Painting of Elizabeth Cady Stanton by Sandra Bertrand
When Vice President Jill Baratta recently contacted Elizabeth Blake, sponsor of the Elizabeth Stanton Blake Memorial Award (one of NAWA’s annual medal of honor awards) to verify her address, Elizabeth wrote back with some fascinating news. For our readers’ information, Elizabeth is 90 years old, is the daughter of Elizabeth Stanton Blake, who was famed suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s daughter. A distinguished lineage!
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an artist as well as a past president of NAWA (1928-1930). In honor of such a family history, granddaughter Elizabeth has requested that NAWA’s future award reflect Cady in the award name.
We are delighted to include Elizabeth Blake’s letter to Jill, which we hope will provide you with a colorful history lesson about our organization. (SB)
Dear Jill,
I’m not a painter myself (I’m an emeritus professor of French) but stepping into the studio of any painter in oil, and smelling the turpentine and linseed oil, brings back childhood memories for me.
The Elizabeth Cady Stanton Blake Award was established by me, using income from the estate my mother passed on to me. My mother Betty Stanton was not only a professional portrait painter (E. C. Stanton) but a knowledgeable investor, having been trained by Mr. Barron (of “Barron’s Weekly”) himself. In the Great Depression, she saved the National Association of Painters & Sculptors (as NAWA was then known) by selling its old headquarters building & buying The Argent Galleries, on 57th St., near Carnegie Hall. That location became the center of art action in the 30s & 40s, allowing the Galleries to do well.
I look forward to receiving the Annual catalogue. That also brings back memories. I believe Eleanor Roosevelt came to the Opening Exhibition one year. I was thrilled when she shook my hand—I kept my glove (children wore gloves in those days) for years!
Wishing you much success in your own work,
Bettina Blake
