Breeziway's Soaring Hearts: Jessie Arms Botke (1883 - 1971)

June 30, 2010

The longer I live, the more in awe I am of the beauty that surrounds us. There should be little doubt of my love for the beauty and elegance of our avian friends; taken to the air with grace and color. The art created by American Wildlife artist, Jessie Arms Botke, during the early to mid-1900's is an example of exquisite tribute to these creatures of beauty! I long to have such beauty in our studio to help inspire designs fitting of similar tribute. I hope you enjoy the photos below of some of her art. Ms. Botke's works can be purchased via various galleries.

"The indomitable Jessie Botke was one of the most celebrated decorative painters of the twentieth century. From her early plein-air landscapes to her decorative friezes and imaginary scenes, she arrived at a richly intricate mature style in the 1930s. Working in an era when many women artists were forced to abdicate their careers, Botke successfully integrated her painting with her personal and public life. That her work was accepted in the teens and twenties, and yet remained relevant in the sixties, is a testament to her staying power and the sheer beauty of her paintings." (Patricia Trenton and Deborah Epstein Solon; Birds, Boughs and Blossoms: Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971); Williams A. Karges Fine Art, Spring 1995)

For her time, Botke was outspoken on the role of women in society and would be considered to day in the avant-garde of women’s liberation. In 1911 and again in 1912, while working for Herter Looms in New York City, she marched up Fifth Avenue from Washington Square to Central Park in the suffragette parade, shouting and demonstrating in her own inimitable fashion. Her husband, Cornelis, an artist who gained special recognition for his etchings, was usually cast in a supporting role. He often stinted on his own work to assist her with her major works, although she sometimes reciprocated by helping with his commissions. “Artist teams are much more common now than they were when we were married [in 1915],” she pointed out, adding without hesitation that “they work… Cornelis and I lean heavily on each other for advice, criticism, and encouragement.” . . . Biography

White Peacock. . .