Author, ballerina, and painter,
Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is considered and assessed as a woman of exceptional
energy and ability. Her novel, Save Me the Waltz, is described as
"the deeply felt and carefully crafted expression of a creative,
independent spirit."
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Zelda attended The Margaret Booth School and
Sidney Lanier High School.
In the summer of 1918, at a dance at the Montgomery Country Club, she met
Army Lieutenant, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Following a stormy courtship of nearly
two years, Zelda married him after the publication of his first novel. Their
only child, Scottie,
was born in October, 1921.
Several magazines published works by Zelda. "Friend Husband's
Latest" appeared in New York Tribune, April 1922. "Miss
Ella" (December 1931) and "A Couple of Nuts" (August 1932) were
published by Scribner's Magazine. "Eulogy on the Flapper" was
published by Metropolitan Magazine in June 1922 and "The
Continental Angel" was published by The New Yorker in June
1932.
In Paris, at the age of 27, Zelda began to study ballet under Madame
Lubov Egorova. Because of hard work and sheer determination, she made progress.
Ultimately, however, Zelda realized she was starting the pursuit of ballet too
late.
Her paintings, though difficult to date precisely, are primarily from the
1930's and 1940's. She painted dancers, city scenes, fantasies, flowers, and
religious subjects. These works were exhibited in 1934 at the New York Gallery
of Carey Ross and in 1974 at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. During her
lifetime there were also smaller, informal showings in Asheville and
Montgomery.
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