I finished reading Art Talk by Cindy Nemser, a book that I was given as a high school graduation gift. Since then the book has moved with me several times and never been read. This fall when I finished up most of my class reading I finally picked it up as my “gym” book. The teacher who had given this book to me, clearly knew me better when I was 17 then I knew myself at 30. If I had read the book before now I am not sure that I would have found it so inspiring, however when I was only a few pages in it connected perfectly with me.  It has been a stars aligning sort of experience and has been yet another marker on my journey letting me know that going back to school is what I was meant to do.

Art Talk by Cindy Nemser via Goodreads

The book itself is a little dated, originally published in 1975 the artists have evolved since its publication but their attitudes toward art as a female artist does not change with time. The whole book is a collection of  interviews between Cindy Nemsert and 15 female artists. Her focus is on the struggle to become an artist as a female and discussing the culture of the art world in the 50′s through the 70′s. Many of the artists she sits down with share with her how they have managed to do what was seen as impossible, be a wife, a mother and an artist. It is their attitudes that are inspiring. They talk about sacrifices and adapting while still remaining themselves and not compromising there artistic goals. Those that married show how important a supportive husband is in reaching goals and in the case of Lee Krasner, how important a supportive wife can be in helping her husband reach his goals as well.

Each artist opened up a new avenue of thinking about art to me and has inspired me to learn even more about their work. The book also provides a wonderful look at the crossing paths or artists, gallery owners,  art critics and surprisingly how influential de Kooning was. Never really a fan of his work, these artists insights into his work has perused me to take a deeper look at his art. Definitely a interesting idea, a book on female artists inspiring the study of a male artist, who many critics and art viewers have felt present women as violent and or being violated.