I'm a person who enjoys art but simply was not gifted with the creativity to produce it. As such, I've never considered collages to be much more than those piecemeal little creations that students in junior high art class would slap together, consisting of photos and letters cut out of magazines and newspapers and glued onto pieces of cardboard paper.

Thus, it was a most pleasant surprise to see "Living Into Art: Journeys Through Collage," a wonderfully illustrated and engagingly written book about those works of art and the effort -- and thought -- that had gone into them. But these collages are nothing like those humdrum little class products. Fantastically creative and brilliantly hued, these are the painstaking efforts by participants at the Sonoma College Studio.

The creators' stories, brought to life so well via the written word by Lindsay Whiting, paint their own colorful tales of introspection that surfaced during their making of the collages. Count me as a surprised reader to learn how much it impacted the creators' lives, and it's fascinating to hear of their personal journeys taken while putting together their works of art. But the phenomenal array and beautiful collages will catch your eye as well, striking evidence of how gorgeous this art form can be.

Lindsay Whiting's book "Living Into Art", is a true gem for everyone who shares her desire and appreciation for personal creative expression. A beautifully written and designed book of amazing collage work, studio tips and revealing stories by 10 unique artists. The artists involved are all part of a collage group in Sonoma, California led by two incredible teachers, Audrey von Hawley and Barbara Jacobsen. This book will inspire people of all ages and professions, to explore the spontaneous art of collage, and perhaps discover their own insights. Thank you Lindsay and the Collage Studio artists for sharing yourselves with us. A wonderful gift!

I had no idea that working with the collage art form could bring such insight and self awareness. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories of the Sonoma group participants. This easy to read book and the unique art work can even inspire a "non-artist" into giving collage a try.

This is a beautiful book. I am an illustrator and graphic designer by trade and a frustrated artist at heart. I found the artwork and experiences that the author shares with the reader to be very inspirational--It made me want to try collage but more importantly, it has helped me to finally make the time for my own creative work (after 25 years of creating artwork around others ideas). The book design is also exquisite.

I was already interested in the collage group, so I knew that the subject matter would be engaging. But I was delighted to find that the writing style also captivated me and carried me along. Kudos to Lindsay!