How the Book Was Born

I got interested many years ago in what it would take to give everyone access to the awe-inspiring experience available through modern art. Docent tours, art history courses and art appreciation courses give people useful historical background information and help familiarize them with such aspects of art as design concepts. But they don’t provide what people need to be completely transported by art. They don’t open up people to the sheer wonder of modern art. 

Using my own way of approaching art viewing as the model, I created a modern (and contemporary) art tour, called The Magic of Modern Art Tour and found it very effective for getting past the intellectual understanding of the art and into the awe-inspiring realm.

It is all about setting aside preconceived ideas that interfere with the ability to be open to modern art and developing the ability to just “be with” the art.

I firmly believe everyone has a natural affinity for art. Conducting quite a few of The Magic of Modern Art Tours and listening to what the participants shared that opened up for them as a result, provided me with enough empirical evidence to confirm that anyone can be profoundly moved in the presence of modern art. 

“So,” I thought, “how do I reproduce those results on a much greater scale?”

I thought of developing a global company to conduct The Magic of Modern Art Tours all over the world. So unenticing was that idea to me, it probably took me all of five minutes to whole-heartedly dismiss it! 

But then it occurred to me that I could provide the same guidance and inspiration in a book. Plus, writing a book meant that I would have the opportunity to delve much more deeply into the preconceived ideas, (which I call “counterproductive beliefs,”) about art, artists and the art world – beliefs that I had come to realize serve to block access to all that modern art has to offer.   

The book, not coincidentally, is entitled, The Magic of Modern Art; How to Love It. Along with my phenomenal writing partner, Carol Winkler, I’m working (or playing) to have the book published by next fall!