Joan Danziger is a 91-year-old American sculptor whose fantastical works have adorned many a museum and gallery across the United States. In this episode, she talks about how surrealism attracted her even as a child, how after graduating from Cornell University as an abstract painter, she joined the art scenes in Woodstock NY and New York City, how she first started sculpting, her love of mythological figures, the importance of animals to humans, the influence of foreign religions and cultures, how she developed her sculptures of horses, beetles and ravens, and about her first retrospective in Washington DC.

Joan Danziger talking with Bob Chaundy

Accompanying images on consideringart.com

Owl Mother and Into the Magic

Sunshine Girl’s Love Band

Aerial Conjunction

Sapphire Raven

Red Beetle

Majestic Triad

All images courtesy of the artist except for top photo of Joan courtesy Neil Greentree

The Magical World of Joan Danziger is showing at the American University Museum, Washington DC Feb 7 – May 17 2026.

It’s curated by Jack Rasmussen.

Music: Ibiza by MBB | https://soundcloud.com/mbbofficial