Bernarda Bryson (1903-2004) is the epitome of the socially progressive artist. In 1933 she interviewed the muralist Diego Rivera and met his assistant, Ben Shahn, to be her lifelong companion.

LIZA KIRWIN: You worked as an illustrator for about twenty years?

BERNARDA SHAHN: Yes, easily, or longer. I worked for lots of other magazines. I loved working for the Reporter. I did a lot for them. I worked for Life a couple of times. Seventeen, anything – Those three magazines were steady. It was most exciting to work for the Scientific American. With the most wonderful and unwarranted confidence, they believed in everything I did. It is a scientific magazine. I used Doctor Einstein for research; I used Doctor Laudenberg, who was the head of the math department at Princeton. Everything I did the Scientific American seemed to think was great. Once when I did a story for Fortune, I put a modern – one of those things they blow up on your arm –

LIZA KIRWIN: To measure blood pressure?

BERNARDA SHAHN: Yes. In the picture. One of the editors said that this is not what this thing looks like. I said, “This is a very modern one.” Then I said to them, “Look, if the Scientific American can accept my research, you can, too, can’t you?” [laugh] You know you have those fights.

Smithsonian oral interview 1983

THE TRANSIENTS MAY 1953

COMPANY WIVES NOVEMBER 1951

AUTO INSURANCE - BATTERED BY ITS OWN BOOM OCTOBER 1960