Vivian Springford (1913–2003) has earned an almost mythic reputation in the art world today. Often recalled as a 1932 New York City debutante, she has long evaded consideration as a serious artist.
Born in Milwaukee, Springford was transplanted as a teenager in 1930 to New York City, where she attended the prestigious Spence School. After graduating, she turned away from high-society tradition to pursue an education in the arts at the Art Students League of New York. She continued her studies at the League for 14 years, developing a strong academic background in drawing and painting. During this time, she pursued a traditional artist’s career, producing oil portraits for private clients and illustrations for publications.
By the 1940s, a shift occurred both for Springford and the larger art scene in New York City. She left the Art Students League in 1946 and situated herself among some of the greatest names in American painting of the 20th century. Artists like Jackson Pollock—just one year ahead of Springford at the League—had begun creating a new genre
