Mexican artist Frida Kahlo might be considered the original “Queen of the Selfie.” She’s famous for her self-portraits full of bright colors, bold patterns, and unique symbols. Frida faced many ups and downs in her life, but she never let them stop her from embracing her CREATIVITY and expressing herself.

As a girl, Frida loved to draw and paint. Her father was a professional photographer and encouraged her to pursue art. In school she also studied medicine. She dreamed of becoming a doctor and being able to heal people’s pain. At age 18 she was involved in a bus accident that forced her to spend a lot of time in bed recuperating. During this period she continued to paint, her mother even made a special easel for her so she could do it from bed.

Frida painted herself because she wanted to share her experiences with the world. She was unhappy with her appearance and wanted to truthfully show her struggles and hardships. She would often sit and look at her reflection in the mirror and paint what she saw. Her work is deeply influenced by her Mexican heritage and incorporates lots of color, plants, and animals. Frida found comfort in CREATING art that showed her true self. She was frequently experiencing physical and emotional pain. Her work has inspired many artists to CREATE pieces that reveal their inner struggles.

Frida explains her reasoning behind her work, “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”