Julie Hart Beers facts for kids
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Julie Hart Beers Kempson (1835 – August 13, 1913) was an American landscape painter. She was part of the Hudson River School, a group of artists known for painting beautiful American landscapes. Julie was one of the very few women artists of her time who became successful painting landscapes.
About Her Life
Julie Hart was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1835. Her parents, James and Marion Hart, had moved to America from Scotland. Julie came from a very artistic family. Her older brothers, William Hart and James McDougal Hart, were also famous landscape painters. Even her nieces, Letitia Bonnet Hart and Mary Theresa Hart, grew up to be well-known artists.
In 1853, Julie married a journalist named George Washington Beers. Sadly, he passed away in 1856. After his death, Julie and her two daughters moved to New York City. Her brothers had their art studios there. At that time, women artists usually did not get formal art training. It is believed that Julie learned to paint from her talented brothers.
Later, when she was in her forties, Julie married Peter Kempson. They moved to Metuchen, New Jersey, where she opened her own art studio. Even after marrying Peter, she continued to sign her paintings with her first husband's last name, Beers. Julie Hart Beers Kempson passed away in 1913 while living in Trenton.
Her Painting Career
Julie Hart Beers started showing her paintings to the public by 1867. Even though her main studio was in New Jersey, she also used her brother William's studio in New York City. This New York studio was a great place to show her artwork to more people. It was very rare for women to become professional landscape painters back then. This was partly because women often could not get formal art education or easily show their work in art exhibitions.
Julie Beers developed a unique painting style. Her mature paintings showed wide, balanced scenes with many interesting small details. During the 1870s and 1880s, she often displayed her art. She exhibited at important places like the National Academy of Design and the Brooklyn Art Association. She also showed her work at the Boston Athenæum and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
She was able to sell many of her paintings through the Brooklyn Art Association. To earn extra money, Julie also led groups of women on sketching trips. They would travel to the mountains of New York and New England to draw nature. Besides landscapes, she also painted some still lifes, which are pictures of objects like fruit or flowers.
