Jekyll Island Beach 2012

Jekyll Island Beach 2012

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

M is for Moses--Grandma Moses!!


The Rogue Speaks:

I'll be you thought that Anna Mary (nee) Robertson was called Grandma Moses because she was old! Actually, Anna Mary, who was born in Greenwich, New York on Sept. 7, 1860, married Thomas Salmon Moses when she was 27 years old. She had grown up on a farm, and had been hired out as a farm worker when she was only 12. After she married, she worked side by side with her husband on their farm. The work was endless and hard, but she also managed to raise 5 children as well, and do a little embroidery on the side.

"Sugaring Off"


Her husband died in 1927, and due to arthritis, she could no longer embroider, so she took up oil painting in the 30's. She displayed her work in local stores, and at county fairs along with her pickles. An art collector, Louis Caldor happened to pass through town while on a summer trip and saw her work. He bought all she had.
"The Thunderstorm"

Caldor convinced MoMA to include her work in an exhibition in 1939, And Grandma became a star!! Actually, she didn't go by the name "Grandma Moses" until after a one-woman exhibition in 1940, What a Farm Wife Painted, when the name by which she is now known was added. It was fine with her, because she really was a grandma!!
"The Old Checkered Farmhouse in Winter"

Grandma Moses had always been a very thrifty woman, and was taken aback with the amount of money people paid for her oil paintings! Unlike so many of the artists I have covered in Alphabe-Thursday, the drunks, drug addicts, adulterers, the tortured souls who ate lead paint, Anna Mary Robertson Moses was exactly who she appeared to be--a farmer's wife who painted pictures. She lived to be 101!!!
"A Beautiful World"



Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday is such great fun for all of us. If you haven't joined in this fun, please do! Oh, and go read the other offerings!!

34 comments:

JJ said...

We used to go to the Grandma Moses Museum in Bennington, Vermont all the time when we lived in New England. Great stuff.

EG CameraGirl said...

That was sooo interesting. I think it's amazing that she didn't get discovered until she was nearly 80!

ellen b said...

I really enjoy her art! Her story is really inspirational...

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

what a lovely story.
bless her and the whole family.

Anonymous said...

I love Grandma Moses,WOW,101.She was a great ole soul.Her artistic creativity is a delight!
~Jo
LazyonLoblolly

Pondside said...

One can't help but smile when looking at a Grandma Moses picture.

mrs. c said...

Lovely paintings by a lovely woman. Thank you so much for the history of Grandma Moses. She painted Americana and I love those pictures. I love my little animals and I think they are so colorful and cheery, kinda like Grandma Moses.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post! Such a remarkable lady. Thanks so much for sharing.

noexcuses

The Poet said...

Thanks for the history lesson.
The paintings are awesome! Grandma Moses should be an inspiration to us all to never give up what we love doing.

Thanks for sharing and commenting at my blog.

Teresa said...

What a great post. I knew she was a painter, but you've given me so much more respect for a great person.

Cindy Adkins said...

Wow, Judie, This is an amazing post--and wasn't her talent unbelievable? What a gift!

I hope you're having a good week. Sending (((hugs))) your way,
Cindy

Splendid Little Stars said...

Ever since I've known of her, I have held Grandma Moses to be an inspiration--starting her painting career at age 80! (Your information here indicates that she started a little before that.) One is never too old to begin anything you may wish to do. love her paintings!

Francisca said...

This was a great read, Judie. Of course I've known about Grandma Moses and have seen images of her wonderful paintings, but had not read much about her or, I'm sad to say, seen any of her painting live (that I can remember). She has a unique style with a wonderful sense of subject and composition that seems more sophisticated than a lot of "folk art".

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I love it when I'm entertained by a post while I'm being educated. This was a great "M".

At first, I thought you were going to write that the first photo of her was taken when she was 27. :)

Theresa Plas said...

Always enjoy my visits here Judy. I learn something every time. GREAT POST!

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Inspiring story and a phenomenal woman! Her paintings are just beautiful!

Ames said...

Isn't she a sweet old gal! A true entrepeneur at heart. This was a wonderful educational story. I enjoyed it!~Ames

nick said...

Very interesting. Alway liked her art.

nothingprofound said...

I love these eccentric and humble characters who attain the limelight without any intention to do so, simply through the practice of doing what they love to do.

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

I've always been an admirer and knew a little of her story, but never knew she took up painting because she couldn't embroider anymore!

Very cool....

Unknown said...

She lived old enough to be a great-great-great grandmother.

Karen S. said...

Oh but Gramma Moses is so inspiring! I love this post...I've thought of joining this abc thing too, but it seems life has been busy cuz I was waiting for A to begin it...and look you are on M now! I know I just may pop in somewhere...you just have great fun with this! Thanks!

Heather{Our Life In a Click} said...

Very interesting post!!

Pat said...

Always thought her paintings were so charming and pure. Did not know she used to do embroidery. Thank you for an interesting post.

Wanda said...

What a wonderful story. Imagine if Mr. Caldor hadn't happened on her work. We might all have missed seeing and appreciating these beautiful paintings.

Sarah said...

Her painting is not the only thing that put many of us in shame!

Vicki/Jake said...

Imagine doing something you love for most of your life....

I love the stuff I learn when I visit Judie, thanks for it:)

Coralie Cederna Johnson said...

One of the most inspirational women EVER!!! Great post!

Unknown said...

How cool! I like Grandma Moses :) I love how she didn't let fame with her paintings change who she was. She's definitely an inspiration!

Keri {One Mama's Daily Drama} said...

I have seen her paintings, but never knew anything about her. What a great story!

Tammy said...

Wow. What an amazing--not to mention inspiring--woman. I love that she took up painting because she couldn't embroider! Happy weekend.

Jenny said...

Grandma Moses has always been a contemporary hero for me. I admire her determination. She could have just curled up in the fetal position and felt sorry for herself...but nooo...she gathered her courage and reinvented her passions.

The writer of this blog reminds me very strongly of Grandma Moses...only much younger looking!

Thanks for a marvelous link this week, Judy!

I really enjoyed reading this.

A+

Mari Sterling Wilbur said...

I've always loved her art but never knew anything about her life. Fascinating! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Although, I think her work is so marvelous she would have been discovered at some point.

KDL said...

Wow - she reminds me of my Grandma, right up until the painting part. I am glad to learn about her from you.