Velveteria

Book review in Penthouse Magazine June 2008

June, 2008 – In Penthouse Magazine’s Full Frontal Reads section there is a review on, “Black Velvet Masterpieces: Highlights from the Collection of the Velveteria Museum” by Peter Bloch.
Peter writes: If, when you think of black velvet paintings (if you think of them at all), the first words that come to mind are “weird” and “tacky,” you’re not alone. But, as the authors of this unique volume (covered, appropriately, in black velvet) discover, there’s a lot more to the high art of American pop culture – including genuine humor, sometimes surprising beauty, and tongue-in-cheek irony. Baldwin and Anderson’s personal story of traveling down the “Velvet Trail” (the publisher calls them “the world’s leading authorities on this underappreciated art”) is a perfect complement to the almost 300 velveteen masterworks in this little treasure of a book.