Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 10, 1870 into an artistic family Marion Wachtel was born to a mother who was an artist, and her great-grandfather was a Royal Academician in London. She studied at the Art Institute of Chicago under Vanderpoel and in New York City with William M. Chase. For several years she taught at the Art Institute of Chicago and was popular in Milwaukee as a portrait painter.

A commission from the Santa Fe Railway to paint scenes in their ticket offices brought her to California. Arriving in San Francisco in 1903, she became a pupil of William Keith. Learning of her proposed move to southern California, Keith suggested that she study with Elmer Wachtel. A romance blossom

Source: Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
American Art Annual 1909-29; Southern California Artists (Nancy Moure); Who's Who in American Art 1936-53; Women Artists in America (Collins & Opitz); Artists of the American West (Samuels); Art in California (R. L. Bernier, 1916); Calif. Design 1910; Artists of the American West (Doris Dawdy); California Impressionism (Wm. Gerdts & Will South); Los Angeles Painters of the 1920s; Plein Air Painters (Ruth Westphal); Women Artists of the American West; Pasadena Star News, 5-25-1954 (obituary).

Nearly 20,000 biographies can be found in Artists in California 1786-1940 by Edan Hughes and is available for sale ($150). For a full book description and order information please click here....