Biting never bitter...Sweet never sassy...Mind your manners and more
A night at the museum to explore how Peggy Bacon's artwork remains relevant (and a discount for the held community!)
Isabella Howland (United States, 1895–1974), Peggy Bacon, undated, charcoal on laid paper, 16 1/2 x 11 9/16 inches. Portland Museum of Art, Maine. Museum purchase with support from Roger and Katherine Woodman, 1988.20. Image courtesy Petegorsky/Gipe Photo
Our next held event is a little over two weeks after Election Day - a day that holds so much at stake, especially for women. During a time when women’s rights are still being challenged, we wanted to bring attention to a time, over 100 years ago, when women couldn’t vote or even sketch nude models and how artist Peggy Bacon used her sharp wit and creativity to push those boundaries through her art. Bacon’s documentary prints and caricatures from 1918, just two years before the 19th amendment, and into the 1920s and 1930s provide a glimpse into the social culture of that time - with a side of humor and satire. Her pieces often find lightness in some of the everyday moments as well. From Print Magazine, “Depending on the subject, her line could speak with affection or wry, dry and mordant wit or brutal honesty. Sometimes all three.” The Portland Press Herald has a great piece covering this new PMA exhibit here.
For our November 21st event, we are partnering with the Portland Museum of Art’s Ashleigh McKown, Director of Philanthropy, and Ramey Mize, Associate Curator of American Art. Below, we asked each of them a few questions about their roles at the PMA and the relevance and impact of Peggy Bacon’s work.
Ashleigh McKown
What is your favorite Peggy Bacon piece, and why?
AM: The Witch. In the print, a cat is depicted with a moody, irritable expression, and I find the title she selected to be quite humorous. It evokes memories of my own interactions with animals, including my dog, and highlights the amusing nuances of their temperaments.
Peggy Bacon advocated empowering and cultivating women's voices in the community. Why is her work more relevant than ever?
AM: Peggy Bacon’s advocacy for empowering women’s voices is relevant today, particularly in the context of gender equality and social justice movements. Known for her satirical prints and writings, Bacon challenged societal norms and amplified marginalized perspectives. Bacon’s approach, which combined humor and critique, resonates with today’s intersection of art and activism, where creative expression is a powerful tool for social change. In a world where women still face systemic barriers, Bacon’s defiance of traditional roles and her commitment to social critique remains a vital part of the conversation.
Ramey Mize
Can you tell us a bit more about your background and role as an Associate Curator of American Art at the PMA?
RM: Maine played a big part in my path to a career as an American art curator! My first museum job was as a curatorial fellow at the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine, and I was awe-struck by how much this place has inspired generations of artists, from Winslow Homer’s moody marines on Prouts Neck to Marguerite Zorach’s vibrant landscapes around Robinhood Cove—and of course, Peggy Bacon’s whimsical depictions of Perkins Cove in Ogunquit. After my fellowship at Colby came to an end, I pursued my doctorate in American art history at the University of Pennsylvania with a minor field in Native American art. But I couldn’t quite get Maine out of my head or heart, so when this position opened up at the Portland Museum of Art, I knew I had to go for it! I couldn’t be happier to be here, and I’m so energized by the spectacular collection and community-driven projects that I get to be a part of.
What is your favorite Peggy Bacon piece, and why?
RM: I have a really hard time picking just one! But for the sake of the question, I think I’d have to say her 1925 self-portrait Lady Artist. It’s such a witty, layered depiction of her identity—she shows herself tucked snugly in her apartment, diligently working on a print. Neighbors across the street are visible hanging out of their windows, ogling her at work. With this print, I think she is meditating on the dissonance of the hyper-visibility of women in the art world as abiding subjects (the female nude is one of the most prominent genres of Western art), but their simultaneous invisibility or marginalization as artists themselves—the professional art world was very much a male-dominated field prior to Peggy Bacon and her generation. I can’t wait to continue to unpack the many details and meanings of this complex print with everyone during our tour in November!
Peggy Bacon advocated empowering and cultivating women's voices in the community. Why is her work more relevant than ever?
RM: Peggy Bacon’s work is deeply relevant to our present moment because she was unafraid to call different members of her social milieu to account for their sexism and hypocrisy—all in clever, subtle ways that really disarm the viewer. Her critique is especially palpable in her cartoons and caricatures. She first began cartooning in 1919 when she collaborated with peers at the Art Students League to produce a single-issue spoof magazine with the cheeky title Bad News. Throughout this volume, she conveyed the characteristic postures and expressions of her League colleagues while intimating some of the misogyny that women students faced. For example, in one comic, Bacon lampoons the esteemed American realist George Bellows as he critiques a young female student’s work. In the first frame, she imagines his self-important and biased inner monologue: “This is some impression I’m making on this girl. She’ll never make good. But women can’t paint anyway.” Bacon’s prolific and celebrated artistic career is ample evidence to the contrary, and she continued to pursue it despite this and many other challenges, which we will discuss as a group during the tour.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS
Tenaya and Mary Beth shared what it means to use your voice and or ways that help them feel more confident.
Tenaya - Oh boy, this is a big one. To me, expressing your voice can mean so many things. It might be as simple as offering your opinion on something small or as bold as standing your ground in front of executives who don’t see the value in your work. It’s advocating for yourself at a hospital when your concerns are dismissed, speaking out politically on LinkedIn even when you know the trolls will come for you, backing someone in a meeting when the majority disagrees with them, or sharing a deeply personal experience on a panel in the hopes that policymakers will finally take action. I could go on.
Using my voice hasn’t always worked in my favor. In fact, there have been times when it’s gotten me into trouble or made me feel like I had a target on my back. In high school, I organized a walkout from a computer science final because our teacher insisted we stay for the full two hours—even though most of us had finished in 30 minutes. Since I initiated the walkout, he failed me. In the corporate world, I’ve presented work that I knew would intimidate certain men in the room, so I prepped extra hard, anticipating their pushback. I’ve also stood by colleagues who were unfairly ostracized—only to have my own decision-making and loyalty questioned as a result.
The size of the platform and what’s at stake sometimes shape how and what I choose to share. But as I get older, the more I feel that speaking up—whether to make someone feel seen, provide resources, connect like-minded people, or amplify another’s voice—is worth it. And when I know I might make a difference, I almost can’t help myself.
That said, it’s not that I don’t care what people think. I do. I just care a lot less about the opinions of those who marginalize others or uphold pointless, arbitrary rules. As Madeleine Albright so perfectly put it: “It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Damn right.
Mary Beth - I’m an always recovering and learning people pleaser. Sharing a few little things below that have helped me relearn how to have confidence in my voice.
Dr. Becky’s Setting Boundaries, Reducing Parental Rage Workshop - I took this workshop a few years ago and still reference it when I feel like a bit of a pushover and might need to hold or push some boundaries a bit more! (and when I feel a little rage-y with my little ones, too!)
Working out - specifically strength training. When I do a couple of strength training sessions a week, whether that be at Dynamics Fitness (thank you to a good bud for recommending this one!) or on my Peleton, I feel stronger both physically and mentally. I often bop into my husband’s office on a workout high from doing those weighted deadlifts and it really drives home #4 on this list.
Walking and talking with pals—even if it’s just for a quick 30 minutes—always helps me feel stronger in my decisions. You really feel like you can solve all of life’s problems with one loop around the Back Cove!
Sophia Valdez, Future Prez - This series of books by Andrea Beaty (Rosie Revere is another favorite in our house!) inspires confidence and standing up for what you believe in.
