Artist Biographies
Steven W. Macomber
1889-1983
A portrait, still life and landscape painter, Stephen Wesley Macomber was born in Westerly, R.I. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1913 where he became an assistant instructor. He also taught English part time at Classical High School in Providence until his induction into the U.S. Army in 1918. After active duty he studied at the Academie Julienne in Paris. In 1927 he married Helen Johnson of North Stoninghton, Ct. and two years later once again became an instructor at RISD. During this period he attended the Hans Hoffman School of Modern Art in New York City and also created several murals for the Providence Public School System. In the 1940"s and early 1950's he was politically active both locally and statewide, being elected to the Westerly Town Council and twice elected state senator from Westerly. In 1974 he was presented with RISD’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in recognition of more than sixty years of service to the college. He died in Coventry, R.I. on April 7, 1983.
Mr. Macomber was a member of and exhibited frequently at the Mystic and South County art Associations, the Providence Art Club, and the RISD Alumni Association; he also exhibited in Chicago, Newport, New York, Boston , Watch Hill and Pasadena , Ca. His works are in many public and private collections including RISD and the Westerly Public Library. He is listed in Who was Who in American Art and Fielding's Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors and Engravers. His work is the subject of many newspaper articles during his lifetime, including the Providence Journal and New York Times.