While today the thought of women in the arts does not even merit a question. Women form such a vital part of our modern world of creativity that it is hard to imagine a time when that was rare. Yet even a hundred years ago the role of a woman in the arts, while not unheard of, was certainly less than common or widely accepted. Even the great composer, Clara Schumann, withdrew from the world of music, performances and composition feeling that as a woman she had no place in the world of the arts.

Thankfully that has changed and one can only wonder at what our artistic heritage would be today if more women had taken an active role in the arts.

While the number of female fine art painters in the early California art scene is not a high number, there certainly were some very fine female artists such as Donna Schuster, Anna Althea Hills, Joane Cromwell, Nelbert Chouinard and an artist that we currently have in our gallery Annie Lyle Harmon.

Unlike most of the early California artists, whom transplanted themselves to California, Annie was born here, in San Francisco in 1855. Like so many others, her parents came to California to make their fortune in the Gold Rush but instead made their money by supplying the needs of the many others that arrived here as well–in their case they sold lumber.

Annie studied art with two local painters and was a very prolific painter of lovely, lush landscapes that abounded in Northern California. She maintained her residence and studio in San Francisco. During the earthquake and fire of 1906 her studio was destroyed, along with almost 500 of her paintings! This unfortunate loss has made her earlier paintings quite rare and hard to acquire, despite the fact that she was a very productive painter.

She remained in San Francisco and continued to pursue her art until her passing in 1930.

We are fortunate to have one of her paintings in our California Fine Art gallery, as well as many other fine examples of early California women painters. (Interesting side note, this painting is signed with her full name whereas her most common signature was her two initials)

Please browse our online gallery and as always we invite you to visit our local gallery in Pasadena, California.