Whatcom Museum features obscure artist Norma Bassett Hall

Joby Patterson, guest curator of “Chipping the Block, Painting the Silk: The Color Prints of Norma Bassett Hall,” on exhibit at Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher through Feb. 14, says that as an art historian researcher, she likes to look for obscure artists of merit to bring to the public’s attention.

“I’ve researched in fine prints and taught the history of prints and continue to be fascinated by the medium,” she says.

The traveling exhibit presents a spectrum of the Oregon-born Hall’s 25-year career as a printmaker. It’s the first solo exhibition of Hall’s artwork since her death in 1957, and the first time more than 60 of her prints have been gathered for display.

Exhibited for the first time is a cherry woodblock and a portfolio of color block prints depicting the Oregon coast, jointly made by Hall and her husband, artist Arthur William Hall, who died in 1981, on the occasion of their marriage in 1922.

Bassett Hall was born in 1888 in Halsey, about 23 miles from Eugene. Patterson, who lives in Eugene and is adjunct professor of art history at the University of Oregon, contacted scattered family members of Hall’s as part of her research.

“The family had some written information and many prints, both essential to understanding Norma’s work and life,” she says. “It’s difficult to describe my research process briefly, as it took about 12 years.”

Patterson says some of her greatest adventures were when she traveled to Europe to find the places where Bassett Hall lived and made prints from 1925 to 1927.

“Most female artists of the early 20th century who worked in color wood block were from prosperous families,” she says. “Norma was from a modest, rural background, and of course being from Oregon had its appeal for me.”

In addition, Patterson adds, female artists have been neglected over the years and artists from the Western United States are particularly unknown. Bassett Hall, through her talents and hard work, graduated from one of the top art schools in the United States, and went on to develop her own career.

Color wood block is a complex, time-consuming process that comparatively few artists have tackled, Patterson says.

“I love Norma’s color sense and remarkable skill,” she says. “With this large assemblage, it is my aim to give this unassuming, soft-spoken artist the opportunity she has for so long deserved — the opportunity to speak for herself.”

This story was originally published December 23, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Whatcom Museum features obscure artist Norma Bassett Hall."