A Woman's Place is Behind the Camera

Alice Curtis lived in Gloucester, Massachusetts near the turn of the century. Her community was home to the Rocky Neck Art Colony, one of the oldest working art colonies in the country. With its sweeping coastal beauty and sweet natural solitude, Rocky Neck attracted a host of plein air artists, including Winslow Homer, and it helped inspire the Cape Ann style of American Impressionism. Edward Hopper, Mark Rothko, and Nell Blaine are also among the many artists who found inspiration at the Neck.

Alice came under the spell of her community's artistic energy. Although she expressed an interest in painting, Alice, like so many women of her day, was discouraged from pursuing a fine arts education and she took up photography as a consolation. In fact, the Gloucester/Cape Ann area became home to many amateur and professional female photographers. During the late 19th century, women received scant creative encouragement, if that, and since photography still wasn't perceived as a true fine art, it was seen as an acceptable alternative for women with creative energy.

Alice was a prolific photographer and she was active in Gloucester well into the 1930s. Her work was passed on to her grandson, Fred Bodin, who was also a photographer. After Mr. Bodin's death, HIP was fortunate enough to buy his entire collection, which includes his grandmother's negatives. We're excited to tell you more about Alice's story, but for now, we hope you enjoy this introduction to her dynamic body of work. 

Curious to know even more? Check out these blog articles:

Positive Image: Women in Photography in the Early 1900s

In Focus: Late 19th & Early 20th Century Photography