Ep. 51 A Lifesaving Orifice & Painting Pussycats

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Today Milena & Megan cover British aeronautical engineer & motorcycle badass Beatrice Shilling (1909-1990) & financially savvy Dutch-Belgian animal painter Henriëtte Ronner-Knip (1821-1909)

Beatrice Shilling

There are times that hands down, Milena covers the cooler person in an episode. Now that’s not to say that Megan’s artist isn’t pretty neat – she’s just not an engineering PhD and an award winning motorcycle racer. Today Milena gives us the details on the amazing life of Beatrice who is best known for her WWII solution to the British Royal Air Force’s fighter planes engine problem. Milena profiles the impact of women mentoring young women in STEM, how fast Beatrice could go on a Norton M30 motorcycle and the sexist backlash when a woman solves a man’s problem.

Henriëtte Ronner-Knip

Megan will be the first to admit that the artwork of 19th century romantic painter Henriëtte Ronner–Knip is not feminist. Sure, the content is cute and adorable and commercially successful – but feminist? No. Now how Henriëtte developed her painting career and finances? Feminist AF. Today Megan profiles this prolific and commercially savvy painter, who saw an chance to capitalize on a niche and did just that. While painting stereotypical ‘women’s work’, Henriëtte subverted the expected role of a woman artist. Megan explores what contributed to Henriëtte’s artistic and financial independence, the tradition of passing on a trade within the family and how royalty will pay big money for paintings of their little pets.