Really Great Art Calendars for 2010!

If you’re looking for beautiful and inexpensive holiday gifts that are practical and can be enjoyed throughout the year, calendars are ideal.

Think about giving calendars as gifts to the children in your life—what better way to bring art appreciation into the lives of kids of all ages. Just because a child is ten, doesn’t mean he or she won’t enjoy looking at Rothko, who believed that the works of modern painters are similar to the art of children. And, what kid could resist George Rodrigue’s Blue-Dog series of paintings?

There are so many choices available, you can find a great calendar for anyone of any age.

I found this fantastic selection on Amazon. I recommend them because they are truly stunning and inspirational.

Rothko 2010 Calendar

This is a perfect pick for lovers of bold and colorful abstract art. Here is a fun fact about this amazing master of abstraction. In 1936, Rothko began writing a book about the similarities in the art of children and the work of modern painters. Unfortunately for his fans, the book was never finished. A lover of abstract art myself, I love this quote by Rothko, "Child art transforms itself into primitivism, which is only the child producing a mimicry of himself." He added, "…the fact that one usually begins with drawing is already academic. We start with color."

Georgia O'Keeffe 2010 Calendar

This is a perfect gift for people who love the Southwest. Georgia O'Keeffe is beloved by most art lovers. A prolific painter, she is best known for her Southwest Landscapes and dramatic depictions of flowers, architecture, skulls, sky, and desert. O'Keeffe lived to paint and was devoted to her work until she died, "Art is a wicked thing. It is what we are."

Sierra Club 2010 Wilderness Calendar

This is the perfect gift for nature, art, and photography lovers. Why not support America's oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization? Inspired by nature, this organization consists of 1.3 million people who are dedicated to protecting the environment.

John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, said nearly a century ago, "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." We owe him a great deal.

If you give someone a Sierra Club calendar, you might also want to spring for a book on the fascinating life of John Muir whose words and deeds helped inspire President Theodore Roosevelt's innovative conservation programs, including establishing the first National Monuments by Presidential Proclamation, and Yosemite National Park by congressional action.

Illuminated Rumi 2010 Wall Calendar

Every year I buy this calendar as a gift to myself. Based on Rumi's One Song, the calendar is a beautiful combination of art and poetry. Michael C. Green is a contemporary and magical artist who says, "As in musical performance, a painting initially communicates a visceral, non-verbal feeling, a captivating first impression." Rumi, an ancient Persian poet, is still America's most widely read poet. Green's Illuminated Rumi was published in 1997, with over 100,000 copies in print.

Zen Cat 2010 Wall Calendar

For those who love both cats and art, this calendar is perfection. Nicholas Kirsten-Honshin is a contemporary artist and poet known for drawing inspiration from archetypal symbols of Christianity, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism. His work is captivating. He adds cats to the mix creating a cat lovers dream.

Thich Nhat Hanh 2010 Wall Calendar

Illustrated by Nicolas Kirsten-Honship, this calendar is filled with the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh, world renowned Buddhist monk and Vietnamese ex-patriot. He has been an advocate of non-violent activism for decades, urged Martin Luther King, Jr. to oppose the war in Vietnam, and continues to speak publicly about peaceful protest to numerous groups all over the world. In 1967, King nominated him for the Nobel Peace Price, and Nhat Hanh let the Buddhist delegation to the Paris Peace talks. One of the best known Buddhist teachers in the West, his teachings and practices appeal to people form various religious, spiritual, and political backgrounds. He offers a practice of mindfulness that is compatible with Western spiritual practices.

Blue Dog: The Art of George Rodrigue: 2010 Engagement Calendar

For dog lovers who are art lovers, this calendar is a delight. George Rodrigue, a contemporary artist from Louisiana, is known for his Blue-Dog series, inspired by his childhood pet, Tiffany, whom he paints with other animals and pets. Blue-Dog is now world famous and a popular and humorous pop figure in his original and silk screen reproductions. In 2000, representatives of the Xerox Corporation commissioned Rodrigue with a multi-million dollar contract to do a series of Blue-Dog paintings to promote their printers.

This year, my favorite pick is Zen Cat 2010 Wall Calendar, a gift I will be giving myself.