Near Morgantown in Monongalia County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut

Mountain Modern | The Art of Blanche Lazzell

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026

1. Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut Marker

Inscription.
In 1912 and again in 1923, Blanche Lazzell traveled to Paris, where she immersed herself in the revolutionary ideas of European modernism. At the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and later with the painter and theorist Hans Hofmann, she studied the principles of Cubism, abstraction, and the use of geometric form to express emotion and structure. Paris opened her eyes to a new visual language - one that emphasized color, balance, and the underlying design of the natural world.

Returning to Provincetown, Lazzell transformed these avant-garde ideas into a distinctly American expression through the white-line woodcut, a printmaking method pioneered within the Provincetown Printers. By carving an image into a single wood block and separating colors with a thin white line, she created luminous, handcrafted prints that combined the precision of design with the intimacy of watercolor.

Her work from the 1920s and 1930s - vibrant floral abstractions, architectural studies, and carefully balanced compositions - demonstrates the full flowering of this technique. In uniting European abstraction with American craftsmanship, Lazzell

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helped define a new modernist aesthetic that was both innovative and accessible, paving the way for future generations of women printmakers. Lazzell's studio became both a creative haven and a gathering place for artists. She moved into the converted fish house in 1918 and kept it as her base for nearly four decades. From its large windows she could watch the tides shift and the light dance across the bay - views that inspired her bold, geometric woodcuts and paintings.

Lazzell filled the studio with color and life: morning-glories climbed the exterior walls, and a small flower garden surrounded the walkway. Inside, visitors recall the space as bright, orderly, and full of prints drying on lines overhead. She hosted afternoon teas for fellow artists and students, offering not only hospitality but also quiet mentorship.

Erected 2026 by West Virginia Botanic Garden and West Virginia University Art Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.

Location. 39° 37.613′ N, 79° 52.112′ W. Marker is near Morgantown, West Virginia,

Photographed by Bradley Owen, September 26, 2026

2. Modernism and Mastery: Lazzell's Paris Influence & the White-Line Woodcut Marker

in Monongalia County. It can be reached from Tyrone Road (County Route 75) 0.1 miles south of Quartz Drive, on the left when traveling south. The marker is located on the Reservoir Loop Trail at the West Virginia Botanic Garden. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1061 Tyrone Road, Morgantown WV 26508, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Central West Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: How the Reservoir Worked (a few steps from this marker); Clean Mountain Water? (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); From Water Resource to Public Garden (about 500 feet away); Strong Men and Horses Build the Basin (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named Who Wants Clean Water?

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(approx. 0.2 miles away); 351 Commercial Street: Blanche Lazzell's Provincetown Studio (approx. 0.2 miles away); Prehistoric Garden (approx. 0.2 miles away); A Small Dam and a Big "Bowl" Meet the Need for Clean Water (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morgantown.

Other markers no longer nearby. Remnants of the Past: The Dam and Outlet Tower (was about 300 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Tibbs Run Reservoir: Then a Water Source, Now a Local Treasure (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); "Clean Mountain Water" Not So Clean (was about 500 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Who Wants Clean Water? (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 29, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 3 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 29, 2026, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.