How To Live An Artful Life – an inspiration for every day
Visiting Fellow, Katy Hessel, talks on CNN about her new book
Katy Hessel, Murray Edwards Visiting Fellow, is an art historian, curator, podcaster and internationally-bestselling author. She writes a fortnightly column for The Guardian; is the founder of the Instagram, @thegreatwomenartists, which has grown to 465,000+ followers; and hosts The Great Women Artists Podcast, where she has interviewed Tracey Emin and Marina Abramović. Her newly published book How To Live An Artful Life, offers a new mantra for every day of the year. Katy has been interviewing artists for years and with so many beautiful words, reflections and inspirations, decided to bring 366 of those unique thoughts together in a book which she says is truly for everyone.
Katy says:
"This book is a collection of 366 quotes by artists or writers for every day of the year. I felt compelled to write it when I was feeling distracted and uninspired, and genuinely think these artists' words lifted me out of something. Art can be a tool for so many different facets in our life, but it can also be there to guide us, make us feel less alone, and give us insight into the great creatives who were unafraid to make with honesty and conviction. Why do we go to art? As Paula Rego told her son, Nick (who I quote in the book): because 'artists go to places where no one's ever been before, and bring back something we instantly recognise.' That's the power of art: it can reflect something back to us that makes sense in the most mysterious of ways, hold up a mirror to our world, or make us feel seen."
In a recent interview on CNN with Bianna Golodryga, Katy explains how the artists encourage us to notice something in a different way - to look slowly, see something precious, or see something in a more beautiful way.
Dreams, Oracles, Icons, by Mary Husted
Katy also tells the emotional and fascinating story of Mary Husted, an artist whose work can be seen in the Women’s Art Collection, and who was reunited with her son through her artwork Dreams, Oracles, Icons Feeling pressured to give her illegitimate son up for adoption in 1953, aged 17, Mary suffered many years of heartache over the loss of her child. Her work Dreams, Oracles, Icons makes an explicit reference to that loss. Incredibly, by finding its way into the Women’s Art Collection, then named New Hall Art Collection, her son was able to find her, over four decades later.
You can read Mary's full story here .
About How to Live an Artful Life
Dive into the year with the wisdom of artists. Gathered from interviews, personal conversations, books and talks, How to Live an Artful Life moves through the months of the year offering you thoughts, reflections and encouragements from artists such as Marina Abramovic, Nan Goldin, Lubaina Himid, Louise Bourgeois and many more. With a thought for every day of the year, whether looking for beginnings in January, freedom in summer, or transformation as the nights draw in, this is a book of words to cherish. The year is full of the promise of work that has yet to be written, paintings that are yet to be painted, people who have yet to meet, talk, or fall in love. With this book in hand, pay attention, and see the world anew. Go out and find it, taste it, seize it, and live it – artfully.
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