Welcome to KCU and CCPL's Virtual Summer Reading 2025 - Color Our World!
We here at Kentucky Christian University are honored to once again collaborate in this year's summer reading efforts. We will present 9 artists who best represent important artistic movements throughout modern history - artists whose cultural impact still resonates with us today. You have the opportunity to learn about these 9 figures at your own pace through various media, and you will be provided opportunities to make your own art based on their styles.
Without further ado, we present to you:
"Grandma" Moses - American Folk Artist, 1860-1961
Image from Wikipedia
Anna Mary Robertson Moses, more popularly known as "Grandma Moses," was an American folk artist born on September 7, 1860, in Long Island, New York. She spent much of her early life working on her family’s farm, where she developed a deep connection to rural life and traditions. Moses didn’t begin painting until her late 70s, when arthritis forced her to give up embroidery. After moving to a farm in Virginia in the 1930s, she took up painting as a way to pass the time. Initially, her works depicted scenes from her everyday life—rural landscapes, farm activities, and simple village life—using bright, vivid colors. Despite her late start, her paintings caught the attention of art critics and collectors, and her distinctive style earned her a place in American art history. She adopted the name "Grandma Moses" when she started showing her work to the public, and soon became a popular figure in the folk art movement.
Throughout her career, Grandma Moses became known for her unique, childlike approach to painting. Her works were characterized by their simplicity, vibrant color palettes, and depictions of life in rural America. Many of her paintings showcased idyllic country scenes, capturing moments like harvesting crops, barn dances, or children playing in the snow. Her compositions were often detailed, featuring crowded villages or busy farmyards, yet they were free of complex perspective, lending the artwork a sense of innocence and nostalgia. One of her most famous pieces, Sugaring Off (1943), depicts people making maple syrup in a forest, embodying the harmony of nature and human labor. Moses’ works were exhibited in galleries across the country, and she eventually gained international fame. Her paintings sold for thousands of dollars, and she became a symbol of American folk art’s authenticity, proving that even those without formal training could make valuable contributions to the art world.
Image from WikiArt.org
Grandma Moses’ legacy is vast, and her influence extends far beyond the art world. Her work is credited with popularizing folk art in the United States, bringing attention to the beauty of everyday life and the importance of preserving cultural traditions. As an elderly woman who began painting in her 70s, she also became a symbol of perseverance and creativity, inspiring generations of artists to follow their passions, no matter their age. Her art captures a vision of Americana that remains deeply cherished, especially in its portrayal of rural life in the early 20th century. Grandma Moses’ paintings can now be found in major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Today, she is remembered not just for her art, but for her contribution to the idea that art is for everyone and can be created by anyone with a story to tell.
*This introduction was created in collaboration with ChatGPT
