Sweet Baby Boy

“Hold your child’s hand every chance you get.  The time will come all too soon when he or she won’t let you.”
H. Jackson Brown Jr.
from: The Complete – Life’s Little Instruction Book

 
Sweet Baby Boy
5″ x 7″ Watercolor

This is my attempt to paint my little grand-nephew, Gage.  I have never met this little sweetie, because he lives in Washington state.  He was born right after I was there last fall.  I messed his little hands up, so I kinda like this version….





Jackson Brown originally wrote Life’s Little Instruction book as a gift for his son who was leaving home to begin his freshman year in college. Brown says, “I read years ago that it was not the responsibility of parents to pave the road for their children but to provide a road map, and I wanted to provide him with what I had learned about living a happy and rewarding life.” Life’s Little Instruction Book is a guidebook that gently points the way to happiness and fulfillment. The observations are direct, simple, and as practical as an umbrella.

“Most of us already know how to live a successful and purposeful life,” says Brown. “We know we should be more understanding and thoughtful, more responsible, courageous and appreciative. It’s just that we sometimes need reminding.” Life’s Little Instruction Book is that reminder and the perfect gift for students, relatives, or a friend who needs encouragement at any time of the year. A New York Times #1 bestseller for 50 weeks, it is translated into 33 languages and continues to inspire readers throughout the world. This title is available in three separate volumes or in one book collection, The Complete Life’s Little Instruction Book.

Comfy

“Happiness always looks small while you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and you learn at once how big and precious it is.”
– Aleksei Peshkov

 

Comfy
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

Another one from my window series.  A little bit of retro home comfort.  It’s amazing what one can put on these small paintings, isn’t it?

About Aleksei Peshkov

Russian social realist author Aleksei Peshkov, known as Maxim Gorky, was so esteemed that his birthplace, Nizhny Novgorod, was renamed Gorky in his honor. He was born in 1868. His parents died when he was young, and he left his home at age 12. He was arrested in the late 1880′s as a revolutionary. His writing, including his best-known novel, The Mother, portrayed a decadent society and immense poverty. He became disillusioned after the Russian Revolution, feeling Lenin’s Communism was little better. He died in 1936.

Style & Grace

“When people succeed, I am as happy for them as I would be for my own success.  I congratulate others for putting their prosperity consciousness to work, and I am inspired by their success.”
Richard Carlson, Ph.D.
The Don’t Sweat Affirmations

 

Style & Grace
3″ x 8″ Watercolor

I really bit off a big one with this painting.  I have been amazed by this photo of my niece, Erin, since I first saw it.  Erin exudes style and grace and this photo flatters that aspect of her personality.  Of course, her face is way prettier than this.  I corrected it so much that I overworked the paper and couldn’t do anything else, so….. concentrate on the dress.  Isn’t that a great dress! 


Here is how I started the painting.



No black was used in this painting. 


Today’s quote is fitting, because Erin just graduated from High School.  I am so proud of her!

I quote a lot from Richard Carlson’s Don’t Sweat affirmations, so you have seen his bio many times.  His wife, Kristine, is keeping his legacy alive, since his passing in 2006.  You can read more about that here. I wish her the best of luck in her endeavors.

Poppies in the Wind

“A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.”
– John Lubbock

Isn’t that the truth!!!

 

Poppies in the Wind
4″ x 6″ Watercolor

I really enjoyed painting this little painting.  I tried to keep it loose and not get too caught up in the nitty-picky little details.  I tried to concentrate on forms and shadows.  It was really freeing.  May’s Plant Parade project over in WetCanvas’ Florals and Botanicals forum is poppies.    Sharrm supplied the references and I chose one by HolyLL.    We all upload  our work on the 25th, so if you check it out, you’ll see some amazing poppies!  

About John Lubbock

John Lubbock, the multifaceted British banker, statesman, and scientist, was responsible for the institution of England’s monthly Bank Holidays, sometimes referred to as St. Lubbock Days. He was born in 1834 in England. Growing up, he learned science from his father’s friend Charles Darwin. He coined the terms Paleolithic and Neolithic to denote the different Stone Ages, and he wrote the well-regarded books Prehistoric Times and Ants, Bees, and Wasps. He died in 1913.

