A common assumption we museum educators often face is that our job is always glamorous; that we spend all of our time surrounded by world-class works of art, bumping elbows with famous artists. Just a couple of weeks ago, we confirmed this theory.

Birdie, or Little Frida, attends an Andell Family Sunday.

The Andell Family Sundays staff was truly in the presence of greatness when the iconic Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, wheeled around the corner in her push car and onto the Los Angeles Times Central Court, ready to create a masterpiece before our very eyes.  The paparazzi went wild, bringing out the big lenses to capture the moment.  She was just as stunning in person as she is in the portrait her husband, Diego Rivera, painted some 74 years ago, that now graces our museum walls.

In 1925, when Frida Kahlo was only 18 years old, the city bus she was riding in collided with a trolley car in Mexico City. The crash caused injuries that left her bed and wheelchair-ridden for months at a time. During this time, she was quoted as saying, “Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?” Her paintings kept her company during times of rest, but each time she was able to stand again, it was a milestone for her recovery.

This little Frida celebrated a similar milestone on LACMA’s campus.  Her parents—and us, of course!—were thrilled when she took her very first steps on her own! Congratulations, Birdie! Thanks for visiting us at Andell Family Sundays!

Angela Hall, education coordinator, education and public programs
Alicia Vogl Saenz,  senior education coordinator, education and public programs