Wuanita Smith facts for kids

Illustration from Oh, Virginia! (1920)

Wuanita Smith (born January 1, 1866 – died February 18, 1959) was an American artist. She was known for her paintings, prints, and especially for illustrating children's books. Her artwork can be found in important places like the National Portrait Gallery and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Wuanita Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 1, 1866. Her father worked at an oil refinery. After finishing grammar school, Wuanita went to the Philadelphia School of Design for Women. She graduated from there and started her first job in 1887 as a jewelry designer.

Smith continued her art studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Drexel Institute. She learned from famous artists like Howard Pyle, Hugh Breckenridge, and Ralph Pearson. She also showed her art at the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry alongside other talented women artists.

Art Career and Recognition

Wuanita Smith was a member of The Plastic Club, an art group in Philadelphia. Her artwork is displayed in major museums. For example, her print called "Approaching Storm," made using a special technique called aquatint, is at the National Portrait Gallery. Another one of her prints, a woodcut called "Skating," is part of the collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Wuanita Smith lived a long life and passed away in Philadelphia on February 18, 1959, when she was 94 years old.

Books She Illustrated

Wuanita Smith brought many stories to life with her illustrations. She worked on several popular children's books, making the characters and scenes come alive for young readers. Here are some of the books she illustrated:

• The Four Corners Abroad by Amy Ella Blanchard (1909)
• Several books from the Admiral's Granddaughter Series by Elizabeth Lincoln Gould:
  • The Admiral's Granddaughter (1907)
  • The Admiral's Little Housekeeper (1910) – This book was about the Beaumont family's Christmas.
  • The Admiral's Little Secretary (1911)
• The Little Runaways At Home (1912) by Alice Turner Curtis
• A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony (1915)
• Oh, Virginia! (1920) by Helen Sherman Griffith
• Brothers Grimm and other stories (1922)
• Grandpa's Little Girls and Their Friends (1925) by Alice Turner Curtis

Images for kids

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  Illustration from A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony (1915)

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  Illustration from A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony (1915)