Artistic Circles

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.

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.