The author shows how artists inspired each other and how they are connected. Each artist profiled has a short biography and those they were inspired by and those they inspired. Most of the artists are well known. The illustrations are wonderful. This book will make a wonderful gift for an Art Lover.

In Artistic Circles, Susie Hodge brings to life the intricate and often surprising web of connections between some of the world's most celebrated artists. This beautifully illustrated book explores the relationships, inspirations, and collaborations that have shaped the course of art history, offering readers a glimpse into the personal and professional lives of these creative individuals.

The book introduces readers to 84 artists, ranging from well-known figures like Georgia O'Keeffe and Jackson Pollock to lesser-known but equally fascinating artists. Hodge expertly weaves together stories of friendship, mentorship, romantic relationships, and shared muses, illustrating how these connections have influenced the artists' work and, in many cases, led to groundbreaking developments in the art world.

One of the standout features of Artistic Circles is its emphasis on the role of female artists and contemporary creators. Readers are treated to stories of figures like Anni Albers, who found inspiration and guidance from Paul Klee, and the powerful romantic and artistic partnership of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock. The inclusion of modern artists such as Takashi Murakami, who finds a muse in the iconic flowers of O'Keeffe, highlights the timeless nature of artistic inspiration and influence.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

3.5* stars

84 artists have been mentioned in this book and I can tell this is an extremely well researched book, the way artists are connected, specially how one artists paves way to another's story, it's pretty interesting. Ofcourse, it's not possible to fit in their entire lives in two pages but the author did an impressive job.

The illustrations are well-done, though I'd have liked few art pieces attached along the artists to get a sense of their works but it's okay otherwise too. This is a good introduction to the artists for anyone who wishes to get into the art world and explore the artists for themselves instead of being simply swayed by the most popular ones.

This is a glorious book for anyone interested in art and probably one of my top five. Full of beautiful illustrations and information linking artists who have been influenced in some way by other artists. I was especially impressed by the number of female artists mentioned, many of them not known to me but worth more research. A great taster of a book which would sit nicely on anyone’s coffee table, ready to dip in and out of to provide hours of entertainment. Delightful and highly recommended as a gift for those who are passionate about art.

On understanding inspirations, influences and how interconnected the art world is. After a week of reading really heavy topics, I thought my next read should be something that's more lighthearted. I thought a book on art would be good, and I happened to discover this by chance. I requested it via NetGalley as it's not out till next month and I read it in one sitting the moment my request was approved. It's a short read, but surely an enjoyable one. ⁣
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The premise of the book should be self-explanatory for its cover and there are some I'm quite familiar with already, I still had a few a-ha moments while reading. It's also refreshing to see the number of female artists included amongst the 84 artists considered. There are also quite a few contemporary, living artists. As you'd expect, it's a short story on each and I like how each story is linked to the next one. Within this beautifully illustrated book, Susie Hodge explains why it is important to understand our links and connections with others, and such connections are even more important for artists who tend to inspire each other. In her very own words:⁣
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"In all of our lives, we have countless links and connections with others that alter how we think or act, what we do, why we do it and where. Sometimes, these connections may seem irrelevant but end up being quite significant; at other times, they can seem important in the moment, but their effect is almost imperceptible. Many connections affect us in ways we could never anticipate, and nowhere are these things more apparent than in the lives of artists, for whom events so often manifest themselves visually through their work. One of the most fascinating aspects of art and art history is learning about these links and connections, and seeing how, why and where they occur, how they emerge and evolve into works of art or even entire art movements."⁣
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So true.

This title includes stories of many artists and their creative connections with others. For each artist featured, there is interesting biographical information, something about these connections and an illustration of the artist. These illustrations reflect each artist’s own style.

There are way too many artists to list here. Some of those included are Sargent, Mondrian, Picasso, Calder, Basquiat and Krasner. I very much enjoyed the biographical anecdotes about each talented artist. The connections are also there often floating above the other text.

This title is well organized. Beneath each artist’s name are those who were influenced. For example, under Georgia O’Keeffe is the name Judy Chicago. Under Judy Chicago’s name are Georgia O’Keeffe, Eva Hesse and Jenny Holzer. This helps readers to see how so many of the artists connected to each other and lets readers hone in on which entries they want to read.

For those who would enjoy a wide-ranging exposure to both well-known and lesser known artists, this book is recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title which I plan to purchase. All opinions are my own.