Women Artists 101

Name a woman artist. Go ahead. Write her name right here_________________________. Name another________________________.

I'm willing to bet that you just named Georgia O'Keeffe and Frida Kahlo as your two artists.

Name a third woman artist_____________________________.

Keep thinking.
Keep thinking.
Drawing a complete blank? If so, you are like most people.

I taught a project based on the sculpture of Louise Nevelson to one hundred eighty-five children this month. We chatted about how her art makes the viewer focus on shapes and shadows by removing color. We talked about architectural influences, and compared her sculptures to cabinets and cupboards. We arranged found and recyclable items to make our own sculptures. I was able to display about two dozen of them placed next to each other on a wall to give an approximation of a Nevelson wall sculpture. The display catches the eyes of everyone, parent or child. As we talk, I realize that the number of parents who have heard of Louise Nevelson can be counted on my fingers.

I'm an art teacher, but I don't do much better at this game than others. I started a mental list of women artists hoping for some teaching inspirations. I can't teach Frida with young children, although some people do. The arteries and mustache are too tricky to explain, and creep me out a bit. I don't understand Kahlo's cult popularity.

Grandma Moses was the first woman artist I heard about as a kid. My next door neighbor told me about her, and showed me a painting of a lot of people eating supper. "She's an artist, and she's a girl, so there!," is how I remember the occasion. Even at age six, I wasn't terribly impressed. I've gained more respect for folk art over the years since, but Grandma Moses is still mentally linked with some very ugly dinnerware with a brown Currier & Ives scene of a sleigh going "Over the River and Through the Woods". Heck. I thought that song was about Grandma Moses for several years. The dinnerware was probably a promotion at the Safeway or Hinky Dinky grocery store.

I'll write more about my list of women artist after I make a pot of coffee. In the meantime, check out the National Museum of Women in the Arts website.