Hip Cat Visits Lighthouse

“Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule.”
– Samuel Butler

 

Hip Cat Visits Lighthouse
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

Ha!  You were expecting a painting of a sailboat? 


I haven’t painted any cats for a while and this one just had the smug look that cried out for sunglasses.  The cat in the reference photo didn’t look smug, but my paintbrush interprets things it’s own way, sometimes.
I say … go with the flow when that happens.  No Rules.  It’s great brain food.  

About Samuel Butler

British author Samuel Butler is best known as the author of The Way of All Flesh, a semiautobiographical novel V. S. Pritchett called one of the time bombs of literature because of its incendiary critique of Victorian society and because Butler delayed publication until after his death. He was born in 1835 near Bingham. Rather than enter the clergy as many of his family members had, he became a sheep farmer in New Zealand for four years. He first gained fame with the satirical novel Erewhon. He died in 1902.

Before the Tourists

“You have to take it as it happens, but you should make it happen the way you want to take it.”
– Old German Proverb

  

Before the Tourists
9″ x 12″ Watercolor on Strathmore 140 lb. coldpress

As you know,  this is a huge painting for me!  The references had a bizzilion beach chairs and a fence.  I decided to see what it looked like before the tourists came.  He he he

Speaking of tourists… this weekend is our annual Bucket Run on Lake Eufaula.  The sailboats come to play!  I hope to be out there somewhere with my camera.  There is just something about sailboats!  I’m sure it’s a lot more work than they make it seem.  It’s so calming to watch them floating on the lake, like they don’t have a care in the world.

The festivities begin Friday night May 21st with registration starting at 8 pm and continuing until? They’ll have live music by Bluefish, a wine tasting hosted by Sailing Horse Winery and lots of sailboats. The race for the bucket kicks off at 10 am on Saturday the 22nd. Saturday night they’ll feed pizza and wings to all the crews at Evergreen Marina .On Sunday the 23rd the line opens once again at 10 am for the run back to Eufaula Cove. Awards will be handed out at 4 pm at Gators!  For more info click here.

German proverbs represent one of the finest cultures in Europe. They have a very practical approach and the humor present in some of them gives them a bit of a sweeter taste so to speak. However the sharp realism in some of them is pretty blunt and will not pet anyone, embodying somehow the German direct way of speaking. Nonetheless the German proverbs will pitch your thinking and make you consider some new views.

As an old German proverb says “A country can be judged by the quality of its proverbs”; when it comes to Germany there is plenty to say. Given to the fact that over 40 million Americans are of German ancestry, it is obvious how due to their emigration in the United States of America their words of wisdom inheritance was translated into English, therefore, some of these proverbs may seem familiar.

Spoken directly or with humor, the German proverbs are a great source of thought provoking ideas; see more in the article here.

How About a Swim?

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”
– Vincent Lombardi

 

How About a Swim?
4″ x 6″ on Watercolor Greeting Card


I painted this little watercolor yesterday for my granddaughter’s birthday card.  It was fun trying to get as much color as I could into it, while staying pretty true to the great reference photo from Li.
I’m ready to take a dip.  Are you coming? 

About Vincent Lombardi

American football coach Vincent Lombardi is famed for turning the Green Bay Packers from a losing team to two-time Super Bowl champions. He was born in 1913 in Brooklyn. He initially wanted to be a priest, but changed his mind after he became the star fullback on his high school team. When he began coaching the Packers, he set up intensive training camps and demanded absolute dedication but promised them the championship. The NFL named him “Man of the Decade” in the 1960′s. He died in 1970.

Mr. Hanna

“We must dare to think “unthinkable” thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world.”
– James William Fulbright

 

Mr. Hanna
3″ x 5″ Watercolor

I am not a portrait artist, but every so often, I just have to give it a go.  This is another one of Li’s references and I loved the character on this man’s face.
Uncle Tom, as he is known to the locals, is 92 years old and he rides his scooter 14 miles into the market from his remote home, that he shares with his goats and dogs.  Li says that he never complains and is adored by his friends.  I love his face!    I only spent about a half hour on him.

