Jonathan Katz, Executive Director, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies:
“The quality of this fifty-essay collection that drew me in and kept me engaged is that the performing, visual, literary and media artists – as well as the inventive designers, costumers, archivists and others who collaborate to produce what audiences experience – are actually describing their work – not only the artistic product, but the occasion, the problem, their motivation, and their individually distinctive processes of exploration and decision making. The book is full of revelations about works of art, about how artists work, and about the cultural richness of Washington, DC. Kudos to Robert Bettmann for giving us the fifty-first work of art, this well conceived and edited book.“
Lewis Segal, Music and Dance Critic, Los Angeles Times:
“When it comes to supporting artists and arts writers, Robert Bettmann is a force of nature. Lucky the creators and annotators who meet his standards, and lucky the audiences and readers who can appreciate the results.”
Mike Panetta, Founder, Beekeeper Group:
“With this anthology Robert Bettmann has put the world on notice that Washington makes things more beautiful than legislation... It shows a side of DC many people may not be familiar with, and is highly recommended.”
Michael Kaiser, President, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts:
“Bourgeon does more than take you on a tour of the arts landscape of the Washington, DC area. It takes you on a fascinating journey through the minds of dozens of artists and answers the question: what were they thinking? I highly recommend it for any arts library.“
Debbie Weil, founder and CEO, Voxie Media:
“As a longtime fan of the “other” Washington DC – cultural, tech and entrepreneurial – I can’t say enough good things about Bourgeon. Beautifully curated and a fascinating read.“
Norton Owen, Director of Preservation, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival:
“It’s a delight to peer directly into the hearts and minds of the diverse artists represented here, and an inspiration to contemplate how much they add to the world we live in.”
Tommy Usrey, Advocacy Chairman of the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts and Executive Director, Northeast Louisiana Arts Council:
“As one of those typical cold-blooded, bottom-line focused arts administrators, I immediately, although surprisingly, formed an intensely personal connection with each of the writers’ thoughts that provided a fascinating look into the creative psyche.”
Philip Szporer, Montreal-based writer, lecturer and filmmaker:
“The first person accounts of creativity and process captures the zeitgeist and the lively pulse of an expanding arts scene.”
Robbie Kinter, Dancer and Musician and Music Director for VCU Department of Dance and Choreography:
“Bourgeon is a wonderful treasury of articles, sure to educate and interest not only the performing artist but the visual artist as well. Bourgeon offers a look into the minds of working artists as they ponder the dilemma of making art. This is essential reading for the dancer and choreographer.”
Peter Rosenstein, The Georgetown Dish:
“Bourgeon is in a way a self-portrait by the fifty artists that have written about their art and it makes for fascinating reading for those of us not able to produce art by ourselves but rather now can live vicariously through the art of others. In some cases the articles are a window into the artist’s soul… The range of articles included in this book cover a large sphere of the art world from performance art to painting to poetry… Each article by an individual artist tells a story and some talk of what their art means to them and how they share that with the world.”
Lenny Campello, DCArtNews:
“For those of us who have fantasized about hanging out with artists at one of those smoky 19th century fin de seicle cafes in Montmarte or Barcelona, and talking about art for hours, this book is a fantasy come true in the 21st century as fifty talented artists open up and converse with the reader. A must have book to kindle artistic creative energy!”
E. Ethelbert Miller, Board Chair, Institute for Policy Studies:
“This is a useful book. It’s an arts manual of ideas. Dancers spin into the arms of painters and writers; musicians are present too. There is color and motion provided by those who thirst and hunger in search of the miraculous. Bourgeon is community. Everyone in this book is committed to doing “the work.” Here are the words of 50 who have begun to do the heavy lifting.”
