Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald (1900-1948)

Author, dancer, 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.