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I Know an Artist: The Inspiring Connections Between the World's Greatest Artists
Discover the fascinating connections between the world's greatest artists.
I Know an Artist introduces some of the most inspirational stories of friendship, love, creativity and shared passions in the world of art. Each of the 84 illustrated profiles reveal the fascinating links between some of the best known artists. Whether through teaching, as in the case of Paul Klee and Anni Albers; a mutual muse, as seen in the flowers of Georgia O’Keeffe and Takashi Murakami; or an inspirational romantic coupling like that of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock.
In telling the tales of these creatives lives and achievements – each extraordinary and oftentimes ground-breaking – Susie Hodge exposes the fascinating web of connections that have fostered some of the world’s art masterpieces. Some are well-known, whereas others span both time and place, linking pioneers in art in fascinating and unexpected ways.
Illustrated in colourful tribute to each artists’ unique style, I Know An Artist is an illuminating and celebratory account of some of the art world’s most compelling visionaries. A perfect introduction for students, and a source of new and surprising stories for art lovers.
I Know an Artist introduces some of the most inspirational stories of friendship, love, creativity and shared passions in the world of art. Each of the 84 illustrated profiles reveal the fascinating links between some of the best known artists. Whether through teaching, as in the case of Paul Klee and Anni Albers; a mutual muse, as seen in the flowers of Georgia O’Keeffe and Takashi Murakami; or an inspirational romantic coupling like that of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock.
In telling the tales of these creatives lives and achievements – each extraordinary and oftentimes ground-breaking – Susie Hodge exposes the fascinating web of connections that have fostered some of the world’s art masterpieces. Some are well-known, whereas others span both time and place, linking pioneers in art in fascinating and unexpected ways.
Illustrated in colourful tribute to each artists’ unique style, I Know An Artist is an illuminating and celebratory account of some of the art world’s most compelling visionaries. A perfect introduction for students, and a source of new and surprising stories for art lovers.
- GenresArtNonfictionHistory
192 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2019
22 people are currently reading
1527 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 23, 2019
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Here 84 artists are showcased in order to reveal fascinating connections between them.
Thanks to this book I had the chance to read about my favourite artists and discovering new ones. And this was something I really appreciated.
One thing I did not like very much was that at times there weren't the artists' true portraits or some of their works to look at.
Despite that, I think that if you are an art lover this book could open your eyes and make you discover new things.
Here 84 artists are showcased in order to reveal fascinating connections between them.
Thanks to this book I had the chance to read about my favourite artists and discovering new ones. And this was something I really appreciated.
One thing I did not like very much was that at times there weren't the artists' true portraits or some of their works to look at.
Despite that, I think that if you are an art lover this book could open your eyes and make you discover new things.
November 13, 2019
Despite all the negative picky reviews I read in here, I would say that this book is a great introduction to the world of art and has a very curious idea of portraying connections and influences between artists. Moreover, there are many Female incredible artists who otherwise rarely manage to secure their visibility in exhibitions or books - like Käthe Kollwitz or Paula Rego - no matter how unbelievably talented they are.
The illustrations are an absolute masterpiece...did you see Klimt reading in the garden or Max Ernst's wings? Well done, Sarah Papworth!
I have been involved with the Arts for some time now and yes - the biographies are not that detailed but the book itself brings satisfaction because of the very well picked content(individuals) and the colourful illustrations. If you are not happy with the brief introduction, go and get a specific book on a certain artist.
Finally, I quite regret there were not such books when I was growing up - so captivating especially with the design. However, I would give it as a present to all - from teenagers who have never heard of Camille Claudel to experienced artists who know the whole story behind her art.
Thank you for your attention and always have in mind before expressing edgy criticism that different books serve different purposes, societal and age groups.
The illustrations are an absolute masterpiece...did you see Klimt reading in the garden or Max Ernst's wings? Well done, Sarah Papworth!
I have been involved with the Arts for some time now and yes - the biographies are not that detailed but the book itself brings satisfaction because of the very well picked content(individuals) and the colourful illustrations. If you are not happy with the brief introduction, go and get a specific book on a certain artist.
Finally, I quite regret there were not such books when I was growing up - so captivating especially with the design. However, I would give it as a present to all - from teenagers who have never heard of Camille Claudel to experienced artists who know the whole story behind her art.
