The Conversations

Distributed by the University of Nebraska Press for Whale and Star Press
In the mid-1990s philosopher and cultural critic Richard Whittaker founded the art journal Works and Conversations to fill a gap in the contemporary discourse. Conversations with important artists have played a central role in the magazine, where Whittaker's understated but perceptive questions have allowed artists to comment on their work, their philosophies, their influences, the difficulty of creating art, and the failures that are part of the creative process. The result of Whittaker's attentive dialogue has been a series of fascinating and highly personal interviews that frequently contradict what others have said elsewhere about these artists.
The Conversations brings together what Whittaker considers the sixteen most relevant interviews, providing remarkable insight into the individual artist's work, mistakes, and philosophies as well as the social and cultural values in which these artists work. The artists interviewed are Richard Berger, Jim Campbell, Squeak Carnwath, James Doolin, Viola Frey, James Hubbell, Enrique Mart nez Celaya, Michael C. McMillen, Nathan Oliveira, David Parker, Judy Pfaff, Irene Pijoan, Jane Rosen, Katherine Sherwood, James Turrell, and Ursula von Rydingsvard.

Richard Whittaker is the founder and editor of the art journal Works and Conversations and is the cofounder, with Rue Harrison, of the nonprofit Society for the ReCognition of Art. He holds degrees in both philosophy and clinical psychology, and his photography has been published in San Francisco magazine, The Sun, and several other magazines.