“Art is the child of imagination and gives life.”  Mirka Mora (1928-2018)

foto from family archive

Mirka in Melbourne VIA and Mirka with painted sweater VIA

Mirka Zelik Mora (1928-2018)  recently died. Born in France, in 1942 Mirka, along with other  Jewish family members, lived in the forest to avoid arrest and deportation.  Soon after the war, she married Georges Mora and the two migrated to Australia. They settled in Melbourne where George became an art dealer and Mirka began painting.  They also opened the Mirka Café. Known for her joie de vivre, Mirka not only painted on canvas, she painted on  walls as well.

Mirka Mora in front of her Flinders St Railway station mural. The restored mural was first opened in 1986. Foto by Penny Stephens.

But Mirka was not the only woman who felt the need to fill her world with color:

Polina Raïko  (1928-2004) via The Ivan Honchar Folk Art Museum

Maude Lewis (1903-1970) via Home Is Where The Art Is foto by Steve Farmer

Anežka Kašpárková via Street Artist is a 91 Year Old Czech Granny

Mithila Painting via Mithila Painting: It has faced disasters

Bonaria Carmela Manca (born 1925) via BONARIA MANCA AND DESTINY

Enni Id (1900-1992) via Enni Id’s Cabin 

Ndebele House via The Painted Houses of Ndebeles

The painted Mandé village via FESTIVAL BOGO JA

Related:  Old Women Who Paint On Their Walls + BONARIA MANCA , Biennale Arte Viterbo video in Italian + How Polish Women Reclaimed Folk Art by Giving It an Urban Twist + Bonaria Manca Website  +  After viewing Philippe Mora’s film Monsieur Mayonnaise (2016) + Diaries, petticoats and copious research: a rare glimpse into Mirka Mora’s artistic process + About Art: The treasures of Maud Lewis + MIrka Mora’s life in pictures + The Polish village of Zalipie where the women paint their houses + Mirka Mora x Gorman

As it often happens on internet, images are posted without the name of the photographer.  My apologies in advanced to the photographers. The images I’ve used, though, have at least been linked to the site they came from.