George Demont Otis (1879 - 1962)

George Demont Otis settled in Marin County, California in 1930. Though he continued to be involved in the American art world from coast to coast, his special passion was for painting the beauty of Marin’s natural world. He was known as an innovator in the School of Western Impressionism. He and his wife, artist Clara Van Tine Otis, shared a studio in Kentfield that drew visitors from all over the nation.

As a young orphan Otis demonstrated artistic talent that led to a scholarship at Chicago Art Institute when he was fourteen, and eventually to study with giants of the art world such as Winslow Homer, Thomas Moran, John Sloan, Robert Henri and William Merritt Chase. As an inspiring teacher himself, hundreds of his students went on to became professional artists. Gracious and enthusiastic, he was accomplished in all artistic mediums. During his lifetime he was an author, poet, professional baseball player, backcountry hiker, Hollywood set designer and also an environmentalist who was an active proponent for creating the Point Reyes National Seashore.