Alice Mary Hagen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Mary Hagen
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Alice Mary Egan as a young woman
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Alice Mary Egan
1872 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Died | January 1972 Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Other names | Alice Egan Hagen |
| Occupation | China painter, potter |
| Known for | The Christina Morris bowl |
Alice Mary Hagen (born Alice Mary Egan; 1872 – January 1972) was a talented Canadian artist. She was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Alice was known for her beautiful china painting and later for her pottery.
She learned to paint on china and made a living by selling her artwork. She also taught others how to paint. Alice was chosen to paint special plates for the 1897 Canadian Historical Dinner Service. She became very famous for her amazing work and won many awards.
Alice got married and had two daughters. She kept painting china even while raising her family in Canada and Jamaica. When she was around 60 years old, she learned to make pottery. She became a pioneer in making pottery in her studio in Nova Scotia. Alice continued to create and sell her painted pottery until she was 93! Many artists looked up to Alice Hagen as a great teacher and an inspiring example.
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Early Life and Art Training
Alice Mary Egan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1872. Her parents were Thomas J. Egan and Margaret Kelley. Her father owned a store in downtown Halifax. He was also an important member of the Irish Catholic community.
Alice's mother was an artist herself. She encouraged Alice to draw and paint from a young age. Alice decided she wanted to be a professional artist. This was against her parents' wishes. Her father thought a job like making hats would be safer. But Alice was determined to follow her dream.
Alice first studied art at the Mount Saint Vincent Academy in Halifax. She then went to the Victoria School of Art and Design. This school later became the Nova Scotia College of Art. She also studied at the Osgood Art School in New York.
Becoming a China Painter
Around 1892, Alice Egan learned the basics of china painting. Her teacher was an artist named Bessie Brown. Bessie Brown was related to John Thompson, who was the Prime Minister of Canada.
China painting was very popular for women artists at that time. It was seen as a respectable way for women to use their artistic skills. In 1896, Alice studied china painting with Adelaide Alsop Robineau in New York.
Alice Egan rented a studio in the Roy Building in Halifax. She bought a special oven called a kiln with money from her first sales. She used her studio to paint and to teach students. Pictures show that she made her studio feel welcoming and artistic.
The Canadian Historical Dinner Service
In 1896, the Woman's Art Association of Canada decided to create a special dinner set. It would be painted on china by artists from the association. Mary Dignam oversaw the work of Alice Egan and twelve other artists. These artists came from Ontario and Quebec.
This dinner set was made to celebrate a big event. It marked 400 years since John Cabot discovered Canada in 1897. Alice Egan was chosen to paint twelve of the game plates. Her father was a hunter, so she used his Audubon books for ideas. Each plate showed a different Canadian game bird. The plates were made from fine bone china from England.
The finished dinner set was very well-liked. In 1898, it was bought by people in the Canadian Senate and House of Commons. It was given to Lady Aberdeen as a gift.
Teaching and Family Life
Alice Egan taught china painting at her studio in 1898–99. She also taught at the Victoria School of Art & Design in 1899-1900. She was very good at using a special painting technique called lustre. This technique uses colors that look brown when painted. But they become bright and colorful after being heated in the kiln. Alice would sometimes paint and fire several layers.
She used pictures and designs from books for her artwork. Sometimes, she also drew from nature. Her art included many styles, like realistic, figurative, Asian, and Art Nouveau.
In 1901, Alice married John Hagen. He worked for the Halifax and Bermuda Cable Company. They had two daughters, Rachel (born 1902) and Kathleen (born 1905). In 1910, John Hagen moved to Jamaica for his job. Alice Hagen continued to work and teach there. Her art was shown in many Caribbean islands. She sold her work and gave the money to the Red Cross.
Alice was the first woman to win the bronze Musgrave Medal for her art in Jamaica. She was also the first woman to win the silver medal. The Hagens returned to Halifax in 1916. Alice continued to paint china, teach, and show her art. Her students often included school teachers and nuns.
Becoming a Potter
In 1930, John Hagen retired. The Hagens went on a trip to Europe. Alice visited famous china makers in England, France, and Italy. In London, she saw old Near Eastern lustre pottery. In France, she became interested in making pottery herself. She saw how much joy it brought to war veterans who were making it.
When they returned in 1931, Alice studied pottery with Charles Prescott. He owned a small pottery business in Fairview, Nova Scotia. Alice bought a kiln and set up a pottery studio at her home.
When Alice Hagen started working with clay in 1931, she was a pioneer in studio pottery in Nova Scotia. In 1932, the Hagens moved to Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. Alice began a new career as a potter. She showed her work and won several awards. She also taught a summer school for the Department of Education until about 1950.
Alice was a pioneering artist potter. She experimented with local clays and glazes. She also used clays from other parts of Canada. She created a special type of pottery called agateware. She used green, white, and blue clays, and called her style "Scotian Pebble." She kept experimenting until she was 93 years old.
A journalist named Kay Hill visited Alice Hagen in 1959. She wrote about Alice's house:
Oil paintings covered most of the wall space. Casually disposed on ceramic tile tables stood vases and priceless lustre. Chinaware and decorated glass spilled out of cupboards and china cabinets, or stood carelessly on the floor...She mixes her cakes in a gorgeous punch bowl hand painted in enamel overglaze. Every room upstairs is hung with oils, too, including the bathroom!
John Hagen passed away in 1964. Alice Mary Hagen died in January 1972. The Nova Scotia government received 48 pieces of her hand-painted china, glass, and pottery. These are now on display at the Citadel Museum in Halifax. In 1966, she gave many of her works to the Mount Saint Vincent Academy. Her art can also be found in the Nova Scotia Museum, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the Mahone Bay Museum, and Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