About James William Fulbright

James William Fulbright, the US senator who represented Arkansas from 1945 to 1975, is memorialized in the Fulbright Prize, the international exchange program he created. He was born in 1905 in Missouri. As a congressman, he sponsored a resolution to form the peace-keeping organization that became the United Nations. As senator, he chaired the Foreign Relations Committee for 15 years. His book The Arrogance of Power critiques the government’s involvement in the Vietnam War. He died in 1995.

Coconuts Anyone?

“If we wait for the moment when everything is ready, we shall never begin.”
– Ivan Turgenev

 

Coconuts Anyone?
6.25″ x 8.75″ Watercolor on Fabriano  cold press paper

Aren’t green coconut overrated?  he he    I had such a good time doing this.  I enjoyed playing with the light on the wonderful reference by Lisilk at WetCanvas.    Before I did the splatter on it, it just seemed a little flat.  Isn’t it amazing what a little splash of random color can do?

About Ivan Turgenev

Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev, celebrated for his dark, realistic novels about Russian life, is best known for the novel Fathers and Sons, about the conflicting ideologies between generations. He was born in 1818 to a wealthy Russian family. He and his brother were raised by an abusive mother who was rumored to have smothered one of her serfs. He rose to fame with A Sportsman’s Sketches, which may have influenced the Tsar to free the serfs. He died in France in 1883.

Puppy Love

“Everything you are against weakens you. Everything you are for empowers you.”
– Dr. Wayne Dyer

 

Puppy Love
4″ x 6″ Watercolor

This is 15 year old Zipper.  She is the fur baby of Li, who hosted our WetCanvas Weekend Drawing Event (WDE) from San Salvador, Bahamas.  I painted up a storm over the weekend!  Li gave us such beautiful references to paint from and I really enjoyed my watercolors.  

About Dr. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer, called the father of motivation by his fans, is a clinical psychologist and author of such best sellers as Your Erroneous Zones and The Power of Intention. He was born in 1940 in Detroit and grew up in orphanages and foster homes. After four years in the Navy, he received his doctorate from the University of Michigan. His spiritually based message focuses on self-reliance and ways to change the tenor of one’s thoughts. He has appeared on the Today Show, The Tonight Show, and Oprah. He now lives in Maui.

Joker

“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”
– Lady Dorothy Nevill

 

Joker
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

I don’t know what made me do this!  I don’t really like clowns, in real life.  They scare me a bit.  This red headed little dude just popped right outta my brain and onto the paper!  *gasp*  I definitely prefer to think of him on the outside, instead of inside!  he he he

About Lady Dorothy Nevill

Lady Dorothy Nevill, the noted British gardener, was one of the most celebrated society hostesses of her day; her salons attracted leading writers, artists, and statesmen. She was born Dorothy Walpole in 1826 in England. She married a wealthy cousin with a 23-acre estate, where she pursued her interest in plants. She built 13 greenhouses and carried on an extensive correspondence with Charles Darwin. Her memoir, Leaves From the Note-Books of Lady Dorothy Nevill, was published in 1906. She died in 1913.

Block Island Lighthouse

“Mishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or by the handle.”
– James Russell Lowell

 

Block Island Lighthouse
4″ x 6″ Watercolor Postcard

This is not my favorite, but I thought I’d share.  I got some new Daniel Smith watercolors and tried to paint this, using only those colors.  Well, it was just too pale, so I came back in with some more colors and just overworked it.  It looks a little wobbity-jobbity, too! 


The colors I bought are yummy, though.  Iridescent Electric Blue, Duochrome Emerald, Duochrome Adobe and Iridescent Garnet.    I also picked up a Black Tourmaline Genuine.    I love Daniel Smith watercolors!

