Margaret Keane was an American artist born on September 15, 1927, in Nashville, Tennessee. She began painting from a young age, influenced by her grandmother and her parents, who both painted. As a result, her style tended to create characters with large eyes, a trait that would later influence her signature works.

Her work was largely kitsch, focusing on women, children, and familiar animals such as dogs and cats. She painted in both acrylic and oil-based paints, and was known for her detailed work. Despite her fame and success, she was often a reclusive figure, choosing to live in a grand house away from public view. She spent 16 hours a day at her paintings and kept her studio door locked and curtains drawn.

Throughout her life, she was subject to many lawsuits over her work. In particular, she sued her ex-husband, Walter, for claiming credit for her paintings. The case created a lot of controversy and in the end, she was declared the real creator of her work.

After the case, she continued to paint daily and maintained an art gallery in San Francisco. During her lifetime, she was the recipient of various awards and accolades, including a lifetime achievement award by the Los Angeles Art Show. She was also a former president of the National Academy of Design. She is survived by her daughter, three stepchildren from her first marriage, and eight step-grandchildren. She died from heart failure on June 26, 2022, at the age of 64.