Dancing Backwards in High Heels More Lessons from Fred and Ginger Part ll Yesterday's opening reception was lovely. The entire staff was in attendance, Joe, Krissy, Lynette, and Marilyn too! The guests enjoyed locally made salted chocolate truffles and lemonade throughout the afternoon. So now, as promised, posted are all ten finished paintings … [Read more...] about The Final Reveal
Margret Short
Dancing Backwards in High Heels to the Balalaika with Marianne Von Werefkin
I chose the artist, Marianne Von Werefkin, as my final series post for the simple fact of her country of origin, Russia. It is a place very mysterious to us here but nonetheless has immense historical intrigue. Dave and I had the great fortune to travel there in 1985 when Glasnost was just beginning, and though we subsequently traveled to many … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards in High Heels to the Balalaika with Marianne Von Werefkin
More Lessons from Fred and Ginger Part ll with Sophie Fremiet Rude
Looking back over the months of research for both Dancing Backwards in High Heels Parts One and Two, a distinct vocabulary ideology repeatedly pops up. Words and phrases like artistic family, parental encouragement, financial hardship, financial independence, prevail, obstacles, and perseverance among others. There is a common thread running … [Read more...] about More Lessons from Fred and Ginger Part ll with Sophie Fremiet Rude
Michaelina Wautier; Dancing Backwards Part Two, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger
This story will either make you rejoice or infuriate you, or maybe both. The rejoicing comes from knowing that a truly masterful woman artist has been rediscovered. The infuriating starts when you realize there was maybe willful lying by historians who suppressed the life and art of Michaelina Wautier for reasons we will never really know. But we … [Read more...] about Michaelina Wautier; Dancing Backwards Part Two, More Lessons from Fred and Ginger
Adelaide Labille-Guiard; Folkdancing Backwards
Adelaide Labille came from a more modest background than the previous three women featured in this series. In spite of this, she rose to fame and became known as the greatest women pastel portraitist next to Rosalba Carriera. What is noteworthy to me, is even though many women artists rise in fame during their lifetime, their prominence fades over … [Read more...] about Adelaide Labille-Guiard; Folkdancing Backwards
The Queen of Capri Waltzed Backwards in Button Boots: Sophie Gengembre Anderson
One common thread with many women artists discussed here is that they were born into well-to-do families and had successful and influential parents, usually professionally educated in the arts or sciences. This is very true of the French artist, Sophie Gengembre Anderson whose father was both an architect and artist. Though she was born in Paris, … [Read more...] about The Queen of Capri Waltzed Backwards in Button Boots: Sophie Gengembre Anderson