About James Russell Lowell

James Russell Lowell, the sometimes romantic, often ironic American poet, was also a diplomat, serving as ambassador to Spain and, later, Britain. He was born in 1819 in Massachusetts and became known as a New England poet. His satire The Bigelow Papers was his best-known work. While a professor at Harvard, he wrote critical studies of Dante, Shakespeare, and Chaucer, among others, and also served as the founding editor of the influential magazine The Atlantic Monthly. He died in 1891.

The Big Car Window

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”
– Harvey Fierstein

 

The Big Car Window

2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor

Wouldn’t it be fun to cruise around in this on a beautiful sunny day?  When I was doing my window series, I slipped in a few windows that weren’t attached to buildings.  You already saw the train window.   I think this is an old Chevy from the 50′s.  The steering wheels in these cars are sure huge!    How fun!

About Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein, the raspy-voiced American actor, playwright, and gay activist, is best known for his semiautobiographical play, Torch Song Trilogy, which garnered Tony Awards for writing and acting. He was born in Brooklyn in 1954. His onstage debut as a female impersonator at age 16 led to a role in a 1971 Andy Warhol play. He adapted the French show La Cage aux Folles into a Broadway musical and, later, the movie The Birdcage. He has appeared in such varied movies as Independence Day and Mrs. Doubtfire.

Showy

Real friends are those who, when you’ve made a fool of yourself, don’t feel that you’ve done a permanent job.
–Erwin T. Randall

 

Showy

2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

I don’t know if I am inside or outside, but wouldn’t it be fun to have that big old flower near your window?    I kinda like that the stucco around the window is showing some wear, but who’s gonna notice?  Don’t we sometimes disguise our own flaws with something a little showy?

I couldn’t find anything on Erwin T. Randall, but the quote came from the book “Today's Gift - Daily Meditations for Families” by Anonymous.   Here is what I found about the book:

Each family member is both an individual and a part of a larger unit. The tensions and joys that can help a family care for all its members are explored in these 366 meditations that nurture family esteem and strengthen family bonds. These meditations help us consider topics like harmony, sharing, individuality, trust, privacy, and tolerance.
The readings in  Today's Gift - Daily Meditations for Families nurture self-esteem by encouraging discussion, self-expression, and respect. Insightful, challenging, and caring quotations — from ancient proverbs, nursery rhymes and cartoon characters, and from figures such as William Blake, Anne Frank, Tillie Olsen, Albert Einstein, Erma Bombeck, M. Scott Peck, and many more — are accompanied by a thoughtful reflection and an inspiring affirmation.

Pig Quayside at York

“I am grateful for my ability to feel and express emotions – to laugh with my family and friends, to feel love, to be moved by music and art, and to spread the joy in my heart.”
-Richard Carlson, Ph. D.
from The Don’t Sweat Affirmations

 

Pig Quayside at York
8″ x10″ Watercolor on Tyvek
I kinda like the pig, but I am not too sure about the Tyvek.    Desiree, over at  The Clothesline blog, has been painting on Tyvek.  It’s the material they make those nearly indestructable mailing envelopes out of.  She has been making hand painted wallets from it and there is a YouTube video link in her blog on how to do that.  Of course, I had to try it, so here it is.  I have to admit, I haven’t given it a fair shake, so I will probably try it again. 


Richard Carlson, Ph.D. (5-16-61 to 12-13-06) was considered to be one of the foremost experts on happiness and stress reduction in the United States and around the world. As the author of thirty popular books including the runaway bestseller, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all Small Stuff, he showed millions of people how not to let the small things in life get the best of them.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff made publishing history as the USA Today’s #1 bestselling book for two consecutive years. The title spent over one hundred consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and is considered one of the fastest selling books of all time. In 2004, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff was voted one of the top ten most read books in the past decade! Richard is one of the few authors in history to have two different titles at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list at the same time: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, in soft cover and Don’t Worry, Make Money, in hardcover.
With more than 26 Million Carlson books in print, published in 35 languages in over 130 countries, Dr. Carlson became a worldwide phenomenon. He spoke to enthusiastic audiences around the world and was a popular television and radio personality, having been a guest on Oprah, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The View, NBC, CNN, FOX, PBS, Hardball with Chris Mathews, The O’Riley Factor, and myriad other shows around the world.
Richard starred in his own Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff PBS Special, which aired to millions, and was the host of a series called Don’t Sweat the Future, a Discovery Health Network special.
People magazine named him one of the world’s most intriguing people to watch as he helped millions of people learn to relax. He was featured on the cover of Southwest Airlines Spirit Magazine, and chosen as the “Consummate Speaker of the Year” by Sharing Ideas International Magazine. Easier Than You Think…because life doesn’t have to be so hard, discussing how making small changes, can produce significant results, was launched in April of 2005 and Richard’s newest books, The Big Book of Small Stuff and Don’t Get Scrooged: How to Thrive in a World Full of Obnoxious, Incompetent, Arrogant, and Downright Mean-spirited People made their debut in November 2006 Click here for more information. Richard also authored a nationally syndicated newspaper column for McClatchy-Tribune News Services (formerly Knight Ridder).

