biography of Clara Taggart MCCHESNEY (1860-1928)

Birth place: Brownsville, CA

Death place: London, England

Addresses: NYC/Tannersville, NY

Profession: Painter, writer

Studied: San Fran. School of Design with Virgil Williams; Gotham Art Sch., NY, with Mowbray, Beckwith; Acad. Colarossi, Paris, with L. Girardot and G. Courtois; ASL

Exhibited: Boston AC, 1889-1906; AIC,1891-1918; NAD, 1890,1893, 1894 (Dodge prize), 1901 (Hallgarten prize); PAFA Ann., 1891-95, 1902-03; World's Columbian Expo., Chicago, 1893 (two gold med.); Calif. Midwinter Int'l. Expo., 1894; Paris Salon, 1896, 1898; SNBA, 1897, 1899; Phila. A. Cl., 1900 (gold med.); Paris Expo., 1900; Pan.-Am. Expo., Buffalo, 1901 (med.); St. Louis Expo., 1904 (bronze med.); Corcoran Gal. annuals, 1907-08; Pan.-Pac. Expo., 1915; S. Indp. A., 1917

Member: Carmel AA; NYWCC; AWCS; NAWPS; SPNY; NAC; Barnard Cl.; Lyceum Cl., London

Work: Boston A. Cl.; NGA; NMAA; NAC; State Capitol, Sacramento, CA; Emigrant Savings Bank, NYC; Union Lg. C., Chicago; Altoona (PA) Lib.; Aldine C., NYC; Erie AC

Comments: Most of her career was spent in NYC, however she visited California on a regular basis. Primarily a figure painter, her specialty was children. She also painted landscapes, including the White Mountains and scenes in Holland. Also appears as Chesney or MacChesney.

Sources: WW27; Campbell, New Hampshire Scenery, 115; Hughes, Artists in California, 365; Fink, American Art at the Nineteenth-Century Paris Salons, 329, 367; Falk, Exh. Record Series.