In October 2000 The Renaissance Art Game was released and in the first two weeks alone 4,000 copies flew off the shelves in such major museums as the Metropolitan, the Louvre and the Smithsonian Institution. Developed by Wenda O'Reilly, Ph. D. and her three young daughters, the book and accompanying card game combined beauty, education, and the passion behind great art to create a fun and addictive artistic experience. The Renaissance Art Game found fans in both kids and adults as families and friends gathered to play the card game (reminiscent of Go Fish and Concentration) and read the striking Renaissance Art Book that accompanies the game. Critics also took note of the game, calling it the most effective educational art game on the market. It also won the prestigious National Parenting Center Seal of Approval.

Building on the popularity and wide appeal of The Renaissance Art Game, Wenda O'Reilly has now developed a new art game that promises to equal the first in beauty and inspiration. The Impressionist Art Game, slated for release in October 2001, contains 32 museum-quality cards featuring paintings by eight Impressionist artists, including Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Manet and Caillebotte…and two extraordinary women, Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot. As the card game is played kids and adults learn about the artists and the works detailed on the cards, and the companion full-color art book tells the story behind each masterpiece (including little-known facts and scintillating stories).

Through playing The Impressionist Art Game kids and adults learn:

• How the Impressionists made their paintings shimmer with vibrant colors.
• What advice Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Degas gave to young artists.
• How the Impressionists got their name from a critic who hated their paintings.
• Why talented women were discouraged from becoming professional artists.
• How the new invention of photography influenced Impressionist art.

Just as the Impressionists sought to "ensnare the light and throw it directly on the canvas," this beautiful new card game and book set throws light on the artists, the exciting time in which they lived, and the explosive art revolution they created. The art games were created by Wenda O'Reilly as a project with her three school-age daughters and their friends, who "kid-tested" every aspect of the books and games. Each book and game set brings amusement, beauty and inspiration to family life. In the words of Mariele O'Reilly, co-developer of The Renaissance Art Game "You think you're just having fun and the next thing you know you're an art expert!"

"Smart and beautiful…the game is for kids as young as seven, but if you missed Art History 101, this is a sneaky, fun way to catch up." - San Francisco Chronicle (on The Renaissance Art Game)

Wenda O'Reilly, Ph.D. holds a master's degree from Harvard University and a doctorate in education from Stanford University. She and her husband, James, publisher of the award-winning Travelers' Tales books, have traveled widely with their three daughters, educating them wherever they go. As a family, they are always looking for ways to combine learning and having fun. BirdCage Press is a small, independent publisher based in Palo Alto, California, dedicated to the creation of thoughtful and accessible books and games.

The Impressionist Art Game
October 2001
Ages 7 and up
Suggested retail: $25 ($38.95 Canada)
ISBN: 1-889613-06-1