s Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric Classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. But this year the wind of unwelcome change is blowing. Suits, paperwork, and information technology are beginning to overshadow St. Oswald’s tradition, and Straitley is finally, and reluctantly, contemplating retirement. He is joined this term by five new faculty members, including one who — unbeknownst to Straitley and everyone else — holds intimate and dangerous knowledge of St. Oswald’s ways and secrets. Harboring dark ties to the school’s past, this young teacher has arrived with one terrible goal: “to destroy St. Oswald’s”.As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike. Beginning as small annoyances — a lost pen, a misplaced coffee mug — they are initially overlooked. But as the incidents escalate in both number and consequence, it soon becomes apparent that a darker undercurrent is stirring within the school. With St. Oswald’s unraveling, only Straitley stands in the way of its ruin. The veteran teacher faces a formidable opponent, however — a master player with a bitter grudge and a strategy that has been meticulously planned to the final move, a secret game with very real, very deadly consequences.
A harrowing tale of cat and mouse, this riveting, hypnotically atmospheric novel showcases “New YorkTimes” bestselling author Joanne Harris’s astonishing storytelling talent as never before.
When it comes to art, sometimes a piece creates itself in exquisite detail in the artist’s mind long before it becomes a physical piece of art. When this happens, as an artist, you have no choice but to give life to idea inside you. That is what happened in the case of my book-inspired art this month. My intention when I joined in the Artful Readers Club was to get myself in my studio playing with some of my art materials that had been neglected far too long. I envisioned doing an art journal page or something relatively small each month just to get myself into a creative habit. My inner artist was having none of this. No baby steps for me! The piece of art that was calling to me was this assemblage made from a cigar box. The two pictures show the sliding panels in the top both open and overlapped. I’ve decided not to include to detailed description of the piece here but will put it in the comments so,if you are inclined to read the book, I will not give away the major theme that dictates the twist at the end.
Catherine
February 8, 2013 6:12 pmLove the art work and although not sure I would enjoy the book your enthusiasm may have just persuaded me to give it a try! Boy my list is getting quite long going round the blogs and we are only on month one!
Lol!
Jenny Pearson
February 8, 2013 4:20 amLove the art work, so original and beautifully done. Sounds like a good read too.
Jen x
Maz H
February 2, 2013 10:17 amSounds like a good book so it’s been added to my list 🙂 I love what you’ve done with your artwork and very different to a journal page lol.
Shirley
January 30, 2013 4:48 pmThe book sounds really intrigueing and is now having to go on my to read list. Your assemblage art is fabulous and once I have read the book I will revisit it. It is lovely when the ‘art’ appears in your head and no matter what else you think you will do it keep coming back until it has worked its way out through your finger tips!
Ali
January 30, 2013 3:53 amSounds like an interesting read and has lead to a fascinating piece of art! I love the twists she gets into her books. I have read four or five others, but not this one yet! Great review too thankyou!
Gia
January 29, 2013 3:54 pmThat is an amazing piece…so jealous of the cigar box lol(does it still smell of tobacco?) Hadn’t heard of this book, sounds a very interesting read though 😀 XXX
Leialoha
January 28, 2013 4:33 pmI have read all of Joanne’s books…including this one…very unique art piece using the cigar box and sliding panels…brilliant!
Michelle Vanstrom
January 28, 2013 4:06 pmWow! Amazing artwork! Will have to look for the book, add it to the long list I’m accumulating. Thanks for the read. Michelle Vanstrom
Dee
January 28, 2013 7:52 amA very interesting review, thank you. Great art too. will look forward to your next one.
Carmen
January 27, 2013 11:17 amI’ve only read one Joanne Harris (Chocolat) but I did really enjoy her writing style in that so if I see this one I’ll definitely pick it up too.
Your art piece is just gorgeous with so many layers, both literally and hinting at the story.
Janet Van Rossen
January 27, 2013 10:44 amI have added this to my list of books to read! I am a lapsed reader and as soon as I read your comments thought that this was one for me. I am so excited that an old delight has been restored to me. Fabulous artwork – far beyond my capabilities.
Janet xx
manon
January 26, 2013 5:25 pmWow this is so thrilling seeing your art just wants me to go and read that book! Wonderful.
P.J.
January 26, 2013 11:10 amThat artwork is simply amazing! Awesome! And the book sounds interesting. I might have to look into it some.
Jenny
January 25, 2013 10:04 pmSounds like a wonderful book Diane… so glad you enjoyed it… and love your gorgeous altered cigar box… a beautiful art piece…
Jenny ♥
Teri
January 25, 2013 9:01 pmGood review and I love your art piece. Very cool!
darcy
January 25, 2013 4:36 pmthe blurb from the back of the book makes it sound so intriguing, and from your review it sounds like it did not disappoint in any way. Totally love the cigar box, I am wondering how that ties in with the book, it’s def going on my wish list so I can find out.
cindy wolf
January 25, 2013 1:11 pmGreat review…..but the best part was your art. Fantastic.
jay
January 25, 2013 11:28 amoh wow..love what u did with the art part..it does sound like a good book to
San @ Made in Hem
January 25, 2013 9:46 amYou altered an entire cigar box after reading this book? Awesome!!! ♥
And I really don’t need another book added to my pile but this does sound and look very interesting… Thanks! 🙂
diane
January 25, 2013 9:36 amI mentioned in my post that I would give a few details regarding the assemblage piece inspired by the book “Gentlemen & Players”. I chose a cigar box as the main structure for the piece because of its “old boys club” stigma that reflected the importance of the private boys school that was the setting for the novel. The photos in the top part represent the main characters, the professor and the youth-turned-teacher, who narrate the story and the two time frames in which the story is told. The bottom of the piece alludes to the strategies and actions (including violence) used by the teacher to take revenge on the school. Some of the themes within the book are the continuing prevalence of class structure, bullying and its long term effects, and the impact of gender assumptions when a character is androgynous (which is highlighted in the two photos of Katherine Hepburn, which represent the young “boy” that becomes a teacher to exact revenge on the establishment that shunned her father and herself. I hope you enjoyed see my artwork and learning the meaning that is conveyed by each of the elements.
Virginia
January 25, 2013 9:06 amOh my the book sounds fabulous but your artwork is out of this world – how fabulous to create such an amazing piece!!
Sarah
January 25, 2013 9:01 amWow, your assemblage is fantastic! And that’s with me not even really understanding it not having read the book, but even not knowing the story it’s a great piece, and it conjures up all sorts of scenarios in my mind.
It makes me want to read the book so that I can fully “get” it 🙂 Even more so with you having given it a 5* review.