Drawing the Line - Hardcover

Gardner, Susan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0979986559 ISBN 13: 9780979986550

Publisher: Red Mountain Press, 2011

Synopsis

Literary Nonfiction. Memoir. Women's Studies. DRAWING THE LINE is the story of personal adventure and redemption, tracing a life lived continually on the edge between chaos and harmony, tragedy and joy. Beyond her recounting of extraordinary places and events, Susan Gardner gives us a perceptive, generational voice. She recalls pivotal decades of societal change and touches on basic themes of human experience that are universal and timeless. Spanning six decades and various countries of East Asia, Europe and Mexico, it tells of a precocious child driven to excel and to escape a turbulent, combative home life. We experience the struggles and accomplishments of a uniquely gifted woman as she overcomes official strictures and domestic discord to become an accomplished artist. Ultimately, we see her break free of old patterns and constraints to live the joyous complexity of personal fulfillment and the promise of a new beginning.

About this title

About the Author

Susan Gardner is a uniquely accomplished artist. Her ability to extract contextual meaning from the subtle undertones of her surroundings and associations is exceptional in every way. She works as a painter, photographer and poet. Her art is infused with a sense of lyrical spontaneity, of freshness in both form and content. She explores and illuminates the relationships between individuals, society, and nature. Her experiences living in Asia, Mexico, and Europe have added depth and dimension to her understanding and profoundly influenced her art-making. She was born in New York, has lived around the world, and now makes her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has lived, worked, and exhibited in several countries including France, Spain, and Mexico.

From the Back Cover

Unexpectedly intriguing... I remain absolutely fascinated by this wonderful, powerful work. This work has tremendous weight that speaks directly from the heart. By describing what she went through and how she came to grips with the energy of the artist within her, the author reaches out to touch the latent potential in so many individuals ... deserves to be widely read and embraced.
- Michael Clarke, Toronto, Canada
Though a memoir, DRAWING THE LINE unfolds like an intricately woven tapestry. Seamlessly intertwined with Gardner's fascinating details of an unusual life, weaves a narrative of the social and political events paralleling that life, mimicking an historical memoir. The memoir is ultimately about love-- a fundamental commitment to art and beauty, a loyalty to those who have befriended her, and the long journey in learning to identify what remains truly good.
- Michael Hice, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Susan Gardner's words sit lightly on the page, belying the emotion they contain. As I read, I actually heard her voice. She amazes with her ability to evoke so much with each spare phrase.This is a story you experience with the author. Not for the emotionally faint of heart, the story follows a complex woman through the extremes of her extraordinary "ordinary" life.
- Susan Vander Mast, Santa Fe
DRAWING THE LINE is an unforgettable experience; it was educational and immensely enjoyable.
- Glenda Madden, Norman, Oklahoma

SUSAN GARDNER is an internationally known painter, photographer, and poet. Born in New York City, she has traveled widely and lived in East Asia and Latin America. She has produced and exhibited her art in Japan, France, Mexico, Canada, and various parts of the U.S. Through the Library of Congress, she has done scholarly research and lecturing about ancient books and papermaking. She has been a house builder, teacher, and landscape designer.
Ms. Gardner's previous books include Stone Music, 2007, a survey of her visual art and poetry, and Box of Light - Caja de Luz, 2008, bi-lingual poetry.


She makes her home and her art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

From the Inside Flap

Susan Gardner has written a memoir that is sophisticated in its simplicity and profound in its lack of guile. DRAWING THE LINE is soulful and beautiful.
- Marc Talbert, author of Altogether Ernest
The roles Susan Gardner has undertaken reveal not only a uniquely diverse talent but a resilient forbearance and strength of will. Beyond her recounting of extra- ordinary events and places, she offers a peceptive, generational voice. She recalls pivotal decades of societal change and touches on basic themes of human expe- rience that are universal and timeless.
Drawing the Line is a powerfully evoca- tive memoir of a life that starts in New York City and crosses East Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and the Ameri- can southwest. It presents a record of love, adventure, sorrow, and redemption.
The lively narrative traces six decades of the author's life, beginning as a preco- cious, quiet natured child in a turbulent, combative household. It recounts a life spent largely in motion, and the deter- mined struggle to reach personal fulfill- ment in the face of contrary demands and persistent upheaval. It's a compelling story of dedication, survival, and the joy- ous complexity of new beginnings.
SUSAN GARDNER

Edition details

• Publisher: Red Mountain Press
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0979986559
• ISBN 13: 9780979986550
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288