In honor of International Women's Day, epoca highlight's the work of an amazing mid-century female sculptor, Joanna Gichner Kendall. 

All the obstacles women have in art in general, can be found in sculpture as well. Female sculptors have been even more stigmatized perhaps, since it is believed that sculpture practice includes hard and difficult process of material-making, with a lot of physical effort, something that is usually meant to be a men’s job.  

Epoca is host to two of Kendall's works, a companion pair of three-dimensional bronze portrait sculptures:
A beautifully rendered American 1940's bronze bust of a young girl on marble plinth; signed 'J.G. Kendall 1940, Gorham Co. Founders',1940's. The richly-patinated bust of a young girl with serene direct gaze and soft wavy hair; raised on a green marble plinth. 
A beautifully rendered American 1940's bronze bust of a young boy on marble plinth; signed 'JG kendall 1945' (Gorham Co. Foundry). 1940's. The richly-patinated bust of a young boy with serene direct gaze and short cropped hair; raised on a green marble plinth.

Joanna Gichner Kendall (b. May 25, 1899, Baltimore,  Maryland; d. April 20, 1989)

A portrait sculptor, she fulfilled numerous commissions for portrait busts of notables, including President John F. Kennedy and Will Rogers



Art Education:


• Graduate of the Maryland Institute or fine Art, Cum laude.

• Continued her artistic training under Charles Grafly at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Phila. PA. -1923.
• 
Student of Albert Lesley, animal sculptor, Paris, France. Summer of 1924.

• Student of Charles Desiau, Paris, France, 1932.



Positions:

• 
Member of the faculty for sculpture: The Reinhardt School, Baltimore, Md. 1924-1946.
• 
Director of Art, Granville Ave. School, Margate, NJ. 1947-1948.
Atlantic City Art Center

Museums:

• Baltimore Museum of Art
• Noyes Museum of Art

(Watercolor Portrait of The Artist Painted by Muriel Harris)

^jh, ep