Restless Ambition: Grace Hartigan, Painter

by Cathy Curtis

This first-ever biography of American painter Grace Hartigan traces her rise from virtually self-taught painter to art-world fame, her plunge into obscurity after leaving New York to marry a scientist in Baltimore, and her constant efforts to reinvent her style and subject matter. Along the way, there were multiple affairs, four troubled marriages, a long battle with alcoholism, and a chilly relationship with her only child.Attempting to channel her vague ambitions after an early marriage, Grace struggled to master the basics of drawing in night-school classes. She moved to New York in her early twenties and befriended Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and other artists who were pioneering Abstract Expressionism. Although praised for the coloristic brio of her abstract paintings, she began working figuratively, a move that was much criticized but ultimately vindicated when the Museum of Modern Art purchased her painting The Persian Jacket in 1953. By the mid-fifties, she freely combined abstract and representational elements. Grace-who signed her paintings "Hartigan"- was a full-fledged member of the "men's club" that was the 1950s art scene. Featured in Time, Newsweek, Life, and Look, she was the only woman in MoMA's groundbreaking 12 Americans exhibition in 1956, and the youngest artist-and again, only woman-in The New American Painting, which toured Europe in 1958-1959. Two years later she moved to Baltimore, where she became legendary for her signature tough-love counsel to her art school students. Grace continued to paint throughout her life, seeking-for better or worse-something truer and fiercer than beauty.

Genres: Art, Biography, Nonfiction, Art History, History, American History, Book Club

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2015

Reviews

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was glad to see that this significant Abstract Expressionist painter of the 1950's New York Ab Ex heyday finally got some biographic attention. I was especially interested because recently I visited a mansion (you really couldn't call it anything else) on the Baltimore City garden tour that boasted five Grace Hartigan paintings. The hostess said that the anonymous home owner liked to patronize local artists. Local artists?? I thought she was a New York painter. Turns out she married a prominent research scientist associated with Johns Hopkins, and she spent many often tortured years in Baltimore, which she considered a backwater, while her husband gradually went mad. She continued to paint and was persuaded to teach at the Baltimore Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA to us locals) and ran a graduate program. Apparently there are many who still remember her.

Her life makes a good story, as she was a colorful, outspoken character who was in the thick of things when Jackson Pollack and Willem de Kooning were at their ground breaking peak. She knew all the big names and got recognition for her large abstract works that were notable for the keen sense of color. She bristled at being considered a "woman painter" and plunged into the mainstream of new art forms without fear. Her personal life was a mess, with three improbable marriages and an approach to motherhood that could only be described as abandonment.

Curtis has done a lot of research, making ample use of Hartigan's diaries and correspondence. She focuses on the 50's. It provides a useful narrative of the interaction of the creative personalities in New York at this time, which I enjoyed very much. But the book is more like a recitation of events. It kind of jumps around at the end, and the timeline is confusing. Also there were several very bad proofreading errors. Finally, I had hoped to come away with a better appreciation of the abstract expressionist art form. But I found the analysis of Hartigan's individual paintings, both by quoted art critics and by the author's own analysis, to be baffling. I would reread sentences that seemed liked random words strung together. Perhaps it is impossible to depict in words the intent of great slashes of paint on massive slabs of canvas. The illustrations of her paintings, however, were very good.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and now recognize Miss Hartigan for her local ties. I am glad she has a biography in print.

[Giovanni García-Fenech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable enough, but could use some editing. At one point the author names green as one of the three primary colors (!!!), and at another she places Goya in the late 17th century (she's off by one century), which casts a little doubt on the rest of the book.

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Restless Ambition: Grace Hartigan, Painter


This novel took me a VERY long time to finish - partially because it's long, and partially because it didn't draw me in. I love a good biography, but this book didn't do it for me as much as I would have thought it would. That being said, it was well written and it's a great read for those who like non-fiction.

Following a painter in the 1950s is the main path of this book. Grace's life definitely deserved a book - the ups and down this woman goes through it more interesting than most soap operas. Her marriages and her motherhood are two of the more interesting parts of this novel, alongside knowing she was a female painter in the 1950s (which seems like it would be harder than today - there was no social media to show off your skill back then. You had to work hard to get noticed!).

This book is informational and seems like it was highly researched. I appreciate a biography that sounds more than someone who watched a couple YouTube videos and figured they could write a story about the person. It seems like the type of novel I would have loved in my art classes in high school - it's researched and has incredible information I could have used for an essay or two. And considering I didn't know anything about this author (or knew she existed) before reading this novel I was thoroughly impressed.

Overall, this was a great book. I definitely suggest it to those who enjoy non-fiction books and biographies.

Three out of five stars.

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Hartigan was a very driven female artist trying to make a name for herself during the fifties and sixties. Curtis has done extensive research into Hartigan’s life and writes well. However, the editors let her down as there were several errors, factual and grammatical which needed attending to. Also, it was a great mistake to have the color plates referenced in the text by plate number but none of the pictures were labeled as such.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

* I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley to review

To be honest I was hoping more in this biography as I am very interested in people especially in the arts, but this one was filled too much with facts and dates. Grace Hartigan, the person never seemed to be fleshed out enough for me and I was a bit bored throughout the book. I am an artist and I did appreciate the snippets of Grace's point of view and her approach to art but it was far and few between. On the positive, I enjoyed reading about Abstract Expressionism and the mention of several of the greats such as Jackson Pollock and De Kooning kept my interest.

I did find a mistake in the facts when the author referred to Walter Keene when she attributed the wide-wide waif paintings to him when in actuality the paintings were his wife, Margaret's paintings. He was plagiarizing her paintings and claimed them as his work. In the book, his name and the true facts about these paintings were inaccurate.

Ultimately I appreciate the research and the writing itself though I always need more beyond facts and details. Though I did get a sense of what the life of an artist during the 50's was like and over-all the book was worth the read.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I began reading this book based on a review as well as the artist's connections to Baltimore. In the building where I work one of her paintings is hung in a prominent spot, so I "see her" every day. Plus, I live only a few blocks from the studio she rented (until 2004) in Fells Point. So even though I sometimes got lost in all the names of her friends, colleagues, husbands and lovers, I kept reading until the end. She didn't appeal to me as a person, although the story of her success is compelling in so many ways. This appears to be a well researched biography, with many attributions. I think the author really poured her heart and soul into it.

[Bet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well-researched biography. I have always been at a loss when I see one of Hartigan's paintings, but the author very deftly relates the work to the painter's personality and the events of the time. Grace comes off as a phenomenally selfish, even immature person, but at the same time a person of admirable drive and focus. The use of her diaries adds much to our understanding of the person. You have to admire a woman who made it to the top in a world absolutely dominated by men. I will look more closely the next time I see a Hartigan painting.

[Vanda Krefft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally well researched, and compellingly and intelligently written. I came to this biography knowing very little about Grace Hartigan and after reading it, felt I had learned a lot about someone who was both an important artist and a fascinating person. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

**review to come**

[Eduardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been an admirer of the painters and poets who humorously called themselves The New York School for a very long time especially poets Frank O'Hara and Kenneth Koch, long ago when I first read O'Hara's collected poems the name Grace Hartigan came up. I have always been fascinated by painters so I read her 1950s diaries and looked at her paintings, this is a very detailed and enlightening biography of the creative force and singular artist that Hartigan was.