YOU SHOULD KNOW HARRIET QUIMBY 24x36"
Harriet Quimby was a total bad ass, an adventurous woman who was so ahead of her time! I felt compelled to paint this to honor her life.
My previous painting of Amelia Earhart (THE ORIGINAL GONE GIRL) got the attention of several female pilots; and me being the curious type - I found myself poking around one evening, skimming about in aviatrix history. One thing always seems to lead to another, and that is when I discovered Harriet. She led me into nearly a weeks worth of digging, where I found myself pouring over historical documents and every newspaper article I could find from back in the day. What emerged was a fascinating story; my synopsis follows.
Harriet Quimby was born in Arcadia township in Manistee, Michigan on May 11th, 1875. Between 1887-1890, the family moved to Arroyo Grande, California. By the early 1900’s, the family had relocated to San Francisco when Harriet became a journalist. In 1902 she began writing for the San Francisco Dramatic Review and was a contributing author in a few different Sunday edition papers there as well. In 1903 Harriet then moved to Manhattan, New York City to work as a theater critic for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly - where subsequently, more than 250 of her articles were published over a 9-year span.
In January of 1910, Harriet attended the Los Angeles International Aviation Meet, the first in the USA. Later in 1910, Harriet’s writing and interest in aviation found her at the Belmont Park International Aviation Tournament in Elmont, New York. At that event she met aviator John Moisant and his sister Matilde. John was a well known aviator and the owner of a flight school.
After the event, she talked her employer into paying for flight lessons, which they did to the tune of $750. and, on August 1st, 1911, she became the first woman to obtain a pilots license in the United States (John’s sister Matilde was the second). To put this into historical perspective, when Harriet received that license, Amelia Earhart was 9 years old.
After getting her pilots license, Harriet joined aviator John’s group, the Moisant International Aviators (exhibition team) and in her debut public appearance, she performed a night flight over Staten Island before an audience of 15 to 20 thousand people. She earned $1,500. for the 7 minute flight. A good sum of of money in 1911 - which is the approximate equivalent of $45,000. today.
Harriet designed her one-of-a-kind flight suit and commissioned the construction of it. It was made to convert from a skirt into trousers (via buttons) that she tucked into her boots. The custom flight suit was made of plum colored satin outside and was lined with wool (her suit also caught the attention of Vin Fiz, a sparkling grape drink manufacturer who used her image in various advertising and promotions).
The type of plane Harriet learned to fly was a monoplane. Monoplanes are essentially open cockpit, lightweight wooden frames that are covered in canvas (attached by upholstery tacks) with cross wire bracing, and weigh just over 500 pounds. Not for the faint of heart!
Harriet went on to become the first woman to fly over Mexico and the first woman to solo over the English Channel. She completed her solo English Channel crossing on April 16th, 1912 in a Blériot (pronounced blare-E-oh) monoplane. To put that major accomplishment into historical perspective, the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14th at 11:40 p.m. and sank the day before in the early hours of April 15th, 1912.
Harriet Quimby’s life was not ordinary at all, especially considering the lives of most women during the early 1900’s. Her story intrigued me, and simultaneously flabbergasted me. I had never heard about her before! Her accomplishments in life were huge AND she was born in my home state of Michigan. Plus, there is this annoying fact that honestly pissed me off: Harriet wasn’t even inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame until the year 2004 - a staggering 92 years after her death!
Here I’ve practically written a mini-book about Harriet Quimby - and I’m not even done telling you about her because - she was so much MORE. Additional tidbits I uncovered: she had a stint as an actress early on, she bought and drove her own automobile, she traveled the world (at times alone) for her journalism and photography, she smoked the occasional cigar and drank whiskey, she wrote 7 screenplays and motion picture director D.W. Griffith turned 5 of those screenplays into short feature silent films - some featuring Mary Pickford.
Why Hollywood hasn’t picked up this story is CRAZY! Instead of recycling old formulas and familiar stories… why not dive into this one? It has the potential to be a great period piece and educational, too. I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone in wanting to see an accurate portrayal of her life. Attention female directors, there is that girl power aspect in this story, too! Make the Movie! She is so deserving of recognition.
Anyway, if you find this story interests you, I have to mention that there is apparently a book written about her called, “Birdwoman The Incredible Life of Harriet Quimby” written by Giacinta Bradley Koontz. And NO, I have neither seen nor have I read it (noted it after seeing it referenced several times as I poured through data) - but, you can bet it’s in my list of books to read before I croak.
