Children are an ideal audience for highlighting historically marginalized women. Such works expose readers to women who have been overlooked and often tell of the barriers they faced and overcame. These stories are inspirational and motivating to youth, especially girls.

There are many remarkable women I wish I’d been introduced to in my formative years. I believe it would have had an impact on my developing sense of self and interests.

Janice Hechter’s children’s book, The Power of Her Paintbrush: The Story of Theresa Bernstein, is precisely the sort of book I’m referring to.

Another of her impactful books is the subject of this post: Where Are the Women? The Girl Scouts’ Campaign For the First Statue of Women in Central Park.

The Artist That Could

Theresa Bernstein (1890-2002) was born in Poland and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to Hechter’s book, as a child, Bernstein developed a passion for drawing and painting, which she never stopped pursuing, even when faced with numerous barriers.

In 1907, with a scholarship in hand, Bernstein attended the Philadelphia School of Design for Women, where she was very successful, garnering much recognition. From there, she relocated to New York City, eventually marrying artist William Meyerowitz in 1919.

Along with artistic talent, Bernstein possessed another critical characteristic: determination. In the face of prejudice, ridicule, and foul play, Bernstein did not give up.

Hechter illuminates numerous instances of Bernstein’s perseverance, guaranteed to inspire the reader.

One hurdle Hechter describes is when Bernstein’s painting on display is vandalized, in hopes of eliminating her from the competition. Little did the culprit know that she’d stay up all night creating another painting to exhibit in its place, the one that would win first prize.

Theresa grabbed her damaged painting and raced out the door.

Another hurdle is when Bernstein notices that women’s art is not being reviewed as often as men’s and that women artists are less likely to be invited for solo exhibits. She then decides to sign her paintings T. Bernstein, instead of her full first name. This approach works. T. Bernstein’s art is favorably reviewed, and this prestigious praise cannot be erased upon discovery that she’s a woman. This strategy helps accelerate Bernstein’s career.

Theresa would not be pushed aside. She came up with a clever plan. She would sign her name “T. Bernstein.” That way no one would know that a woman had painted them. People would judge only the art, not the artist. Theresa’s plan worked! With the new signature, art critics and competition judges praised her paintings, unaware that a woman had painted them.

Yet another example of Bernstein’s determination is when she travels to Gloucester, Massachusetts, to paint the seaside, but is not allowed to rent a room in any of the inns because she is Jewish. Although being repeatedly turned away, she refuses to leave the town, determined to paint the seaside scenes as she had planned. Fortunately, a sympathetic artist allows her to stay in his attic so she can fulfill her mission.

Theresa had always been fascinated with beaches. She planned a painting trip to Gloucester, Massachusetts, where sandy shorelines, brilliant sunlight and vivid colors dotted the landscape. But Gloucester did not welcome Jews. After her long train ride from New York, none of the inns in the area would give her a room because she was Jewish.

The Fight for Women’s Suffrage

Bernstein supports the efforts made at the time for women’s right to vote. She studies and sketches the suffragists’ marches and rallies and paints pictures of these scenes to promote their message. She deliberately paints the activists as the determined and strong women they are, not fragile and vulnerable as some others portrayed them.

In 1914, when women were fighting for the right to vote, Theresa slipped into the night and sketched the crowds at suffragist meetings and parades. Unlike many male artists, who painted the women as delicate and decorative, Theresa painted real-life women, filled with hope, struggles and dreams.

Bernstein, Life and Art

“An American realist, she first made her mark in the 1910s with vibrant scenes depicting immigrants and working-class experiences in New York. Bernstein was a respected and accomplished painter and printmaker…Yet like many female professionals, she has too often been left out of the histories of art that are told and taught…

“As a woman and a Jewish immigrant, Bernstein navigated a place for herself as a professional artist amid persistent social and gender inequalities…Bernstein defied expectations and continued to impress”(Madsen).

Shown above is Bernstein’s The Milliners, painted in 1921.

Bernstein also wrote several books, including William Meyerowitz, The Artist Speaks (1986), The Poetic Canvas (1989), and the Israeli Journals (1994). She kept extensive journals about her life as an artist and describing her travels.

The artist in the early 1980s.

Theresa Bernstein lived to be almost 112, still actively sketching and painting until 110. Her life spanned three centuries, and her work a full century. Granted, there is an element of luck in such longevity, but her unwavering commitment to art is amazing!

Kudos to Janice Hechter for both writing and illustrating this valuable book. No doubt it will have a positive impact on all who read it, especially our youth.

Theresa Bernstein and Janice Hechter are Nasty Women Artists and Writers.

© Maria Dintino 2026

Works Cited

Featured image: Bernstein, Theresa. Self-Portrait of the Artist, 1920. Cape Ann Museum, Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Hechter, Janice. The Power of Her Paintbrush: The Story of Theresa Bernstein. Kar-Ben Publishing, 2026.

Madsen, Annelise K. “In Good Company: Theresa Bernstein’s The Milliners.” Art Institute Chicago, 31 July 2020. https://www.artic.edu/articles/856/in-good-company-theresa-bernsteins-the-milliners