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[Page H1594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: MARGARET HUDSON
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
California (Mr. Costa) for 5 minutes.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, every March, we honor the extraordinary
contributions of women who have shaped our Nation's history and those
who continue to pave the way for the next generation. This year also
marks the 100th year since the 19th Amendment granted women the right
to vote.
Think about it, just in the last 100 years. Our Nation is now going
on 245 years old. A century later, the women who have done so much for
our country throughout our Nation's entire history continue to make a
difference.
I am proud, today, to say that I serve with a record number of women
in Congress as we continue to fight for issues that are so important:
equal pay, reproductive freedom, and so much more.
Mr. Speaker, as we use this opportunity to celebrate the incredible
women who have changed the world in your life and in my life, I would
like to pay tribute to an iconic woman, an artist in my home of Fresno,
California, Margaret Hudson.
Ms. Hudson passed away last month, but her legacy lives on in her
clay sculptures of California wildlife that can be seen on display
throughout the valley. It is incredible work.
From a young age, Margaret loved to spend time outdoors hiking in
such places as Sequoia National Park. Her appreciation for the
beautiful landscape of the Central Valley would later influence so much
of her artwork that we enjoy today.
She attended college in New England and served as a missionary in
Japan and South Korea for several years. Her love for art blossomed
years later, when she began sculpting from memories of her time in
South Korea. She became one of the first female art entrepreneurs in
Fresno when she opened up her own studio in 1972.
Through the years, Margaret expanded her interest in the arts to
painting and held many of her own art shows to display her work and to
encourage young artists such as herself, especially women. Margaret's
artwork is a fixture throughout the Central Valley, with permanent
works on display at our Valley Children's Hospital and Fresno Chaffee
Zoo.
Her work continues to inspire us, and I think it is a reflection of
her appreciation and respect for the natural beauty and landscapes that
we have in California and throughout our country. Certainly, the Sierra
Nevada and the San Joaquin Valley were among many of the reflections
and renderings of the creation of the art that she was so proud of and
that we so much enjoy today.
So I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life and the
contributions of Margaret Hudson. Her artwork continues to inspire and
is cherished as a part of all of those who know it and who enjoy it.
God bless you, Margaret. You made a difference.
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