THEY'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY
How far have women come in parity to their male counterparts? San Jose State University professor Alice “Bunny” Carter, author of The Red Rose Girls: An Uncommon Story of Art and Love, The Art of National Geographic, and Cecilia Beaux: A Modern Painter in the Victorian Age, discusses the early days of women in illustration (and believe me girls, it wasn’t always rosy):

“In the 19th century, women were expected to be moral exemplars who upheld the ethical standards of the family and saved the men from their baser instincts. Toward this end, training in art was considered beneficial,” Carter explains.

“For American men working towards an art career, a number of excellent schools were available. But women’s institutions were scarce. Until the middle of the 19th century, it was considered needless and inadvisable for a woman to prepare for any professional career. For women interested in art, and fortunate enough to be provided with a fashionable education, private tutors taught lessons,” she notes.

“The curriculum, known as drawing from the ‘flat,’ consisted of copying the tutor’s own drawings or replicating engravings of work by well-known artists. Although amateur accomplishment in art was considered an advantageous social refinement, professional studies in figure drawing classes were feared to compromise a woman’s virtue by inflaming her passions and making her un. t for marriage,” Carter relates.

Thankfully, the attainment of marriage is no longer the primary goal of most women, and female art students are allowed into figure drawing classes where male models are permitted full exposure (imagine having to draw nude castrated corpses, which is how some schools eluded that issue!). Even so, in the visual arts today, says Carter, “There is still a reluctance to afford distinction to the unique voice of women, and only the most able and persistent succeed.”

EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY
The women contacted for this article feel that female illustrators today have the same opportunity to succeed enjoyed by their male counterparts if they work hard and market themselves well. Unlike their earlier predecessors, many female illustrators— Kinuko Y. Craft, Anita Kunz, Jody Hewgill, Cathie Bleck, and Luba Lukova, to name a few—have recognizable names, receive awards, and exhibit their work in galleries. There is a camaraderie and mutual admiration among illustrators; sexual equality rarely seems an issue—after all, erosion of intellectual rights and media consolidation are not gender-specific. Pay equity may still need to be addressed, but only one woman I spoke with felt more competitive with her male peers than with her sisters. If there is a divide, it’s more generational than sexual—more about technological comfort levels and discovering new markets—the same old school/ new school schism that affects all creative industries.

“This industry is a meritocracy,” states Toronto illustrator Anita Kunz. “At best, it shouldn’t make any difference if an artist is male, female, gay, straight, black, white, or green. What should ultimately matter is the quality of the work and the professionalism the artist displays.” She expressed ambivalence about being asked to contribute to women’s shows or women’s articles. “It’s so easy to make generalizations based upon personal experience. I’m dubious whether focusing on a certain group of artists is useful or not. I’ve been asked many times by students if being female has impacted my career in any way, and I have to answer that I don’t have personal experience any other way so I simply don’t know! Certainly there is much racism and sexism in the world and it follows that there would be some in this industry. To think otherwise is naive.”

Fellow Canadian Jody Hewgill believes, “The best illustrators, regardless of their gender, can create visual solutions for any subject matter, but in general terms, perhaps women have more of an affinity for sensitive material.” While she feels that women often draw upon their intuitive and empathic sensibilities, she also says, “I think a woman’s sensibilities can bring an interesting perspective to a stereotypical male subject matter.” She enjoys tackling a variety of subjects. “I would be bored without the diversity. I’m just as comfortable illustrating a story on boxers, or Mexican wrestlers, as I am doing an article on breast cancer.”

“If anything, women are now in a unique position to make a difference in art because the world is ready to listen,” claims Los Angeles-based Ann Field, outgoing president of ICON and head of the illustration department at Art Center School of Design in Pasadena. “We are in the freest place on earth, the United States of America, where anything really is possible. Women are listened to, and sought out.” As an immigrant (now citizen) looking back on her career, she can recall certain projects where her sex was a plus to the agency or art director, the Levi’s Jeans for Women campaign for instance, which has become a calling card for her. “The art directors particularly wanted a woman’s point of view, and I was able to contribute with ideas as well as artwork,” Field says. “I see this as a continuing trend. It is simply a smart thing for the client to do.”