Audible Art

"Grandma Moses Goes to the Big City" - 1946

About the Artist

Grandma Moses was a highly influential American Folk artist, born in 1860 in Greenwich New York to Margaret and Russell Robertson, the third of 10 children. She grew up on her family’s farm, learning to perform traditional women’s chores like sewing, cooking, and cleaning. She also enjoyed playing outside with her brothers, building rafts and exploring the woods. Grandma Moses’ professional career as an artist only took off in 1938 when she was already 78. She was already a widow and had moved back to New York. A visiting art collector bought some of her paintings for 3-5 dollars and they were exhibited the following year in NY’s museum of modern art. She had another exhibition in 1940 called “what a farm wife painted” in a New York gallery, and continued to grow in popularity for her charming style and unique background. She gained representation and became an American cultural icon, and through the 1940s and 50s, her work was used to sell American holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mother’s day. She had record-breaking exhibition openings and even received an award for her art from President Truman in 1949.

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"Sugaring Off" - 1955