Mildred Rackley (1906–1992) was an American artist known for her printmaking. She is also known for her work in medical services in Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

Mildred Rackley
Born(1906-10-13)October 13, 1906
Carlsbad, New Mexico Territory
DiedNovember 19, 1992(1992-11-19) (aged 86)
Lafayette, California
NationalityAmerican
Known forPrintmaking
Spouse(s)Hans Paap, Rawlings Simon
Men Were Not Meant for This, c. 1940

Biography edit

Rackley was born on October 13, 1906, in Carlsbad, New Mexico Territory. She attended the University of Texas and completed her education at the Las Vegas, N.M. Normal School. In 1927 she began a teaching career, teaching high school in Taos, New Mexico. There she became acquainted with, and influenced by Walter Ufer of the Taos Society of Artists. Around 1930 she traveled to Europe with her then-husband, Hans Paap.[1]

In 1935 Rackley moved to New York City. There she worked for the American League Against War and Fascism's magazine Fight and joined the Artists Union and the American Communist Party.[1]

She returned to Europe again in 1937 where she helped organize and American hospital for the volunteers fighting in the Spanish Civil War. She returned to America in 1938[2]

Rackley's work was included in the 1940 MoMA show American Color Prints Under $10 The show was organized as a vehicle for bringing affordable fine art prints to the general public.[3] She was also included in the 1947 and the 1951 Dallas Museum of Fine Arts exhibitions of the National Serigraph Society.[4][5] She also exhibited her work at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Carnegie International.[6]

During World War II Rackley worked in shipyards in California.[2] After the war she was active in the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (VALB).

Rackley died on November 19, 1992, in Lafayette, California.[6] She was married twice; first to Hans Paap, then to Rawlings Simon.[1] Rackley's work is in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Mildred Rackley". Abraham Lincoln Brigade: Spanish Civil War History and Education. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Mildred Rackley". Spartacus Educational. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Press release for "American Color Prints Under $10"" (PDF). Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  4. ^ Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (1947). "National Serigraph Exhibition, January 15–February 15, 1947 [Checklist]". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  5. ^ Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (1951). "National Serigraph Society Exhibition, April 1–May 2, 1951 [Checklist]". The Portal to Texas History. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Mildred (Simon) Rackley". askART. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Mildred Rackley". National Gallery of Art. Retrieved 12 January 2020.

External links edit