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Madeline Milliken
Mrs. Lynn
Grade 7 Writing, Period
March 11, 2014
I never paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality, Stated by Frida Kahlo
referring to her saddening yet inspiring paintings. Frida Kahlo was one of the best surrealist
painters of her time. Kahlo has had a stressful and short life, many achievements in her paintings
and portraits and I admire her. In fact, Frida Kahlo has stunned many people with the back
stories to her famous paintings.
Frida Kahlo has had a stressful yet successful life. Kahlo was born on July 3, 1907 in a
small blue house in Coyocaon, Mexico City, Mexico along with the rest of the Kahlo family. Her
parents were Wilhelm Kahlo, a German photographer and his wife Matilde Kahlo. Along side
her, Kahlo had three other sisters. Her two older sisters names where Matilde and Adriana. And
her younger sisters name is Cristina who was born the year after her. During her early life, she
had enrolled herself into a school named the National Preparatory School in 1922. In this time in
school, Kahlo had hung around politically and intellectually minded students. Within her group,
she was known as a joyful spirit for her colorful clothing and exotic jewelry. And after a visit
from the young painter, Diego Rivera, Kahlo told her friends that one day she will marry Diego
and have his kid, and so thats what they did. They had mat up once again and became very fond
of each other and married the next year. And after many years of them being together, they had
tough times, such as Kahlos two miscarriages. Though these hard times inspired many of her
most famous paintings such as her painting, Henry Ford Hospital. Although Frida Kahlo had a
tough childhood, she became famous for her paintings about her young and old life.
Frida Kahlo has had many successful moments in her life that make her admired by
many. When she was a young teenager, she had gotten into a horrible bus accident which caused
a metal poll to shoot straight through her spine. And as a result of this and already having polio
as a young child, she became bedridden for months. And in those times of being bedridden, she
had no other way to occupy herself but paint. So for those months all she did was paint self-
portraits. Which also resulted in her taking art at school very seriously. And as she continued to
make more of these portraits, more and more people started to appreciate her work. And all
through out her life, she struggled with many health problems and even more injuries. Which
also, as a result ended in her in being bedridden once again though as long as she had her
husband there to support her and her work, she was a success. After being bedridden, Kahlo
joined the Seminario de Cultura Mexican where she received a national award from the Ministry
of Public Education. Frida Kahlo represented that no matter how many tradigies happen in your
life, great success comes out of it. Due to Frida Kahlos famous painting career, I admire her.
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Frida Kahlo has had an inspiring life and I wanted to know more about her.