DETAILS ABOUT THE PAINTING
You’ll find the representation of her pilot license above her gloved hand in which she also holds a fountain pen to represent her journalistic career. I rendered different color stones on the necklace she was wearing because, according to an old newspaper article, it was described as being odd looking multi-colored stones that were actually tiny Ganesha carvings. It was reported she bought it from a muleteer during one of her worldly travels after admiring it on one of the mules. She wore the necklace for good luck. The satin fabric of her custom plum colored flight suit would have exhibited a multi-shaded sheen and I also tried to reflect that, yet it is more obvious seeing the sheen there in person as opposed to a photograph.
The crowd on the beach was based on newspaper photographs after she solo-crossed the English Channel. She landed 25 miles away from the target location on a beach in France. Interesting fact that two women were carrying her after landing and celebrating with a crowd of people. What is most surprising to me is that someone actually captured a photograph of that including the crowd around them! I mean, this was 1911 - well over 100 years ago. Back then, people were not carrying cameras around like we do today. Anyway, I digress but after landing, Harriet knew she had made it to France since she couldn’t understand the language and they couldn’t understand hers.
In the background behind the welcoming crowd, you’ll see a man who represents Billy Bitzer, D.W. Griffith’s famed cameraman who filmed the 5 silent movie shorts based on Harriet’s screenplays. The Blériot 50 hp monoplane she flew over the English Channel is depicted and… l have got to say, painting the smaller details of the crowd, Harriet herself and the monoplane with all of the straight lines and wires was a difficult task over the extreme texture. I’m quite happy this challenging piece is done after many weeks and hours of work.
I did enjoy the journey, and I believe Harriet enjoyed the journey, too! That’s truly what it’s all about.
Footnote:
Harriet and her passenger, William A.P. Willard, died July 1st, 1912 in the Sqantum neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts. Witnessed by a crowd of 5,000, her passenger fell out in flight and she fell out a few seconds later. She was flying her new Blériot 2-seater monoplane. Some suspected that her passenger lurched forward mid-flight which upset the equilibrium and she lost control of the monoplane. There was also speculation that the instability inherent in the Blériot was to blame or, there was an issue or fault with the controls.
Harriet Quimby was 37 when she died, matching the number on her pilots license. There were no restraints in her monoplane, if there had been, the story may have had a different ending and Harriet’s adventures would surely have continued.
- Shelly Taylor
My previous painting of Amelia Earhart (THE ORIGINAL GONE GIRL) got the attention of several female pilots; and me being the curious type - I found myself poking around one evening, skimming about in aviatrix history. One thing always seems to lead to another, and that is when I discovered Harriet. She led me into nearly a weeks worth of digging, where I found myself pouring over historical documents and every newspaper article I could find from back in the day. What emerged was a fascinating story; my synopsis follows.
Harriet Quimby was born in Arcadia township in Manistee, Michigan on May 11th, 1875. Between 1887-1890, the family moved to Arroyo Grande, California. By the early 1900’s, the family had relocated to San Francisco when Harriet became a journalist. In 1902 she began writing for the San Francisco Dramatic Review and was a contributing author in a few different Sunday edition papers there as well. In 1903 Harriet then moved to Manhattan, New York City to work as a theater critic for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly - where subsequently, more than 250 of her articles were published over a 9-year span.
In January of 1910, Harriet attended the Los Angeles International Aviation Meet, the first in the USA. Later in 1910, Harriet’s writing and interest in aviation found her at the Belmont Park International Aviation Tournament in Elmont, New York. At that event she met aviator John Moisant and his sister Matilde. John was a well known aviator and the owner of a flight school.
After the event, she talked her employer into paying for flight lessons, which they did to the tune of $750. and, on August 1st, 1911, she became the first woman to obtain a pilots license in the United States (John’s sister Matilde was the second). To put this into historical perspective, when Harriet received that license, Amelia Earhart was 9 years old.
After getting her pilots license, Harriet joined aviator John’s group, the Moisant International Aviators (exhibition team) and in her debut public appearance, she performed a night flight over Staten Island before an audience of 15 to 20 thousand people. She earned $1,500. for the 7 minute flight. A good sum of of money in 1911 - which is the approximate equivalent of $45,000. today.
Harriet designed her one-of-a-kind flight suit and commissioned the construction of it. It was made to convert from a skirt into trousers (via buttons) that she tucked into her boots. The custom flight suit was made of plum colored satin outside and was lined with wool (her suit also caught the attention of Vin Fiz, a sparkling grape drink manufacturer who used her image in various advertising and promotions).
