Musings on Cecilia Beaux

My current nightstand reading material is a wonderful biography on Cecilia Beaux, called "Cecilia Beaux: A Modern Painter in the Gilded Age," by Alice A. Carter. Beaux was one of the greatest female painters of her day (and arguably, of all time), and also happens to be my daughter's namesake. I find Cecilia Beaux inspiring in so many ways. Born in 1855 (one year before John Singer Sargent), she lived and worked in the Victorian era, a time when women were expected to get married and have children rather than pursue a career. Those who did work were seen as unfortunate spinsters who were unable to land a husband and therefore had to work out of necessity. But Beaux, who had her share of suiters, made the difficult decision not to get married and instead, devoted her life to … Read more »

Musings on Cecilia Beaux

New Painting: "Motherhood"

With the advent of spring, my almost-two-year-old and I have been enjoying warm afternoon walks around the neighborhood. I'm constantly amazed at how observant she is. She calls out every recognizable object - cars and trucks, metal butterflies on the side of a house, sticks and pine cones on the sidewalk, forgotten soccer balls littering someone's front lawn. In her childlike way, she teaches me every day how to see. It reminds me of my purpose as an artist: to help illuminate the beauty of everyday life. Most of my recent works do just that: they follow a very personal theme and reflect this unique stage in my life as an artist and mother. I'm thankful for the joy and tangibility these paintings bring to me and my viewers alike (and hopefully Cece will appreciate them someda… Read more »

New Painting: "Motherhood"