Last night I attended a very exciting lecture held at the Wellesley Free Library. Laura Ziman, an art instructor, brought four of Mary Brewster Hazelton's works, including a portrait and three landscapes which were very Impressionistic in style and discussed her life briefly. To be honest there are more questions than answers about this intriguing artist, but the attendees were able to provide some salient bits of information too. Her studies originated with the conservative Boston School style (Tarbell), but she came to experiment with the Impressionistic movement, as she studied abroad during an exciting time, when photography was born, so ultra realistic works were not as in vogue.
I will provide a follow-up blog entry when I learn more and have a bit more time. I believe Mary Brewster Hazelton may have been on the same tier as Cecilia Beaux and Mary Cassatt, two other prominent female artists from the same time period who also choose not to marry in order to pursue life-long painting. I will venture to say John Singer Sargent might have agreed, as he is said to have held Ms. Hazelton's work in high esteem.
Ms. Hazelton's works are in the collections of Harvard University, the Massachusetts State House and the Peabody Essex Museum.
I love that Ms. Hazelton painted landscapes, still lives and portraits. She was the true, full artist recording her Impressions of the world throughout her life.
Sonia Hale is an award-winning, nationally-collected artist in Boston. She paints commissioned portraits for families and institutions nationwide. Her original landscape and still life oil paintings can be purchased at http://www.soniahale.com. For more information, go to http://www.soniahale.com. You can reach her by email at soniahale1@gmail.com.
