Spotlight Artist

Harriet Foster Beecher - Portrait and landscape painter.

Born in Indiana in 1854. Harriet Foster was raised in South Bend and educated at St. Mary's Academy there. After moving to San Francisco in the 1870s she studied at the School of Design. In 1881 she married Captain Herbert F. Beecher and moved to Washington. Although Seattle and Port Townsend were her homes after that time, she made many trips to CA to visit her mother and daughter and exhibit with the SF Art Association. In 1915 she was one of the very few women artists selected to serve on the PPIE Advisory Committee for the West. Her works are characterized by a loose and impressionistic style. Often the subjects of her paintings included many Washington Pioneers and local Native Americans.

Beecher painting

The Port Townsend Virtual Art Museum came about after long discussions with Arts enthusiasts in town. The city prides itself as an arts community but it lacks a centralized location to collect its history and showcase collections.

Building a brick and mortar Museum seemed a daunting task, thus the virtual museum was born. The digital world, like books, offers an opportunity to view works that would otherwise be unavailable.

The Port Townsend Arts Commission, the Jefferson County Historical Society and Centrum have provided support, grants, inkind donations and guidance to this endeavor but are not responsible for the content.

PT VAM is owned and operated by Ann Welch and is guided by a small but gifted group of supporters.

Please contact us with your own ideas for other projects, to offer assistance or to heap praise or scorn.

Thank you,

Ann WelchmailClick here to use your email program

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