Tribute to Mary Cassatt: An American Impressionist

Auguste Reading to Her Daughter

(Reproduction of Original Painting by Mary Cassatt)

pastel drawing

Kathy A. Wittman

During Fall semester of 2018, I took Drawing III at Laramie County Community College. I was assigned the task of producing a portfolio: a body of works with a common theme, based on the artworks of two famous artists who have provided me with inspiration for my own unique artistic vision. The first artist is Mary Cassatt, the American Impressionist who created a large inventory of portraits of women, alone, and with their children. I admired the subtle interplay of light and dark in the colors and shapes of her drawings and paintings, that blend harmoniously to reflect the beauty of the natural world. I created the video below to present the profound impact of Mary Cassatt's influence on my portraits.