This book is a descriptive and historical study of
how Jennifer Kotter, Ray Materson and Bonnie
Peterson, three late 20th century artists, use their
experience, objects from everyday life, and the
techniques of "women's work" to create "art at the
margins." Levinson defines "art at the margins" as
art that is perceived to be low art, rather than
high art, because the artists use "women's
work"-techniques stereotyped with domestic activities
and craft. Her discussion focuses on how the artwork
remains or transcends its status at the margins and
moves among diverse categories of art. Interviews
with the three artists reveal their life experiences
and views on their art. Each artist's medium is set
in an historical context to show how the medium
evolved, how certain perceptions became attached to
it, and how the concept of mainstream art changed
over time. Included are sections on female
stereotypes, embroidery, art quilts, and pluralist
art of the 1970s. Levinson's in-depth analysis sheds
light on the pluralism of art, techniques and
materials in the late 20th and early 21st centuries,
and should be useful to art critics, art historians,
students and cultural studies professionals.