What is art to you? Is it an expression of the self or an interpretation of others? Is it something displayed in a museum or hung up in a home? Lovers of art in all of its forms will appreciate these books, all of which are available from the Greene County Library:

Big Ideas Simply Explained: The Art Book by DK Publishing – Takes readers on a visual tour of the world’s greatest masterpieces, in an introduction to art history that explores over 100 different movements, periods, artists, and works throughout history.

A History of Pictures: From the Cave to the Computer Screen by David Hockney & Martin Gayford – Explores the roots of visual expression and technique through hundreds of images, from cave paintings to frames from movies, and celebrates one of humanity’s oldest impulses.

Artspeak: A Guide to Contemporary Ideas, Movements, & Buzzwords by Robert Atkins – A lexicon of contemporary art that explains the who, what, where and when of postwar and contemporary art through mini-essays on key terms and dozens of images.

How to See: Looking, Talking, & Thinking About Art by David Salle – Describes contemporary art in simple language and explores how an artist gives form to an idea and the difference between inventing and perfecting ideas.

Looking at Mindfulness: 25 Ways to Live in the Moment Through Art by Michael Walsh – Introduces a technique for practicing mindfulness and achieving increased mental clarity through observing works of art and living in the moment.

Keeping an Eye Open: Essays on Art by Julian Barnes – A collection of essays traces the artistic evolution from Romanticism to Realism and Modernism to share insights into the opposing dynamics between experiencing art silently and the need to verbalize art’s impact.

Breakfast at Sotheby’s: An A-Z of the Art World by Philip Hook – Explains how paintings and other works of art are each given a financial value based on the artist, their movement, their life, previous works, style, subject, “wall power,” and provenance.