Katya Reimann, Writer & Artist
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--Katya Reimann, 2022--

Katya has been telling stories, building worlds, and creating the art to go with them for most of her life.  
 
The content of these pages reflect her diverse interests over time

May Howard Jackson -- Katya's Biography Project, as of 2022

2/17/2022

3 Comments

 
May Howard Jackson (September 7, 1877 – 1931) was an African American sculptor and artist. She was known as "one of the first black sculptors to...deliberately use America's racial problems" as the theme of her art.[1]
Wikipedia Introduction, January 2022

May Howard Jackson (September 7, 1877 – 1931) was an African American sculptor and artist. Active in the New Negro Movement and prominent in Washington, D.C.'s African American intellectual circle in the period 1910-30, she was known as "one of the first black sculptors to...deliberately use America's racial problems" as the theme of her art.[1] Her dignified portrayals of "mulatto" individuals as well as her own struggles with her multiracial identity continue to call for the interpretation and assessment of her work.


Picture
3 Comments
Stacey Johnson
2/20/2022 07:51:40 am

Thank you for this interesting article on an artist I never heard of; but glad that her history and her art work are now known to me. Are any of her works at the women's art museum in Washington DC?

Reply
Katya
3/6/2022 09:51:59 am

I don't know. I'll have a look at the website and see. Really what I want to do is have a look at that 1932 Master's Thesis next time I'm in Cambridge--and see what I can do about having the materials there made more broadly available.

I had a good talk with a close historian friend about this piece--he asked me if I wanted to write a book, publish this as an article.... Well, maybe. But I'm happy laying the groundwork so the person who comes along with the true passionate interest in this particular *individual,* will have some pointers as to where researching might start.

I *do* feel a bit of that love, looking at that portrait piece of the mother who could easily pass with that happy child--who won't. And I find myself wondering why May and her husband William didn't have kids. They took in six of her husband's nephews and nieces for a time when those kids lost their last parents, and it's really unclear what that situation looked like. Some records show the kids spending time with William's parents in Massachusetts at a later date, and then some time in a foster-care style home of the period, but one of those children became an active "Black" artist in his own turn, and I believe one of the sisters was still living with them circa 1920. But also some of those sibling passed as whites as adults, and left their family connections behind. It would be interesting to sort out that family history, and know what happened.

Really, what part of this is historical interest and what part just being nosy for old gossip-mongering!

Reply
Katya
3/6/2022 10:11:00 am

First pass at https://nmwa.org/ and no luck.

But for goodness sake, May Howard Jackson was a D.C. artist! I'm going to send them an email and see if I can stir things up.

Reply



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    Sites I recommend

    These ones are maintained by long-time personal friends.

    William Reimann
    is a consummate artist.  There are so many images to enjoy on this site.  His carved wooden long-leaf red pine Rhinoceros (which he made for me when I was ~11 years old)  is a personal favorite.

    Starless River
    Is the U.K. based caving gear store run by serious hard-ass Tony Seddon. This link goes to the 'caves' section of the store's site--complete with alarming portrait photo of Tony ("After 7 days underground and 700m prussiking").

    The Oxford University 
    Cave Club
    Maintained by Steve Roberts, a guy who is extraordinary in so many ways, I'll just limit myself here to saying "Steve is a man who knows about motors."

    Bensozia
    John Bedell is an archaeologist, historian, and father of five living in Maryland. His blog is a fascinating grab-bag of historical, artistic, and political materials.  This entry about work and leisure gives a good example of his voice.

    Earthsign Studios
    This is Liz Manicatide (now Liz LaManche), principal at Emphasis Creative's personal art & graphics site.  I love Liz's work, panache, and aerial artistry, which leads me to-

    Flying Squirrel Consortium
    Phil Servita's site, and the place to go for custom fabricated circus equipment (either freestanding or fixed point), and aerial classes, if you happen to live in the area.

    Paul Nordberg
    Paul's site is... unique, authentic, & expressive, and pretty much exactly what I think of when I think of a website as an artform.

    Metro Bikes Trails Guide
    (St. Paul, MN)
    "Reviews and Reports on over 70 bicycle paths in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area!"
    Maintained by the tireless Seamus Flynn, and a great little site for those local to the Twin Cities area.

    Green Ivy
    I enjoy the Ukrainian/Russian artisanship on this website.

    Sites I enjoy

    I don't know these people, but I appreciate their work.

    What's That Bug?
    The title says it all.  A useful site for both the non-bug-phobic & the consummate bug-phobe.

    Margaret & Helen
    Best Friends for Sixty Years and Counting…

    Raging Grannies
    I'm not a grandmother (or raging!), but I appreciate this site.  Especially the fact-checking part.
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