I was going to hold off mentioning this new book I received for review until I got through all of it, but it is so amazing, I wanted to go ahead a spill some of the beans early: Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques by Cate Coulacos Prato is not your ordinary craft book or even mixed-media craft book. When I first started flipping through the pages, my immediate reaction was “What is this?”

As I made my way page after page through the rest of the book taking in all the artwork pictured and doing a skim read (which is how I normally approach a craft book for the first time before I read it more closely), I got it: Prato is talking about using mixed-media techniques to not just create self-portraits but to also provide a way for artists to have a reflective experience. So, then my reaction was “Wow! And Wow! And, gutsy!”

On my second cruise through her book when I stopped to read a little more, I couldn’t help but start thinking about how I could approach this for my own use, and I think that is what the idea behind this book is mainly about, offering the reader/artist a guide for pulling out very personal artwork as you go on a journey of self-discovery.

I’m still making my way through this. It’s not like this book is super long (120+ pages). It’s just that it is not a quick read because it gives you a lot to think about, so I would not recommend this for the casual crafter. But, if you want to dig into your creative soul, now we are talking!

Don’t be surprised if I mention this book again at some point in the future. There is a lot going on here, and I’m very intrigued.