Nell Brooker Mayhew facts for kids

Nell Brooker Mayhew (born April 17, 1875 – died September 24, 1940) was a talented American artist. She was known for her paintings, etchings, and for teaching art.

Early Life and Art Talent

Nell Cole Danely was born in Astoria, Illinois, on April 17, 1875. She was the oldest child of Alfred M. Danley, a minister, and Ella (Cole) Danely. From a young age, Nell showed a strong interest and skill in art. When she was just sixteen, one of her paintings was chosen for a special art show. This show was the Annual Exhibition of Watercolors by American Artists at the famous Art Institute of Chicago.

Education and Family Life

Nell Mayhew attended Northwestern University and graduated in 1897. She continued to study art at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1901 to 1906. There, she learned from a teacher named Newton A. Wells.

While in Illinois, she met Sidney Brooker, who was an editor for a newspaper. They got married in 1902. Sadly, Sidney died just six months later. Even so, Nell continued to use his last name, Brooker, in her art signature for her entire career.

In 1905, she went back to the Art Institute of Chicago to take more classes. Her teachers included famous artists like John Christen Johansen and John Vanderpoel. In 1911, she married Leonard Thomas Mayhew. They had two daughters together. Their marriage ended in 1926.

Developing a Unique Art Style

While studying at the University of Illinois, Nell Mayhew created her own special way of making colored etchings. An etching is a type of printmaking. She combined etching with a method called monotype printing. This allowed her to make colorful prints using the same metal plate. She could change the colors and how much ink she used each time.

In 1912, an art critic described her work. They said, "Sometimes you can't tell if you're looking at a painting or a print." This shows how unique and clever her art technique was.

Moving to California and Teaching Art

After her first husband passed away and she finished her art training, Nell Mayhew wanted a fresh start. In 1908, she moved to Los Angeles, California. She quickly began showing her artwork there. From 1908 to 1935, she regularly displayed her art in Southern California. For many years, her work was shown at the Blanchard Gallery in Los Angeles.

In 1909, she won a medal for her color etching at the Alaska-Yukon Exhibition in Seattle. Nell also loved to teach art. She gave private lessons and taught at the Chouinard Art Institute. In 1910, she became a teacher at the College of Fine Arts at the University of Southern California.

Inspiration from Nature and Missions

Nell Mayhew found a lot of ideas for her art in nature. One of her favorite hobbies was gardening. In the late 1910s, she traveled with her daughters to sketch the last remaining Spanish missions in California. These missions were old buildings, but Nell also paid close attention to the beautiful landscapes she saw while driving across the state.

Nell believed that beauty was very important in life. She wrote an article about this for a magazine called California Southland. She also wrote a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times newspaper. In the early 1930s, Nell Mayhew started a business where people could rent art. This new idea was even announced on the front page of a local newspaper!

Nell Mayhew passed away in Highland Park, California.

Art Collections

You can find Nell Brooker Mayhew's artwork in important collections, including:

• Smithsonian American Art Museum