Nellie Meadows facts for kids

Nellie Meadows was a talented artist from Clay City, Kentucky. She was born on April 4, 1915, and passed away on November 6, 2006, at 91 years old. One of her most famous paintings, "Kentucky the Great State," became the official painting for Kentucky during the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. Nellie loved to paint and share her art with everyone.

Early Life and Art Journey

Nellie Meadows spent most of her life in Clay City, Kentucky. In the 1960s, she started painting beautiful pictures of birds and wildflowers. These were the plants and animals that naturally grew in her home area.

She was part of the Kentucky Heritage Artists program. This program allowed her to travel all over Kentucky. She visited many schools, libraries, and other places. At these visits, she would give presentations about painting. She also shared her art by selling prints and note cards. You could find her artwork at many state parks and other locations. In 1970, she received a special award. It was a plaque given to her for helping Kentucky's public libraries.

Art for a Good Cause

Nellie Meadows used her artistic talents to help others. In the 1980s, a group called the Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky asked her to paint something special. She created a series of Kentucky winter and holiday scenes. These paintings were used for Christmas cards and prints. Her art helped raise a lot of money, tens of thousands of dollars, for the foundation.

Nellie also sold prints to help other groups. She supported the Arthritis Foundation and various women's clubs. She was very proud of her home area, Powell County, Kentucky. She painted famous local spots like Natural Bridge and the Red River Gorge. These paintings showed her love for Powell County.

Nellie's Legacy

Nellie Meadows was known for her kindness and fun-loving spirit. People in her hometown and across Kentucky admired her. Her reputation for being generous spread to many other states too. She loved painting so much that she was still working on a new piece of art when she passed away in 2006.

Another artist from Powell County, Kentucky, Al Cornett, spoke highly of her. He described Nellie as "an excellent wildflower artist and landscape painter." Her beautiful artwork continues to be remembered and enjoyed.