Background

Born in Coyoacan, a village on the out skirts of Mexico City.

She learned photography skills from her father. He taught her how to use a camera and how to develop pictures.

How she started painting

On September 17, 1925, she had several injuries due to a bus accident.

In 1926 while recovering she experimented with paining and tried her hands at watercolors and oil paints.

In 1930 she moved to San Francisco with her husband, Diego, where she was offered a job to point murals.

In 1931 she displayed her work to the public for the first time at the 6th annual exhibition of the San Francisco society of women's arts.

Career as a painter

Her career started in 1938 when she met Andre Breton. Andre looked at her painting call "What the water gave me" and he labeled it as a surreal work.

Later in 1938 many of her works were purchased by art collector and actor Edward G. Robinson.

In 1939 she displayed her art works "Mexique" exhibition in Paris.

In 1940 two more of her painting were displayed at the International Surrealism Exhibition at the Galleria of Mexican Art.

Health and eventually Death

in 1950 her health was all consuming when she diagnosed with gangrene

she spent nine months in the hospital and had several operations during that time

Then again in 1954 she was hospitalized cause she had attempted suicide

Then back in the hospital two months later diagnosed with bronchial pneumonia

her final public appearance was was a demonstration against the U.S.-backed overthrow of President Jacobo Arbenz of Guatemala on July 2

then finally about a week after her 47th birthday she was found dead in her home [the blue house] speculating from pulmonary embolism to a possible suicide