Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 09:36:26 -0500
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Art? Alll in the eye of the beholder . . .Re: [WSFA] A imaginary conversation about book covers....
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

>StrongL at MTMC.ARMY.MIL 02/03/03 07:59AM
>  The ambitiously indefatigable Mr. Michael Walsh of Old Earth Books
>finds Baen book covers "appalling" and "color blind."  On the other hand,
>almost anything is better than the Sixties "Jackson Pollack" covers that
>lacked the dignity of solid color without telling you anything about the
>story.

'tis Pollock, and I find many of his "paintings" fascinating.  Same for =
Mark Rothko; who's paintings have to be seen "live & in person", print - =
and web - reproductions do not do him justice.

But God is J. M W. Turner.
(Before or after Interaction, go to London, then to the Tate.  Do like Bob =
Eggleton and just be amazed.)

Anyway, back to commercial skiffy art . . .

Baen Books sell.  Covers help to sell books.  Baen knows his market and =
how to reach it. But in general, what the covers "advertise" I find =
terribly uninteresting.

But sometimes even Jim screws up.  The art and production for the trade pb =
of Andre Norton's "Janus" omnibus is just . . . laughably bad.  Get =
yourself to your local Borders or B&N and gaze upon this failure.  No, not =
the image online . . . you have to hold the book.

Since everyone should have received their Torcon3 PR, one should note =
their plans to have, in addition to the traditional art show, a retrospecti=
ve of the best of the 1950s-1960s.  The retro show at Chicon was just =
stunning.

mjw