Isadore Marie Colburn (American, 1886-1969) Western New York artist, painter, teacher, and designer known for her landscapes, marine and coastal views, and paintings featuring summer views of Rockport, MA. She worked mainly in oils and watercolors.
Miss Colburn maintained her studio and home at 81 Ashland Avenue, Buffalo, NY, and her summer studio at 11a Main Street, Rockport, MA. She worked as an artist for the G.H. Dunston Lithographic Company, Buffalo, NY and the Buffalo Sunday News, Buffalo, NY. She taught art for several years as head of the Drawing department at Fosdick-Masten Park High School, Buffalo, NY, and her works are in many private collections.
Artist Statement
“Today, as never before, we have come to realize the value of art. All about us are evidences of the noblest forms of beauty, in our homes, in our churches and even in our public buildings. This necessity for artistic expression is steadily increasing as a result of student appreciation of art that is being cultivated in high schools today.
Even in the whirl of industry it assumes importance, in that modern machinery and equipment is not only well-designed but colorful.
In the past, art had few patrons. It was little appreciated anywhere in our country. Only a few young ladies of the day were interested enough to take lessons in water-painting and few went to study art in Paris.
But such is not the condition today. The young artist, boy or girl, is given every advantage that will aid in the development of a career.
So let us be grateful for the efforts that are being put forth to help students appreciate beauty in its various forms and be justly proud of our Queen City of the Lakes which affords us so rich and varied opportunities to gain an art education. It is our earnest desire that as artists and craftsmen we may make some future return to her.”-Artist Statement from “The Art Department”, The Chronicle, 1931, Fosdick-Masten Park High School, Buffalo, NY.
Early Education: Graduate of Los Angeles High School and De Mille College.
Art Education: Graduate of the Albright Art School, Buffalo, NY, Buffalo School of Fine Arts, Buffalo, NY and the Berkshire Summer School of Art, Monterey, MA. She spent many summers in Rockport, MA, and studied there under Aldro T. Hibbard (American, 1886-1972) and John Checuti (American, 1900-1976).
Chronology:
1886- Born July 23, Egypt, MA. Daughter of Alvin A. Colburn and Vera Damon Colburn. They resided in Buffalo since 1901.
1941- Exhibited, Albright Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY.
1969- Died May 26, Buffalo, NY.
1994- Exhibition “Rockport Revisited”, Meibohm Fine Arts, East Aurora, NY.
Exhibited also at: The Rockport Art Association, Rockport, MA.
Memberships: The Paint and Pencil Club (beginning in 1928); The Rockport Art Association (1941-1969), Rockport, MA; the Eastern Arts Association; High School Teachers Association.
(Rewritten & compiled chronologically by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., East Aurora, NY. Sources: A special thank you to great-nephew of the artist David Wright for providing her first name and actual birth & deathdates; Who was Who in American Art, 1999; The Buffalo Artists’ Register, 1926; Polk’s Gloucester (Essex County, Mass.) City Directory 1971; The Chronicle, 1931, Fosdick-Masten Park High School, Buffalo, NY.)
