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Visitor's Guide

Promenade des Arts

Regional Visions
- Where It All Began: Thomas Hart Benton

October 8th through 10th, 2010 in Ste. Genevieve's downtown Historic District

Thomas Hart Benton (April 15, 1889 - January 19, 1975), nephew of Missouri Senator (1821-1851) of the same name, was an American painter and muralist born in Neosho, Missouri who, along with Iowa painter Grant Wood (American Gothic) and Kansas painter and muralist John Steuart Curry (Tragic Prelude - Kansas Statehouse), became the focus of the Regionalist art movement.

Benton's fluid, almost sculpted paintings portrayed the everyday scenes of life in the United States and most particularly in the Midwest's small towns and countrysides. His 20+ years in New York yielded scores of paintings of the area and the venues around his summer home in Martha's Vineyard.

Benton’s participation as one of the faculty of the 1930s Ste. Genevieve Art Colony’s Summer School of Art was limited to 1936-37. At the time, Benton was also an instructor at the Kansas City Art Institute where he began teaching in 1935. Benton was dismissed from the Institute in 1941 after making disparaging remarks about the faculty and leadership there.

The 1930s Ste. Genevieve Art Colony included such notable artists as Sister Cassiana Marie, Fred E. Conway, Joseph James Jones, Miriam McKinnie, Joseph John Paul Meert, Bernard Peters, Jesse Beard Rickly, Aimee Goldstone Schweig, Martyl Schweig, E. Oscar Thalinger, Joseph Paul Vorst, Matthew E. Ziegler, and Thomas Hart Benton during its productive years. The Colony eventually disbanded and most of the artists went their separate ways.

Today sees a entirely new group of artisans and styles of art that includes modeling, sculpture, paint, mixed media, photography, and more. Ste. Genevieve’s new Colony of Artists have joined their talents and drive to make this area a unique location for their creative outlets.

10th Annual Promenade des Arts featuring:

Regional Visions - Where It All Began: Thomas Hart Benton

October 8th through 10th, 2010 in Ste. Genevieve's downtown Historic District

Schedule of Events:

Friday, October 8th

Lithographs and Watercolors by Thomas Hart Benton: 6 - 9 pm at the Shaw Historic House, 2nd at Merchant Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO; 7 - 9 pm at the Bolduc Properties, Main at Merchant Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO
Activities at the Shaw Historic House: 5 - 6 pm VIP Reception; 6:30 pm Presentation Ceremony

Saturday & Sunday, October 9th & 10th (10 am - 4 pm)

Lithographs and Watercolors by Thomas Hart Benton: at the Shaw Historic House, 2nd at Merchant Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO; at the Bolduc Properties, Main at Market Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO
American Art Colony Paintings (1930's School of Art): at the Visitor's Center, Main & Market Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO
Mural by Martyl & Video: at the Ste. Genevieve US Post Office, Main & Merchant Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO
Jerry Walters Woodcut Exhibit: at the Merchant Street Gallery, Main & Merchant Sts, Ste. Genevieve, MO
Plein Air Art Show Sale and Awards (Adult & Students): Historic District, Ste. Genevieve, MO

« Click image to view
the Benton event website.

Thomas Hart Benton Poster Art

Thomas Hart Benton - KCET-TV's Meet the Past

Watch the full episode. See more Meet the Past.

Sainte Geneviève 1930's Art Colony - KETC-TV's Living St Louis

People of Chilmark, Thomas Hart Benton, 1920

The 2010 Promenade des Arts is made possible
through the generous support of:

the Ste Genevieve County Community Foundation
the City of Ste Genevieve
the State Historical Society of Missouri
the University of Missouri - St Louis Mercantile Library
National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in Missouri
Ste Genevieve Art Guild
Missouri Arts Council
and the Ste Genevieve Downtown Renewal Program