Aaron Kilpatrick (1872-1953)

First visited Morro Bay on a 1916 auto trip, and from 1922 he spent three months of each summer painting in Morro until he constructed his home there, and a studio in 1928.

“Aaron Kilpatrick of Eagle Rock (winter), and Morro Bay (summer)… has made every step of his way as a fine artist without help. Although his artistic tendencies were evident while he was a small child, it was not until he found himself in a position to earnestly pursue the study of art even in his spare time, and not until years later was he able to devote all of his time to art. Aaron Kilpatrick was born in Saint Thomas, a little town near London, in the province of Ontario, Canada.

His father was in the building business and while still a small child the family moved to Winnipeg. It was here he received most of his education and here also his artistic tendencies first came to public attention. Black-board drawing was then very much the thing in public schools. Aaron was the best black board decorator in his school, and it was his privilege to do all the black-board drawing. His fame soon spread and he was sent from school to school to decorate black boards. Such honors were not conducive to scholarship, but they encouraged the embryonic artist to further efforts. Mr. Kilpatrick came to California in 1892 and despite considerable talent as an artist, it was not for several years that he was able to devote his life to art.

In 1910, Mr. and Mrs. Kilpatrick built their home on Ellenwood Drive [Eagle Rock]. Mr. Kilpatrick’s studio was erected at the same time. Aaron Kilpatrick is a member of the Eagle Rock Masonic Lodge. He was master of the lodge in 1917, the war year. It was a hard time for the lodge financially, and he is proud of the fact that he finished his service as master with a substantial balance in the treasury.

Mr. Kilpatrick was the first artist to fully appreciate Morro Bay as an artist’s haven. He first went there in 1922. Later, he and Mrs. Kilpatrick built a home there, in which they now spend much of their time. In 1926 he went to Cuernavaca, Mexico, an old town which boasts history dating back to the days of Cortez. He did considerable painting there and learned much of old Mexico’s colorful history. Aaron Kilpatrick is a Southern California artist in every sense. Everything he knows about art has been learned here and, barring his work in Mexico, he has never painted outside of Southern California. He has received many medals and high awards and is represented by his canvases in practically all of the art centers of North America.” per “Some of the Artists Whose Work May be Seen,” Eagle Rock Sentinel, Nov. 6, 1931, p. 2, per “Art in Eagle Rock,” N. Moure, PSCA vol. 9, p. 479.

Source: Nancy Dustin Wall Moure, MORRO BAY (including LOS OSOS, BAYWOOD PARK and CAYUCOS) ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY BEFORE 1960 (Publications in [Southern] California Art, vol. 13, no. I), Los Angeles: Dustin Publications, 2016.

Landscape painter. Born in St Thomas, Canada on April 7, 1872. Kilpatrick was educated in the public schools of Winnipeg and moved to the U.S. in 1892. By 1907 he had settled in southern California and established a commercial art business. He studied locally with Wm Wendt and often accompanied him on month-long painting excursions. A businessman until middle age, in 1922 he sold his commercial art business and devoted his remaining years to painting fine art. He was the first artist to discover the beauty of Morro Bay. During his art career he received national acclaim and was elected an Associate of the NatI Academy. He had a studio-home in Eagle Rock near Los Angeles until his death in San Luis Obispo, CA on Aug. 17, 1953. Exh: Del Monte Art Gallery, 1910; San Francisco Art Association, 1911-16; Calif.-Panama Expo (San Diego), 1915 (bronze and silver medals); Leonard's Gallery (LA), 1923 (solo); Biltmore Salon (LA), 1925, 1932, 1935; Carmelita Gallery (LA), 1926; Nicholson Gallery (LA), 1927, 1930; Eagle Rock Artists, 1931. In: De Young Museum; Athletic Club (LA); Cleveland Museum. SCA; AAA 1925-33; Eagle Rock Sentinel, 11-14-1930; WW in West, 1954; WWPC 1949.