This document was produced as part of the Viola Muse Digital Edition (violamuse.unfdhi.org), based at the University of North Florida.
A brief description of the physical object (for example: Handwritten on one side of a single sheet of unruled writing paper, with damage around edges)
Document transcribed and encoded following the criteria of the Viola Muse Digital Edition (violamuse.unfdhi.org), based at the University of North Florida.
Viola B. Muse
Hattie Chisolm was born in
the only child born to
She spent her infancy in
carried to
Her education was very limited, having
reached only the third grade in school.
At the age of 19 years
matrimony to
she lived until his death in
one son,
In
of waxed flowers. The two women worked to
gether
for some time but finally
more information about this art, so began buying
catalogues of artificial floral pieces. From the
catalogues she would grasp ideas and her know
ledge in
selecting the correct natural colors
of flowers grew. She learned to match the color
of a rose to the exact shade of the growing flower
and to make stem and leaf of the same grew which
nature provides.
The waxing of these paper flowers was a much
more difficult art
untiringly
petals while the wax was warm, so that a very
natural appearance was attained.
From the simple boquet
began making more difficult designs and
soon found herself able to make any kind
of floral piece called for.
In this interesting vocation
much pleasure and soon lucrative business
was built up. People from every part of
and in almost every section could be seen first
one and then another trying to immitate her
work.
There were those who entered the field for the
compensation it brought in dollars and cents,
but
class of work and worked untiringly to perfect
this art. Finally
several occasional her floral designs were so
perfect in appearance, people stooped
of the flowers before they became aware that
they were artificial.
the time she began making flowers and she
together with her husband
and made an excellent living by the aid
of the artificial floral design industry.
In
a high peak and unemployment was of such
extent
began to wane. Although she can not make
a living from this art
the same beautiful designs whenever called
upon.
Since entering this field of art
has taught and inspired numerous negro
women and often white people tried to sit
and watch her work when they had occasion
to call at her home on business.
Through a period of eight years, negro people
of
artificial floral designs for funerals and
only until about
such lessened.
with her son