SoulCollage: Community Card, Frida Kahlo

Community Card: Frida

My friend, Sandra, bought me a greeting card with a photo of Frida when she was in Arizona, recently.

I had been meaning to make a Frida card, as one of my community cards, so joined the greeting card

collaged Frida with a part of Frida's painting "The Two Fridas".  You can see this painting on the
Frida Kahlo Foundation's website that includes all 101 of her paintings.

Frida was born on July 6th, 1907 but changed her recognized birthday to July 7th, 1910, to coincide

with the beginning of the Mexican Revolution (and "Modern Mexico").  Coincidentally my birthday

is July 7th, although later--three years before her death at age 47.  Many thanks for most of the facts
related to Frida's life which were gleaned from the Frida Kahlo Fans site. 

Frida is considered by many to be the most famous female painter to have ever lived.  She was the

wife of famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (she married him, divorced and married him again).

She is represented as one of my community cards because she is one of the painters who has influenced

me and given me courage to express myself honestly in my work and in my life.  Frida was an

outrageous person who experienced much emotional and physical pain in her life.  She suffered

physically throughout her adult life due to a tragic trolley car accident when she was 18.  She 

attributed much of her emotional suffering to her relationship with Diego.  Frida's paintings are

autobiographical, surrealist seeming and tremendously evocative.

Many women, and many women artists hold Frida as a great woman's hero for her courage to

live her life in a highly original manner.  She was avant garde, creating her own style of art,
fashion and personal expression.  Frida behaved in a manner that could be considered early
feminist by speaking directly and colorfully and behaving in a "modern" way.  In contrast she

adopted and adapted a traditional Mexican Native style of dress.  Frida made the cover of

Mexican Vogue 60 years after her death although she was interviewed in Vogue in 1937.

I Am the One Who Is a Woman Artist

I Am the One Who Paints from the Heart

I Am the One Who has the Courage to Be Myself

I Am the One Who Reveals My Truth

I Am the One Sees Life's Pain and Beauty

I Am the One Who Sees the World

I Am the One Who Honors My Roots

I Am the One Who Tells My Story