Book image via Grace Bonney on Amazon
Artists, designers, chefs, musicians...makers of all sorts are featured in the book, In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney. Each woman featured in the book is an entrepreneur and through an interview style approach, Grace learns information about the women’s views of success, business and working as a female maker.
Image via Design Sponge : Seeing the artist in her workshop allows readers to envision working as a maker.
The profiles include very similar questions asked of each woman, such as “What does success mean to you?” and “What would you tell yourself ten to twenty years ago that you wish you knew then?” Though in some ways this seems limiting since readers are not introduced to the range of conversation topics or detailed backgrounds of each woman, it also provides the ability to notice trends. Themes of self-confidence, attitudes of “just do it,” adaptability, taking risks and staying true to your vision often came through in the women’s responses.
The trends themselves provide inspiration, as well as the nuggets of wisdom that can be found in the women’s responses. As such, the book can serve as a starting point for further research about the women’s stories or lines of work that you find particularly interesting.
Beyond the interview information, the photography adds even more value. Photographer Sasha Israel captured the feeling of the spaces with their colors, textures, light and design as she photographed the workspaces and interviewees. Each woman is shown in a portrait style picture, often against the backdrop of her workspace or home. These visual representations provide a different type of insight into the women, the types of work they are doing and how they are designing spaces for effective and inspirational creation.
The idea of space is an important one when considering where we work and how we work. Things like desk design, natural light, color palette, access to tools, aesthetics, etc. are all things to consider when crafting your own office or work space.
“Visibility is one of the most powerful tools we have in inspiring people to pursue their dreams and educating them about all the amazing options that exist.”
The options for your career are out there. Don’t be afraid to explore and learn from women already making their way on the career path you’re interested in pursuing. Just as Grace points out in her book, we all have dreams and desires for our careers and we are more likely to pursue them when in the company of supportive women.
Book Image Detail via Design Sponge : Portraits of female makers underscore the variety of career possibilities and the spaces that inspire creativity.
