BEVERLY HALLAM

Hallam, Beverly
Of York, Maine, died on February 21 at Surf Point, Maine. She was born in Lynn, Massachusetts on November 22, 1923, the daughter of Alice Linney Murphy and Edwin Francis Hallam. She graduated from Lynn English High School. During her early years she studied clarinet and saxophone. In 1945 Ms. Hallam received a B.S. Ed. From the Massachusetts College of Art and in that year she received a position at Lasell Junior College, Auburndale where she was Chairman of the Art Department until 1949. In 1948 she attended Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. In 1953 she received her M.F.A. at Syracuse University. From 1949-1962 Ms. Hallam was professor at the Massachusetts College of Art from 1949-1961 where she taught Painting, Drawing and Design. She also introduced and taught the first courses in Photography, and Theater Arts. On Saturdays she supervised the Saturday Morning High School Art Classes. An avid photographer, Ms. Hallam travelled to Europe and compiled many illustrated lectures on art subjects which she gave throughout the country. In the early 50's she pioneered and researched in the use of Polyvinyl Acetate as a painting medium, now used extensively internationally and called "Acrylic". She exhibited and demonstrated its use throughout the East. Known for her larger-than-life airbrushed flowered canvases she had 45 solo exhibitions in museums and galleries and 280 group shows. Her work is in the permanent collections of many museums and corporations and in private collections in U.S.A., Canada, France, Belgium and Switzerland. Her most recent awards were the "Distinguished Alumni Award, Massachusetts College of Art" and "Maine College of Art Award for Achievement as a Visual Artist." An illustrated book "Beverly Hallam: "An Odyssey In American Art" by Carl Little (Pub. Walesback Books, Washington) depicts her life and work. The Union of Maine Visual Artists, as part of the Maine Masters Project featured her brilliant career on film in "Beverly Hallam: Artist as Innovator." No service. Private burial will be at Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, P.O. Box 815, Ogunquit, ME 03907.