Linda King Biography

Linda King (born 1940): Sculptor, Playwright, Poet, and Charles Bukowski’s Muse

Linda King is an American artist and writer, known for her sculptures, plays, and poetry. She gained widespread recognition as the girlfriend of famed American writer Charles Bukowski during the early 1970s, a relationship that was both passionate and tumultuous.

Early Life and Career
Born in 1940 in Boulder, Utah, King experienced small-town life before marrying young and eventually divorcing after a decade. During the 1970s, she edited the literary magazine Purr, transitioned from acting to sculpting and poetry, and raised her two children. Her artistic career gained momentum with her traditional clay busts and evocative poetry.

Relationship with Charles Bukowski
King met Charles Bukowski in 1970, shortly after her first marriage ended. She approached him to sculpt his head, and their collaboration quickly turned into a romantic relationship. At the time, King was 30, and Bukowski was nearly 50. Their relationship was notoriously volatile, marked by moments of passion and conflict, including an incident in 1971 when Bukowski broke King’s nose during an argument.

King and Bukowski collaborated artistically, with Bukowski acting in her play Only a Tenant during its reading at the Pasadena Museum of the Artist. Their turbulent romance ended in 1975 after King, angered by Bukowski’s infidelities, threw his typewriter and books onto the street. Bukowski later immortalized King in his novel Women through the character Lydia Vance. Reflecting on their relationship, King remarked, "It wasn't that he had other women. It's that he always wanted me to know about them."

Life After Bukowski
After their breakup, King moved to Phoenix, citing "one extended nervous breakdown." She remarried and had a third child, but this marriage also ended in divorce. She supported herself through various jobs, including bartending and caregiving, while continuing her art and poetry.

In 2004, her artwork and poetry were featured in a Phoenix gallery exhibition, Friends and Foes of Charles Bukowski. She also sold a collection of 60 love letters from Bukowski at a 2009 auction. That same year, King relocated to San Francisco to be closer to her grandchildren and became active in the city’s literary scene.

Artistic Legacy
King’s sculptural works include busts of notable literary figures such as Bukowski, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jack Micheline, and Harold Norse. She has also created and sold limited bronze editions of Bukowski’s bust. Her poetry often reflects her experiences, including one irreverent line about Bukowski:

"I am the woman who knows for sure that Bukowski's balls were bigger.
I am the woman who knows that he liked hot chilies in his stew."

King’s play Singing Bullets was showcased at Phoenix's Metro Arts Institute, further solidifying her place in the artistic world.

Conclusion
Linda King’s life and work encapsulate the spirit of resilience and creativity. From her stormy relationship with Charles Bukowski to her enduring contributions as a sculptor and poet, King remains a compelling figure in American literary and artistic circles.

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