Style Imitating Art: “Taking in the Laundry”

About Style Imitating Art…

Style Imitating Art comes from Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. You can think of it as fashion meets art museum! Style Imitating Art challenges people to find inspiration in different art works, create looks based upon that art work, and share them with the curator for that piece. Every other Monday one of the three selects an inspiration piece of art and posts the image on their blog. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. The following Monday, they share their outfits. The curator shares submissions the following Wednesday on her blog. Shelbee chose this week’s art work. If you’d like, you can read why she chose it here. I have really been impressed with the different art work we’ve seen this year. It’s been challenging at times but always fun! You can see a few of my looks here, here, here and here!

Inspiration art work…

About the artist…

Born in Greenwich, NY, Anna Mary Robertson Moses was a hardworking woman for most of her life. The third of ten children, Anna Mary was born on September 7th, 1860. Her parents, Margaret Shanahan Robertson and Russell King Robertson, farmed and ran a flax mill. Anna Mary attended school for about six months out of the year, usually in the summer and winter. At the age of 12, she left school and became a live-in helper for neighboring families. Her duties would include housekeeping, cooking, and sewing. She would continue to work in this way for the next 15 years. When she was 27, she married Thomas Moses, a handy man.

A little more…

The newlyweds, hearing of post-Civil War opportunities in the South, departed for North Carolina. They had jobs on a horse farm there, but the Shenandoah Valley proved to be more to their taste. The couple hired on at various farms in the area. The Moses would stay in Virginia for nearly twenty years. During that time, Anna Mary would give birth to ten children, five of whom survived infancy. In addition to raising her children and working on farms, she also made and sold potato chips, both a novelty and a delicacy, as well as churning butter from a cow she bought with her savings. Anna Mary said, “I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting down and Thomas handing out the money (source).” In January 1901, the Moses family purchased Mount Airy Farm and lived there until September 1902. This was the first home they ever owned. In 1905, they returned to New York and bought a farm in Eagle Bridge where they would spend the next 22 years working the land and raising their five surviving children. In 1927, Thomas died of a heart attack, and the farm was run by one of their sons.

Still more…

At the age of 67, Anna Mary found herself with time on her hands. But, old habits are hard to break. She soon began making jams and preserves before turning to embroidery and other kinds of “fancy work.” For the next seven years, she would produce over 50 embroidered landscapes, using worsted wools. As the years wore on, her arthritis became more and more of a problem. A sister, Celestia, suggested she try painting. As a child, Anna Mary had dabbled in painting, using berries and other natural items to create her “paints.” Her first paintings were created on leftover canvas from a thrashing machine. Eventually, she turned to using a pressed particle board instead of canvas as well as oil paints. She began exhibiting her art work alongside her jams and jellies at a Women’s Exchange in Hoosick Falls, NY.

Even more…

In 1938, Louis Caldor, an engineer and art collector, bought every painting in the display and returned the next day to buy 10 more! He took them to New York where he convinced Otto Kallir, a gallery owner, to hold an exhibition with Anna Mary, now known as Grandma Moses, the sole artist. Opening in October 1940 and titled “What a Farm Wife Painted,” the show was a success. In November, Gimbel’s Department Store had an exhibit complete with baked goodies from the artist herself. At the age of 80 years, Grandma Moses became an acclaimed artist and produced over 1500 paintings in the next 20 years. During those twenty years, she would receive various accolades, including The Woman’s National Press Club Trophy for outstanding accomplishment in art. She would write an autobiography, My Life’s History, and receive two honorary doctorates. In her book, Grandma Moses said, “I look back on my life like a good day’s work, it was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was happy and contented, I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And life is what we make it, always has been, always will be (source).”

Just a skosh more…

On December 13, 1961, Grandma Moses died at the age of 101. Her doctor said, “She just wore out.” Anna Mary Robertson Moses was a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants as well as the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Hoosick Falls, NY. Her farm home, Mount Airy Farm, in Virginia is on the National Register of Historic Places. Granny, a character on The Beverly Hillbillies, is named Daisy Moses as an homage to Grandma Moses. Her highest selling work, “Sugaring Off,” sold for $1.2 million. Produced in 1943, she probably sold it for $3-5!

The last…

Here is a delightful video of the woman herself!

About the art work…

Painted in 1951, “Taking in the Laundry” was done in oils on pressed wood. It measures 17″ x 21.75″ (43cm x 55.25cm) and is in a private collection. One of the things I particularly love about Grandma Moses’ paintings is the simplicity. That is, until you dig a little deeper and see how she used various techniques to create movement and perspective. Notice the trees as well as the laundry are all blowing to the upper right corner. The blue brushstrokes of wind-whipped rain also contribute to the movement. Did you notice how the trees are smaller at the top of the painting as well as a little hazier? By using forced perspective, Moses easily shows us the scene at the bottom left of the painting is removed by some distance from the scene at the top right.

My interpretation…

When I was growing up and for most of my married life, I hung laundry out on the clothes line! I remember loving days when Mom would wash sheets. She would hang them so that half was on either side of the line. I would go back and forth through these damp tents, trailing my hands along the sides. I’m betting there were probably some tracks on those sheets many, many times! At all of our homes prior to moving to Central Indiana, I made Nigel install a clothes line! There is nothing like sleeping on freshly laundered sheets that have dried outside (unless you’re allergic like my youngest). When we moved down here, neither of the neighborhoods allow clotheslines. In fact, I really am not supposed to put rugs out to dry on my back porch! But, I digress!

My interpretation, part two…

I was well and truly stumped by this painting! I love it, but I just couldn’t figure out what to do with it. The woman driving the wagon with the white horse in the right foreground is wearing an outfit close to this one which means I couldn’t use that. So, I decided to go with my memories and feelings. What struck me most about the painting was my memory of my Grandma Luderman (you know…Grandma Moses…Grandma Luderman). I went looking for a dress similar to what Grandma would have worn. I don’t know what that says about my dress, though! As I’ve been doing lately, instead of tying behind the back, I tied this in front which gives a nicer silhouette to the dress. While most of the painting is done in shades and tones of green, I decided my greyed aqua would be a nice nod to the color palette.

The Lewk!

I decided to go with these brown Born boots because I figured they were closest to what a woman in one of Grandma Moses’ paintings would have worn! My Grandma Luderman wouldn’t have worn these because she had horrible bunions and corns! I remember watching her soak her feet then shave off those corns with a razor blade…still makes me shudder! I added these leaf shaped earrings. Each earring is two separate leaves and jangle a bit when you wear them. I needed something to address the trees, right?

Wrap it up, Marsha!

I have always loved Grandma Moses’ art work. I don’t really remember when she came to my notice. It may have been when the US Post Office released a stamp honoring her in 1969. I would have been old enough to pay attention then. After watching the video, I’m almost considering taking up painting. My problem, as always, is when you begin a new hobby, what do you do with all the products? So, can we talk? Are you a fan of the Grandma Moses style? Can you imagine living a life like hers…not beginning your artistic career until your 80s? Do you enjoy hanging laundry outside? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as soon as possible.

10 on the 10th reminder…

Affiliate links and such:

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. As of right now, I also have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! I have also become a Halftee Partner. Use the code, MARSHA2098, for 20% off any purchase. I am now an affiliate with Clara Sunwoo. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off your entire order. In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post. I am an April Cornell Brand Ambassador for another season. You can use my code, MARSHA10, for 10% off any order over $75.

Thank you!

Thank you so very much for reading today’s post. I hope you enjoyed it. I also very much appreciate those of you who comment, email and/or subscribe. It’s what keeps me going! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, and Style Splash. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Michelle every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

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