32.5(H) x 24(W) x 1.75(D). Sight: 25.5(H) x 17(W)

American. Second half 20th C. Mixed media on paper. A portrait of a pink lady by Lee Godie. Signed lower right, "Artist Lee Godie". This example of Godie's work featuring an exuberant female bust formed the cornerstone of her fame. 32.5 x 24". Sight: 25.5 x 17". From the Marty Osler Collection. $1500/2000. Lee Godie (1908-1994) was a self-taught American artist who was active in Chicago from the late 1960s until the early 1990s. She is largely considered to be Chicago's most collected artist. After two failed marriages and the loss of two children, Godie took to living in the streets of downtown Chicago, a choice she made intentionally despite having quite a lot of money saved. She painted expressively, often incorporating song and dance into the creation process and often provided a corresponding performance to her buyers. She most often painted female busts, and personal subjects such as herself, friends, passersby and famous individuals. She used a variety of media including watercolour, pencil, pens and crayons on surfaces such as canvas, poster board, paper and window blinds. She also produced works of photography, often of herself, which she would embellish and enhance with paint. Godie's work can be found in the permanent collections of museums around the world such as the Hayward Gallery in London and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.