Independent Spirits

Brilliantly illustrated with more than 100 color plates, this book is a rich compendium of Western art by women, including those of American Indian, Mexican, African, and Asian heritage. The essays examine economic, social, and political forces that shaped this art over years of profound change. The dynamic growth of the West altered the role of women and opened new opportunities within the dominant culture, beginning in the late nineteenth century. In contrast to the East, the West was less constrained by tradition and social hierarchy: Western women had more freedom than their Eastern counterparts in almost every sphere of creative endeavor. In most Western states women had the vote before 1915, five years before the passage of the 19th Amendment. By 1924 the West had sent the first women to the U.S. Congress and had elected two woman governors (Wyoming and Texas) and a woman mayor of a large city (Seattle). . Sometimes following the art currents of the times, sometimes working apart from them, women artists in the West painted in a variety of styles that included Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism, and Surrealism. Many of these women pursued additional careers in order to support the making of art. Some owned art galleries, others avidly collected art, while still others preferred to write art criticism in widely read publications. Many shared their talents by teaching classes and administering art programs in schools and colleges.