Bettina Steinke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bettina Steinke
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| Born | June 25, 1913 Biddeford, Maine, U.S.
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| Died | July 11, 1999 (aged 86) |
| Education | Cooper Union Art Institute Phoenix Art Institute |
| Occupation | Artist, muralist |
| Known for | Painting |
| Spouse(s) | Don Blair |
Bettina Steinke (June 25, 1913 – July 11, 1999) was a talented American artist. She was known for painting portraits and large wall murals.
Contents
Early Life and Art Training
Bettina Steinke was born in Biddeford, Maine. Her father was a cartoonist and entertainer. When she was young, her family moved to New York City.
After finishing high school, Bettina studied art. She went to the Cooper Union and the Phoenix Art School. There, she focused on painting portraits of people.
Painting for Famous People
Working with NBC
In 1937, Bettina got her first big art job. She was asked to create large wall paintings, called murals. These murals were for the Children's Studio at the National Broadcasting Company (NBC).
Her murals were very popular. Because of this, NBC hired her as their artist. She drew portraits of many famous stars. These included Fred Allen, Kate Smith, and Rudy Vallée.
Later, she drew over 100 sketches for a special book. This book was about the NBC Symphony Orchestra. One of her sketches was of the famous conductor Arturo Toscanini.
Portraits of Leaders
In 1939, Bettina left NBC. She was then hired by ASCAP. She drew portraits of their members, like the composer Jerome Kern.
During World War II, Bettina painted important leaders. She created portraits of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She also painted generals like Douglas MacArthur and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Traveling and Settling Down
In 1946, Bettina married Don Blair. He was a photo-journalist. For the next ten years, they traveled all over the world.
During their travels, Bettina continued her art. She created paintings for companies like Standard Oil and the Hudson's Bay Company.
In 1956, the couple decided to live in Taos, New Mexico. Fifteen years later, they moved to Santa Fe.
Awards and Legacy
In 1995, Bettina Steinke was honored. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum held a big show of her art. She also received a special Lifetime Achievement Award.
The next year, in 1996, she won another award. It was the John Singer Sargent Award for Lifetime Achievement. This was given by the Society of Portrait Artists.
You can see Bettina Steinke's artwork in many museums. Her paintings are in the collections of:
- The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
- The Gilcrease Museum
- The Philbrook Museum of Art
- The Fort Worth Art Museum
