Sally Michel Avery (American, 1902-2003), "Sea Lions", 1973, oil on canvas board, pencil-signed and dated lower right, signed, titled, dated and "Childs Gallery, Boston, MA" label with artist, title and date en verso, 22 in. x 28 in., framed. Note: Sally Michel Avery was born in 1902 and raised in Brooklyn, New York. At six years old, Sally decided she wanted to be an artist. After high school she studied at the Art Students League and spent her summers painting in Gloucester, which is where she met Milton Avery. After sharing their love of sketching the rocky shores of Massachusetts, Milton followed Sally to New York, and they married in 1926. Before Milton’s paintings started earning them an income in the 1950’s, Sally took commercial illustration jobs for department stores and publications to be able to financially support her family. After developing a good relationship with her employers, Sally, Milton, and their daughter March started taking long summer vacations across the country, Mexico, and Europe. During these vacations, Sally found the time to paint. “Sea Lions,” offered here, is likely based on a scene from one of these trips, with its flat yellow sand and whimsically depicted creatures clearly referencing the “Avery Style.”Stylistically similar, Sally’s and Milton’s paintings simplify the form into large planes color, while remaining true to the subject. Sally tended toward thicker layers of paint as she noted she lacked the “courage” Milton had to leave paintings looking unfinished. Likewise, she saw the importance of the projected effortlessness of this style, saying “I think a painting should look as if it just happened. It should be a miracle.” Sally’s artistic contributions were frequently eclipsed by Milton’s, albeit seemingly by her choice. From the beginning, she had great conviction in Milton’s artistic vision and was alongside him at every point promoting his career and helping to develop their what would become the prototypical “Avery Style.”Ref.: Oral History Interview with Sally Michel Avery. Nov. 3, 1967. Archives of American Art. Smithsonian Institution. www.aaa.si.edu. Accessed Aug. 10, 2022. “Sally Michel Avery: American, 1902-2003.” Taylor Graham. www.taylorandgraham.com. Accessed Aug. 10, 2022.

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