Today Milena and Megan cover botanist and suffragist Mary Agnes Chase & Japanese American abstract wire sculptor Ruth Asawa









Mary Agnes Chase







Today Milena covers our first agrostolist, Mary Agnes Chase. Just what the hell is that? You may be asking – well, a scientist who studies grass, duh. While presumingly not the most exciting of the botanical sciences, Mary made up for that in her fight for equal rights for women. Equal parts suffragette and scientist, Milena shares how a woman who dropped out of school at the 5th grade went on to work for the Smithsonian and became a leading figure in her field (in this case the field of agrostology and literally a field of grasses).







Ruth Asawa







Forced into an internment camp as a child, denied the right to graduate from college because of her race, sculptor Ruth Asawa impressively did not let those experiences hinder her creative practice. Born in 1926, Ruth lived though a wave of anti-Asian discrimination in 1940’s America that’s not unlike the current racism we’re seeing today. Determined to make the best of things, Ruth went on to become an nationally regarded artist of the 20th century. Today Megan covers how Ruth developed her sculpting techniques, the importance of a supportive community and how stuck up community developers can go fly a kite.



Selected Works



Image of the hanging wire forms that Ruth is most well known for



A piece inspired by a desert plant



View of Ruth’s home studio





* Executive Order 9066 – Signed by President Roosevelt in February of 1942, initiated the forced internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese residents * Japanese American Internment – Forced internment of over 120,000 people to “Relocation Centers” in rural America during WWII, including Ruth’s family* Black Mountain College – Unique liberal arts college located in rural North Carolina that featured a progressive curriculum. Staffed many internationally renowned visual artists * Josef Albers – First art teacher employed at Black Mountain College, German born artist best known for his color theory * Albert Lanier – Architect husband of Ruth’s, met when they were both at Black Mountain College. * Imogen Cunningham – Friend of Ruth’s, professional photographer that documented much of Ruth’s artwork* Ruth Asawa School for the Arts – The first arts magnet high school in San Francisco, formed due to the arts advocacy work of Ruth and others. Renamed after her in 2010* Venus flyplant poaching in NC, read about it HERE or listen to an episode of the podcast Criminal about it Back to Episodes