IN THE FOREST

From the fine author-illustrator of a quartet of books that notably combined observations and tips on drawing with the natural history of his subjects (culminating in Sketching Outdoors in Winter, 1988): a portfolio of a dozen oil paintings of the forest surrounding his home in northern Vermont. Better than any photos, these unpretentious paintings capture the light, the most significant details, and the ambience of this wild environment, while Arnosky's lucid commentaries reveal the sources of their immediacy. Omitting his customary advice to fellow artists, he shares his knowledge of the changing forest, as well as anecdotes about the animals he depicts and other experiences while he was painting. Details from the paintings provide decorative head- and tailpieces; color reproduction seems good until the jacket is compared to the scene in the text from which it is taken: color and detail on the jacket prove to be markedly superior. Still, handsome, and of interest to environmentalists, nature enthusiasts, and the many fans of Arnosky's art.