Teacher

“The power of imagination makes us infinite.”
– John Muir

 

Teacher
2.5″ x 3.5″ Watercolor ATC

I call this one teacher, because it has strong, firm lines, yet it’s cheerful and welcoming.  Teachers are so wonderful in a way that is so often under-appreciated.   They help us to see our own uniqueness and potential, while coaxing along our sense of accomplishment and self worth.    Now days, they are sometimes the only ones who do that, as the home front just keeps getting busier and busier.  Okay…. stepping off my soap box now. 

About John Muir

American naturalist John Muir is remembered as a passionate champion of the natural wonder of Yosemite; he was instrumental in turning the land into a national park. Born in Scotland in 1838, he immigrated with his family to Wisconsin in 1849. He dropped out of college to walk 1,000 miles from Indiana to Florida. After falling in love with Yosemite, he took a job herding sheep nearby. He developed the theory that the valley was created by glaciers, which is now accepted as fact. He died in 1914.

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 3 for P.A.W.S.

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
– Samuel Beckett

Better than not trying at all, right?

 

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 3 for P.A.W.S.
5″ x 7″ Acrylic on Wooden Puzzle

Who could resist that face.    This is the third of the three puzzles I painted for the Southeast Oklahoma Association of Realtors charity auction.  I think my next little project will be to start on a bird house for a friend’s house warming gift.  She loves birdhouses!  Sounds fun, huh?  It is not assembled, so I can paint without having to get in to all of those tight spots.  Uh oh…. can you see a cat birdhouse coming?  he he he  That might make it too hard for the birdies to enjoy their lunch.  Speaking of lunch....

Over the weekend, we were watching the birds having a feast at a friend’s house.  Some termites had hatched in an old rotten log and they were flying out of the log by the millions.  There were a dozen different birds and a lizard eating, while we were there.  The lizard and a cardinal even fussed a little.  It was so cute.  After we left, my friend said another lizard and more birds came to eat.

After a while, a snake appeared, which puzzled my friend.  Snakes don’t eat bugs?  Well, before long, he had a lizard hanging out of his mouth.  He was a small snake and couldn’t eat him all at once.  What an adventure in nature.

About Samuel Beckett

Samuel Beckett, the absurdist Irish playwright known for his darkly funny minimalist plays like Waiting for Godot and Endgame, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969 and reportedly gave away most of the money to needy artists. He was born in Dublin in 1906 and moved to France to join the resistance during World War II. His plays, poetry, and novels used elements from burlesque and vaudeville to explore the human struggle to make sense of life. He died in 1989.

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 2 for P.A.W.S.

“A mistake is simply another way of doing things.”
– Katharine Graham

 

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 2 for P.A.W.S.
5″ x 7″ Acrylic on Wooden Puzzle

This is the 2nd of 3 puzzles I painted for the SE Oklahoma Assoc. of Realtors auction, to benefit P.A.W.S..  They just make me want to giggle.  For those of you who wondered, I bought the blank puzzles for $1.99 each from Hobby Lobby.

I also bought a birdhouse and some other assorted things.  I really enjoy giving hand painted gifts.  People must get tired of paintings, so if they like wine, I sometimes paint wine boxes, etc.  Life is never dull when you use your imagination. 

