There’s been a lot of talk about patriarchy lately, but I keep finding myself coming back

There’s been a lot of talk about patriarchy lately, but I keep finding myself coming back to the term matriarchy. I grew up in a family with strong older women who led and inspired the rest of us to find our voices and embrace our creativity. These wise, wonderful women were the matriarchs of our family and I find myself naturally drawn toward women who fill that role in their own.

Artist Betye Saar is one of those incredibly talented women who has inspired not only a generation of artists and women after her, but her own daughters as well. In addition to the rich collection of powerful artwork Betye has created, her daughters, Lezley and Alison Saar, are also talented artists creating deeply meaningful work. Seeing them and their artwork together is a powerful reminder of not just the strength of family and community, but of what women can achieve in the art world when they are supported by each other.
Read on to learn (and see) more about Betye and her work after the jump. xo, grace
*It’s not embeddable, but please check out this amazing video studio tour with Betye from last year’s LA Times. It’s a wonderful piece. Images above via Daily Bruin and Artsy.

Betye Saar was born in Los Angeles in 1926, where she still lives and works to this day. Her mother encouraged her and her siblings to take drawing classes and embrace their creativity....