When you set out to do the impossible, it helps to find a source for inspiration…
Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954), the legendary Mexican painter and central figure in revolutionary Mexican politics and twentieth-century art, is renowned for her magnificent body of surreal, symbolic, and deeply personal art. What is less known about Kahlo is the incredible saga of integrity and perseverance inherent to her life’s story. In 1925, at the age of eighteen, Kahlo was involved in a tragic streetcar accident where she suffered multiple fractures to her spine, foot, and pelvic bones, spending the rest of her life struggling against severe pain and disability.
Where for some this would have been enough to lose oneself to despair, Kahlo turned to art to communicate her physical suffering, as well as her passions for Mexican politics and for the love of her life, Diego Rivera, whom she married in 1929. A consummate creator until her death at 47, Kahlo’s inspiring resoluteness and individualism has led to her becoming a leading icon for both the LGBT and feminist movements, as well as for the greater conversation of self-expression through art.
Well, well, well. Who knew that Frida Kahlo was a bit of a gambler? Apparently, she enjoyed her fair share of casino games back in the day. I can just picture her sitting at the blackjack table, sporting her signature unibrow and colorful wardrobe, sipping on a margarita. Maybe she even had a lucky rabbit’s foot tucked away in her pocket. Who knows? All I know is that if I ever find myself playing cards with Frida, I better watch out for her poker face – she was known for being quite the skilled bluffer. Viva Las Frida!
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