Women’s Work is a compelling and insightful exploration of how female artists have reclaimed and revolutionized traditionally undervalued art forms like textiles and ceramics. The book challenges long-standing artistic hierarchies, highlighting how these materials—once dismissed as mere “women’s work”—have become powerful tools for self-expression and cultural transformation. Through vivid storytelling and striking imagery, it showcases artists who have reshaped the conversation around craft and fine art.

What I loved most was the balance between historical context and personal stories, making each artist’s journey feel both intimate and groundbreaking. The biographical entries bring these visionary women to life, emphasizing their impact on the art world. Women’s Work is not just an art book—it’s a celebration of resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of craft as a form of artistic rebellion.

In Women's Work: From Feminine Arts to Feminist Art, Ferren Gipson delivers a compelling exploration into the realms of textiles, ceramics, and other traditionally ‘feminine’ arts. This insightful book redefines and elevates these art forms, which have long been marginalized in the western art world, separated from the so-called ‘high arts’ of painting and sculpture.

Gipson's work is a celebration of the innovative and brilliant artists who have reclaimed these mediums, infusing them with powerful expressions of identity and imagination. The book highlights the radical transformation brought about by modern and contemporary women artists who dared to challenge the existing hierarchy of art. Through their experimentation and invention, these artists have showcased the ongoing value of decorative and applied arts, championing them as mediums worthy of celebration.

The book features biographical entries on each artist, providing a rich narrative that accompanies the beautiful images of their artworks. This combination offers readers not only a visual feast but also an in-depth understanding of the artists' stories and their artistic legacies.

Women's Work is a powerful tribute to these visionary and groundbreaking artists. It underscores the significance of their contributions to the art world and reaffirms the importance of ‘women’s work’ as a vibrant and essential part of art history.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was a lovely book and I learnt so much from it! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy!

This was a fabulous coffee table book on female artists from the past century who work primarily in mediums traditionally seen as "women's work." Like any good art book, Gipson gives the reader the feeling of walking through a museum and connecting to the works it houses. The biographies of the artists were interesting, but I found myself hoping for more information about the art itself and the themes it explored. The tone of the writing tended to be very casual and accessible, great for someone interested in art but not well versed in it's lexicon, but some of the parenthetical jokes were maybe a little too informal feeling. Overall, a well curated collection of impressive artists and a call to pay better attention to women's work.

I went into this with a different idea of what this book would be and was surprised when I read it. It had good content and great exhibits, but it's more of a coffee table book than anything else.

“Women’s Work” highlights women artists around the world who specialize in what has in the past been viewed as 'women’s work'. From quilting, weaving and ceramics to embroidery, the articles emphasize the importance of these artworks in expressing and empowering female identities. The beautiful full-page photographs provide a glimpse of each artist’s oeuvre. I had expected the essays to offer more of a feminist discussion, but the book achieves it’s goal of introducing the reader to a variety of under-recognized art forms and showcasing women’s artists, their lives and their work.

*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

It felt very much like an academic read... Surprisingly it made me enjoy it? I always say there can never be enough books about women and just how much we contribute to the world.

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book covers a diverse group of 24 women from around the world. The time period coverer ranges from the early 1900s to modern artists. The women are all artists in various mediums from weaving, pottery, soft sculptures, embroidery, quilting, and more. All of the artistic mediums are typically associated with women's work and/or handicrafts. The women featured have elevated their work from everyday art to fine art. While some of the artists are well-known, others are less so. Each biography gives a short introduction to their early life, then tells how they began their life in art and their career. There are usually three or four pictures for each person.
I loved this book because it allowed me to learn about women who were able to take my preferred art forms and make them into something more. I felt like this was a good stepping-off point to learn about the various artists.

This book is a celebration of women's work that impacted our world. I've read many non fiction works and most wouldn't even dare to be aspiring as this work.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced reading copy.

This presents a really interesting look at art mediums that have typically been seen as inferior to other forms of fine art, primarily because of their association with domesticity and femininity. These mediums include ceramics, quilting, textiles, and wearable art. The book displays how, unlike the patriarchal view that these mediums are not of the same caliber as mediums such as oil painting etc., the female artists that Gibson explores are masters of their craft, and have every right to be considered alongside canonical male artists. Gibson explores how these artists use such mediums to investigate and celebrate their undeniable femininity, and have been able to break boundaries and overcome obstacles during their lifetimes. My main critique would be that there aren't enough pictures - while it is fascinating to read about their lives, I would have liked to see more examples of their work in order to really understand. And the images that are presented often don't match up with the chronology of the text, making it a little difficult to navigate. But overall this is a really interesting and fresh commentary on feminine art.

