Bessie Harvey was a force to be reckoned with.

Born in 1929, Harvey had twelve siblings and certainly didn’t enjoy a lavish lifestyle like Damien Hirst— we can’t all be billionaire plagiarists with a passion for animal carcasses. Despite a childhood of poverty during the Great Depression that Harvey said “would make Roots and The Color Purple look like a fairy tale,” she found time to teach herself how to sculpt. From an early age, she built toy cars and dolls, a skill that would later translate to the colorful wooden sculptures she’s best known for. Bessie Harvey probably didn’t struggle putting together Ikea furniture like the rest of us.

Still, as van Gogh could tell you, being a genius doesn't make life easy. Harvey’s family had trouble putting food on the table, and eating a single daily meal was a stroke of good luck. Harvey was born with tuberculosis. Her original life expectancy of six months distanced her from her mother, who was scared to foster a connection with the daughter she might lose. Harvey dropped out of school after fourth grade, became a housekeeper, and married at fourteen.

If raising one child sounds like a nightmarish medley of burps, bottles, and diapers, try eleven. Despite having a dozen mouths to feed, Harvey supported her family through two divorces. Eventually she worked housekeeping at a hospital. There, she proved that talent can go along with good character when she shared her art and poetry with patients.

Harvey’s life changing decision came in 1977 when she put her sculptures on display at the hospital art exhibition, receiving much deserved recognition. She drew inspiration from her faith, Bible stories, and life as an African American. A true badass, Harvey once said “Nobody will conquer me.” She was right— it’s not easy to be featured in both the Whitney and the de Young.