Jessie Hazel Arms Botke (American/California)

Jessie Hazel Arms Botke (American/California, 1883-1971) , "Hyacinth Macaws", oil on canvas mounted to board, signed lower right, 15 3/4 in. x 12 in., framed. Note: An important member of the California School of Impressionism, Jessie Hazel Arms Botke became famous for her colorful and detailed bird depictions. In 1909, Botke moved to New York and joined Herter Looms, a tapestry and manufacturing firm newly founded by the artist Albert Herter. Herter assigned Botke the task of creating a peacock frieze for the dining room of famed actress Billie Burke, leading to her studies of the birds at the Bronx Zoo and igniting her passion for birds and flora. Botke moved to California in 1915, where she was active in the artistic community and continued her exotic bird paintings along with other subjects. She worked in color woodcut, gouache, mural painting, watercolors, oil, and frequently utilized gold and silver leaf in backgrounds. The hyacinth macaws offered here display the artist’s luminous use of color, expressionist brushstrokes and eye for strong compositions. Dimensions: