30 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com ART Mary DeNeale Morgan (18681948) was the foundational force behind visual arts in Carmel during the first half of the 20th century and—according to art historian Robert W. Edwards— Morgan has been largely forgotten. “She was the most important female artist from the 1920s through the mid1940s,” Edwards observes. “She sold more paintings than any other woman in Northern California, and she did so much for the art colony.” Born into a large, well-to-do family, Morgan entered the San Francisco Art Institute’s California School of Design at 18. Frustrated by schools that promoted male students at the expense of women, she moved to Carmel in 1903 with the ambition of helping to build a new art colony. There she would remain for the rest of her life—unmarried, fiercely private and fully devoted to her work. Her early paintings were tonalist in style, but 1914 brought a turning point. The visiting American Impressionist William Merritt Chase pressed her to find new subjects and adopt a more aggressive manner. By 1920 she had moved from watercolor and printmaking into large-scale oils. Where other artists painted the picturesque façade of the Stevenson House, Morgan painted its deteriorating back wall. Morgan’s civic contributions were equal to her output of more than a thousand paintings. She directed the Carmel Summer School of Art, sponsored by the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club, and reshaped that club into a major exhibition venue. When male members took over the club’s administration after 1921 and began selecting fewer paintings by women, Morgan helped found the Carmel Art Association in response. She donated her art, her time and her teaching; she even acted in local plays. She was also among the first female artists to exhibit at the Del Monte Art Gallery. Edwards turned to the Monterey Peninsula precisely because its artists had been ignored. Morgan, who died while painting at Point Lobos and has had no retrospective since 1944, embodies that neglect. Yet works like “Two Sisters on Carmel Beach” with its sensuous, almost human-figured trees, reveal an artist whose ambition and reach demand recognition. Mary DeNeale: Doyenne of the Carmel Art Colony opens Thursday, April 30 at Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific St., Monterey. $15/admission. (831) 3725477, montereyart.org. On display through Aug. 16. MARY DENEALE MORGAN In the Beginning She was the force behind Carmel’s early art colony— and few people know her name. By Agata Popęda Mary DeNeale Morgan was an ambitious painter who evolved throughout her life. The piece above is one of her Monterey County landscapes, “Paraiso in Springtime.” The Oven Pizzeria is here to help! Whether it’s a corporate event, family gathering, or a graduation party, we’ve got the perfect pizzas to please everyone. Choose from our classic East Coast thin crust or signature West Coast sourdough for that unique slice. Let us handle the meal, so you can enjoy the time. Craving Pizza? Catering made easy visit www.TheOvenOnBroadway.com for our menu Call us at 831-899-1762 to order! Carmel Valley Garden Club Garden Show & Plant Sale “Hidden Treasures of the Valley” Free event • Donation Parking • Large plant, flower and veggie sale • Garden Art & Essentials • Multi-category flower competition • Photography competition & sale • Silent auction on Saturday • Many gardening & craft vendors • Food from Woody’s • Buzzy’s children’s garden MAY 2nd & 3rd 10am – 4pm at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley Village • cvgardenclub.org Quality feed & pet supplies • DIY dog & cat vaccines • Premium hay at great prices Low cost vaccination clinic for dogs & cats. Microchipping. Prescription flea/tick medication. Open every Saturday 12pm-3pm 101 W. LAUREL DR, SALINAS • (831)443-6161 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm Sun 10am-5pm $5 OFF Any purchase of $25 or more $20 OFF Any purchase of $100 or more FLOCK SEASON IS HERE! $10 OFF Any purchase of $50 or more CHICKS, DUCKLINGS, AND BABY TURKEYS FOR SALE NOW! CHICKS: PULLETS CORNISH DUCKS: MALE FEMALE TURKEYS: BRONZE WHITE EXPIRES 4-8-26. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS OR OFFERS. LIMIT 1 COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID ON HAY, SHAVINGS, SERESTO, MAX BULLY, SPORTSTRAIL, OR LIVE ANIMALS. MUST PRESENT ENTIRE PHYSICAL COUPON AT TIME OF PURCHASE. COUPON MUST COME DIRECTLY FROM THE MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY. REPRINTS OR PHOTOCOPIES NOT VALID. $7.00 $4.50 $13.00 $20.00 $22.00 $18.00 PRICES BEGINNER POULTRY KIT – $32.99 5-31-26
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