Courtesy of the Estate of Belle Cramer
Through the “Forces of Nature” exhibition at Walker-Cunningham Fine Art, the work of a prominent female artist has returned to St. Louis. The exhibition features 21 paintings, prints, and works on paper by Belle Cramer, who lived and painted in St. Louis from 1940 until her death in 1978.
“We really haven’t seen her work in any kind of organized exhibition in probably 30 years, and a lot of the works that I have here haven’t been shown for 40 years,” says Sarah B. Cunningham, owner of Walker-Cunningham Fine Art, and a private art dealer with 20 years of experience.
Cunningham first became aware of Cramer’s work when a friend posted a few images on Instagram. She was immediately drawn to the artwork, noting that Cramer’s paintings “have a lot of emotional content and are very colorful…with beautiful brushwork.”
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Courtesy Sarah B. Cunningham
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Eventually, Cunningham met Cramer’s family and received permission to curate the exhibition, which features a collection of the artist’s work from the 1950s and ’60s. Cunningham is showcasing two of Cramer’s original gouache and pastel studies alongside the finished oil paintings.
“We do see, even within this small group of works, a little bit of an evolution in style from the ’50s to ’60s,” says Cunningham. The works—which span nearly 17 years—became a bit more expressive over time, she adds.
When preparing for the exhibition, Cunningham uncovered a “treasure trove” of newspaper clippings and other published literature from Cramer’s life. She was a prolific and dedicated artist, who lived in New York City, Edinburgh, and London before arriving in St. Louis to escape the German bombings of World War II. She worked six days a week in her home studio (5354 Delmar Blvd.) and participated in dozens of exhibitions in St. Louis and throughout the country. By 1971, she was so integral to the St. Louis art community that the Bulletin of the St. Louis Art Museum called her “the grande dame of St. Louis painters.”
“I was really blown away by how much press coverage she got during her lifetime, and deservedly so. She was a tenacious exhibitor,” says Cunningham. “She definitely put herself out there in her paintings. They are very bold works.”
The “Forces of Nature” exhibition is on display October 5-27 in Cunningham’s Central West End home, and all of the artwork is available for purchase. Call 617-448-1428 or email wcfineart@gmail.com to make an appointment.
