Mable Chase

Legends of Grit Collection

Some legends don't seek positions of leadership.  They answer the call when their community needs them.

Before becoming sheriff, Mable Chase was a schoolteacher in Kansas who believed in serving others.  In 1926, during the height of Prohibition, she made history when she was elected sheriff of Kiowa County, becoming the first female sheriff in Kansas and one of the first women elected sheriff in the United States.  At a time when law enforcement was almost exclusively a man's profession, Mable enforced the law with remarkable courage—carrying a Tommy gun and driving an armored car while protecting her community during one of the most turbulent periods in American history.

This original portrait is part of my Legends of Grit collection—a series honoring women whose resilience, sacrifice, and determination helped shape the American West.  Through bold color, layered textures, and expressive line work, I reinterpret these remarkable historical figures in a contemporary style while celebrating the strength that continues to inspire today.

Mable Chase's story reminds us that leadership isn't about seeking recognition—it's about having the courage to step forward when duty calls, even when the path is uncertain.

Because legends aren't born, they're forged through grit.

Artwork Details

• Title: Mable Chase

• Collection: Legends of Grit

• Medium: Mixed media (acrylic and Posca markers)

• Surface: 16 × 20-inch cradled birch wood panel

• Original artwork

• Signed by the artist

• Ready to hang

• Certificate of Authenticity included

Price: $875