Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts

Book info: Art & Soul: Stars Unite to Celebrate and Support the Arts (Hardcover, 256 pages) – Filipacchi Publishing, 2011. Language: English.

Art & Soul is a large-format glossy coffee-table book, featuring intimate portraits of celebrities from the entertainment industry including film, television, music and stage. The stunning images, shot by Pulitzer prize-winning photographer Brian Smith, are accompanied by personal testimonials from each artist expressing the importance of the arts in our culture and the positive impact it has on our lives. The notes - in each artist's own handwriting - range from whimsical to weighty, but all offer insight into the individual's background and how their lives were shaped by art. Celebrities photographed for the book include such luminaries as: Anne Hathaway, Samuel L. Jackson, Adrien Brody, Adrian Grenier, Kelsey Grammer, Joe Mantegna, Alyssa Milano, Harry Belafonte, Amanda Peet, John Turturro, Kerry Washington, Zooey Deschanel and many more.The book is created in partnership with The Creative Coalition, the premier public advocacy charity, founded by prominent figures in the entertainment industry. It is an important part of a campaign to focus national attention on the need to ensure that arts in America thrive and flourish. A terrific gift, Art & Soul also helps to support the arts, inspiring future generations of creative artists and improving our lives. From the Inside Flap Some of the celebrities included in the book are: Paula Abdul, Malin Akerman, Tichina Arnold, Tom Arnold, Justin Bartha, Richard Belzer, Tony Bennett, Phillip Bloch, Chris Botti, Adrien Brody, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Busch, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alan Cumming, Tim Daly, Dana Delany, Zooey Deschanel, Taye Diggs, Hector Elizondo, Peter Gallagher, Gina Gershon, Adrian Grenier, Harry Hamlin, Anne Hathaway, Taraji P. Henson, Dulé Hill, Samuel L. Jackson, Tamala Jones, Jamie Kennedy, Judith Light, Wendie Malick, Camryn Manheim, Joe Mantegna, Stephanie March, Gilles Marini, Debi Mazar, Alyssa Milano, Matthew Modine, Mo'Nique, Mary Murphy, Kathy Najimy, Masi Oka, Chazz Palminteri, Aaron Paul, Mekhi Phifer, David Hyde Pierce, Oliver Platt, Jason Ritter, Antonio Sabato Jr., Richard Schiff, Pablo Schreiber, Joel Schumacher, John Turturro, Kerry Washington, Alfre Woodard.For more information, visit artsoulbook.com From the Back Cover Art & Soul is a striking collection of portraits of distinguished artists from the entertainment industry, spanning the worlds of TV, music, film and stage. Celebrities photographed for the book include such talents as Adrien Brody, Zooey Deschanel, Tony Bennett, Spike Lee, Kelsey Grammer, Joe Mantegna, Adrian Grenier, John Turturro, Alfre Woodard, and many more.

These stunning images, shot by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Brian Smith, are accompanied by handwritten testimonials from today's greatest artistic voices, and illuminate the artists' background and how their lives were shaped by art-- as well as the importance of the arts in our culture.

Art & Soul is the cornerstone of a campaign that focuses national attention on the need to ensure that the arts in America thrive and flourish, inspiring future generations of creative artists and enriching all of our lives. The book was created in partnership with The Creative Coalition, the premier public advocacy charity of the entertainment industry, and a portion of the proceeds from the book will support their nonprofit programs. About the Author Celebrity portrait photographer Brian Smith is a Pulitzer Prize winner and Sony Artisan of Imagery. His bold, iconic portraits of celebrities and athletes have graced the cover and pages of hundreds of magazines for the past 30 years. His first magazine photograph appeared in LIFE Magazine when he was a 20-year-old student at the University of Missouri. Five years later, Smith won the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography for his photographs of the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He was again a finalist for the Pulitzer for his photographs of Haiti in Turmoil. His photograph of Greg Louganis hitting his head on the diving board at the Seoul Olympics won first place in both World Press Photo and the Pictures of the Year competition. Smith's work has been exhibited at the Library of Congress, Aperture Gallery and Chelsea Art Museum. Smith has appeared on The X Factor and Fine Living Network. He's the President of Editorial Photographers and frequently a speaker at photography schools and seminars around the country.

Robin Bronk is Chief Executive Officer of The Creative Coalition--the leading national, nonprofit, nonpartisan social and public advocacy organization of the arts and entertainment industry. As CEO, Bronk is dedicated to educating and mobilizing members of The Creative Coalition on issues of public importance. As a seasoned Capitol Hill strategist, she has represented The Creative Coalition at numerous Congressional Hearings, and the White House. Bronk is an author and a frequent public speaker. She produced the feature film airing on Showtime, Poliwood, directed by Academy Award-winner Barry Levinson. She also produced the award-winning Watch What You Watch PSA campaign addressing girls and body image. Bronk pens a weekly "Five Minutes..." column for The Hill newspaper. Bronk grew up in Clemson, South Carolina and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from The Pennsylvania State University. She resides in New York with her three daughters.