Artist Carmen Herrera has been a painter for 60 years and since making her first sale 5 years ago (when she was 89) her career has really taken off. These days she's showing in places like the MoMA, the Hirshhorn and the Tate Modern.
In a delightful article in the New York Times she says of her work and her recent success, “I do it because I have to do it; it’s a compulsion that also gives me pleasure. I never in my life had any idea of money and I thought fame was a very vulgar thing. So I just worked and waited. And at the end of my life, I’m getting a lot of recognition, to my amazement and my pleasure, actually.”
Her paintings now sell for upwards of $30,000 and because of that she has more money now than she's had in her life. However, when asked if she was going to slow down she said no. "Only my love of the straight line keeps me going."
I think I love her. images from the nytimes.
8 comments:
Love her quote "compulsion that also gives me pleasure"
Great weekend!
xo
Isn't she a fantastic inspiration!
She's a wonderful inspiration to us all, hope her "fame" lasts a good long time just as her life is lasting so long, and beautiful designs.
She is so cute! I love how she speaks, how her passion for her work and her process is made manifest. Thanks for sharing!
Now that's what you call inspiration!
mm, I love her too.
very cool. its very neat that shes getting this recognition late in her life - while shes still here. maybe thats dark, but theres so many artists who really get the recognition they deserve when theyre not alive anymore.
very inspiring
Great feature! She is such an inspiration.
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