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Artist Biographies

Mary Helme Hale

1862-1940

The nineteenth century brought many new opportunities for American women artists. The number of art schools increased, women were allowed into life-drawing classes and exhibition opportunities in local art clubs, art associations and museums became more plentiful. Kingston, RI native, Mary Powell Helme took advantage of these advances as she began her artistic career. She studied under Augustus St. Gaudens, Rhoda Holmes Nichols, William Merritt Chase, Frank Duveneck, as well as being part of the Art Students League of New York. In 1883 Mary taught at the Friends School of Providence, now Moses Brown, as the Associate Professor of Drawing and Painting. After 8 years at the Friends School, the young artist began teaching as a Professor of Art at the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, (now the University of Rhode Island).

Life circumstances changed for Helme in 1897 when she married Dr. William Hale. In 1897 Helme/Hale resigned from her art faculty position and moved with her husband to Gloucester, Massachusetts. She remained active, painting and maintaining membership in the North Shore Arts Association of Gloucester, Massachusetts, American Artists Professional League, Artists Equity Association and the American Federation of Artists. However, it appears that she did not pursue her artistic career with the same vigor as compared to her pre-marital years, evidenced by the very few examples of her works in collections or on the market at this time.

The Helmes remained in Glocester, where William was known as “The Fishermen’s Doctor” until Dr. Helme retired in 1934 and they decided to return to the Helme family house in Kingston. With this journey her artwork came back to the now historic Helme House, currently owned by the South County Art Association. Mary remained in Kingston until her death on April 26, 1940. In the late 1960’s a concerned Rhode Island collector rescued a small collection of her work from a South County Art Association attic sale. Today we enjoy only a few examples of her work to offer insight into the talent and training of this woman artist.

  • Grace Albee 1890 - 1985 *
  • Percy Albee 1883 - 1969
  • Edward M. Bannister 1828 - 1901
  • Elijah Baxter 1828 - 1901
  • Anna R. Brewster 1870-1952
  • Sydney Burleigh 1853-1931
  • Henry Newell Cady 1849-1935
  • Samuel Roscoe Chaffee 1850 – 1913
  • Antonio Cirino 1888 - 1983
  • Edgar Corbridge 1901-1988
  • F. Usher DeVoll 1873 - 1941
  • William Staples Drown - 1856 - 1915
  • H.A. Dyer 1872 - 1943 *
  • H. Cyrus Farnum 1866-1926
  • Walter Feldman 1925-2017
  • Ruth Forrest 1919-1994
  • John Frazier 1889 - 1966
  • Eliza Gardiner 1871 - 1955
  • Rebecca Russel Greene - 1879 - 1953
  • Mary Helme Hale - 1862-1940
  • James Herbert 1898 - 1970
  • George Hitchcock 1850 - 1913
  • Margarete Koehler-Bittkow (1897-1964)
  • E.C. Leavitt 1842-1904
  • Florence Leif 1913 - 1968 *
  • Steven W. Macomber 1889-1983
  • Edna Martin 1896-1996
  • Frank C. Mathewson 1861 - 1941
  • Maxwell Mays 1918 - 2009
  • Angela O'Leary 1879-1921
  • Gordon Peers 1909 - 1988
  • Henri Schonhardt 1875 – 1953
  • Charles Stetson 1858-1911
  • Emma Swan 1853 - 1927
  • George Whitaker 1840 - 1916
  • Mabel May Woodward, 1877 - 1945

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24 Bridge Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 751-2628
info@bertgallery.com

Mailing Address: 24 Corliss Street, #6939
Providence, RI 02940
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