The type of plane Harriet learned to fly was a monoplane. Monoplanes are essentially open cockpit, lightweight wooden frames that are covered in canvas (attached by upholstery tacks) with cross wire bracing, and weigh just over 500 pounds. Not for the faint of heart!
Harriet went on to become the first woman to fly over Mexico and the first woman to solo over the English Channel. She completed her solo English Channel crossing on April 16th, 1912 in a Blériot (pronounced blare-E-oh) monoplane. To put that major accomplishment into historical perspective, the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14th at 11:40 p.m. and sank the day before in the early hours of April 15th, 1912.
Harriet Quimby’s life was not ordinary at all, especially considering the lives of most women during the early 1900’s. Her story intrigued me, and simultaneously flabbergasted me. I had never heard about her before! Her accomplishments in life were huge AND she was born in my home state of Michigan. Plus, there is this annoying fact that honestly pissed me off: Harriet wasn’t even inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame until the year 2004 - a staggering 92 years after her death!
Here I’ve practically written a mini-book about Harriet Quimby - and I’m not even done telling you about her because - she was so much MORE. Additional tidbits I uncovered: she had a stint as an actress early on, she bought and drove her own automobile, she traveled the world (at times alone) for her journalism and photography, she smoked the occasional cigar and drank whiskey, she wrote 7 screenplays and motion picture director D.W. Griffith turned 5 of those screenplays into short feature silent films - some featuring Mary Pickford.
Why Hollywood hasn’t picked up this story is CRAZY! Instead of recycling old formulas and familiar stories… why not dive into this one? It has the potential to be a great period piece and educational, too. I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone in wanting to see an accurate portrayal of her life. Attention female directors, there is that girl power aspect in this story, too! Make the Movie! She is so deserving of recognition.
Anyway, if you find this story interests you, I have to mention that there is apparently a book written about her called, “Birdwoman The Incredible Life of Harriet Quimby” written by Giacinta Bradley Koontz. And NO, I have neither seen nor have I read it (noted it after seeing it referenced several times as I poured through data) - but, you can bet it’s in my list of books to read before I croak.
DETAILS ABOUT THE PAINTING
You’ll find the representation of her pilot license above her gloved hand in which she also holds a fountain pen to represent her journalistic career. I rendered different color stones on the necklace she was wearing because, according to an old newspaper article, it was described as being odd looking multi-colored stones that were actually tiny Ganesha carvings. It was reported she bought it from a muleteer during one of her worldly travels after admiring it on one of the mules. She wore the necklace for good luck. The satin fabric of her custom plum colored flight suit would have exhibited a multi-shaded sheen and I also tried to reflect that, yet it is more obvious seeing the sheen there in person as opposed to a photograph.
The crowd on the beach was based on newspaper photographs after she solo-crossed the English Channel. She landed 25 miles away from the target location on a beach in France. Interesting fact that two women were carrying her after landing and celebrating with a crowd of people. What is most surprising to me is that someone actually captured a photograph of that including the crowd around them! I mean, this was 1911 - well over 100 years ago. Back then, people were not carrying cameras around like we do today. Anyway, I digress but after landing, Harriet knew she had made it to France since she couldn’t understand the language and they couldn’t understand hers.
In the background behind the welcoming crowd, you’ll see a man who represents Billy Bitzer, D.W. Griffith’s famed cameraman who filmed the 5 silent movie shorts based on Harriet’s screenplays. The Blériot 50 hp monoplane she flew over the English Channel is depicted and… l have got to say, painting the smaller details of the crowd, Harriet herself and the monoplane with all of the straight lines and wires was a difficult task over the extreme texture. I’m quite happy this challenging piece is done after many weeks and hours of work.
I did enjoy the journey, and I believe Harriet enjoyed the journey, too! That’s truly what it’s all about.
Footnote:
Harriet and her passenger, William A.P. Willard, died July 1st, 1912 in the Sqantum neighborhood of Quincy, Massachusetts. Witnessed by a crowd of 5,000, her passenger fell out in flight and she fell out a few seconds later. She was flying her new Blériot 2-seater monoplane. Some suspected that her passenger lurched forward mid-flight which upset the equilibrium and she lost control of the monoplane. There was also speculation that the instability inherent in the Blériot was to blame or, there was an issue or fault with the controls.
Harriet Quimby was 37 when she died, matching the number on her pilots license. There were no restraints in her monoplane, if there had been, the story may have had a different ending and Harriet’s adventures would surely have continued.
- Shelly Taylor
An unidentified man at the left of this photograph is carrying the body of Harriet Quimby. (Photo by Leslie Jones, Boston Herald/Boston Public Library)