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
Margret Short
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
Dancing the Rigaudon Backwards: Rachel Ruysch
Unlike the previous featured artist, Elisabetta Sirani, Rachel Ruysch lived a long and fruitful 86 years. It’s no wonder her passion for art developed early with a penchant for natural marvels like flowers, butterflies, lizards, and other creatures because she was raised the daughter of a physician/anatomist and botanist, Frederik Ruysch. Fortune … [Read more...] about Dancing the Rigaudon Backwards: Rachel Ruysch
Dancing Backwards with Elisabetta Sirani: 1638-1665
After deciding on the topic for this project, I found two books on women artists in my library and began the research. Several works by certain artists stood out. As usual, vibrant shimmering color or color harmony draws me in to a composition. The work of Elisabetta Sirani instantly reveals a bold color palette often with unmuted primary and … [Read more...] about Dancing Backwards with Elisabetta Sirani: 1638-1665