Lillian Prest Ferguson facts for kids

Lillian Prest Ferguson (born August 18, 1867 – died February 1, 1955) was a talented painter. She was born in Canada but became very important in the art world of California. She was known for her beautiful paintings and for helping other artists.

Early Life and Art Training

Lillian Gertrude Prest was born on August 18, 1867, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Her father, Thomas Prest, worked in banking and real estate. Her mother, Sarah Smith, was the daughter of the first mayor of Guelph, Ontario.

When Lillian was young, her family moved to the Northwest. She went to school at a convent in St. Boniface, Manitoba. This is where she first started learning about art. When she was just 16 years old, she was asked to paint portraits of the parents of a very important church leader, Archbishop Alexandre-Antonin Taché.

After finishing school, Ferguson moved to Toronto. There, she continued to study art with a teacher named John Wycliffe Lowes Forster. Later, she went back to Winnipeg and taught art at the Winnipeg Art School.

Moving to California and Family Life

In 1886, Lillian married a lawyer named Peter Ferguson. They traveled to Europe several times. During these trips, she studied portrait painting at the Académie Julian in Paris and also in Holland.

The Fergusons moved to California in 1887. Lillian became a United States citizen in 1892. They had three children: Dorothy, Warren, and Harold. The family lived in Riverdale for some years before moving to Los Angeles.

Lillian kept studying art while living in California. She took a summer course in Carmel with a famous artist named William Merritt Chase. She also studied at the University of Southern California with William Lees Judson.

After her husband Peter passed away, Lillian lived in Laguna Beach for ten years.

Her Artistic Style and Impact

Lillian Prest Ferguson was known for her portraits. But she also painted many California scenes. These included beautiful pictures of flowers and old Spanish missions. She also created pottery.

She was a founding member of the Laguna Beach Art Association. This group helped artists in Laguna Beach. She also helped start the Women Painters of the West. This was a group for women artists.

Ferguson also ran one of the first kilns in Laguna Beach. A kiln is a special oven used to bake pottery. Her work had a big impact on the art community there. In 1928, a newspaper called The San Bernardino County Sun described her. They said she was "a talented painter and craftsman of great skill." They also noted that she loved and painted Laguna Beach long before it became a famous art spot.

Lillian Prest Ferguson passed away on February 1, 1955. She was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.