Grandma Moses Day Date in the current year: September 7, 2025

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, also known as Grandma Moses, was an American self-taught folk artist who began her art career at the age of 78. She was born on September 7, 1860 in Greenwich, New York. Anna became interested in art as a child, but it was not a valid career path for a farmer’s child who had nine siblings.

Between the ages of 12 and 27, Anna worked as a live-in housekeeper for wealthy families. At the age of 27, she married Thomas Salmon Moses, a farm laborer. The couple worked on local farms for nearly two decades before buying a farm of their own. They had ten children, five of whom survived infancy. Thomas died in 1927, and Anna ran the family farm for another nine years with the help of her son, Forrest. She retired in 1936 and moved in with one of her daughters.

Moses took up embroidery as a hobby in 1932. By the time she retired, however, she had developed arthritis that made embroidery too painful. Moses’s sister Celestia suggested that she take up painting instead. Anna’s early paintings were simple and realistic, depicting peaceful scenes of rural life. She sold them locally, charging $3 to $5 for a painting, depending on the size.

In 1938, art collector Louis J. Caldor saw Moses’s paintings in a drugstore window while visiting Hoosick Falls, New York. He purchased more than a dozen of her paintings, and the following year, several were included in MoMA’s exhibition of contemporary unknown American painters. Moses’s first solo exhibition, What a Farmwife Painted, was held in 1940. It was organized by Caldor and Otto Kallir.

After the success of Moses’s first exhibition, the press dubbed her Grandma Moses, although Anna signed her paintings “Mrs. Moses”. After her breakthrough, Grandma Moses had a prolific artistic career, creating more than 1,500 paintings. During the 1950s, her paintings were exhibited throughout the United States and Europe, and her exhibitions broke attendance records. As Grandma Moses’s fame grew, her works sold for $8,000 to $10,000.

Grandma Moses became a cultural icon and was even featured on the cover of Time Magazine in 1953. Her paintings were featured on greeting cards, ceramics, fabrics, and tiles, and were used to market various products. She published her autobiography, My Life’s History, in 1952 and appeared as a guest on the television show See It Now in 1955.

September 7 was proclaimed Grandma Moses Day in 1960 by New York Governor (and future Vice President) Nelson Rockefeller to commemorate the 100th birthday of Anna Mary Robertson Moses, who was still alive at the time. She died on December 13, 1961 at the age of 101.

Grandma Moses Day holiday honors the legacy of Grandma Moses and serves as an inspiration to anyone considering starting a career later in life. You can celebrate by learning more about Grandma Moses, exploring her artwork, or taking up a new hobby – remember, it is never too late to explore your creativity!