Three Important American Women Artists You Need to Hear About

Even in the field of art, women have not always gotten the same degree of attention that their male peers have received. Nevertheless, many women made sizable contributions to the world of American art and deserve to be recognized.

Three American women artists you should know about are:

Edmonia Lewis

Born in Albany, New York on July 4, 1845, Edmonia Lewis was the child of an African-American father and a Chippewa Indian mother. Both parents passed away when Edmonia was a young girl and it was decided that she should go live with two aunts on her mother's side of the family. Edmonia learned to make Native-American crafts and clearly had an aptitude for creating things. She studied art briefly at Oberlin College but came under fire, when white classmates falsely accused her of plotting to poison them and also told school authorities that she was a thief. Not only was she physically attacked, but .was dealt an even more bitter blow when school officials barred her from being able to complete her studies. A less determined individual might have given up, but Lewis decided to focus on sculpting, going to Boston to study independently with Edward Brackett. Lewis eventually opened her own studio, at first creating and selling medallions and busts of well-known Civil War heroes.

She went, for a time, to work, creating several marble, neo-classical-style sculptures, in Rome Even there, however, she was alienated due to her ethnicity and she constantly had to prove herself. By the 1870's, she had gained positive recognition in both Europe and America.

Some of Edmonia Lewis's most notable pieces include Hagar in the Wilderness, The Old Arrowmaker and His Daughter, The Death of Cleopatra, Adoration of the Magi and Forever Free. Sadly her popularity as an artist waned and there is little information on her life after that.

She died in 1911.

To see some of her work, you can visit the National Museum of Art in Washington,D.C. and the Howard University Gallery of Art.

Grandma Moses

Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses is an inspiration to women, because she proved that it's never too late to make a contribution to the world.

Born in Greenwich, New York in 1860, she displayed gifts in art at an early age, but did not pursue art as a profession, instead marrying a farmer and raising 5 children. As a widow, she started doing embroidered pictures, but, after severe arthritis prevented her from continuing, she made the decision to paint.

After a renowned art dealer discovered her work peering out from a small town drugstore window, he snapped them up immediately and displayed them in an art exhibition. Anna Mary Robertson "Grandma" Moses and her work became famous.

The public was fascinated by her simple, rural scenes and by the fact that she had gotten started at the ripe old age of 78. Some of her works include The Old Checked Inn in Summer,Fourth of July,Thanksgiving Turkey and Sugaring-Off. The prolific painter created over 1,000 works.

"Grandma" Moses passed away at the age of 101.

You can click here to see examples of her paintings.

Louise Nevelson

Louise Nevelson was not a native-born American, but emigrated to the United States with her parents when she was 5-years-old. Born Leah Berliawsky in Kiev, Russia in 1899, she settled with her family in Maine. She moved to New York, following her marriage- at age 21- to Charles Nevelson and became active in several areas of the fine arts, including dance, music and painting.

After studying painting extensively in the U.S. and abroad, Nevelson decided to focus more on freestanding sculpture. Her style was based upon abstract principles and her work reflected cubist and surrealist qualities. Some of her many notable pieces include The Real Voyage, Black Majesty, Moon Garden Plus One, as well as other celebrated works.. Nevelson is credited with being one of the founders of "environmental sculpture" and she became a highly-praised and influential artist.

Louise Nevelson passed away in 1988.

To see some of her work, you can visit the Museum of Modern Art or go to the Louise Nevelson Plaza on your next trip to New York City.