I’m sitting here without my usual computer (it’s in the shop, sniff), and with a rather sizable work that needs reading and reviewing… so of course I put everything off to review something smaller that I’ve been meaning to get to.

Summer of Woodstock is the photobook of the Woodstock statues that dotted Santa Rosa last summer. Once again, artists took a base statue and decorated it ina wide variety of ways. In this case, the statue was of Woodstock sitting in his nest in a tree, and this proved somewhat inhibiting in the design – the tree and nest tended to be left rather literal, giving less room for play than some of the statue designs of earlier years. Still, a lot of fun has been had in these 76 statues. Some play up the Peanuts aspect, adding Snoopy beside Woodstock, putting Woodstock in a Beagle Scout outfit, adding Peanuts strips right on Woodstocks feathery flesh, and so forth. Others enjoyed transforming Woodstock into Jimi Hendrix (one of several Woodstock Music Festival-themed statues), Elvis, or (for you Star Trek fans) Woodspock. As always, some businesses sponsored statues linked to their business – Woodstock taking care of investment nest eggs, or Woodstock tending to his dental hygiene. And several tried to turn Woodstock into other birds, notably several attempts at making him an eagle.

The book is a saddle-stitched booklet, meant both as a momento and as an auction catalog (although it looks like only 18 were auctioned off). Full color, slick paper, and on sale now for $3 at Snoopy’s Gift Shop. (With my computer off at its hospital, I can’t put up scans from the book, but you’ll see some pictures at the link.) From time to time, I get notes from people eager to find the earlier statue books, either from Santa Rosa or from the earlier St. Paul displays, and they can be hard to track down — so if you want this, get it soon before it’s done.

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