Antecedents of Artistic Success: A Study of the Early Lives of Women Visual Artists, 1978

This study examined the early development and family backgrounds of two groups of female visual artists: (1) those who have attained considerable success and recognition as professional artists; and (2) those who also consider themselves to be professional artists but who have obtained less recognition for their work in art. Thirty women between the ages of 26 and 45 who considered themselves to be professional sculptors, graphic artists, metalsmiths, ceramists, and photographers were recruited from a well-known artists' union and from advanced art classes in the continuing education division of a recognized professional art school in a large Eastern seacoast city. Specified external criteria were used to differentiate the more successful from the less successful artists within this sample of women. Data were collected in a personal interview session with each participant by means of: (1) a personal data questionnaire, which included typical background and demographic items; (2) an in-depth interview, which included sections concerning recollections of childhood activities and interests, parents' child-rearing techniques, and the participant's present life situation; (3) the Kinetic-Family-Drawing projective drawing technique; and (4) the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), consisting of five pictures specifically selected for their portrayal of women in several different social and work-related situations. The Murray Archive holds additional analogue materials for this study (copies of Thematic Apperception Test protocols, interview transcripts, copies of Kinetic-Family-Drawings, and numeric file data). If you would like to access this material, please apply to use the data.