Substance of Shadows is the autobiography of Jutta Feddersen, an eminent artist. Jutta grew up at the heart of an affluent family with a large house and garden in rural Germany, living a life regulated by a seasonal cycle of events and celebrations. This secure and happy life was lost to her during World War II when she witnessed war atrocities and suffered the losses and pain of displacement.
In the first part of this moving and inspirational book, Jutta tells the story of her idyllic childhood, surviving World War II, her migration to Australia and her extensive travels to observe the latest art trends in Europe. The second part examines her lifetime’s body of work and reflects on how the loss of ‘a beautiful life’ is revealed in her artwork. Art has been her lifeline.