In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Avon Lake Historical Society hosted an educational program highlighting the life of artist Mary Cassatt.
The program took place at the Avon Lake Public Library and featured Stephanie Kramer, a performer and historian who creates programs based on historic women’s lives.
Kramer presents the material as a narrator and performs as the women themselves during the presentations.
“I’ve been performing as women in history for the last 25 years,” she said. “I do all of my own research and write my own material.”
Cassatt was an American painter who lived most of her life during the 20th century in France.
She was known for painting women and children and was a prominent figure during the women’s suffrage movement.
“She was a huge supporter of the suffrage movement and was so attentive to the fact that women needed to move forward and be recognized,” said Kramer, who added she fell in love with Cassatt’s work when she was a child. “My mother was an artist, so we always had art books around the house, and she really liked Mary Cassatt.
“I learned all about her and started to like her, too.”
Cassatt was invited to join a French group of artists called The Impressionists and was the only American in the group, Kramer said.
“The fact that she was admitted into the impressionists group being an American was unusual,” Kramer said. “French people didn’t really like Americans at the time, and it’s amazing that they accepted her.”
Kramer also impersonates Beatrix Potter, the famous children’s book author and Katharine Wright, the sister of the Wright brothers.
“The Wright brothers had autism issues, and Katharine helped them and cleared the path for their success,” she said.
Kramer’s presentations aim to immerse the audience by using props and music to correlate with the time period.
She also wears period costumes to honor the woman she impersonates.
“I kind of grew from being just the narrator because I noticed that audiences get bored if it’s just a straight lecture,” Kramer said.
She said she wants to continue educating the community about women’s history beyond Women’s History Month.
“I like to portray women that are strong and have truly changed society, and I think people need to know about them,” Kramer said.
For more information on the Avon Lake Historical Society and upcoming events, visit https://www.avonlakehistoricalsociety.org/.
