As Essential as Dreams : Self-Taught Art from the Collection of Stephanie and John Smither

This stunning book examines the collection of works by self-taught artists assembled by Stephanie and John Smither over the last thirty-odd years.

A team of prominent curators, writers, critics, and art historians focuses on key works by twelve artists, including the boisterous assemblages of Thornton Dial; brightly colored visual interpretations of the Bible by Sister Gertrude Morgan; Oscar Hadwiger’s detailed wood models of fantastical architecture; and Carlo Zinelli’s narrative tableaus of stylized figures and animals.

Also featured are works by the ceramicist Georgia Blizzard; drawings by Hiroyuki Doi, Solange Knopf, Martín Ramírez, and Dominico Zindato; paintings by Jon Serl and Johnnie Swearingen; and carved wood sculptures by Charlie Willeto.  Distributed for The Menil CollectionExhibition Schedule:The Menil Collection (06/10/16­–10/16/16)