Margaret Bell Bruton (February 20, 1894 – August 29, 1983) was an American painter, muralist, and printmaker known for her contributions to the Californian art scene.
Early life
Margaret Bruton was born to Daniel Bruton (1839–1928) of Dublin, Ireland, and Helen Bell (1866–1956) of Belfast, Ireland. Daniel, an employee at the American Tobacco Company, eventually moved the family to San Francisco, California. Margaret was the eldest of three sisters, including Anne Esther Bruton Gilman (1896–1992) and Helen Bruton (1898–1985). She grew up attending public schools in Alameda, California. As a successful tobacco merchant, Daniel commissioned Denis Straub & Son to construct the family home at 1240 St. Charles Street in Alameda. This house was sold by the family in 1944.
Education and early career
Bruton's artistic journey began at the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art (later known as San Francisco Art Institute) in San Francisco in 1913, where she studied under Frank Van Sloun. Her talent was recognized early on, winning her a scholarship to the Art Students League of New York. There, she honed her skills under the guidance of artists Robert Henri and Frank Vincent Dumond from 1914 to 1918.
During World War I, Bruton contributed to the war effort by serving as an occupational therapist at Letterman Hospital in San Francisco. She, along with her sisters and mother, established a studio in the attic of their Alameda home.
Early Monterey period (1922–1929)
There were two periods when Margaret Bruton resided in Monterey, California. In the early 1920s, Bruton moved to Monterey, California, attracted by the scenic beauty and the opportunity to study with artist Armin Hansen. The Bruton family eventually settled there, building a house and studio and stayed in it "on and off" as it was their summer place and "Monterey was small and simple at that time". Margaret's sister Helen Bruton recalled:
She was associated with the Monterey Group of painters who were meeting at the Stevenson's House. Some of them were associated with the Society of Six.
Bruton gained recognition through various exhibitions, such as a group exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum in 1923 where she won a $100.00 prize. She also received accolades at the Santa Cruz Art League in 1925. She and her sisters undertook several travels, visiting England, France, Italy. In about 1929, she embarked on an artistic expedition to New Mexico (Taos and Santa Fe). Margaret spent a year studying at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris.
Throughout her career, Bruton was a part of multiple exhibitions, including group shows at the Club Beaux Arts, Bullock’s Little Gallery, and the Weyhe Gallery. In 1935, she had a retrospective exhibition at the Oakland Gallery.
Mosaic and terrazzo art
In 1930 she ventured into the world of mosaics working on projects supported by Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration.
Partnering with her sister Helen she contributed to the execution of the exterior mosaic panels for the Fleishacker Zoo Mother House in San Francisco, an undertaking of the Federal Art Project. That project started at the end of 1933 with local materials and with the technical help of Antonio (Anthony) Falcier, an Italian mosaic maker who previously worked on Neptune Pool at Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Her sister Helen noted:
One of the mosaics showcases a boy and a girl alongside a horse, dog, and rabbit, titled Children and Their Animal Friends. The second mosaic, St. Francis, portrays the revered protector of animals and the namesake of San Francisco, encompassed by a deer, wolf, snake, and several birds.
In 1939, she worked with her sisters on Golden Gate International Exposition mural titled "The Peacemakers".
In 1944 family built an adobe house on Cass Street in Monterey adjoining the studio that the family put up in mid-1920. In the 1950s Bruton sisters worked for 3 years on 22 mosaics and terrazzo maps for the memorial at the Manila American Cemetery. The maps, were created using information from the American Battle Monuments Commission, were produced by the P. Grassi American Terrazzo Company in South San Francisco. Made from tinted concrete with vibrant colored aggregates, they incorporate military data through mosaic or ceramic details. The borders and compass designs reference Pacific Islands' art styles, and accompanying descriptive texts, made of plastic, elaborate on the maps' details.
In October–November, 1952 in the de Young Museum's during the "Contemporary Religious Art by California Artists" exhibition Margaret presented terrazzo work "Station XII".
