Sue Leaf & Kathy Allen | Art for Life’s Sake: The Life of Emma Roberts

Join Minnesota author Sue Leaf for a talk about the life and work of Emma Roberts, a Minneapolis artist of the 1870s who became a renowned arts educator in the public schools. Trained in Manhattan, Roberts founded the Handicraft Guild, highlighted artwork of Minneapolis school children at international art congresses, and pioneered art education at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Her brother, Thomas Sadler Roberts, was a Bell Museum curator, author of Birds of Minnesota, and later the husband of Agnes Williams, who collaborated with Emma on a series of wildflower watercolor paintings.

Following Leaf’s talk, Kathy Allen will discuss the discovery of previously unknown watercolors by artists Roberts and Williams, found in the Arboretum’s collection.

Leaf is the author of four books, including A Love Affair with Birds: The Life of Thomas Sadler Roberts, a 2014 Minnesota Book Award finalist. She writes on environmental topics from her home overlooking Pioneer Lake in Center City.

Kathy Allen is head of the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

$10; $5 Mia members, free for Library Affinity Group members. To register, call (612) 870-6323 or reserve online.