Inspirational Objects : A Visual Dictionary of Simple Elegant Forms

240 Objects - ranging from manufactured or handmade to natural items - have been beautifully photographed and cleverly arranged to provoke the viewer into a host of different questions: Why do I like it? Where does it come from? What is it for? What is it made from? While this book inspires the reader to respond to the elegant forms of often-overlooked everyday objects, the accompanying text explains the author's own reactions to and interpretations of each object in terms of function, evolution and representation, context and symbolism. The first part of the book consists of photographs and the second of discussion and will be a fascinating and intriguing reference for anyone interested in artistic sources of inspiration.

Alison Milner is a graduate of the Royal College of Art. She is a practising designer-craftsperson.