Art today can be whatever one wants it to be: a rotting cadaver, a photograph of someone else's photograph, a banana... In this post-modern age of post-truth, of social media and the selfie, when everyone has a high-resolution digital camera at their fingertips, one wonders what would possess a talented artist to sit for days, weeks, often months, to paint a portrait of a friend or a landscape of home. Today, a group of 20 or so remarkable painters have revived a fascinating style of realistic painting, and in Israel of all places, where realistic art has never played any significant role. Their brand of realism is not mundane photographic realism, but rather it is an intensified sort of realism, a kind of hyper-realism. This book offers an initial explanation as to what these artists are doing, and how they are doing it.

Some authors are prepared for the books they will write over many years before they even consider a book. DAVID and JEANNETH GRAVES have been in an amazing season of preparation and practice for their marriage ministry work. David grew up as the son of a Southern Baptist pastor while Jeanneth hails from a strong, Catholic family in Latin America. Together, they have planted a church in Panama and led Christian marriage classes across the United States of America and Central America. Their fi rsthand experiences as parents and spouses dealing with the complexities of blended families add even more wisdom to their work. Jeanneth's passion for marriage ministry, along with her Christian counseling degree, provides a sound knowledge base for their dynamic writing. These two cannot wait to share the beautiful truths of God for your marriage!