with an Illustrated History of the Celts and their Art by Mairéad Ashe FitzGerald. Paper, 79 pp., 40 color and over 100 b/w illustrations. Decorative arts in the Celtic culture are world-renowned for their beauty, intricacy and depth of meaning. Among the most famous examples are illustrated manuscripts such as The Book of Kells. This attractive book uses many of the ancient sources as inspiration, but brings a personal, modern interpretation to the motifs, creating new and exciting patterns and designs which will both inspire and encourage readers.

PART ONE: History of Celtic Art from ancient times to today. Illustrated with fascinating color photographs and drawings of weapons, manuscripts, silver and gold objects, embroidery and murals. PART TWO: New designs in lavish color and black & white inspired by Celtic beliefs, traditions and decorative sources. Subjects covered include infinity, love, trees, birds, fish, animals and water. Sources of inspiration, practical uses and symbolic significance are all described. A contemporary Irish artist places her work in the context of the rich history of Irish art. O'Brien's original designs are displayed in color, along with information on their connection to Celtic culture and history. Detailed black-and-white drawings are presented with suggestions on how to use them in your own decorating. An illustrated history of Celtic art by Mairéad Ashe FitzGerald is also included.