“Oriental Woman with Orange Mums”

Phronsie V. Conlin Collection

Grace was a member of the Connecticut Water Color Society, the New Britain Art League, Artists Club of Hartford, Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts and The National Association of Women Painters.

In 1930 she exhibited with 27 other artists at the second annual exhibition of Women Painters and Sculptors of Hartford at the Morgan Memorial Galleries, at the National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors at the Fine Arts Galleries and also at the newly decorated gallery of the New Britain Museum with Margaret S. Cooper and Virginia Hart Low. “One of the remarkable facts about Mrs. Vibberts’ painting," wrote L.C. Edwardson in the New Britain Record, "is that she is practically self taught, painting only the last five or six years. In that time she has developed technique and a fine sense of color values. “Winter” bears this out. Here we see a snow covered landscape with blue sky, blue shadows and general blue tone worked up into a painting of individual treatment in both color and style. She covers her canvas well in a more or less impasto effect yet each brush stroke seems to know just what its purpose is on the canvas. “Frozen Over” is another example of her clean, and lively treatment"

In that same year, Grace also exhibited two paintings at the 20th annual show of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts at Morgan Memorial where she received an honorable mention award for her painting entitled “Connecticut Farms”.

In 1931, Grace was a juror for the 21st Annual Exhibit of the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts held at Morgan Memorial in Hartford from March 7th to March 25th. She also served on the exhibition committee and as a juror and exhibitor for the Second Annual Exhibition of the Art League of New Britain and exhibited at the fourth annual exhibition of the Society of Women Painters and Sculptors of Hartford.

 

In 1933, Grace exhibited again at the fifth annual exhibition of the Society of Women Painters and Sculptors of Hartford at the Morgan Memorial. “Grace Vibberts is showing what will surely prove a popular picture,” wrote the art editor of the Hartford Current on March 19th, 1933, “My Window” shows bright winter sunlight beyond a window, beside which are flowers and a canary. “Menemsha Bight,” Martha’s Vineyard, is another one of her paintings to be seen here.”

On August 10th, 1937, Grace was given the honor of being the first artist to have a one person exhibit at the New Britain Institute of Art, the museum’s new home at 56 Lexington Street.

Here is a complete list of Grace Vibberts’ exhibitions:

1/04/30 - National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors at Morgan Memorial Hall - (titles unknown).

3/19/30 - Exhibition at Institute Hall - “Winter” and “Frozen Over.”

1930 - Society of Hartford Painters and Sculptors at Morgan Memorial Hall - “Near South Shore,” “Daffodils,” “Cold Morning,” and “Winter.”

Early 1930’s - 20th Annual Exhibition of the Connecticut Academy at Morgan Memorial Hall - “Connecticut Farms” (honorable mention), “Over The Hill.”

Early 1930’s - Artists Club of Hartford at The Atheneum Annex - “Summer Sky,”                      (other titles unknown).

5/23/31- Art League of New Britain at the New Britain Institute - (titles unknown).

12/1931- Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Society of Women Painters and Sculptors  of

 Hartford at Morgan Memorial Hall - “Monday.”

1933 - National Association of Women Painters and Sculptors at the Fine Arts Building - “Monday.”

2/19/33 - Hartford Society of Women Painters at the Morgan Memorial Museum - “Menemsha Bight,” “My Window.”

12/08/35 - Jerome Stavola Art Gallery - “Peases Point Way.”

2/06/37 - Society of Women Painters at the Morgan Memorial - (titles unknown).

8/10/37 - Art Museum of the New Britain Institute at Landers Gallery (One woman show) - “The Bower Farm,” “Mooreland Brook,” “Frozen Over,” “Mid Winter (winner of the Muriel  Alvord prize for the best oil painting), “The Hessian House,” “From a Hotel Window,” “Tony’s Stand,” “In Flanders Connecticut,” “Midwinter,” “Edgartown Waterfront,” “Fall,” “Edgartown Docks.”

10/17/87 - The art museum (renamed the New Britain Museum of American Art) celebrated the museum’s fiftieth anniversary by presenting Grace’s art at a solo special exhibition.

5/30/2001 - At New Britain Museum of American Art - “Women Artists of New Britain, Connecticut,” “Mooreland Brook.”

“A Country Lane”

Phronsie V. Conlin Collection