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Early Life and Artistic Beginnings
Susan Catherine Moore Waters, born May 18, 1823, in the quiet town of Binghamton, New York, emerged as a remarkable figure in 19th-century American art—a self-taught painter who navigated a world largely dominated by male artists. Her early life was marked by resourcefulness and an innate artistic inclination. Growing up in a Quaker household with her cooper father, Lark Moore, and mother Sally, Waters received little formal training but demonstrated talent from a young age. She attended Friendsville Boarding School in Pennsylvania, where she cleverly bartered her skills, creating copies for the Natural History course to offset tuition costs—a testament to her early entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to honing her craft. In 1841, at just seventeen years old, she married William Church Waters, a man whose health struggles would ultimately shape the trajectory of her career, placing her in the role of primary provider for their family.
A Traveling Artist and Evolving Style
The initial phase of Susan Waters’ artistic journey unfolded as that of an itinerant portrait painter. Accompanied by her husband, she traversed the landscapes of New York and Pennsylvania, accepting commissions and offering art lessons to sustain themselves. These early portraits, while providing a necessary income, were merely stepping stones for an artist with loftier ambitions. She experimented with various materials—canvas was not always available, so she utilized readily accessible options like mattress ticking and linen—demonstrating adaptability and ingenuity. A letter from 1851 reveals her desire to broaden her artistic scope beyond the confines of portraiture, a yearning that would soon lead to a significant shift in her practice. The couple briefly ventured into photography, capturing daguerreotypes and ambrotypes before returning to painting with renewed focus. This period also saw Waters’ growing involvement in social causes—she became an active advocate for animal rights and women's suffrage, serving as recording secretary of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association in 1871, reflecting a commitment to progressive ideals that permeated her life and work.
Bordentown and the Pastoral Years
In 1866, Susan and William Waters settled permanently in Bordentown, New Jersey—a pivotal moment that marked the blossoming of her most celebrated artistic period. It was here, surrounded by the tranquility of rural landscapes, that she truly found her voice as a painter. She began to specialize in depictions of animals within pastoral settings, creating scenes imbued with warmth, naturalism, and a quiet dignity. Sheep became a recurring motif—she even kept them in her own backyard, providing readily available subjects for her canvases. Her style underwent a remarkable transformation during this time, evolving from the earlier, more rudimentary portraits to paintings characterized by sophisticated technique and an acute observation of nature. She produced over fifty oil paintings between 1870 and 1900, showcasing landscapes, still lifes, and, most notably, animals—dogs, squirrels, sheep—harmoniously integrated into their environment.
Recognition and Lasting Legacy
Waters’ dedication and artistic growth did not go unnoticed. In 1876, she received the prestigious invitation to exhibit two of her animal paintings at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, where they garnered critical acclaim and a surge in commissions. This recognition solidified her position as a respected artist within the burgeoning American art scene. She achieved financial stability through her work, continuing to paint with passion until just months before her death on July 7, 1900, at the age of 77. Susan Waters’ legacy extends beyond her beautiful paintings; she stands as an inspiring example of a self-taught woman artist who successfully supported herself and her husband through her talent in a time when such opportunities were rare. Her art is now held in numerous prestigious collections, including the Addison Gallery of American Art, the Arnot Art Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art—a testament to the enduring power and significance of her work. She was truly a woman ahead of her time. Her paintings offer a glimpse into 19th-century rural life, imbued with a sense of peace, harmony, and respect for the natural world. Waters’ story is one of perseverance, artistic innovation, and a commitment to social justice—a legacy that continues to resonate today.
