Grandma Moses Anna Mary Robertson Moses (1860 –1961) PAINTER

“GRANDMA” MOSES “Life is what we make it, always Born in Greenwich, NY Sept. 7, 1860; 1 of 10 children of farmers Marries farmer Thomas Moses in 1887; they have 10 children, 5 survive They move to Eagle Bridge, New York, where she lives the rest of her long life She embroiders scenes in yarn until arthritis causes her to quit and take up painting at age 76 “Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be”

Starts by painting scenes from books or Currier & Ives prints “I paint from the top down. From the sky, then the mountains, then the hills then the houses, then the cattle and then the people.” Starts by painting scenes from books or Currier & Ives prints An art collector sees her work in a drugstore window: immediate success Paints happy, “life in the country” images on cardboard Paints from memory, backgrounds first, then adds people

Some of her work is used on Hallmark cards Prolific artist: 3600 canvasses in 30 years Before she is famous, sells work for $2-3 per painting

The Old Checkered House

Grandma Moses was on the cover of Time Magazine in December,1953.

Depicts making maple candy in winter Sugaring Off (1943) Depicts making maple candy in winter Sold in 2006 for $1.2 million

Catching the Thanksgiving Turkey (1943)

Grandma Moses appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine on her 100th birthday in 1960.

GRANDMA MOSES primitivist In her paintings there is no despair, unhappiness or aging On her 100th birthday in 1960, NY Gov. Nelson Rockefeller proclaims “Grandma Moses Day” Lives near/friends with Norman Rockwell Died Dec. 13, 1961 at Age 101 “If I didn’t start painting, I would have raised chickens.”