Art and Artists

Of the many famous artists who are from the United States, two in particular are recognized as pioneers. One is Ansel Adams, who was considered a pioneer in the art of black and white photography. The other is Georgia O'Keefe who used soft edges and beautiful colors to paint images of her beloved west.

O'Keefe has been famous since the 1920's for her abstract artwork. She also worked as an illustrator and a teacher. Her paintings are in museums around the world. She created works of art in oil, water color, graphite, and clay. She worked until she was 96 years old. She passed away two years later, in 1986 at the age of 98.

Adams created his art with cameras. He did a photo essay on the Internment of the Japanese during World War II. It was called Born Free and Equal: Photographs of Loyal Japanese-Americans at Manzanar Relocation Center. In 1980, he was awarded the highest civilian honor given in the United States, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Jimmy Carter. He died in 1984 at the age of 82.