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