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The northern New Mexico community of Taos has attracted its share of colorful artists for years. One of the finest contemporary interpreters of the region's ethos, Wagner was influenced by the multicultural roots--European, Native American, and Hispanic--of New Mexican arts. Having extended his painting to the decoration of furniture and three-dimensional objects, his art conveys a range of emotions from whimsy to satire. A subjective study of the artist and his more than-40-year career, this book views Wagner's work through a haze of personalized, affectionate details. The portrait that emerges nevertheless is richly evocative, telling the reader a great deal more than more factual studies. Accomplishing its mission, this book is a fascinating, well-illustrated story of a man who knows how to live an artist's life to its fullest extent and celebrate his environment in the bargain. A worthwhile acquisition for public and academic libraries of the Southwest. - Paula A. Baxter, NYPL