Frida Kahlo

 

"Painting completed my life."Frida Kahlo

 

We've been reading about and studying famous artists in the afternoons. 

Last week included Frida Kahlo.

Frida and Diego, 1932

 

Frida was a Mexican painter, best known for her numerous self-portraits.

"I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone,

because I am the person I know best."-Frida 

 

On the first day, we read the summary of her life (not in all the detail, as she led a very troubled, very painful life), and then painted pictures of Frida.

What strikes me about this woman is that, despite her physical injuries, the war that raged around her, and a volatile marriage, she clung to art. After an accident that left her in a full body cast for months, she began to paint. "Her mother had a special easel made for her so she could paint in bed, and her father lent her his box of oil paints and some brushes."

Here, my thoughts were drifting to children in shelters, hospital beds, foster homes...children who could also cling to art, if they were given the supplies and encouragement (what can we do about this? Let's make it happen. I'm brainstorming...)

 

Our finished products:

Next, we did our own self-portraits, in the bright and vibrant colors, frontal-view that Frida used.

Those coming up soon! :)