1984 Mary Beth Baxter Folk Art Rag Doll Oil Painting on Canvas

Description

Mary Beth Baxter folk art painting on canvas with a crackle finish. / “Mary Beth (Anderson) Baxter, 67, died at Cape Cod Hospital after complications recovering from heart surgery on June 15, 2011. Mary Beth was born in Buffalo, New York on November 17, 1943 to Benjamin H. and Martha J. Anderson and grew up in Syracuse, NY, Youngstown, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA. She graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School in 1962 and Penn State University in art education in 1966. She married Donald W. Baxter in 1966 and raised her family in Northville, MI. Mary Beth was rarely without art supplies in her hands. She became an early American folk artist as an extension of her love of early American country life. She collected antique baskets, quilts, early American pottery and colonial furniture. She used these themes in her artwork. Mary Beths artwork and style became known throughout the country. Mary Beth was an active member in PEO, chapter EA, Questers, No. VI, Suburban Junior Womens Club, Alpha Xi Delta and Hospice volunteer. She loved playing bridge, gin rummy and dominos with her grandchildren. Mary Beth took great pleasure in life and loved musicals, antiquing, travel, talking to and learning about people, decorating her gift shop, gardening, lobster and living near the sea. One of Mary Beths greatest strengths was her entrepreneurial spirit. While raising her family in Michigan, Mary Beth began her own home-based business, Walnut Hill Crafts where she had a devoted following. Mary Beth sold her artwork by traveling around the country to primitive art shows. Mary Beth bravely took a great risk leaving Michigan and fulfilled her lifelong dream of moving to New England and settling in her paradise, Cape Cod. In 1991, she opened her first gift shop in Brewster called Mary Beths. Every day she painted at her easel looking out her window at an abandoned early American building. In 1994, an opportunity arose to purchase the building which had a long history with the Mayflower Hopkins family. She realized the new gift shop should be named the Hopkins House. Her daughter, Heather completed her baking degree and started the bakery in a building attached to the gift shop in 1995 followed by her daughter, Amy opening a garden antique shop. Mary Beths artistic eye and decorating sense transformed the Hopkins House Gift Shop, Bakery, and gardens into the Cape Cod destination it is today.”

Condition

Very Good - Some stains at edges; see pictures

Dimensions

11” x 14” x 0.75” (Width x Height x Depth)