Trail Blazer

Drawing a blank on what to post today...
until signing onto GOOGLE this morning.
The little artwork above their logo--I recognized.

Mary Cassatt

Born in Pennsylvania on May 22, 1844.
Her dream..."I want to be an artist."
She made her way to Paris at the age of 22.

Upon seeing one of her paintings, Degas remarked.
He couldn't believe it was the work of a woman.
Not only was Mary Cassatt female,
she wasn't even French!

(I picked this print up at a thrift store)

She painted what she knew best--life at home.
In the 1800s, it wasn't thought to be proper for well-brought up women to be seen by themselves at cafes, train stations, or even on city streets.
Cassatt didn't make people look better than they did in real life. An ungrateful relative once returned a portrait to her. The nose was too big! Painting children was a much better option. They might wiggle and squirm when she drew them, but at least they didn't complain about the size of their noses.

I learned about some of the Impressionist Painters
several years ago while co-teaching a
Home School art class on the subject.

So today we celebrate Mary Cassatt, an American woman,
who helped pave the way for creative, talented, and...
while all women. Thanks, Mary.

~Candy~

(click on the Show&Tell stamp to visit more)