During the seemingly endless pandemic that recently plagued us all for too long, I decided to finally tackle re-writing my father’s book about Pablo Picasso, which regretably, was never published. I had absolutely no idea it would open the door to me writing a memoir—a story of my own—one that would reveal my ‘journey of resilience’ in becoming an artist. And, I didn’t realize at the get-go, that I’d have to interrupt so much of my painting time in the studio. Nor did I expect to eventually have to suspend it entirely for months on end to focus on writing.
In a crazy, unforeseen way, as far as writing goes, needing rotator cuff surgery around this time was a timely advantage. My left arm was useless during much of the recovery. Painting was impossible. Seven weeks in a sling. But being right-handed, I had no problem typing with one hand, albeit slowly, so I focused on the memoir. I kept on writing. The more I wrote, the more inspired I became, finding greater purpose. Talking about my brilliant, complicated, and domineering father or his nemesis—Picasso, began to seem less urgent than the subject of my artistic evolution. All the hurdles I encountered from my youth into adulthood, and those I surmounted—largely thanks to my ever-supportive and loving grandmother, helped me build resilience to confront everything that wasn’t authentically me and what I could achieve in my future as an artist.
For the most part, the personal stories and the art of women artists who, for centuries, have met with resistance from the male-dominated art world remain obscure with very few exceptions. Historically, the work of female visual artists can be found in anthologies but rarely in art history books. Discovering how few women visual artists have written about their lives and careers emboldened me to tell my story and reveal my passion for making art. I wanted it to focus more on my artwork than on me personally, but ultimately, they are inseparable. I wanted to share what my creative process is all about—how my life experiences inform and invigorate my work. What keeps an artist (me) going for decades? How does an artist balance life’s mundane demands with the demands of creativity? These are the questions I sought to answer to give readers a glimpse into the depth of my commitment to my art.
With each painting, there is always a pause or a phase where no matter how much time I’ve spent on it, or think I’ve got it all figured out, or catch my ego inflating, I question my competence. But over the years, my capability and self-assuredness to draw, paint, evaluate, and sometimes change course have grown. This growth is a testament to the progression of my journey as an artist, which I hope will inspire other women to do what they love, keep pushing their limits, and perhaps tell their own stories. My journey is not just a story of resilience but also one of personal growth and evolution.
I wrote thousands of words over a two-year period and included thirty-four of my paintings in the book. When I brought the memoir to its conclusion, I experienced an immense feeling of accomplishment. My eyes filled with tears as I punctuated the last few sentences with a sketch I did at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that had special meaning for me.
During the days and weeks I spent writing, I found bits of time to read a few books about writing memoirs. I attended seminars and webinars about how to find an agent and send out queries in order to reach out to publishers. Writing was just the beginning of getting my story out to the reading public. The advice of editors and readers (friends and professional proofreaders) challenged me to modify, change, flesh out, and revise. There were assuredly several drafts. Finally, it was time to find a publisher. I got lucky early in my quest when I found just the right publisher—Windrusher Hall Press, the award-winning publisher in Northeast Florida, that specializes in helping ‘authors turn their stories into legacies.’ It was an ideal match.
My memoir MY FATHER, PICASSO AND ME—An Artist’s Journey of Resilience will be available on Amazon in mid to late October 2024 as a paperback book and e-book.