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  George Herbert Baker

About the Artist | Art Images | Links

 
     
  George Herbert Baker PaintingGeorge Baker was born in Muncie, Indiana and moved to Richmond, Indiana in his early teens. Considered a brilliant colorist, Baker demonstrated artistic ability early in his life. This interest in drawing landed him a job at the Gaar-Scott Company where like Charles Conner; he painted scenes on farm equipment. The farm equipment could be decorated with anything from pinstripes to completed landscapes. It was Mr. Scott who introduced Baker to the dean of the Richmond Group, John Bundy. In addition to art instruction with Bundy, Baker studied at the Cincinnati Art Academy and at the Boothbay Art School, Maine.

Baker was a charter member of the Richmond Palette club, serving as the president of the organization. His was known for his landscapes of all seasons and moods, painting nature around Wayne County. His daring use of bold color led to rumors of alcoholism, yet these cannot be confirmed. When asked about his use of color Baker responded, “I don’t paint nature the way it is. I paint nature the way I wish it was.” Considered to be one of the finest landscape painters in Indiana, Baker was invited to serve as a visiting instructor for two semesters at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio in 1925.

Later in his career he worked in pastel and depicted marine scenes. Baker painted on the New England coast and in the mountains during the summer of 1931. In that same year, sixty oil paintings of Marine scenes and pastels were placed on display in the Westcott Hotel. He exhibited in Cincinnati, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis and various cities throughout Indiana and Ohio winning numerous awards including the Howard Spaulding Jr. prize of $100 at the Hoosier Salon Exhibition, Nye Prize, 1930 and the Muncie Prize in 1910. Baker was a prominent local artist of his time and influenced many Hoosier artists. Artists that studied with Baker include Harry Townsend, Zeb E. Pottenger, Lawrence McConaha and Howard Leigh

 
   
  Art Images  
 

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George H. Baker "Waiting for the Circus Parade"
Earlham College Permanent Art Collection


Richmond Art Museum
Collection

Richmond Art Museum
Collection
 
         
  "Winter Morning in Big Sandy" by George H. Baker
Wayne County Historical Museum Collection

Morrisson-Reeves Library Collection

Morrisson-Reeves Library Collection

Richmond Art Museum
Collection
 
           
  Learn More About George Herbert Baker  
 

   
 

Born: 1878
Died: 1943

Preferred Media: Painting

Additional Information & Images:

Images

Biography

Sources:

  • Baker, George. Art Notes; What I Know About Art

  • Anna Dev. The Art of George Herbert Baker. July 2001.

  • Lanier, Parker W. George Herbert Baker: Indiana Modernist Painter

  • White, Esther Griffin. Typed biography on George Baker-Kathleen Postle Archive

  • Palladium and Sun-Telegram, Friday, March 12, 1943. Obituary.

  • The Richmond Item, Sunday, February 20, 1927

  • The Richmond Item, November 1, 1931. page 6.

  • Richmond Palladium Item, Monday, June 26, 1989. page A7 Rumors fuel artist’s popularity.

  • Richmond Palladium Item, Monday, February 1, 1993

  • ___The Richmond School; Presented by Jay County Arts Council and the Art Association of Richmond, September, 1985.

Photo of George H. Baker
Photo Courtesy of Earlham College
 
 

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