In week two of The Reconstructionists, the yearlong illustrated celebration of world-changing women continues with Sister Rosetta Tharpe – gospel music’s first superstar; the godmother of rock and roll; “the original soul sister.” 

Agnes Martin adds to history’s most beautiful definitions of art.

Actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr was once called “the most beautiful woman in the world.” She also gave us the technology that laid the groundwork for Wifi and Bluetooth. 

Introducing The Reconstructionists – a yearlong illustrated celebration of trailblazing women across art, science and literature, who have changed the way we define ourselves as a culture and live our lives as individuals of any gender.

A worthy finale to Lisa Congdon’s fantastic 365 Days of Hand Lettering project. More of Congdon’s typographic famous wisdom on life here. 

“To fight for each minute is to fight for what is possible within yourself, so that your life and your death will not be like theirs.”

Wisdom from Charles Bukowski, hand-lettered by Lisa Congdon, master of typographic timeless words.

Buk was indeed a wise, wise man.

“Let us read and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.” Voltaire, hand-lettered by Lisa Congdon, who does that sort of thing with like no other. 

“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”

Timeless truth from Anne Frank, hand-lettered by Lisa Congdon – who does that sort of thing with unequaled brilliance. 

Truth from David Foster Wallace, hand-lettered by artist Lisa Congdon, who has a penchant for that sort of thing.

Complement with a visual testament to Wallace’s testament, Exactitudes. 

“Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.”

Wisdom from William Saroyan, hand-lettered by artist Lisa Congdon, master of visualizing timeless wisdom on life.

Of course, “it is only failure if you accept defeat,” and we know that “there is no win and no fail, there’s only make.”

Also see famous creators on the fear of failure.

“Self-knowledge is no guarantee of happiness, but it is on the side of happiness and can supply the courage to fight for it.”

Timeless truth from Simone de Beauvoir, hand-lettered by the inimitable Lisa Congdon, master of visualizing timeless wisdom on life.

Happy birthday, Margaret Atwood! Hand-lettered wisdom from her second novel, Surfacing, by the inimitable Lisa Congdon.

Lisa Congdon, master of hand-lettered wisdom, chips in for the wonderful #GoVote project. You will, won’t you? Good.

Hand-lettered wisdom from Harry Bertoia by Lisa Congdon. More of Lisa’s typographic words of famous wisdom here.

Hand-lettered wisdom from Aristotle by Lisa Congdon. More of Lisa’s typographic words of famous wisdom here.