New by Author Wil Mauch

The following titles by Wil Mauch are available as a fundraiser for the Eric Sloane Appreciation Society. Click the link at the end of the book description, and you will be directed to the secure online checkout of the Eric Sloane Appreciation Society. 100% of the sales will be used to help maintain their site as a free resource for anyone interested in the life and work of Eric Sloane, N.A.

For half a century, visitors national and international alike have traveled to Kent, Connecticut, to obtain perspective on one of America’s most enduring artists.  Since opening on 30 May 1969, the Eric Sloane Museum has presented the artist’s collection of early American tools and original works of art, and serves as a source of education, inspiration, and as a touchstone for tens of thousands of visitors.  It is, for so many reasons, a remarkable achievement and testament to a man aptly described as “in constant motion”.  How did this delightful museum, the exhibits envisioned and crafted by the artist himself, come to pass?  It began with a town dump and an art show – and became a national treasure.

Symbols of American Spirit is presented in two parts.  Using numerous photographs in illustrations, Wil explores the earliest history of the Eric Sloane Museum in part one.  In part two, Wil presents the entire art collection through more than two-dozen full color gallery photographs.  Wil’s informal and engaging writing style – supplemented with anecdotes and little known facts about how Sloane approached painting – feels more like a private tour of the collection than a formal treatment of the artwork.  The result is at times a playful, at times a profound – but always a fascinating – look at the man, his museum, and his art.

Hardcover with dustjacket
$49.99 You can order here

“Nearly everyone who has an interest in early Americana knows of Eric Sloane’s work.  Although best known for his depictions of barns and covered bridges, Eric Sloane was also a successful author, illustrator, anthropologist, meteorologist, and historian.  A man of tremendous and varied talents, Sloane evolved from an itinerant sign painter to an accomplished artist elected to the National Academy of Arts.

Born Everard Jean Hinrichs in 1905, Eric Sloane led a full and intriguing life.  He created everything from cloudscapes while flying with Wiley Post (Amelia Earhart bought his first one) to over three dozen books on the subject of early America.  Eric Sloane is undoubtedly one of the most interesting of twentieth century American painters.

Sure to delight anyone interested in Eric Sloane’s works, Aware is a an engaging read, generously supplemented with the artist’s paintings, illustrations, and rare family photographs…To complete this literary work, the author has included an original, never published Eric Sloane manuscript.  Author James Mauch examines each stage of the artist’s career and life, illustrating how one of Sloane’s areas of interest would be a catalyst for the next, a life-long evolutionary process which culminated in a deep exploration of that the artist described as his “philosophy of awareness”.

– From the dustjacket of Aware: A Retrospective of the Life and Work of Eric Sloane

Hardcover with dustjacket
$55.00 You can order here

Meet Ellie, a girl captivated by clouds.  How her wonder and dreams to visit with the clouds unfolds is the subject of this delightful book. With dozens of illustrations by Eric Sloane and introducing the work of Doan Trang, Ellie and the Clouds will inspire readers of all ages. Includes My Cloud Journal, a 34 page journal for exploring the world of clouds, and for practicing your cloud drawing skills.

Softcover
$19.99 You can order here

This charming and informative volume introduces readers young and old to simple machines and how they work.  Wil modeled this volume after Eric Sloane’s 1962 classic Diary of An Early American Boy, Noah Blake: 1805, using Eric’s original characters, pen and ink illustrations, design, and font.  New stories are told of how Noah, Rachel, Izaak, Mr. Beach, and Mr. Simon used simple machines throughout 1805 to help them accomplish many tasks.  These engaging stories provide the reader with a thorough understanding of what simple machines can and cannot do, generously supplemented with the drawings of architect Barry Merenoff.  Additionally, Professor James Brennan explores the mathematics and physics behind how each simple machine provides a mechanical advantage to the user.  The result is an informative and engaging book that will delight the young and the young at heart, the reader just beginning to understand simple machines and the reader who understands advanced mathematics and physics – and every reader in between.

If you love the work of Eric Sloane, you’ll love this book.  The perfect gift for anyone who admires the pen and ink drawings of the artist, and who wants to learn more about how simple machines were used to build much of early America.

Hardcover with dustjacket
$21.95 You can order here

Looking for books by Eric Sloane? The Eric Sloane Appreciation Society often has books by the author. We recommend emailing them if you are looking for a book by Sloane that is not listed on their site.