Creativebug I love being a woman. I have a young daughter and I am excited to share with her all the joys of being a woman in the world. Women’s stories, women’s work and women’s art is the center and driving force behind everything in my life. From the books I read, the podcasts I listen to, and the art I am drawn to, women making and sharing inspires me every day and especially on the though ones. Being a woman in any professional realm has deep and longstanding challenges, and the work of being an Artist is no exception. Here are women artists who left their mark on the world, lets celebrate them and their work!
Frida Kahlo won’t be new to you, but I’m starting here because she is my daughter, Luca’s, favorite famous artist and as well as one of mine. We have a 3D postcard of Frida taped above Luca’s art area at home and if we see bright and colorful paintings out in the world Luca often asks, “Mama, did Frida Kahlo paint that?”
Beyond being moved by Frida’s deeply personal paintings I am equally struck by how many lived experiences Frida had in her short life. Not only was she a woman overshadowed in the art world by the “greatness” of her husband Diego Rivera, she was a sister, the daughter of an immigrant, a disabled person, a survivor of Polio, a woman who lost many pregnancies, a champion of indigenous culture and crafts, and a tremendous painter. I think this is why now, many years after her death, Frida is a cultural cult icon. She is recognizable on a global scale and people from all countries, cultures and experiences find a kinship with her work and by extension with her. Her work and life spark curiosity and a magnetism in equal measure and I am always drawn to her small and intimate paintings in any museum.
You can find out more about Frida’s life and work here.