About Katharine Graham

Katharine Graham, the publisher of The Washington Post, is considered one of her era’s most powerful women. She was born in 1917 in New York. After her father bought the newspaper, she joined the staff as a reporter. Her husband inherited the paper from her father, and Graham took it over when he died in 1963. During her tenure, the paper printed the controversial Pentagon Papers and uncovered the Watergate conspiracy. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for her autobiography, Personal History. She died in 2001.

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 1

“It is the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and of creative action that man finds his supreme joys.”
–Antoine De Saint-Exupery

 

Patchwork Pound Puppy Puzzle 1 for P.A.W.S.
5″ x 7″ Acrylic on Wooden Puzzle

When asked to donate something for P.A.W.S. (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) by the SE Oklahoma Assoc. of Realtors, I knew it had to be pound puppies.  I painted three of them, which I’ll show you over the next few days.  I think they’ll be best auctioned off as a set.  They were fun to do, until it came to separating the pieces.  I had to slice the acrylic apart with an Xacto blade, then do a little trimming and sanding of the individual pieces, because the wood had swollen a bit.   All in all, I am pleased with them and hope they do well at their auction.

Antoine De Saint-Exupery wrote one of my favorite books of all time.  If you want to read something that will change your perspective on life, read “The Little Prince“.  It’s a children’s book, written in 1943 and eventually translated into a bunch of different languages.  I have bought many copies over the years and given them as gifts.  I think I was 17 the first time I read it and 50, the last time. 


Antoine De Saint-Exupery

• Born: 29 June 1900
• Birthplace: Lyon, France
• Died: 31 July 1944 (airplane crash)
• Best Known As: Author of The Little Prince

Antoine-Marie-Roger de Saint-Exupéry was a French aviator and the author of the children’s fable The Little Prince (1943). A veteran of France’s air service (1921-23), he spent most of his working life in commercial aviation. He flew postal routes across Spain into Africa — he survived a 1935 crash in the Sahara — and flew in Brazil and Argentina for a time. He also wrote novels. Southern Mail (1929), Night Flight (1931) and Wind, Sand and Stars (1939) brought him critical and popular success. He flew for the French at the beginning of World War II, but with Germany’s occupation of France Saint-Exupéry relocated to the U.S. and Canada, where he wrote his most famous work, The Little Prince. Despite being a little too old to fly, he joined the Free French and Allied air forces toward the end of World War II. He went on a mission to collect information on German troop movements in the Rhone valley on 31 July 1944 and was never seen again; Saint-Exupéry became France’s own Amelia Earhart. His aircraft was discovered in the late 1990s off the coast of Marseilles, but his corpse was missing. Former German ace pilot Horst Rippert claimed in 2008 that he was nearly certain he’d shot down Saint Exupéry in 1944 (Rippert also expressed regret, calling Saint Exupéry one of his favorite authors at the time).

Following Bubba

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”
– Marian Wright Edelman

 

Following Bubba
8″ x 10″ Yarka Watercolor and Pen on Bristol Smooth 100 lb.

In southeast Oklahoma, we have the Bubbas and the Gomers (according to my husband’s theory).  The Bubbas are the leaders, of sorts.  They know everything about everything…. just ask them.  The Gomers follow the Bubbas around, trying to absorb all of the knowledge, so that one day, they may be followed and admired by all.  We all need something to aspire to, right?

I didn’t remember that I had this paper.  I found it on the bookshelf in my studio Saturday.  (I think it’s actually meant for drawing.)  It was fun to work on it.  The next surface I want to try is Tyvek.  I’ve been seeing people do beautiful things with it.  

About Marian Wright Edelman

American activist Marian Wright Edelman, who founded the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) as a voice for poor, minority, and handicapped children, was the first African-American woman to practice law in Mississippi. She was born in 1939 in South Carolina. Her father, a Baptist preacher, died when she was 14; his last words to her were, “Don’t let anything get in the way of your education.” She graduated from Yale Law School in 1963. Her many awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom.