Introduction A very Sophisticated Picture Book for adults, The Bitter Sweet Philosophies is a collaboration between the artist Nick Fedaeff, and a collective of writers known as KK Jart. Nick Fedaeff is a Russian artist living and working in New Zealand. His art is exhibited and sold around the world. This particular collection of his work is an exploration of life through a child's eyes. Each painting has, Fedaeff says, "a real life behind it" and is inspired by a childhood memory. The pictures depict the universal emotions of joy, curiosity and fear, which speak to adults and children alike. The art of Nick Fedaeff evokes different responses from different people, depending on their view of life. It is this complexity that has sparked the KK Jart writers to respond to each picture in this fabulous book, bringing their own creativity to the experience of viewing Fedaeff's art. A picture is worth a thousand words - but each Fedaeff painting contains a thousand stories. On any page here you may find a thought that mirrors your own response. Or you may not. Some will make you laugh. Some will move you. Others may be incomprehensible or appear unrelated to the image in question. This does not make them wrong and it does not make them right - which is precisely the point. As Fedaeff says: "I've done my part. My pictures are very obvious. But then you have different takes on each one. The writers have their own independent vision and points of view. It has been a very unusual experience." Hopefully, the result of this collaboration will bring smiles of recognition. Or better still, invite your own response. Because, as we all know, there are far too many Bitter Sweet Philosophies to be contained in one book.