12 Comments
Apr 1Liked by Maggie Smith

Wurzel now has one more fan! Thanks for sharing her work, Maggie. How unbelievably cool that your art features in her art 🖼️

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I gasped when I saw it!

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Apr 1·edited Apr 1Liked by Maggie Smith

Thank you. What a great introduction to Helena Wurzel. As a woman, in my later sixties, I am familiar with the invisibility. Now as I begin this "third act", I'm also finding a strange sense of freedom in that invisibility. That said, fourteen years ago, when my dear friend passed away too young, a friend I painted a lot with in the landscape as we loved to do that, I thought of her paintings as 'evidence' of her being: her touch, her perspective, both beautiful. We both loved Bonnard especially, and Vuillard, and now I am glad to see the work of both Madeline Donahue and Aubrey Levinthal. I think my friend, Susan, would have loved them too.

"One thing that I appreciate about being older is that while I love looking at what other people make, I am not trying to be like them. I feel much more confident in my style, my voice, and what I am trying to do." That really resonates for me.

Again, Thank you,

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Thanks for this, Liz. And I’m so sorry about the loss of your dear friend. x

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Yes, to what Katie said! I am going to use In The Middle in my Family Sociology class, along with an excerpt of your memoir! I’m planning the class for Fall and this piece sparked a week’s lesson plan 😊

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I love this. Keep us posted!

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It will be coupled with sociological theory: family process vs. family structure (and the problems of getting hung up on the latter) and the idea of “doing family.” Now I *have to* re-read your book to pick the right excerpt. In this way, I love my job.

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Apr 1Liked by Maggie Smith

Wonderful conversation, love Lanie’s work & I learned more about you, Maggie.💗

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I loved reading this interview and hearing how Lanie painted her way into visibility. Her journey of continuing to make her art - even when it felt like no one was seeing it - really resonated with me as an indie musician in a similar situation. I'm so inspired by how she's found her way forward by continuing to put herself out there, meeting people and having conversations, and honoring the part of her that was driven to paint, no matter the circumstances. Thank you, Maggie!

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Thank you for introducing me to Ms. Wurzel's work. I am totally enamored by it!

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A gentle reminder. Your recommending my stack to your readers could be an enormous help. Please consider.

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I started writing creatively (memoir) when I turned 50, my older son was graduating from high school, and I was facing a new era in my life where I didn't have a visible role. Writing creatively is my way of contributing to a larger cultural conversation and feeling "visible." I love that there's so much overlap in experience and art for women. Thank you for this interview and your thoughtful questions, Maggie.

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