The work of Freida Kahlo is admired by many. In fact it is difficult to find someone who is not familiar with her work. Most know her for the large flower paintings that fill the canvas. However, there were other styles and subject matter that Frieda painted. She had Spina Bifida as a young child and endured 30 plus operations. Later in life Frieda was injured by a street car accident that left her scarred and childless. So she started painting more as art therapy than with a desire to be a famous artist. She married the famous artist, Diego Rivera, which left her feeling imprisoned. She said "I suffered two grave accidents in my life. One in which a streetcar knocked me down and the other was Diego." Life had dealt Frieda hardships. She remained in her expected roles and dealt with life by painting her pain. One of her paintings, "What the Water Gave Me" was a memoir of her life. It showed Frieda's toes still bleeding from all the physical pain. There were other items floating in the tub that were symbolic of her past. Frieda commented on this painting by saying that she drank to forget her troubles but her troubles knew how to swim and floated to the top of the water. Once Frieda began to sell her paintings and be successful, she divorced Diego and started a new life of her own. Everyone can relate to feeling held down somewhere you do not want to be. The artist has to be admired for embracing each painful situation and rising to the top. She is also an icon for women who want to have their own identity outside of their marriage. She was no longer Diego Rivera's wife. She was simply Frieda. Another admirable trait of the artist is that she made herself vulnerable to others. She was not pretentious and spoke her mind freely. Her creative style, tenacity and resourcefulness as a woman in a man's world is inspiring. She was patriotic to her country and to her heritage even when forced to live somewhere else. Her identity as a female artist and the free spirit she represents give pause for all female artist to consider.
