Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones: The Artist Who Lived Twice

This was an excellent but brief biography of a little known but very talented American painter. I am glad to see that some writers are researching the lesser known (women) painters. We all know about Mary Cassatt but it is refreshing to learn about the lesser known but remarkable and extremely talented Elizabeth Sparhawk Jones.

A Beautifully written tale. Besides this book being well written, there are beautifully described artistic references offered by the author,Barbara Lehman Smith. This book is a vivid, poignant and compassionate portrayal of anartist's life. Elizabeth Sparhawk Jones, a gifted and talented woman. The author transports you back in time where there is truly no support or treatment for mental illness, depression, "melancholia". Brings to mind the male counterparts, although of different eras, Paul Gauguin and vincent Vangogh,artists who also struggled with "melancholia" in their artistic primes.a great little read.

The author had done her homework in researching this talented but little known artist of AM ART HISTORY! Great book with intriguing title encompassing both the artist's personal history and her career that developed and evolved in two separate periods of time. Incorporating descriptions and accomplishments of other known artists from those periods in time and the events that connected them was very interesting to read and visualize. I felt this book was especially appealing to me as a woman artist of today and will recommend it to my colleagues interested in fine art, art history, and women in art. It is a good read and an appetizer for reading more on artists and art in history which have influenced art of today. Happy to see this artist getting the credit she deserves for the amazing work that she did which equaled or surpassed her counterparts. Kudos and gratitude to Barbara Lehman Smith for undertaking this project.

Although I am a layperson in the world of art, I was intrigued by the story of Elizabeth Sparhawk Jones and the artistic journey of her life. Her personal struggle with depression and the perseverance she displays in the face of daunting circumstances is inspiring. In happier times, the charisma she exudes is evident in the personal relationships she selectively develops and with each chapter I enjoyed being privy to those unique personalities. The author's ability to succinctly convey the complex nature of artistic expression is commendable.

This lovingly told story of Elizabeth Sparhawk Jones left me wondering about the beauty of each Artist's life when they are gifted with a passion to express that which seems beyond themselves. Beauty is never without pain and Barbara Lehman Smith tells this artist's exquisite life story with honesty and compassion, at the same time piquing our imagination with Elizabeth's tales of light gossip about the 'greats'(loved hearing about Scott Fitzgerald and Claude Rains, etc.) among her friends, revealing her sardonic humor, but never without love for her colleagues. Absolutely thought-provoking.