Margaret Fernie Eaton (1871-1953) was an artist, born in England and schooled and worked as an artist in the United States. She created watercolor paintings in her early career, and is best known for her pyrographic works illustrations. She collaborated with her husband, fellow artist Hugh M. Eaton on book-plates and other works of art.
Early life
Margaret Fernie Eaton was born in
Leamington, England on April 22, 1871. After she studied under J.B. Whitaker in
Brooklyn, Eaton attended the
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school at 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists.
Although artists may stu ...
. Her instructors there included
Harry Siddons Mowbray
Harry Siddons Mowbray (August 5, 1858 – 1928) was an American artist. He executed various painting commissions for J.P. Morgan, F.W. Vanderbilt, and other clients. He served as director of the American Academy in Rome from 1902–1904.
Biog ...
and
Kenyon Cox.
She also attended
Adelphi Academy
Adelphi University is a private university in Garden City, New York. Adelphi also has centers in Manhattan, Hudson Valley, and Suffolk County. There is also a virtual, online campus for remote students. It is the oldest institution of higher edu ...
.
Career
Watercolors she made by 1895 are '' A Little Picture Book'', ''The Clerk'' and ''The Story Book''.
In 1898, regarding her ability as a watercolor artist, it was said that she "had a rare talent for the human, and her socialistic studies like ''The China Painter'' and ''Left for Retrimming'', show increasing power from year to year—both in sight and technic."
Eaton was known for her
pyrography
Pyrography or pyrogravure is the free handed art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks resulting from the controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. It is also known as pokerwork or wood burning.
The term means "w ...
works of nude figures that resembled etchings. She is thought to be the first artist to use pyrography for magazine illustrations, like the ''Winter'' and ''March'' illustrations, and created book covers using pyrography. A noted work is a
frieze, ''Song of the Sea''.
She and her husband, Hugh M. Eaton, collaborated on their work and shared their Brooklyn workplace, Valhall Studio. The designed book-plates, book binding, illuminations, etchings, and pyrographic works of art. They were also interested in photography. Hugh, who owned a printing press, published illustrations made by the himk and/or his wife.
She created architectural panel designs like ''Song of Iris'' for a dining room, nursery, and ''Even-Song'' to be placed over a mantel.
By 1901, she illustrated the story ''Bettina's Easter Stock'' and with her husband illustrated ''Hail and Farewell''.
She was a member and vice-president of the Art Students League
and a member of the
New York Watercolor Club,
and exhibited her works there.
Both Margaret and Hugh were members of the
Black and White Club.
Personal life
Margaret Fernie married Hugh M. Eaton (1865–1924). He graduated from the Polytech Institute and studied art in several places, including the Art Students League of New York. He was art manager at ''
Leslie's Weekly'' and ''
The American Magazine.'' They lived at 339 Halsey Street in Brooklyn and operated a studio, Valhall Studio, with two of Hugh's sisters. He died on September 14, 1924.
She married Rev. Dr. Frederic W. Norris in
Summerville, South Carolina
Summerville is a town in the U.S. state of South Carolina situated mostly in Dorchester County, with small portions in Berkeley and Charleston counties. It is part of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Su ...
at the St. Paul's Church on November 17, 1929.
At that time, Norris was the rector emeritus of St. Matthew's Church in Brooklyn.
Norris died on November 22, 1931.
Eaton died in 1953.
References
Further reading
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External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaton, Margaret Fernie
1871 births
Art Students League of New York alumni
People from Warwickshire (before 1974)
Artists from New York City
American people of English descent
British woodworkers
1953 deaths
Women woodworkers
20th-century woodworkers
English emigrants to the United States