Thank you for your attention and always have in mind before expressing edgy criticism that different books serve different purposes, societal and age groups.
May 13, 2019
Think of this as a book of maps of the art world without any maps, or the Venn diagrams of connections and overlaps between painters without any Venns. We start with Monet, and basically riff off from there, elaborating on each and every artist the script causes us to encounter. It's definitely a most varied and an educational volume, even if it talks of styles without defining them and artworks without reproducing them. But I don't really think it fully works – with so many bite-sized biographies to absorb it reads like a toilet book for dipping into in three minute bursts, but that kind of diminishes the exploration of all the links between the subjects for anyone without a photographic memory.
April 14, 2019
I Know an Artist
written by Susie Hodge
illustrated b y Sarah Papworth
Over 80 artists are showcased in this informative book about artists and their connections with one another. Have you ever wondered if two artists might have known or influenced one another? This book has some of that information as well as a bit about the artists and the type of artwork they produced. There were a number of new-to-me artists from all over the world. There were artists from the past and more current ones as well. The illustrations are interesting and simply reflect the artists’ work. I did feel at times that I would have liked to have a reference nearby that had the artists true portraits or at least a few of their works of art to look at.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group-While Lion for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
written by Susie Hodge
illustrated b y Sarah Papworth
Over 80 artists are showcased in this informative book about artists and their connections with one another. Have you ever wondered if two artists might have known or influenced one another? This book has some of that information as well as a bit about the artists and the type of artwork they produced. There were a number of new-to-me artists from all over the world. There were artists from the past and more current ones as well. The illustrations are interesting and simply reflect the artists’ work. I did feel at times that I would have liked to have a reference nearby that had the artists true portraits or at least a few of their works of art to look at.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group-While Lion for the ARC – This is my honest review.
3-4 Stars
September 5, 2021
Artistic Circles by Susie Hodge is a fun and educational trip through the many ways various artists are connected. From being friends, lovers, and mentors to simply being an inspiration, these connections show that we do indeed stand on the shoulders of those before us.
This is not, and certainly in this size could not be, an in depth look at all of these connections. To expect such is unreasonable. Instead, the short profiles and stories about the connections works very well at showing that these types of things are closer to the norm than something unusual. What Hodge manages to do very well is offer enough information so that if we want more detail about some of these interactions we have a good jumping off point. To have more about each artist and each work mentioned would change this into an encyclopedia, and there are plenty of those. The reduce the number of artists in order to go into detail then would turn this into a biography of just a couple of artists, which would be a good read but would not accomplish the goal of showing how common these influences and connections are.
For both someone new to learning about art and the art world as well as the more widely read, this book will offer new insights and generate some curiosity about whatever relationships strike the reader's fancy. For that reason I would highly recommend this book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
This is not, and certainly in this size could not be, an in depth look at all of these connections. To expect such is unreasonable. Instead, the short profiles and stories about the connections works very well at showing that these types of things are closer to the norm than something unusual. What Hodge manages to do very well is offer enough information so that if we want more detail about some of these interactions we have a good jumping off point. To have more about each artist and each work mentioned would change this into an encyclopedia, and there are plenty of those. The reduce the number of artists in order to go into detail then would turn this into a biography of just a couple of artists, which would be a good read but would not accomplish the goal of showing how common these influences and connections are.
For both someone new to learning about art and the art world as well as the more widely read, this book will offer new insights and generate some curiosity about whatever relationships strike the reader's fancy. For that reason I would highly recommend this book.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
May 20, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley
Featuring over 80 artists and coming in at just under 200 pages, this book is definitely more of an introduction than a comprehensive look at any particular artist or style. The book starts with a random artist and then randomly leap-frogs around based on who that artist knew, exhibited with, or was inspired by. It's definitely not a format that lends itself to deep study or even long term retention of knowledge, but it has a lot of fun facts and talked about a lot of artists I had never heard of before so I did find it very enjoyable overall. It's definitely more of a coffee table book than anything else, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
One thing I really loved about this in particular is that it included a lot of female artists. I think that literally about half of all artists featured were women, which is definitely something you have to make an intentional effort to do in a profession that was so long dominated by men. I think it helps that most artists featured are from the mid 1800s to today, but it was still nice to see and I also appreciated that it often talked about their struggles finding people to teach them or places that would display their work etc.
