Mildred Burrage was born in Portland, Maine in 1890.  Her father, Henry S. Burrage in his fifties when Mildred was born.  He was James Phinney Baxter's second in command at the Maine Historical Society and eventual became the State Historian, a post created by the legislature for Henry.  Mildred's mother was Ernestine Maie Giddings, Henry's second wife.  Maie was the daughter of a wealthy lumber baron.  Her father's connections to the legislature were instrumental in Henry's career. 

Mildred Burrage studied Art at Mrs. Wheeler's School in Providence RI from 1908-1910.  1910-1914 she studied and painted in Paris, Rome, Venice, Brittany and Giverny.  1912 she exhibited her work and won a prize at the International Art Union in Paris.  Her painting style changed dramatically over time;  Impressionistic, paintings with Mica and then starkly contemporary works later in life. 

Mildred and younger sister Madeleine, known as Bob, lived in Kennebunkport from around the time of WWI until 1947.  Bob made jewelry.  After WWII, they moved to Wiscasset, Maine.  They facilitated networking of Maine crafts people and organized exhibitions of their work and seminars addressing the problems of artists in a rural state.  Mildred established and directed the Lincoln County Cultural and Historical Association 1954-1969.  She purchased and preserved many historically significant buildings all over Maine.  She was a powerfully motivated woman who could be critical and demanding.  One has to wonder if she would have accomplished as much with a gentler delivery.  She was dedicated to her art but equally dedicated to her advocacy for artists and architecture.  Her fathers reminders that some buildings needed to be preserved no matter what the cost played a motivating role throughout her life.