A Woman on Paper: Georgia O'Keeffe

by Anita Pollitzer

The author shares her correspondence with Georgia O'Keefe and recounts her friendship with the artist

Genres: Biography, Art, Nonfiction, Memoir

290 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Leslie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful background stories and never seen before photos of Georgia O' Keeffe.

[Heather Denigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Georgia told her, "I don't recognize myself" in this biography, Anita has written an affectionate account of Georgia as Georgia's friends saw her. (Most of them, most of the time, anyway.) Although not a scholarly bio, I appreciated that Anita focused on Georgia's work and passed over some of the more tabloid/soap opera aspects of her life (like Steiglitz's marital shenanigans). Anita herself seems to indicate that Georgia is best understood in her art, that only her paintings capture her essentials -- although there too she remains inscrutable -- and her biographical details are secondary.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really learn much about O'Keefe from reading this. If you're looking for a biography, this isn't the book for you. In reality it's something closer to a memoir by the author about her friend. There are letters to/from O'Keefe and there is some history, but it's really a reflection of how Anita saw her dear friend. The other disappointment is the photographs that are included. I understand why some had to be in black and white, but some, especially the "location" shots from O'Keefe's home in the desert, could have been left out. They aren't the quality of Ansel Adams and if you're talking about the color of the landscape, it loses something.

[Lee Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is, perhaps, as Georgia O’Keefe herself said, “highly romanticized”, but it is a good basic primer that keeps the reader focused squarely on O’Keefe’s work. It also helps us to see how she grew as an artist. Her personal life was probably much messier than Anna Pollitzer portrays it.

I made some notes of contemporary artists—Ansel Adams and Frank Lloyd Wright—and was delighted that she knew and was conversant with them.

An important American painter.

Highly recommended

[Ashley Florio · Rating 4 out of 5]

love the way this is written about the life of Georgia Okeeffe

[sosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

some letters from o'keefe but mostly observations and letters of others

[John Mchugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make that 3.75. Learned a few things about an artist who work. no matter how many times I encounter it, always stops me in my tracks.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting material but not a great read.

[Barbara Rice · Rating 2 out of 5]

O'Keefe did not give permission/approval for this book to be published; it was only after the death of both the author and O'Keefe that it did see the light of day. This is a romanticzed view of Georgia O'Keefe and her career, repeating the "Finally, a woman on paper" remark allegedly made by Alfred Stieglitz - though there isn't any evidence to believe he ever said it. The low points of O'Keefe's career are glossed over or entirely ignored. In short, this is a light read for someone only casually interested in the subject.

[Cassiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is an example of why biographies should not be written by friends. There is so little actual biographical material here that one wonders if the information has been sanitized, or if O'Keeffe's life could have been so very dull.

The letters exchanged between the friends are interesting, too bad there weren't more included. I am still curious about O'Keeffe, and will seek out a better biography.

[Wendy Holcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is strictly letters written between 2 friends. There is no filler put in between. I enjoyed reading these letters, but I already have a background knowledge of Georgia O'Keefe and her life.
I can see where this book could either whet the appetite of someone to learn more, or it may give someone miss information and make them think that this is all there was to Georgia O'Keefe's life, when in fact it was much, much fuller.

[Cristiana Pagliarusco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anita Pollitzer's biography shows aspects of O'Keeffe's life that the modernist artist carefully prevented people to discover. A powerful book to get closer to the painter, especially if it is read together with the two women friends'correspondence recorded in "Lovingly, Georgia".

[Suzanne Krueger · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about Georgia O'Keefe, told through letters to a friend.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving this inside look at the budding artistry of Gerogia O'Keefe and her letters to both Anita Pollitzer and Alfred Stieglitz. Yummy!

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read later than Georgia O'Keeffe read this book and couldn't recognize herself in it! Still, it was interesting. I didn't know much about her until I read this.

[Deb cambria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific. I admire O'Keeffe...her life and her art