Featuring over 80 artists and coming in at just under 200 pages, this book is definitely more of an introduction than a comprehensive look at any particular artist or style. The book starts with a random artist and then randomly leap-frogs around based on who that artist knew, exhibited with, or was inspired by. It's definitely not a format that lends itself to deep study or even long term retention of knowledge, but it has a lot of fun facts and talked about a lot of artists I had never heard of before so I did find it very enjoyable overall. It's definitely more of a coffee table book than anything else, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
One thing I really loved about this in particular is that it included a lot of female artists. I think that literally about half of all artists featured were women, which is definitely something you have to make an intentional effort to do in a profession that was so long dominated by men. I think it helps that most artists featured are from the mid 1800s to today, but it was still nice to see and I also appreciated that it often talked about their struggles finding people to teach them or places that would display their work etc.
July 16, 2019
A very interesting and entertaining book. It introduced me to so many artists, some I'd heard of, some whose names I didn't know but recognized their work, and some I was previously unaware of. Each artist has a short bio and overview of their career, and a link to the next artist covered. The illustrations in the book are cool, but be prepared to do a lot of googling, as there are no photos of the artists or their work. At first this kind of bothered me, but to be honest, I would've been googling like mad anyway, so I got over that quickly. A great book for any artist and/or art lover.
#IknowAnArtist #NetGalley
#IknowAnArtist #NetGalley
August 14, 2021
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.
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.
November 25, 2022
I liked the format & (sometimes tenuous) connections between the artists. The illustrations by Susie Hodge were delightful & definitely as important as the written content for me.
I appreciated the long overdue recognition & setting the records straight, on the importance of women artists & dealers. How heavily Gustav Klimt drew upon the lesser known work of Margaret & Frances Macdonald for instance, or how Andy Warhol paid $50 to art dealer Muriel Latow for her idea to paint ordinary soup cans & money. Highly ironic, considering that he subscribed to the idea that an artist’s ideas are more important than their technical abilities. Lots of other examples of male artists benefiting from under appreciated female artist’s work & ideas were included, which made this a good book to read from a feminist perspective & I certainly like to read from a feminist perspective.
I appreciated the long overdue recognition & setting the records straight, on the importance of women artists & dealers. How heavily Gustav Klimt drew upon the lesser known work of Margaret & Frances Macdonald for instance, or how Andy Warhol paid $50 to art dealer Muriel Latow for her idea to paint ordinary soup cans & money. Highly ironic, considering that he subscribed to the idea that an artist’s ideas are more important than their technical abilities. Lots of other examples of male artists benefiting from under appreciated female artist’s work & ideas were included, which made this a good book to read from a feminist perspective & I certainly like to read from a feminist perspective.
October 23, 2021
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.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this ARC.
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.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this ARC.
May 7, 2019
This would make the perfect coffee table book for even the most casual art lover. The short descriptions of each artist packed with information paired with delightful illustrations make this a fun stop and go read.
My sister has an art degree and has tried to school me in art knowledge for years. I now have a bit more foundation to fit her outpouring facts upon.
Thank you to NetGalley and White Lion Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
My sister has an art degree and has tried to school me in art knowledge for years. I now have a bit more foundation to fit her outpouring facts upon.
Thank you to NetGalley and White Lion Publishing for a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
December 3, 2020
Illustrations and design of this book are very appealing. Some of the connections between artists are excellent and others are a stretch. I still needed to Google some artists because some bios provoked new questions. Still, an illustrated book about artists for older children would be better if it did have authentic images of the artists’ works. Some terms and complex language make this book more appropriate for 8th grade and older.
January 27, 2022
I like the idea of it, which is why I picked it up. It proves that art isn't done alone, new ideas are always inspired by old ones, and connections are everything.
Although I loved the illustrations, seeing the actual work of the artists would have been more helpful as I found myself googling each unfamiliar person's art as I read.
Decent intro to some important artists and their stories, and a great variety of styles. And it covers lots of women artists too. But again, it takes some work to read if you want to see their art as you are reading about them.
Some artists that I had never heard of were intriguing enough that I did go deeper into researching them.
Although I loved the illustrations, seeing the actual work of the artists would have been more helpful as I found myself googling each unfamiliar person's art as I read.
