Day: October 2, 2020

Book review: ‘The Napkin Art of Tim Burton’ by Tim Burton

‘The Napkin Art of Tim Burton: Things You Think About in a Bar.’

Tim Burton is an American filmmaker, animator and artist who is best known for his gothic, fantasy and horror films such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Sweeney Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street. He wrote and illustrated the poetry book “The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories” in 1997 and “The Art of Tim Burton” in 2009, a compilation of his drawings, sketches and other artwork.  He followed the latter with “The Napkin Art of Tim Burton: Things You Think About in a Bar” in 2015, which contains sketches he made on napkins at bars and restaurants he visited.

“The Napkin Art of Tim Burton” begins with a note by Tim Burton where he explains why he likes to draw on napkins.  Simply put, he likes to draw on whatever surface happens to be available when he gets inspired. With all the traveling he does, he is usually in restaurants and bars and the easiest blank surfaces are napkins. He also wants to encourage others to create, “however, wherever possible” because art is mostly about the process of creating, not so much the result. Opposite that page, is a picture of a blank napkin, so the reader can draw on it if the mood strikes, along with any other surface of the book.

This being Halloween season, fans of Tim Burton might want to take notice of this art book.  It is smaller than most books, about a 6 X 6 square and weighs 1.58 lbs. but for hardcore fans, it is a collectible.  The artwork is typical Tim Burton, most are in black and white, but there are some colored ones. Notable napkins include those from Bar Vendôme and Hôtel Ritz and Paris and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  Sometimes he even uses the logo as part of the drawing, which is highly inventive.  One of his best drawings is that of a one-eyed green monster with a real cherry as the pupil. “The Napkin Art of Tim Burton” is a small but valuable book of art by the master of fantasy films and is recommended for genuine fans of his work.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

North Star Mall food drive to benefit San Antonio Food Bank

North Star Mall be be hosting a food drive on Friday October 30 during which those who donate five or more items will receive a Cowboy Boots Fiesta Medal. Photo: North Star Mall, used with permission.

North Star Mall is holding a food drive on Friday, October 30 from 10a.m. to 4p.m. to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.  A San Antonio Food Bank truck and red donation bins will be on site to receive food items all under gray tents with orange trim — the orange symbolizing hunger awareness — at the corner of Rector and San Pedro. North Star Mall staff and volunteers from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Society for Design Administration (SDA) will man the contactless collection point.  While supplies last, they will also be handing out a commemorative, limited edition, Fiesta Medal of its iconic Cowboy Boots, including stars that light-up, to those donating five items or more. (North Star Mall, 2020)

The San Antonio Food Bank’s 12 most wanted foods are: peanut butter, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, mac ‘n cheese, canned chili and soups, baby food, canned meats, pet food, full meals boxed or canned and pop top food items.

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non-profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to over 500 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security.

 “We created the medal to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the World’s Largest Cowboy Boots, along with the memory of its creator, the late Bob ‘Daddy-O’ Wade. It was our intent to offer the medals during Fiesta, but no one could foresee the impact of COVID-19. The pandemic also affected our ability to host CANstruction, an event where we would have typically partnered with architects, engineers and contractor teams representing the San Antonio chapters of the AIA and SDA. The event benefits the SA Food Bank during Hunger Action Month. This is our way of giving back to the community and helping such a worthy cause.” – Brenda Crawford, Sr. General Manager, North Star Mall.

Texas Book Festival announces two ticketed events

‘A Conversation with Matthew McConaughey’ is one of the ticketed events and will feature the actor talking abut his new memoir ‘Greenlights.’ Photo: Texas Book Festival, used with permission.

As part of the 2020 Virtual Texas Book Festival, the festival is announcing events with Matthew McConaughey and Jodi Picoult as they present their most recent books. McConaughey will discuss his memoir “Greenlights” with actor Ethan Hawke on Saturday, November 7 at 4p.m. and Jodi Picoult will discuss her new novel “A Book of Two Ways” with author Amanda Eyre Ward on Wednesday, November 11 at 6p.m.  Tickets for both events are required to attend both events and are now available via the Texas Book Festival website. (Texas Book Festival, 2020)

In ‘A Conversation with Matthew McConaughey,’ the Academy Award-winning actor and beloved Texas native will present his new memoir that is filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction. McConaughey will be in conversation with Ethan Hawke. The first 350 ticket buyers for this event will receive a copy of “Greenlights” with a signed bookplate.

In ‘A Conversation with Jodi Picoult,’ the bestselling author will discuss her new novel “A Book of Two Ways” with bestselling author Amanda Eyre Ward. Picoult is the author of twenty-six novels, including #1 bestsellers “Small Great Things” and “A Spark of Light” and several short stories and novellas. Picoult’s new fiction delivers a riveting story about the choices that change the course of our lives. The first 100 ticket buyers for this event will receive a signed copy of “The Book of Two Ways.”

Tickets are $41 for each event and include the cost of the book, processing fees and shipping. Tickets for the event featuring McConaughey are available via the Crowdcast page and tickets for the event featuring Picoult are available via the Crowdcast page. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Texas Book Festival’s literacy and outreach programs across the state and help keep the Festival free and open to the public every year. 

For book lovers who want access to all ticketed sessions, Texas Book Festival is offering Festival Friends Passes for a $100 minimum donation. The passes provide access to all Virtual Festival headlining author ticketed sessions (books not included), acknowledgment on the TBF website and one year of Texas Monthly home delivery and subscriber-only digital access. Donors of $150 or more will receive a commemorative 25th Anniversary enamel pin and donors of $200 or more will receive the enamel pin and a special edition TBF tote bag.

With a vision to inspire Texans of all ages to love reading, the Texas Book Festival connects authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas and imagination. Founded in 1995 by former First Lady Laura Bush, Mary Margaret Farabee and a group of volunteers, the nonprofit Texas Book Festival promotes the joys of reading and writing through its annual Festival, the Texas Teen Book Festival, the Reading Rock Stars Title I elementary school program, the Real Reads Title I middle and high school program, grants to Texas libraries and year-round literary programming. The 2020 Virtual Texas Book Festival will take place from October 31 through November 15. Thanks to generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers, the Festival remains free and open to the public.