It’s no secret that history books are written by those in power. They write what they want and what they want known. It’s been my experience that many gifted women artists have gotten the short paintbrush when they deserve much more recognition by historians. It is common to see a scant handful or more often zero talented female artists’ biographies and images featured in art literature. The norm is overwhelmingly male.
An Apropos Metaphore
Women artists throughout history have met with similar challenges as the quintessential stars Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth, and others dancing their exquisite and graceful steps backwards and in high heels.
In this new pigment series, I will bring to light several women painters of the past whom I admire and take it one step further by honoring their attributes as artists. My plan is to feature the palettes of a select few and emulate their use of color in a composition that I have developed. The resulting images will be presented as a series at the upcoming Spring Unveiling at the Bronze Coast Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon the first weekend of May.
As in past projects, snippets of each painting will be released revealing just enough detail and yet not expose the entire composition which will be unveiled at the event on May 3. Watch for more posts with stories of women who will inspire you too!
More Stories Coming Soon!
What a great topic for your next project. Looking forward to seeing the pigments you use for your paintings!
Thank you, Holly! This is going to be not only a fun project but also historically interesting. We don’t often get to learn about women artists of the past who made a name for themselves while dealing with social challenges.