A Legacy of Vision: The Life and Art of Bettina Louise Steinke The history of American portraiture is enriched by the sensitive hand and observant eye of Bettina Louise Steinke, an artist whose work bridged the gap between the glamorous heights of mid-century broadcasting and the profound, enduring dignity of Native American life. Born in 1913 in Biddeford, Maine, Steinke was a child of creative lineage, the daughter of the renowned cartoonist Jolly Bill Steinke. This early immersion in visual storytelling provided her with a unique foundation, where the boundaries between illustration and f…