Kristin Morill of Mendon, MA, at the age of fifty, decided to take up painting after a trip to Europe where she saw many wonderful paintings that she thought she could paint herself. Since then, her pursuit of painting has been primarily self-taught, a much different endeavor than her career as a technical writer. Excited about painting, Morill became a member of several area artists groups and over the years has exhibited with them including the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, the Art League of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Watercolor Society, the Blackstone Valley Art Association, as well as showing her work in Gallery 297 in Bristol and the Gilbert Stuart Museum in Saunderstown, RI.

Morill received two grants from the Pawtucket Arts Panel to create a series of paintings, Historical Mill Workers of New England. Her choice of theme was inspired by her own family history dating back to her grandparents who were both immigrants; her grandfather from Germany and her grandmother from Sweden, who both worked in mills.

Slatersville Boarding House

Slatersville Boarding House depicts a scene in multi-family mill workers housing in Slatersville, RI. In 1807 Samuel Slater and his brother, John, built the town that was to become the first American town built as a mill town with a mill, owner’s home, housing for workers, and a company store, all owned by the company. More worker housing was to follow.

Mother Cole’s Wash

Mother Cole’s Wash shows cloth that has been woven in the mills then bleached and washed and spread out to dry in the sun.

Sam Patch the Jumper

Sam Patch the Jumper illustrates the Pawtucket-raised folk hero and legendary “Yankee Leaper” jumping from a bridge into a falls along the Blackstone River.  As a teenager working in a cotton mill, Sam would entertain his fellow workers by jumping into the falls next to the mill.  The practice continued as he moved from place to place in the eastern states and his reputation grew, especially as the falls became higher and higher.  In 1829 he attracted 10,000 observers when he jumped into Niagara Falls from a height of 125 feet.  A couple of months later, at the age of 30, Patch lost his life jumping into the Genesee River in Rochester, NY..

Joan Hausrath 2017

Sources
Conversation in artist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slatersville,_Rhode_Island
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Patch