The Color of Light: Nell Blaine

Video (8:00): The Color of Light: Nell Blaine, a short documentary about the life of American abstract painter Nell Blaine (1922-1996).

‘Dive into the remarkable life and art of Nell Blaine, an artist whose journey transcends the boundaries of abstraction and figuration, illuminating the vibrancy of the world around us. From the bustling streets of New York City to the serene banks of the Seine in Paris and the colorful landscapes of Mexico and Gloucester Harbor, Blaine’s work is a testament to her relentless pursuit of beauty and her profound connection to the essence of light and color.’ – 1623 Studios

American Artist Nell Blair Walden Blaine (1922-1996)

Nell Blaine (1922-1996) was born in Richmond, Virginia. Nell Blaine left home to study. In 1939 she entered the Richmond Professional Institute’s School of Art with Theresa Pollak, made possible through a work-study scholarship. In 1942 she moved to New York City to study painting under Hans Hofmann. Blaine briefly lived and worked in Paris around 1950 with Larry Rivers, travelling across Europe and exhibiting with the American Abstract Artists group in France, Denmark, and Italy. After her trip to Paris, she changed her painterly style from abstract paintings to figurative abstractions. As a young woman she was briefly married, and after other relationships in 1967, she met the love of her life painter Carolyn Harris who was to be her partner of nearly 30 years. Nell Blaine was physically challenged throughout her life. She was cross-sighted and near-sighted from birth and in 1959, Blaine contracted bulbospinal, or paralytic, polio while visiting Greece. This would confine her to a wheelchair for the rest of her life, however, it did not stop her from painting and exhibiting.

[The copyright of the video above remains with the original holder and it is used here for the purpose of education, comparison and criticism only.]