Neil Farber Growing Pains.

Neil Farber Growing Pains. Works by Neil Farber, introduction by Joshua Dawes Harnden. Richard Heller Gallery, 2005. 40pp., 16 illustrations, 8.3 x 9" (paperback). Limited edition of 1000 copies. (Images above from Book By Its Cover.)

"Taking a simple but expressive line drawing style that is reminiscent of children's book illustrations, Farber's work blurs the boundary between childhood fear and grown-up fantasy. The artist has created a world populated by an odd cast of characters that includes waif-like children, cats, dogs, and ghosts, combining innocence with a complicated and often foreboding sense of the absurd. Indeed, it is out of these contradictions that the work's dark humor is born. Farber's drawings remind us that among the range of emotions, humor is arguably the most complicated – and perhaps the most human."

I didn't know Neil Farber's work before I read about this wonderful book over at the equally wonderful Book By Its Cover - but I'm very happy I do now. To read more about Neil Farber Growing Pains (or other great great books) go to the post on Book By Its Cover. You can also go to the Richard Heller Gallery to view more of Neil Farber's work.