Stevens - "Spring" Abstract watercolor painting of spring scene with trees, a path and structure in the background.

W. Lester Stevens • American (1888-1969)

Spring • Watercolor on Paper 19-1/4" x 27-1/2"

Sometimes reality is better than the movies. If you think the sight of a man driving through a backyard with laundry draped across his bumper is something out of an early Disney movie, you’d better get some popcorn before reading on.

William Lester Stevens was a madcap painter. As near as we can tell he really only cared about two things in life: Painting and family. Most likely in exactly that order. He was compulsive, impulsive and, apparently, somewhat reclusive, too. After 46 years living in his native Rockport, Massachusetts, he fled to the Berkshires, family in tow, because Rockport was becoming overrun … with artists. Oh, the tragedy!

But, above all else, Lester Stevens was prodigious. It appears that there was only one time in his life he set his easel aside for any length of time … between battles in World War I while serving in the U.S. Army. His fellow soldiers were apparently amazed by the sight of Private Stevens sketching scenes while sitting in a trench waiting for the next onslaught. Upon returning to his coastal Rockport home, he took up his brush and never set it down until the day he died … 5,000 paintings after he started.

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The son of a landscape gardener, Stevens frenetic landscape painting may be have been pre-ordained. By the age of 18 the precocious youth already had a painting accepted for exhibition at the National Academy of Design. Two years later he won a scholarship to the Museum School in Boston.

Convinced that the quality of his art was tied to the excellence of his mind, Stevens went on to teach at both Boston University and Princeton University. But, almost every day found him outside painting another scene. On windy days, he’d tie a rock to the easel or stake down the canvas. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow could stay this artist from his appointed work.

Stevens painted obsessively and felt “Art isn’t painting pictures; it’s a way of life.” Perhaps his wife, Angie, captured him best when she said, “We led a simple life. We didn’t need much and probably seemed a ‘peculiar’ pair. We took trips, we camped out. We took long walks together in the winter. We worked hard. We laughed and had fun. And, nobody told us what to do.”

Canton Museum of Art Permanent Collection • Gift to the Artist, 57.122

4 Ways to Sound Smart When Viewing at The Canton Museum of Art

1.
“His early paintings were done in a neo-Impressionist style, but throughout his life he resisted the siren call of abstraction and stayed with his realistic roots.”

2.
“His father was a landscape gardener and Stevens painted landscapes almost exclusively. Freud would have a field day with that little factoid.”

3.
“He eventually left his hometown of Rockport, MA, because it had become overrun with artists. Oh mon dieu!”

4.
“To him, painting was a mental exercise as much as a physical effort. He often spent more time picking the right vantage point than he did executing a painting.”

W.Lester Stevens Timeline. Scroll over images to see timeline.

1888

Born in Rockport, Massachusetts, to a family that included 10 children. His father was a landscape gardener in the coastal town and money was always tight. Young Stevens sold flowers, made wreaths and picked blueberries to help pay for art lessons and materials.

1906

At the precocious age of 18 he had a picture accepted by the National Academy of Design for an exhibition.

1909

Awarded a scholarship to the Museum School in Boston. During his four years at the school he studied with leading realist painters, including Frank Benson and Edmund Tarbell. Although his family moved to Maine shortly after he started school, he remained in Rockport even after completing his studies.

1917-19

Fought in Europe with the U.S. Army during World War I. Some accounts even had him sketching and drawing throughout his service.

1919

Returned to Rockport where he found the town had become a popular artists haven. A number of well-known artists were inspired by the rocky coast around Rockport, Cape Ann, and Gloucester. At this time Stevens painted in a neo-Impressionist style, but resisted the growing popularity of more abstract styles.

1921

Helped found the Rockport Art Association primarily to stage exhibitions featuring the outstanding artists working and living in the area.

1925-26

Taught at Boston University after starting his teaching career with local classes in Rockport.

1927-29

Taught painting at Princeton University. Later in life he gave lessons and staged one-man exhibitions in Charlotte and Asheville, North Carolina. His paintings of well-known southern gardens and cities were well-received in southern states.

1930s

Although the Great Depression caused hardships for the Stevens family, he did a number of covers for “The American Legion Magazine”. There were also a number of other professional successes, including prizes at shows in New Haven, Springfield and Rockport. His prodigious output made him one of the most decorated American artists ever.

1934

At the age of 46 he grew irritated with the influx of artists into Rockport and fled his hometown for the Berkshire region in western Massachusetts. He eventually settled in Conway where he and wife, Angie, renovated an old farmhouse and studio. This is where he lived the rest of his life.

1960s

He and Angie traveled to Lubec, Maine; Campobello Island and Grand Manan Island where he continued his prodigious output of paintings.

1969

Died in his Conway, Massachusetts, home where it is said he painted almost until the day he died. It is estimated that by the end of his life he created over 5,000 paintings.