“Gracefulyetprecise,poeticyetdeeplyrootedinresearch,thisexplorationofanoverlookedpainterisgorgeous--ajoytoread.MollyPeacock’sinsightsandempathywithhersubjectbringtolifebothMaryHiesterReidandherlusciousflowerpaintings.“--CharlotteGray,authorofTheMasseyMurderMollyPeacockuncoversthehistoryofneglectedpainterMaryHiesterReid,atrailblazingartistwhorefusedtochoosebetweenmarriageandacareer.BornintoapatricianAmericanfamilyinthemiddleofthenineteenthcentury,MaryHiesterReidwasdeterminedtobeapainterandleftbehindwomen’sdesignschoolstoentertheartworldofmen.AftershemarriedfellowartistGeorgeReid,shereturnedwithhimtohishomecountryofCanada.Thereshesetaboutcreatingover300stunningstilllifeandlandscapepaintings,inhabitingarich,ifsometimesdifficult,marriage,copingwithayoungerrival,exhibitinginternationally,andbecomingwell-reviewed.ShestudiedinParis,traveledinSpain,anddividedhertimebetweenCanadaandtheUnitedStateswhereshelivedamongAmerica’sArtsandCraftsmovementtitans.Sheleftslenderwrittenrecords;rather,herartbecameherdiaryandFlowerDiaryunfoldswithanartworkforeachepisodeofherlife.Inthissumptuousandpreciselyresearchedbiography,celebratedpoetandbiographerMollyPeacockbringsMaryHiesterReid,foremotherofpainterssuchasGeorgiaO’Keefe,outoftheshadows,revealingafascinating,complexwomanwhoinsistedonherrighttoliveasamarriedartist,notasatragicheroine.Peacockusesherpoet’sskilltocreateastructurallyinventiveportraitofthisextraordinarywomanwhommodernismalmostsweptaside,weavingthreadsofherownmarriagewithHiesterReid’s,followingthehistoryofempathyandexamininghowwomenmanagethedemandsofcreativityanddomesticity,copingwithrelationships,stoves,andsteamships,too.Howdoyoumakeroomforartwhenyoumustgotothemarkettobuyachickenfordinner?HiesterReidhadheranswers,asPeacockgloriouslydiscovers.
