Artist 41: P. Buckley Moss

P. Buckley Moss was born in 1933 on Staten Island in New York City.  She attended Washington Irving High School for the Fine Arts in Manhattan.  Due to her many undiagnosed learning disabilities she was voted “least likely to succeed” her senior year.  After high school she went on to study at Cooper Union College.  After she graduated college she got married in 1955, and in 1964 she and her family moved to Waynesboro, Virginia.  Using the scenery presented to her by the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley, her art became a portrayal of rural life in Virginia.  The Amish and Mennonite communities that were easily observed influenced her art.  In 1967 she her solo exhibition was sold out.  Because of her images of calm nature, her work drew the attention of collectors worldwide.  Many of her pieces have a signature animal present in each image, her love for family is also very present in her work.  Then in 1989 the P. Buckley Moss Museum was opened in Waynesboro.  Although she continues to create art, she also has found ways to give back to the community and encourage young artists who struggle with learning disabilities.  In 1995 she created the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children’s Education.  Moss is referred to by many who know her or her work, as “The People’s Artist”.