Ep. 24 A Badass Grandma & Fewer Baby Deaths

In the first episode of season 2, best friends Megan & Milena cover American folk painter Anna Grandma Moses & a pioneer in neonatal anesthesiology, American Virginia Apgar.


Anna Mary Robertson Moses

AKA Grandma Moses

1952 Photo of Anna just casually painting at the age of 92

I love my Grandma. I’m sure you love yours as well – but no matter how much we love them, they’ll never be as cool as painter Anna Mary Robertson Moses, also known as Grandma Moses. Born in 1860, this woman lived through the Civil War, the invention of the lightbulb, of cars and airplanes – all the while raising a family, running the farm, and oh, enjoying over two decades as an internationally renowned painter starting in her 70’s.
This episode we ease into the first episode of season two, covering how Anna went from churning butter to having a solo exhibition in NYC’s Museum of Modern Art at the age of 79.
My Grandma might not be MoMA solo show cool, but her sugar cookie recipe is bitchin’

Selected Work
1943 Oil on canvas, Upper Cambridge Valley
1942 Oil on wood, Over the River to Grandma’s House on Thanksgiving
1925 Oil, tempera and pencil on Masonite, The Oaks
1942 Tempera, glitter and pencil on board, Sugaring Off
1943 Oil on canvas, Checkered House
Wanna know more? Always a book for that…

Grandma Moses: My Life’s History by Grandma Moses
Grandma Moses: American Modern by Robert Wolterstorff
Grandma Moses: in the 21st Century by Jane Kallir


Virginia Apgar

Chances are, my dear reader, that you are here thanks to Virginia. And not like, ‘Oh hey I did Google her and you guys were on like the 73th page’ or ‘Yes, I am actually located in the state of Virginia’ – more because the work of Virginia’s helped prevent infant mortality. Yours included.
This episode we profile the woman that when told ‘Surgery’s not for women’ went on to being a pioneering figure in neonatal anesthesiology.

As promised, it’s 95% less depressing than last episode.


As always, music by EeL