Janice Hechter’s picture book biography, THE POWER OF HER PAINTBRUSH: THE STORY OF THERESA BERNSTEIN (Kar-Ben, 2026), tells the interesting life story of artist Theresa Bernstein. Despite experiencing sexism, antisemitism, and often difficult circumstances, Theresa persevered and eventually became a renowned and influential painter. THE POWER OF HER PAINTBRUSH is an inspiring story that will especially resonate with young artists. Janice’s illustrations beautifully accompany the story, emphasizing Theresa’s artistic contributions. It’s so important to honor women in history who made a difference. I look forward to learning more about Janice’s research, writing, and illustration process for this book. Welcome back, Janice!
How did you first discover the art and inspiring story of Theresa Bernstein?
Visiting art museums has always been one of my favorite activities, but a number of years ago I began questioning why there were so few historic women artists shown in museums. At the same time, I thought about the lack of picture book biographies depicting female artists, although there were plenty of books featuring male artists. Did women pursue art careers in past centuries? Were they somehow judged not accomplished enough to receive recognition? I did a deep dive into women artists from history and that’s how I discovered artist Theresa Bernstein. I was captivated by the vitality of her paintings. I especially appreciated her paintings of suffragist parades and meetings, in which Theresa applied contrasting paints of light and dark, allowing the viewer to feel both the drama and importance of these events. Sometimes the people she painted had their eyes fixed directly on the viewer, making the people looking at her paintings feel a deep connection. And Theresa was a successful working artist. Compelled to learn more about Theresa and her art career, I started reading books about her and conducted interviews with some of her friends and family. After getting to know her, I wrote and illustrated my own book about Theresa – the first picture book ever published about this fascinating artist.
What challenges did you have creating illustrations for a story about an artist? What techniques did you use?
Illustrating a story about an artist had always been one of my goals. Since I am also a fine arts painter, and have many years of experience working in oils and acrylics, I felt right at home illustrating a biography about an artist. My previous illustrations have often been described as painterly, probably due to all my years of painting, so my illustration style was the perfect fit for this project.
I drew the illustrations for this book on my iPad Pro, using an Apple pencil. I had purchased a new set of oil paints for Procreate and experimented with all the brushes until I found the ones that I liked best. I became much more purposeful in my color choices for this book, utilizing color not only as a means of expressing the emotions of my characters, but as a method of directing the reader’s eye to the most important elements of my story. Working on my iPad freed me to make as many changes as I wanted and try new techniques, with full knowledge that any previous versions of the illustration would not be lost, as they would be with a traditional oil painting.
In your research about Theresa, did you discover any interesting anecdotes that didn’t make it into the final book? Is there any record of her Jewish life or observance?
Theresa had a very good relationship with her parents. Many parents in this era discouraged their daughters’ focus on art, but Theresa’s parents were very supportive, recognizing her talent and encouraging her art. Her mother took Theresa to many art museums when they visited relatives in Europe, exposing her to art at a young age. This is a direct quote from Theresa: “Whatever choices I made my parents were completely satisfied. They assumed that I had enough sense to do the right thing.”
Both parents often served as models for Theresa’s paintings. Theresa’s mother kept a journal, in which she expressed her pride in Theresa and her art talent.
No wonder, when it came time for a birthday gift for her mother, Theresa, still a child, created what her mother treasured most, a Theresa Bernstein original painting.
When Theresa’s father was in the hospital, she sold her paintings to pay for his hospital bills.
As a child, Theresa won five dollar gold pieces from art contests, equal to 150 dollars today.
She landed her first paid assignment as a portrait painter when she was only thirteen years old. She was hired to paint her family doctor’s mother. They liked the painting so much that the doctor again hired Theresa to paint his three-year-old niece.
Always proud of her Jewish identity, Theresa Bernstein was confirmed at Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel, a synagogue in Philadelphia, on May 19, 1907. Theresa’s marriage to artist William Meyerowitz, the son and grandson of cantors, only reinforced Theresa’s Jewish faith. Throughout her career, Theresa painted Jewish subjects, such as a Passover Seder, a variety of synagogues, menorahs, Yeshiva students, and women working at traditional Jewish immigrant vocations.
Theresa sent money to relatives trapped in Europe during the holocaust, but still they perished. After the war, Theresa actively raised money to assist children who had survived the holocaust, but were left orphans.
What do you think is the most inspiring part of Theresa’s story?
Although Theresa Bernstein faced her share of detractors, she never let them dissuade her from pursuing her dream of becoming a successful artist. Theresa was not only immensely talented, but most importantly she believed in her abilities.
And she never let anything stand in her way of continuing to paint. When she didn’t have a canvas to paint on, she painted over one of her paintings. If she was out and about, and found something she just had to paint, she sketched the scene on whatever she had handy, whether that was an envelope or a napkin. When she broke her painting arm, she painted with her other arm. When her brushes became too heavy to hold, she squeezed the tubes of paint directly onto the canvas. When no one would let Theresa stay at their inn in Gloucester, she found an attic to stay in. When galleries wouldn’t show women’s art, she signed her paintings as “T. Bernstein” in an effort to hide her identity as a woman.
Theresa Bernstein was truly unstoppable and that, I find inspiring!
What do you hope young readers take away from Theresa’s story?
A belief in themselves, despite any obstacles that may be thrown in their path. When Theresa’s painting gets vandalized in college, she doesn’t call it quits. Instead, she stays up all night painting and turns in a new painting the next day. When Theresa is advised to give up her art ambitions and pursue typing instead, she rents an art studio and signs up for painting classes.
I want people to realize how much of a positive difference one person can make. In the story, the owner of an art store changes the trajectory of Theresa’s art career when he not only praises and purchases her artwork, but suggests that she enter her painting in a prestigious competition. Theresa’s painting gets accepted into the show and the wide exposure in major museums provides an invaluable boost to her art career.
I also hope that readers come away with a realization that talented women artists have not only existed, but have made remarkable contributions to art throughout the centuries. They have simply been erased from history — until now.
Thank you, Janice!
Janice Hechter is both an author and illustrator who has exhibited her paintings throughout the country. Janice has illustrated eight picture books, including SCBWI Crystal Kite Award finalist, The Great Elephant Escape. She is based in Connecticut.