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Portraits of Women Heroes

Students analyze and compare the art styles of a selection of famous artists and learn more about the talented women featured in these portraits. 

Portraits of Women Heroes
Credit: MY HERO

 

Students analyze the art below by both professional and student artists. Do some research in order to learn more about these women heroes.

 

Notice the colors and brushstrokes that Marilyn Huerta uses in her portraits of the 6 women below. Are there other artists this reminds you of? Consider creating your own portrait of a woman hero using Marilyn Huerta's style of artwork to submit to MY HERO using the Create Program.

Malala by Marilyn Huerta

By: Marilyn Huerta
Malala the young activist who champions girls' education worldwide is painted by Marilyn Huerta

Suzan Shown Harjo

By: Marilyn Huerta
Suzan Shown Harjo is a living hero.Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee, she is an activist who has been fighting for Native American rights since the 1960s.

Eleanor Roosevelt for President!

By: Marilyn Huerta
Huerta's portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt for President! is strong and sympathetic

Frida Kahlo by Marilyn Huerta

By: Marilyn Huerta
Visionary and iconic female Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo created magic realist works that admired today

Bessie Coleman

By: Marilyn Huerta

Marilyn Huerta's portrait of Bessie Coleman, who grew up during the time of segregation and was the first black woman to fly around the world. 

Mother Teresa by Marilyn Huerta

By: Marilyn Huerta
Mother Teresa is portrayed by Marilyn Huerta and celebrated for her faith and her work with India's most vulnerable populations

Notice the different styles of art in the portraits below. Which portraits do you like the best and why? Is there a woman you don't know much about? Do some research to find out why she is considered a hero.

Harriet Tubman

By: William H. Johnson
This portrait of abolitionist and activist Harriet Tubman was painted by William H. Johnson in 1945.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

By: September McGee
September McGee, an award winning artist, shares her portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with MY HERO.

Etta James (1938 - 2012) by Eddy Crosby

By: Eddy Crosby
Songstress Etta James drawn by Eddy Crosby

Mae C. Jemison Typography

By: Laila Radford
Mae Jemison is an American hero and astronaut. The first Black female astronaut to go to space.

Winona LaDuke by K E Harleston

By: K.e. Harleston
Winona LaDuke is a Native American Harvard graduate economist, environmentalist, activist, author and executive director of Honor The Earth.

Birgitta Jonsdottir, 2015 by K E Harleston

By: K.E. Harleston, 18 x 24 inches, colored pencil and chalk pastel on paper
Birgitta Jonsdottir is a poet, activist and member of Icelandic Parliament. She is considered a hero and role model as a key part in the Icelandic Revolution

Jacqueline Moudeina - Human Rights Painting Project

By: Tom Block
Jacqueline Moudeina has received numerous death threats — unintended consequences of her distinction as one of Chad's most prominent human rights lawyers

Wangari Maathai by Guinevere D from Henrietta, NY

By: Guinevere Devlin
Portrait of Kenyan environmental and women's activist Wangari Maathai

Ms. Rosa Parks by Gail Slockett

By: Gail G. Slockett
Portrait of Rosa Parks by Gail Slockett

Women Leaders for Future - First Female Prime Minister of Pakistan

By: Dua Shahid, 12 years of Age

First Lady Michelle Obama

By: Amy Sherald

Painted by Amy Sherald, this portrait of the first African-American First Lady Michelle Obama has been exhibited at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery since 2018.

In the photograph of Inez Milholland Boissevain, what message is the photographer trying to tell? 

Inez Milholland Boissevain

By: unknown

Dressed like Joan of Arc on a white horse, Inez Milholland Boissevain, a New York attorney, led a group of women all dressed in white. Here she is on horseback at the Women's Equality March in Washington D.C., 1913

Portraits by Robert Shetterly

Robert Shetterly uses text in the background of his portraits. Why do you think he includes that? 

Alice Walker by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org

By: Robert Shetterly
Alice Walker, African American author of Color Me Purple, painted by Robert Shetterly

Shirley Chisholm by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org

By: Robert Shetterly
"Prejudice and hatred built the nation’s slums, maintains them and profits by them…. we are exposed as hypocrites when we talk about making people free."

Susan B Anthony by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org

By: Robert Shetterly
Portrait of womens rights activist Susan B Anthony by Robert Shetterly

Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Robert Shetterly, AWTT

By: Robert Shetterly

Portrait of women's rights activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Robert Shetterly.

Jeannette Rankin (1880 - 1973)

By: Robert Shetterly
Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. She helped pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, and was a committed pacifist.

Stacey Abrams

By: Robert Shetterly

Grace Lee Boggs

By: Robert Shetterly
Grace Lee Boggs (June 27, 1915 October 5, 2015) was an American author, social activist, philosopher and feminist

Jane Addams by Robert Shetterly, AWTT

By: Robert Shetterly, Americans Who Tell the Truth
Social reformer Jane Addams as painted by Robert Shetterly, Americans Who tell the Truth

Amara Ifeji

By: Robert Shetterly

Helen Thomas

By: Robert Shetterly
Author, journalist, columnist 1943 - 2013 Pioneering female reporter; first female member of the White House press corps

Helen Keller by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org

By: Robert Shetterly
Helen Keller, advocate for the disabled

Rosa Parks by Robert Shetterly

Rosa Parks by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org , 2002 Americans Who Tell the Truth "The only tired I was, was tired of giving in." - Rosa Parks -

Barbara Johns

By: Robert Shetterly

Tarana Burke

By: Robert Shetterly

Ai-jen Poo

By: Robert Shetterly
Robert Shetterly paints activist Ai-Jen Poo

Alice Paul

By: Robert Shetterly

Robert Shetterly depicts Alice Paul, crusader for equal rights for women.

Alicia Garza

By: Robert Shetterly

Sojourner Truth

By: Robert Shetterly

Winona LaDuke

By: Robert Shetterly, Americans Who Tell the Truth

Lateefah Simon by Robert Shetterly, AWTT.org

By: Robert Shetterly
Working for incarcerated youth, Lateefah Simon is a hero for children's rights and rehabilitation

Organizer created on 7/8/2024 10:20:36 AM by Laura Nietzer

Last edited 7/8/2024 10:43:27 AM by Laura Nietzer

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