Lesson 4 The Late Bloomers
Grandma Moses: Life Is What You Make It
Do you believe that world-famous artists always show ____ special skills from an early age?
Do you think ____ all started their artistic careers as young people?
While this may be true ____ Mozart or Picasso, there are many individuals who discovered their artistic talents later in life.
____ good example is Anna Mary Robertson Moses, widely known as Grandma Moses.
She only began painting in ____ in her late 70s.
However, this did not stop her from becoming ____ of the most beloved American folk artists.
Life and Career
Moses was born on a ____ in rural New York in 1860.
She spent her early years keeping house and ____ farm work.
____ her interest in art from a young age, Moses was generally too busy to develop her abilities.
She worked hard as a farmer and homemaker, ____ finding time for “hobby art” such as quilting.
However, she never lost her passion for art, ____ in her busiest days.
It ____ not until her late 70s that Moses finally began painting in earnest.
Once she ____ she spent most of her time painting.
In 1938, an art collector ____ her paintings displayed in a local store.
The following year, he managed to get Moses’ works included in the exhibition “Contemporary Unknown ____ Painters.”
In 1940, ____ had her first individual exhibition in New York City.
Soon after she became known as Grandma Moses throughout ____ art world.
Her images were commercially reproduced for ____ cards and stamps.
Her unique ____ style and peaceful scenes inspired people all over the world.
She was ____ the Achievement Award of the Women’s National Press Club in 1949 for her outstanding artistic accomplishments.
Artworks
Since Moses was self-taught, some people referred to her as a “primitive ____
Lacking formal training, she usually ____ perspective and proportion.
____ her art was direct, honest, and cheerful. Using bright colors and simple forms, she skillfully conveyed her pleasant memories and emotions.
Her works captured the everyday scenes of rural and family ____
Here are some of the important works that represent her distinctive style and ____
The process of making maple syrup, known ____ "sugaring off," was one of Moses' favorite subjects, and she returned to it repeatedly.
"Sugaring Off" (1955) portrays villagers working in various stages of ____ process to produce maple syrup from trees on a winter day.
Moses' appreciation ____ traditional ways of life shines through in this painting.
She believed that men, women, and ____ all should stay busy and do their parts for the community.
The checkered house
The checkered house is ____ well-known topic of Moses' paintings.
She created more than twenty versions of this house in both ____ and winter landscapes.
This house was a landmark inn near her childhood home, ____ with a red and white checkered pattern.
In "The Old Checkered House, 1853" (1944), a large house painted in red and white ____ takes up the center.
In front of the house, various figures are engaged in different activities, with visitors ____ and leaving in horse carriages.
The checkered house represents her deep connection to the past and her ____ memories of old things that were quickly disappearing.
"Calhoun" (1955) depicts a rural American ____ with farm buildings, rolling hills, lines of trees, and small figures working on the harvest.
____ title may refer to Calhoun County, not far from the farm where Moses and her family once lived.
However, this ____ and poetic scene portrays an ideal world that existed only in Moses’ imagination, rather than any real place.
____ believed that art should only present pleasant scenes and subjects.
She once said, ____ the use of painting a picture if it isn’t something nice?”
Legacy
Despite her fame and success, Grandma Moses remained modest and dedicated ____ her art.
She maintained her passion for painting until her death at the age ____ 101, leaving behind over 1,500 paintings.
Whether through her paintings or her life story, Grandma Moses ____ that it is never too late to follow one’s passion and that there is no set schedule for success.
For some people, it may take time to find their true ____
However, with hard work, dedication, and a willingness to take risks, it is possible to achieve your ____ at any time in your life.
As Grandma Moses once said, “Life ____ what you make it. Always has been. Always will be.”