William Cather Hook: A Retrospective — by Susan Hallsten McGarry

For three decades, the signature "W. C. Hook" has connoted dynamic design, saturated color, and compelling brushwork. William Cather Hook's ability to straddle the border between pictorial illusion and pure paint, between traditional yet modern, has won him collectors worldwide. Less known about this versatile colorist is the breadth of his subject matter. 

Through his paintings and observations, Hook guides the reader of William Cather Hook: A Retrospective on a journey that includes the back roads of northern New Mexico, the high country of the Colorado Rockies and Sangre de Cristos, and California's Route 1 coastline and central valley.

The Sonoran Desert, English and Italian countryside, and garden still lifes are also the subjects of this master of acrylics, whose vision is inviting, vibrant, and infused with radiant light.

Also explored in this retrospective is Hook's working methodology and his biography, from his Kansas roots to his current studios in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Carmel, California. Hook's love of the land and philosophy of art are complemented by his distant cousin and namesake, Pulitzer Prize winning author Willa Cather, whose comments parallel his passion for capturing the nuances of earth, sea, and sky.

Author Susan Hallsten McGarry takes the reader on a wonderful journey and retrospective of Hook's career and provides an inspirational look at an artist who was not afraid to take chances throughout his career. William Cather Hook: A Retrospective is a must-have book for both artists and collectors!

THE DETAILS

Format: Hardcover

Condition: New

Published: September 15, 2014

Publisher: SF Design, llc / FrescoBooks; Illustrated edition

ISBN-10: 1934491454

ISBN-13: 978-1934491454

Pages: 240, color photos

Dimensions: 12.3" inches H x 1.2" inches D x 12.2" inches W

Rating: ★★★★★ (See FAQS under Contact Us/FAQS)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan Hallsten McGarry earned her master's degree in art history from the University of Minnesota and was editor-in-chief of Southwest Art magazine from 1979 to 1997.  She has authored more than 25 monographs, survey books, and catalogues on American artists and contributed to many more.

Living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, she is director of the national painting group Plein-Air Painters of America and is active in the local art community, including ARTsmart, a nonprofit that funds art materials, programs, and scholarships for the youth of northern New Mexico.