Because of Hawthorne Fine Art’s dedication to the work of women artists and scholarship surrounding women in the arts, we’re proud to be celebrating March as Women’s History Month!
In support of the historical contributions of women, Jennifer Krieger will be lecturing on “Women Artists of the Hudson River School” at the Ritz Theater in Newburgh, NY, on Saturday March 31, 2012 at 1:00pm. This presentation stems from Jennifer’s involvement as co-curator of Remember the Ladies: Women of the Hudson River School, the first exhibition of female Hudson River School artists that opened at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in May 2010.
Jennifer’s lecture is the feature presentation of the annual “The General’s Lady” ceremony, sponsored by the Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, which is the home and property that served as George Washington’s headquarters from 1782-83 during the American Revolution. Each March, “The General’s Lady” event celebrates the historical contributions of women such as Martha Washington, who worked alongside General George Washington during the Revolutionary War as a businesswoman and hostess to military personnel. The Historic Site presents the annual “Martha Washington Woman of History Award” in honor of a woman who has contributed significantly to the preservation of Hudson Valley history. This year’s honoree is Stella Bailey, co-founder, Executive Director, and Financial Officer of the Fort Montgomery Battle Site Association, and President of the Town of Highlands Historical Society.
We hope to see you on March 31st for this free event to honor the women of history and the women of today!
In further celebration of Women’s History Month and the recently passed International Women’s Day (historically known as International Working Women’s Day) on March 8th, we are excited to present a recent acquisition by a female Hudson River School artist, Susie Barstow (1836-1923). Sunshine in the Woods is typical of Barstow’s intimate forest scenes suggestive of a cathedral of towering trees, which is reminiscent of the peaceful and spiritual compositions of Asher B. Durand (1796-1886). A Brooklyn Native, student at Rutgers Female Institute in New York, and frequent exhibitor at the Brooklyn Art Association, National Academy of Design, and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Barstow is especially remarkable for her love of hiking. Her impressive repertoire of hikes includes all the peaks of the Catskills, Adirondacks, White Mountains, Alps, Tyrol, and Black Forest! A close friend and hiking companion of Barstow’s, Edith Wilkinson Cook (d.1902) is another celebrated Hudson River School artist represented in HFA’s gallery by her meditative yet vibrant Autumn.
Hawthorne Fine Art 
I’m a direct descendant of Samuel Barstow, and Susie was my Grandfather’s Aunt. I have some of her art works, family photos, and a lot of her letters to the family on the west coast. She had two nieces that also were artists. They were Susie Barstow Skelding, and Mary (May) Barstow Pitt. My great Aunt May went on a world cruise with her at which time they painted together.
Ken Barstow