William Chadwick (1879-1962)

Born in England, William Chadwick moved with his parents to Holyoke, Massachusetts, in 1882. After graduating from high school, he moved to New York City and enrolled in the Art Student”s League, studying with John H. Twachtman, George Bridgman, and Joseph DeCamp. In 1901, he traveled to Europe, and although little is known about Chadwick’s trip, one can assume that he pursued art study while he was abroad.

The following year, Chadwick made his first visit to Old Lyme, Connecticut, where he became affiliated with the Impressionist art colony centered at Florence Griswold’s home. For the rest of the artist’s career, he returned to the picturesque town, eventually purchasing a home there in 1915.At Old Lyme, Chadwick continued to paint figurative works in the conservative style of his teacher, DeCamp. Old Lyme was about to become a colony of American impressionists. However, most of the work completed by Chadwick that summer was reflected of the lingering tonalist style. In the spring of 1903, he showed at the Society of American Artists, his debut as a professional artist, and he became treasurer of the Art Students League. In New York, Chadwick shared his studio-residence with Harry Hoffman and Will Howe Foote and spent summers in Old Lyme.

By the spring of 1907, Chadwick was confident enough of his work to submit two paintings to the National Academy of Design annual and a year later he showed his work for the first time at the annual of the Pennsylvania Academy, and for a time he exhibited regularly at various venues. The Salmagundi Club was the only organization that Chadwick was interested in joining. Later in Rome, he worked with Colin Campbell Cooper, and he began painting more plein-air impressionist landscapes than figurative and genre subjects. Back in Paris in the spring of 1914, Chadwick spent time with Alson Skinner Clark, Robert Vonnoh, Frederick Frieseke, and others, most of whom were American. In the 1924/25 and 25/26 seasons, Chadwick taught at the Savannah Art School. His one-man show at Telfair Academy was praised by the press. Chadwick continued his work in Old Lyme, other parts of New England, and Florida, then he died at age eighty-three in Old Lyme. Chadwick held teaching positions at the Teachers College of Columbia University and the City College of New York and the Savannah Art School, Georgia. His memberships included, the National Academy of Design, New York, NY, the Salmagundi Club, New York, NY and the Lyme Art Association, Lyme, CT

Chadwick’s work is represented in numerous collections across the U. S., including:
Mattatuck Museum (Waterbury, CT)
Florence Griswold Museum (Old Lyme, CT)
George Walter Vincent Smith Museum (Springfield, MA)
Lyman Allyn Art Museum (New London, CT)
National Museum of American Art-Smithsonian (Washington, DC)
The Johnson Collection (Spartanburg, SC)