"Less celebrated than their male counterparts, women have been vital contributors to the arts. Works by women of the colonial era represent treasured accomplishments of American culture and still impress us today, centuries after their creation. The breadth of creative expression is as impressive as the women themselves. In American Colonial Women and Their Art: A Chronological Encyclopedia, Mary Ellen Snodgrass follows the history of creative expression from the early 1600s to the late 1700s. Drawing upon primary sources--such as letters, diaries, travel notes, and journals--this timeline encompasses a wide variety of artistic accomplishments such as: stitchery, quilting, and rug hooking ; painting sculpture, and sketches ; essays, poems, and other writings ; Dance, acting, and oratory ; Musical composition and performance."--Back cover.