Compiled and edited by Karen Moss, and featuring essays by Timothy Rodgers, Sharyn Udall, and Michael Zakian, "Illumination - the Paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe, Agnes Pelton, Agnes Martin, and Florence Pierce" is an incredibly striking collection of four American women artists whose work spans the twentieth century. Studded with ninety-eight brilliant full-color reproductions, "Illuminations" dazzles the eye of the beholder. Parallels and contrasts are made between these four different artists. From the spare geometric paintings of Agnes Martin, the light infused expressions of Florence Miller Pierce, to the more well known organic natural studies of Georgia O'Keeffe and including the somewhat mystical paintings of Agnes Pelton, "Illuminations" is a collection of widely varying studies of light.
From Minimalist to Abstract Expressionism, these artists embody unique approaches to 20th century American art. Karen Moss describes and compares some of the art by Pelton and O'Keeffe as follows: "Between the mid-1920s and the early 1930s, Pelton and O'Keeffe painted nature and landscapes in lyrical canvases that hover between abstraction and representation, often incorporating strong sources of illumination (p. 19)." She later concludes, "..O'Keeffe created a body of work that fused the soft and sensuous with the tough and solid....Pelton...was a modern painter who did not embrace Modernism... she was a transcendentalist who perceived the spirit within nature...(p. 81)."
Further comparative study is provided on the art of Agnes Martin and Florence Miller Pierce by Timothy Robert Rodgers, who wrote, "Martin and Pierce...both linked themselves to artistic movements, Martin to Abstract Expressionism and Pierce to the Transcendental Painting Group (p. 90)." Both artists also benefit from the sensitivity required to examine hidden links to Minimalist art perspectives. The rich resources of the colorful painting reproductions are well mined.
In addition to analytic comparisons and critical focus, "Illuminations" contains a section of biographic chronologies of the four artists. Carefully punctuated with stunning black and white and color photos of the artists and their chosen settings, the 10 pages of concurrent or overlapping timelines encourages an integrated understanding of the lives and impact of the four women. In summary, "Illuminations" presents new perspectives on both the familiar and lesser known life work of American artists Pelton, O'Keeffe, Martin and Pierce. It is both a valuable resource and a loving testament to the art and contributions of these four women.