Haven and Inspiration: The Kent Art Colony

Like most Connecticut museum goers are well aware of the Old Lyme Art Colony supported by Florence Griswold.  When I traveled to the Bruce Museum I learned more about Cos Cob Art Colony.  To my joy and surprise, when I discovered the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, I was introduced to the Kent Art Colony.  Before exploring the museum, a few comments on the museum itself.  It was founded in 1877 as The Mattatuck Historical Society to server the ten-town region surrounding Waterbury. The museum has curated historical artifacts and Connecticut-based art as well as serving as a community center.  One of the great benefits of my summer of art exploration is that I have discovered well-run small museums like the one found off the Waterbury green.

Haven and Inspiration: The Kent Art Colony is the exhibit that drew me to this museum. I must admit that I never heard of the Kent Art Colony and was familiar with only a few of the members.  Kent, Connecticut was on the rail line and so artists could live in Kent and enjoy the benefits of country living and still commute to New York for work. The colony flourished between 1910 and 1930 and the members included Rex Brasher (1869-1960) Eliot Candee Clark (1883-1980), Carl Hirschberg (1854-1923), Francis Luis Mora (1874-1940), G. Laurence Nelson (1887-1978), Spencer Baird Nichols (1875-1950), Robert Nisbet (1879-1961), Willard Paddock (1873-1956) and Frederick Judd Waugh (1861-1940).  Founding members of The Kent Colony formed the Kent Art Association in 1923.

 Here is sampling of the artists from the Kent Art Colony.

Robert Nisbet (1879 - 1961) 

Two Women by a Lake, 1917, oil on canvas

 Seven Mile River, oil on canvas

Following are a sample of delightful works by artists were unknown to me until my day in Waterbury.

G. Laurence Nelson (1887-19780)

Portrait of my Wife and Beatrice

Flower field girls

Spencer Nichols (1875 - 1950)

 Dawn on Bald Mountain

Studio Hill, oil on panel

Frederick Waugh (1861 -1940)

Breaking Waves

 

Still Life

 F. Luis Mora

Picnic in Kent Fall, 1930

Flowers of the Field, 1913

 Going to exhibitions like Haven and Inspiration serves a dual function - the simply pleasure of enjoying art well created and learning something new about the artists and the times and conditions in which they work.  This exhibit was well designed and the complementary video was interesting and very informative.