Thanks for the thoughtful piece and great to hear about your public work.
I wonder why this article is written through the lens of male Art history especially since the writer is a mother and an artist?
The experience of women is different than that of men. Women need to balance things in ways that vary from men. Sometimes women do not get recognition until late in life or not at all. Whereas their male counterparts often do not face the obstacles of invisibility. In a biography of Louise Nevelson, she said it was “too little too late.”
Thanks for bringing this up, Rebecca—I completely agree with you. The inspiration for this article came from a piece in The Atlantic about late bloomers, which primarily featured historical examples of men. I believe this is because there has historically been a larger pool of well-known male scientists and artists who achieved success later in life.
That said, I fully acknowledge that women experience entirely different creative journeys, often carrying additional burdens and household expectations. I explored this topic in another article about women artists who gained recognition later in life, which might be a more satisfying read. Here it is for reference: - https://shagunsingh.substack.com/p/creative-reinvention-the-power-of
Thank you for reposting this excellent piece. And congratulations on your new public installation work. As we age, we experience things that align with our expectations of life, and other things that arrive as a shock to our system as we realize life is less predictable than we may have imagined. All of this brings fuel, perspective, and depth to our work that just isn't possible earlier in life. One can feel the shift happening internally before it eventually emerges on the canvas, or page, or whatever your medium. If you are living fully, life and the creative process just keep rewarding. Thank you again for bringing this burst of "undefinable goodness" into my day today.
Thanks so much, Deborah. That's beautiful. Now that you mention it, yes, one can feel the shift happen internally, and then it externally manifests through art or another medium.
Thanks for the thoughtful piece and great to hear about your public work.
I wonder why this article is written through the lens of male Art history especially since the writer is a mother and an artist?
The experience of women is different than that of men. Women need to balance things in ways that vary from men. Sometimes women do not get recognition until late in life or not at all. Whereas their male counterparts often do not face the obstacles of invisibility. In a biography of Louise Nevelson, she said it was “too little too late.”
Thanks for bringing this up, Rebecca—I completely agree with you. The inspiration for this article came from a piece in The Atlantic about late bloomers, which primarily featured historical examples of men. I believe this is because there has historically been a larger pool of well-known male scientists and artists who achieved success later in life.
That said, I fully acknowledge that women experience entirely different creative journeys, often carrying additional burdens and household expectations. I explored this topic in another article about women artists who gained recognition later in life, which might be a more satisfying read. Here it is for reference: - https://shagunsingh.substack.com/p/creative-reinvention-the-power-of
I appreciate reading this! I’m in my late 40’s and decided to jump into some new creative endeavors in 2025. Motivation fuel is always helpful!
I am in the same boat. I am glad you found this article motivating.
Thank you for reposting this excellent piece. And congratulations on your new public installation work. As we age, we experience things that align with our expectations of life, and other things that arrive as a shock to our system as we realize life is less predictable than we may have imagined. All of this brings fuel, perspective, and depth to our work that just isn't possible earlier in life. One can feel the shift happening internally before it eventually emerges on the canvas, or page, or whatever your medium. If you are living fully, life and the creative process just keep rewarding. Thank you again for bringing this burst of "undefinable goodness" into my day today.
Thanks so much, Deborah. That's beautiful. Now that you mention it, yes, one can feel the shift happen internally, and then it externally manifests through art or another medium.
Thank you for the time you spend researching and writing. Well done on the latest public art project!