Wildfire

Illustration based on the life and work of Edmonia Lewis. Absolutely loved working on this, what an inspiration!
She was an American sculptor who shattered gender and race expectations in the 19th century. She was born free in upstate New York and was of African and Native American( Mississauga Ojibwe heritage). Supported by her brother, She attended Oberlin College in Ohio in 1859, a major abolitionist center at the time. Yet Lewis still faced discrimination. She was accused of poisoning her roommates, stealing art supplies, and being denied the right to enter all for her final semester. To continue her studies she moved to Boston and learned sculpting, and had her first solo exhibit in 1864. The success of her work in Boston allowed Lewis to bear the cost of a trip to Rome in 1866. She spent most of her adult career in Rome, where she found more freedom and opportunities. She became well known for her neoclassical and naturalist sculptures. Against all the odds she became the first African - Native -American sculptor to gain International success.