Henrietta Shore Original Vintage California Progressive Group American Abstract Contemporary Modernist Still Life Impressionist Oil Painting

Henrietta Mary Shore, (1880-1963), original vintage California Progressive Group, modernist, still life oil painting with bell peppers, an ivy plant, and a bottle of wine.  

    Henrietta Shore (1880 – 1963) was a Canadian-born artist who lived a large part of her life in the United States, most notably in California.
    In 1913, Henrietta Shore moved from Toronto to Southern California, settling in Los Angeles and becoming part of a small but influential group of early West Coast modernists. She quickly found success, winning silver medals at the Panama-California Exposition in 1914 and 1915, in San Diego. Shore also showed work in juried exhibitions of the California Art Club to positive reviews. One 1916 review published in the Fine Arts Journal grouped her under the label of "the modernists" and declared her one of the best artists of the group among those who studied with Robert Henri.  

    Influenced by The Eight, (Ashcan School), a show in New York City; The Los Angeles Modern Art Society sought to give additional exposure to more experimental artists outside the juried shows of the California Art Club. They held their second exhibition the following year. This show also included works from prominent East Coast artists such as Robert Henri, George Bellows, Maurice Prendergast, and William Glackens. The Los Angeles Modern Art Society was short-lived, disbanding soon after their second show. Throughout the whole process, Shore remained close to her mentor, Henri, through letters. In 1919, Shore began showing with Caroline Bowles, Helena Dunlap, William Cahill, Edouard Vsykal, and Luvena Buchanan under the name California Progressive Group.
    In 1920, Shore moved to New York, working in a studio on West 57th Street. During this time her work changed radically, morphing from painterly scenes of everyday life to colorful, close-up abstractions. In 1923, Henrietta Shore and Georgia O'Keeffe showed up in the same month. Shore at Ehrich Gallery, and O'Keeffe at the Anderson Galleries. Critics reviewed both shows together, attributing the similarities in their works, (both abstracted nature scenes), to a female sensibility. Their works were framed by their gender, said to showcase "smothered passion" and "dark destiny or original sin." The reduction of her work to her gender deeply bothered Shore, who intended to express metaphysical themes by incorporating Eastern philosophy and Theosophy. In 1923, Shore returned to Los Angeles where she continued to work and exhibit. She opened a gallery/restaurant called the Studio Inn.
    In 1927, Shore was introduced to photographer Edward Weston. Weston was struck by his first encounter with Shore's work. They quickly became close friends. Her paintings of sea shells attracted and influenced him, and he borrowed some of her shells for his photographs. Shore was his senior, 47 to 40, and at that time a much more established artist. On Weston's urging, Shore traveled to Mexico with her friend Helena Dunlop. It was in Mexico that she was introduced to lithography; a medium which continued to work in upon her return to California. Her stay in Mexico most certainly influenced Shore's work.
    At the age of 50, Shore moved to Carmel, then a small art colony and resort; following in the footsteps of Weston, who had moved there shortly before. The natural beauty of Carmel provided Shore with ample painting inspiration. During this period she exhibited locally at the Carmel Art Association, the Legion of Honor, and the de Young Museum. She also had shows in New York and Paris. Despite these shows, Shore struggled financially during the Depression and slipped into relative obscurity, just as Weston began to achieve fame. Like many artists during this time, Shore relied on government commissions for income. In 1936, she received a commission for six murals from the Treasury Department's Section of Fine Arts. These murals, like many WPA commissions, focus on scenes of industry and work. 

Henrietta Mary Shore
(1880-1963)
Canadian-American
Still Life
Oil on Canvas
The painting measures approximately 24" X 18", plus the frame. In frame, the painting measures approximately 28.2" X 22"
Circa 1945
Hand signed lower right. There is a date/year, which is covered by the frame
The painting is currently in good, stable condition. There were some light flakes/chips of missing paint in the leaves of the ivy, as shown in the later images. This was primarily isolated to the small portion on the leaves, with tiny pin dots of missing paint that have since been restored. The first image is of the painting in a lightly restored condition. The painting has also been cleaned. (Painting is currently in restored condition). The frame is a vintage frame, with a linen liner. There is some separation in the seams and may need to be re-set. Please review the images. Please review the images.

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