Robert Motherwell: In the Studio (BERNARD JACOBSO)

This memoir by Motherwell's assistant John Scofield is a superb recounting of his experience working with the famed Abstract Expressionist painter. It is good to have a first-hand account about the artist with tidbits that one couldn't have otherwise. Such as Motherwell's love of car collecting, or his deep and abiding friendship with the sculptor David Smith. Any fan of Motherwell, or modern art in general, will treasure this lively and excellent little volume.

Great book , great service

Interesting tidbits about Motherwell, but would have appreciated more of them and less about Scofield, since the book is only 47 pages long. Very readable, nonetheless.

How often do we read "inside" scoops on the behavior and misbehavior of the successful and celebrated which serve only to boast that the insider had their confidence. So how refreshing it is to have a book like this which reports in an unpretentious way the life and thought of a leader of the Abstract Expressionist school a generation ago. I should say "lives and thoughts" because the writer himself is in the picture throughout, first as an aspiring student with barely two nickels to rub together, and eventually as Robert Motherwell's indispensable assistant. The booze they preferred, the cars they drove, the painters they admired, and the history that swirled around them -- it's all in this neat little book with fascinating photographs. It's to Scofield's credit that he knew how much space to put between himself and the master, and that he knew, as he says, "when it was time to go." Motherwell went on to participate in the rise and fall (and rise again?) of Abstract art...Scofield went on to study sculpture, painting and furniture design (one of his pieces is in the Museum of Modern Art collection).

Very interesting in conjunction with Reconciliation Elegy.

This is a fascinating first hand account of life in the studio of Abstract Expressionist master, Robert Motherwell. Scofield's recollection of everything from studio practice and the artist's reading habits to the frequent visits of art world celebrities is a lively and personally evocative history of one of our greatest artists. A must read for scholars and art lovers alike.Hugh Davies, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

Poignant and tender, Scofield's memoir is not simply about his time as Robert Motherwell's assistant -- interesting as that is. It is an homage to a time when the art world was evolving -- and to a relationship that shaped and influenced a young man. Well told and evocative, it leaves you wanting more.

It is a fascinating, unique contribution to a brief moment in late Abstract Expressionist art:. It is wonderfully organized and illustrated, and beautifully written.