Alison Mason Kingsbury facts for kids

Alison Mason Kingsbury was an American artist. She was born in 1898 and passed away in 1988. She lived and worked in Ithaca, New York. She was famous for painting the beautiful landscapes of the Finger Lakes area. She also painted the interesting neighborhoods of Ithaca.

Her Early Life

Alison Mason Kingsbury was born in Durham, New Hampshire. This was in 1898. She went to Wellesley College and finished in 1920. After college, she moved to New York City. There, she studied art at the Art Students League.

Later, she taught art at Wellesley College. She learned about architecture and designing murals with Charles Howard Walker. In 1922, Kingsbury traveled to France. She studied at the École des Beaux-Arts at Fontainebleau. She learned how to paint frescoes (wall paintings) and create sculptures there.

Her Art Career

When Kingsbury came back to the United States, she worked for a mural artist named Ezra Winter. In 1925, she went with Winter to Ithaca. They were working on a mural for Cornell University. It was for the Willard Straight Hall. While in Ithaca, she met her future husband, Morris Bishop. She decided to live in Ithaca permanently.

Kingsbury and Winter later worked together on another mural. It was in Radio City Music Hall in New York City. This mural was called Fountain of Youth and was finished in 1932.

Different Types of Art

Alison Mason Kingsbury was best known for her paintings. She used oil paints, watercolors, and also created large murals. But she also made other types of art. In the early 1930s, she created several decorative screens. She also made graphic works throughout her career.

She drew pictures for some of her husband's books. She also illustrated her own children's book. It was called The Adventures of Phunsi (1946). Kingsbury even illustrated a special edition of the Fanny Farmer cookbook series.

Changes in Her Style

Kingsbury's early art showed her interest in Neoclassical artists. She also liked the Art Nouveau style. Later, her work changed. She started to focus on the places around her. This style was influenced by Regionalism. Regionalism in art means focusing on a specific area or region.

Her regionalist paintings were very popular. They even got attention from major art magazines. Art Digest said her New York State landscapes were very peaceful. They praised how she showed the wide-open spaces of the Finger Lakes. They said her colors were clear and sensitive.

Kingsbury's art style changed as her life changed. She moved from a large home with big views of Cayuga Lake. She moved to a smaller home in downtown Ithaca. After this move, her art changed too. She started painting townscapes. These showed the unique homes and neighborhoods of downtown Ithaca.

Public Artworks

Alison Mason Kingsbury created several artworks for public places. These include:

• World War I Memorial Chapel Mural (1930) at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
• The Onion Fields (1942) at the Canastota Post Office, Canastota, New York.