Women’s Work From feminine arts to feminist art. Is a beautifully curated book of great art and its artists, reclaiming the idea of “women’s work”.
You do not have to know about art to enjoy how important this book, the artists, and their art truly are. I did not know of some of the artists mentioned in the book like The Women of Gee’s Bend, Lucie Rie, or Billie Zangewa, among others. Women’s Work has introduced me to many beautiful artists and their amazing collections of artwork. This book covers many areas of art; from textile art to ceramics. Women’s Work covers many different mediums and the artists are diverse. Gipson provides you with a short biography of each artist. With a description of the work and shows examples of their impressive artwork.

Ferren Gipson doesn’t stop at that, the teaching continues when at the end there is a list of more artists to explore. I can appreciate how each artist was described with such respect for their craft. Making this book invaluable.
The inspiration one can find in this book can inspire anyone else’s art. A learning experience and a reflective one. Seeing how so many of us have familial ties to techniques these talented individuals have used to create art.

Women’s Work will motivate you to learn more about these skillful artists.

An excellent survey highlighting the development and excellence of women's work in different fields such as ceramics and textile. Clear and well presented.

This art history book introduces readers to over 30 women artist who specialize in what the world considers to be women's crafts. Their mediums are things like quilting, weaving, ceramics, embroidery, soft sculpture, etc. The book focuses on women from the 20th century through today. I have heard of several of these artist and recognize the work of of several more, but the majority are women who I had never heard of, which makes me sad. I also liked that at the back of the book there were additional women listed who can be researched by the reader.

I loved the questioning this book makes about the notions of "women"s work" and the eternal arts or craft question. A very pertinent book I would recommend to those who want to know more about women in art.

“Women’s Work’ by Ferren Gipson is an impactful book focused on showing how ‘women’s work’ such as textiles and ceramics is as important to the arts, and as expressions of identity and imagination, as ‘high arts’.

The book demonstrates, through artwork from around the world, and from diverse artists how meaningful, thought-provoking and beautiful art made from these unexpected mediums can be. Art tells a story and takes the viewer on a journey, it makes a point and can shift a mindset. The works included, and their accompanying write-ups, do just that. Elegantly compiled, it is easy to read and the photos of the art are large making them visually enjoyable.

If you appreciate art and expanding your understanding of it, this is for you! It’s a five out of five on the enJOYment scale and highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of the book from Quarto Publishing Group through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In recent years, I have become more and more of a non-fiction reader. Sign of getting older? Fluke? Seasonal shift? Who knows. But I adore it. I love how she is talking a lot about art forms that have been more tightly associated with female artists, I love how it spans across the world, how it encompasses women from varied backgrounds. Total plus: most of them I have never heard of. The only gripe I have with the book is the subtitle since the author makes no distinction between feminist or feminine art as such and I don’t like the connotation of this type of progression anyway.

Lovely book!
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this title in exchange for my feedback.

This book was fascinating! I loved learning all about how women's work, such as knitting and other fiber work, has turned into an art form. Getting to read about women from all over the world was so fascinating as well. Seeing what other places and cultures consider art vs. women's work was so interesting.

Excellent volume on women's artists, their lives and their work.
Women's work features famous as well as lesser know artist who have made an impact in the art world.
I found the book incredibly inspiring and was pleased to see works from global artists.

Wow this was such an amazingly fascinating book and a pleasure to experience. This book looked into different medium of feminine art work . The majority of the artists choosing textiles which was a medium I haven't seen many art books look at . I was totally engrossed in this book from the very start.

I found some of the pieces extremely obscure but this made the experience all the more interesting understanding the thought processes behind them. 

The authors writing style was amazing getting all the facts across without bogging the reader down. It was so enjoyable and the flow was just perfect. The photographs included were amazing really capturing the artwork and making it really stand out.

It truly felt like I was there experiencing the artwork rather than reading a book. The book held great emotions and flowed seamlessly from artist to artist. I hope this author writes more on this subject as I just loved every second. I really can't recommend this book enough if you love art or just eat to learn more about it. Then this book will NOT disappoint. 

Only the highest of praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating this amazing experience that I was so engrossed in. I hated it when the book ended I just could of read on for hours more.

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