Mary Eileen (Egan) Fouratt and Maureen Egan have created ruthhenshawbascom.com to introduce "Ruthy" -- Ruth Henshaw Bascom (1772-1848). Ruthy created more than 1,700 life- size cut-paper and pastel profiles throughout New England in her unique style.
About 230 are known to survive in private collections and museums including the Smithsonian, the Worcester Art Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, Historic Deerfield, Winterthur and many more.
Ruthy also wrote prolifically, keeping a diary from age 16 throughout her long life. Begun as the musings of a young girl stitching pages together, looping rows of words in copper, black and red inks, RHB’s nearly 6,000-page diary, held at the American Antiquarian Society, documents her unexpected artistic career and prodigious output.
Mary Eileen Fouratt has now transcribed RHB’s diaries, and with Maureen Egan, is updating the catalogue raisonné, writing articles, a nonfiction picture book and a general interest book about RHB, all in service to giving Ruthy her due as an artist and writer.
