Women Over 50: Susan Unterberg - Artist and Icon

Susan Unterberg and her sister inherited a foundation from their father. So, for the last 22 years, she has paid out a total of $5.5 MILLION (yes millions!) to support under-recognized female artists over age 40.

Now you may ask, "is it really necessary to provide this kind of support to female artists?" The answer is a resounding YES. Take a look at this fact: It was announced in July 2018 that the National Gallery in London acquired artwork by Artemisia Gentileschi ... THE FIRST TIME THE WORK OF A FEMALE ARTIST AS BEEN ACQUIRED BY THE GALLERY IN 27 YEARS! That doesn't seem possible, does it? But it's true.

So the philanthropy of Unterberg is critical. One of the artists, recently, that received a grant from Unterberg - at a much needed time when she was unable to pay even her rent - was Amy Sherald. She received the grant right before it was announced that she was selected to paint Michelle Obama for the National Portrait Gallery.

As an aside, on a recent trip to D.C., we were able to visit the National Portrait Gallery. As a teen, I had spent many weekends, staying with my grandmother who lived in Washington, and visiting the museums together. But the National Portrait Gallery was limited in its exhibits back then and we never even visited.

But going recently, I was blown away. The building is gorgeous and the exhibits vast and wonderful. The Presidential Hall was fascinating, not just seeing all the portraits, but they have included a vivid description of each President's terms, spelling out challenges and issues of the times. It makes you realize there is no such thing as "the good old days". Politics was always politics and issues, fights, and dissatisfaction with the state of affairs has always been a part of our history. 

So wrapping up, thank you to Susan Unterberg for supporting artists, like Amy Sherald and many others, helping to make it possible to give women a place in the National Portrait Gallery and beyond.

Women Over 50: Accidental Style Icon - Linda Rodin

I know I've personally gone through many iterations of "personal style". As I've gotten older, I've have more difficulty finding the "look" that fits my current lifestyle. It was easier when I was young and in a corporate environment - but now there are NO parameters ... ONLY the one's I create. I find this article inspirational -- not because I could EVER get away with dressy as funky as Linda Rodin, but because she's comfortable in her own skin. So enjoy the READ!

Bing Cherries Named After Chinese Immigrant 

Now You Know ... how names of things and colloquialisms
come about can be interesting and, even, fascinating

The Bing Cherry

You've probably never wondered what the "Bing" in "Bing Cherries" means. As it turns out, a Chinese immigrant named Ah Bing helped cultivate the Bing variety of cherries when he worked on a farm in Oregon.

Also interesting, Ah Bing lived in an era of persecution and racism against the Chinese. Like immigrants today, the Chinese worked at lower wages as laborers, but were derided for hurting American wages and stealing jobs. Hence, as historian Erika Lee writes, "arguments in support of Chinese exclusion arose." Sound familiar?

So, in 1882, the government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring Chinese laborers from entering the U.S. for decades. And, inciting violence against the Chinese, including driving them out of town and burning their homes. 

While Ah Bing was protected by his employer, he eventually left for a visit to his homeland. It is believed that, due to the Exclusion Act, he was not allowed re-entry to the U.S. Yet, despite being barred and persecuted, unknowingly, his name is immortalized on every bag of Bing Cherries sitting in grocery stores!

To read more details of this story: The Tragic Roots of America's Favorite Cherries