This has to be one of the most inspiring craft books to appear on our shelves in recent years. For the first time in my life, as I paged through this book, I felt that I too could be an artist.

Quick Art focusses on home decor, from contemporary block art pieces to labyrinth place-mats, from a pop-art door in rich earthy tones to a screen painted with sea-sand and PVA! The designs are modern and fresh, the colours pleasing, and the textures eye-catching. Without a doubt, there is a project to suit every home somewhere in these pages.

The first section of the book is devoted to comprehensive explanations of the tools, paints, solvents, sealers and other materials utilised in the projects, as well as a run-down of basic colour theory - this means that even a complete novice (like me!) can quickly get to grips with all the essentials.

The rest of the book is a glorious study in human creativity, brought to life by the excellent illustrations that accompany the text instructions.

Well done to Angie and Monique for putting together such a joyful celebration of art, and for making it so very accessible.

The pages of Quick Art are scattered with inspiring quotations - one of my favourites, and perhaps the most relevant here, is this one by Henry Miller:
The thing is to become a master and in your old age to acquire the courage to do what children did when they knew nothing.

Reviewed by Kerry-Anne Gilowey

Also available in Afrikaans as Kitskuns: kuns van die gewone