Decent intro to some important artists and their stories, and a great variety of styles. And it covers lots of women artists too. But again, it takes some work to read if you want to see their art as you are reading about them.
Some artists that I had never heard of were intriguing enough that I did go deeper into researching them.
November 5, 2023
I have really enjoyed reading this book, not only because of the text, but also the illustrations. Of course, this is not enough to understand the history of modern art, but it's a good complementary book in order to have a better view not only of this challenging and exciting period of time but also of the lives and motivations of the pioneers and influencers that have contributed so much to this extraordinary legacy the humankind has.
November 21, 2025
I appreciated that this book featured a lot of artists outside of the typical art history “canon”, particularly women. However, the “connections” element ended up feeling gimmicky instead of really exploring related art movements or influences. While the illustrations were very well done and I loved the look of the book, studying artists without actually having images of their work is limiting, making the book useless as a study on its own.
May 1, 2019
Very interesting read on how history's (and those currently alive) artists are all connected in some way, either they had met or had influenced each other. I recommend to those who have an interest in artist biographies.
June 11, 2019
I loved the concept of this book and eagerly read through the list of artists who are subjects of this volume. However, despite repeated attempts, the book would not fully download. Such a shame as it looked wonderful!
April 16, 2019
Beautifully illustrated book that is more diverse than most. Highly recommend for gifting or gracing a coffee table. Artist history blurbs are easily digestible and fun to read.
September 25, 2021
10 out of 10 would recommend
April 19, 2023
Illustrations are really amazing, but the book itself just don’t make any sense
December 4, 2023
The proof that the Art industry is 'who you know as an artist, not what you can do'
January 15, 2025
Fun book. Brief bios & connections/influences artists shared. Enjoyed the art work.
May 17, 2019
This is so great. I love how all artists are connected in some way or another. Be it who they knew, who they encountered, or my favorite, how one was influenced by the other.
October 13, 2019
I Know An Artist is a book which intend to show connections between different artists, whether that is one artist being inspired by another or that the two artists were friends.
Though I like the work of Sarah Papworth and her interpretations or the artists own art to create their face I think that for readers who do not know much about the artists in the book, it may come across as confusing.
Having personally studied art for some time I must admit that though this book's cover called to me,. even I struggled with caring about the artists I didn't already know. I found myself skipping to the next artist I knew.
The text often started with a spoiler so even if I didn't already know the artist I was told something that was out of chronological order and felt like a pointless read. For example If I know when or at what age the artist died before I even know what they created it meant I was less interested.
I liked the premise of the book, it is not often you get to know much about an artists life I just felt with interpenetrated art, text in a non-chronicle order and strong terminology even I struggled with the book.
I think this is probably a book more suited to someone with a lot of art knowledge as someone like me would have to look up a lot of the terminology.
Though it may not be something I would read cover to cover I did enjoy reading about the life of each of the artists I did know. I would be happy to own a copy even if I keep it on my coffee table for the odd perusal.
Though I like the work of Sarah Papworth and her interpretations or the artists own art to create their face I think that for readers who do not know much about the artists in the book, it may come across as confusing.
Having personally studied art for some time I must admit that though this book's cover called to me,. even I struggled with caring about the artists I didn't already know. I found myself skipping to the next artist I knew.
The text often started with a spoiler so even if I didn't already know the artist I was told something that was out of chronological order and felt like a pointless read. For example If I know when or at what age the artist died before I even know what they created it meant I was less interested.
I liked the premise of the book, it is not often you get to know much about an artists life I just felt with interpenetrated art, text in a non-chronicle order and strong terminology even I struggled with the book.
I think this is probably a book more suited to someone with a lot of art knowledge as someone like me would have to look up a lot of the terminology.
Though it may not be something I would read cover to cover I did enjoy reading about the life of each of the artists I did know. I would be happy to own a copy even if I keep it on my coffee table for the odd perusal.
April 6, 2019
I am reviewing this book I Know An Artist for Susie Hodge and Quarto Publishing and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review
A lot of artists included which I have never heard off so this was a good insight into them. Beautiful artwork and lots of useful info.
A lot of artists included which I have never heard off so this was a good insight into them. Beautiful artwork and lots of useful info.
April 9, 2019
This is a wonderful anthology of artists throughout history. Each is represented with information about their work, complimented with a portrait. It's a must have for anyone interested in are history.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews