Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith by Russ Ramsey

Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith Reviews

• 
  Erika da Silva Santos

  Meu livro chegou com algumas páginas grudadas… achei o material (papel das páginas) de baixa qualidade, e qdo fui separar as páginas, algumas até rasgaram um pouco 😞
• 
  Kindle Customer

  I feel like the author was a little careless with words. He states some things as a fact when historians are still undecided on things. Enjoyable read, but seems a bit inaccurate.For example in chapter 1 he says that historians pretty much agree that Michelangelo was a homosexual. As someone who has studied Michelangelo at length, that statement surprised me that it was said as if it was a fact. As a Christian understanding the weight and implications of that statement it would have been wise for him to say some historians believe he was a homosexual, however, there is conflicting information on this. In Michelangelo’s later life there is a possibility he even became a Christian through the influence of Vittoria Colonna who was involved in the work of the reformation. Michelangelo’s own words and poetry suggest a humility and dependence on God which was not there earlier in his life. You can even see this reflected in his sculpture Nicodemus where he inserts himself into the piece of work.Again, an enjoyable read, but not necessarily as careful with words as it should be.
• 
  Andrew Green

  There is a popular idea that when you go to an art gallery or museum and look at a work of art long enough, you should be able to "get it". And if you don't get it, then you are somehow of inferior taste or lacking in culture.In reality, it takes time—years even—to develop your own taste in art and an appreciation of the skill and artist behind it. Everyone needs an art teacher to guide them. Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt Is in the Wind offers to be one of those teachers, and it was a pleasure to walk with him through the gallery of his favorite artists, specifically painters in this book, and see what he sees that is so compelling.Russ Ramsey writes to get the reader to engage with beauty. In the opening chapter, he offers several reasons why. The reason demonstrated throughout the book, though, is that there is beauty in the brokenness. In each chapter, stories of brokenness are paired with stories of greatness.Yet it is through and in spite of this brokenness that the beauty these artists create transcends and points to something beyond themselves. Hope for glory unseen. A realm of perfection. A loving Creator. How could this be? Ramsey opens with the following quote from Madeleine L'Engle:"In a very real sense not one of us is qualified, but it seems that God continually chooses the most unqualified to do his work, to bear his glory." (p.5)Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is the least bit interested in art, but in particular as a gift to someone in your life who might be apprehensive about the topic. Ramsey can show them the way.
• 
  Katie Short

  When you see a piece of art, what draws you to it? The composition, form, coloring, subject matter? Have you ever wondered what the artist was trying to convey? Or what life events (joy, trauma, financial need) brought about the work?In “Rembrandt is in the Wind,” author Russ Ramsey helps us see into 10 works of art and enables us to relate to them on a personal and spiritual level. Through the creative means of painting and sculpture, we discover broken people who are, in a sense, giving us a glimpse into their souls. “It is hard to render an honest self portrait if we want to conceal what is unattractive and hide what’s broken…But when we do this, we hide what needs redemption – what we trust Christ to redeem. And everything redeemed by Christ becomes beautiful.” Throughout this book, the reader is reminded that God, the ultimate artist, is using ugly and broken things to point us back to Himself. “When we create, we reflect the image of the Creator. There is a cycle of creation here: Beauty inspires creativity, and creativity is a path to beauty.”Whether you consider yourself a student of art or just a casual observer, you will appreciate the depth of content in “Rembrandt is in the Wind” and be challenged to “contribute beauty to this world – modest though your part may be.”
• 
  Randall Edwards

  Russ Ramsey has written an engaging and insightful book about nine famous painters: their lives, works, and relationships. As he engages with each, he helpfully guides his readers in 'reading' those paintings so that they may better understand a painting's significance.At first glance, many of these painters and their lives could be quickly read and summarized as successful, famous, and skillful in their craft, but Ramsey reminds us that there is so much not only in the paintings but in the artists’ own lives. He reminds us that it is not a blessing to 'be seeing but never perceiving.' Ramsey wants his readers to see the beauty and the stories of ‘friends’ for whom he obviously has an affection. In opening up the works and worlds of each painter, Ramsey shows us that there is beauty, depth, brokenness and redemption. His skillful guiding draws the reader into considering the world around and their own lives as well. In so doing, Ramsey invites us to consider our own heart's story as we pursue that for which we long and the beauty which is ever present, but sadly too often missed or overlooked.