Rebecca Salsbury James was a self-taught American artist who was known for her reverse painting on glass as well as her colcha embroidery, a New Mexico folk art form.
James was raised in New York City by her parents, Nathan and Rachel Salsbury, who were involved with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. In 1922, James married the photographer Paul Strand, and their relationship led to friendships with Georgia O’Keeffe and her husband Alfred Stieglitz.
James and O’Keeffe traveled to New Mexico together in 1929, which ended up being a pivotal moment in O’Keeffe’s personal life and artistic trajectory. James and Strand spent many summers in New Mexico, the last of which was in 1932 after their joint exhibition at Stieglitz’s gallery, An American Place. After their divorce in 1933, James moved to Taos, New Mexico, where she thrived creatively and socially. In 1937, she married William James, a rancher and businessman who ran the Kit Carson Trading Company. James lived in Taos, created her glass paintings, stitched colcha embroideries, and exhibited for many years until she died in 1968.
Use this guide to learn more about the life and work of Rebecca Salsbury James.
