ART! Westerly Museum of American Impressionism Acquires Significant Benson Painting

The Westerly Museum of American Impressionism Acquires Significant Painting by Artist Frank Weston Benson

The Westerly Museum of American Impressionism (WMAI) has acquired a significant painting by artist Frank Weston Benson, one of the American Impressionist movement’s most renowned artists, to further enhance its collection. The painting is titled Firelight, the final canvas in Benson’s series of fireplace-themed paintings. Firelight received numerous awards following its completion in 1893, establishing Benson as a master of luminous interiors.

The acquisition of this painting by the museum further strengthens its already impressive collection. WMAI has a gallery dedicated to the Boston School painters, represented by artists such as Edmund C. Tarbell and Philip Leslie Hale but lacked a work by Benson, a leading member of the Boston School. Firelight is a study of Benson’s sister Georgianna enjoying the warmth of a fire, with her dress and face bathed in color and light.

The new work will be the centerpiece of the museum’s Boston School gallery and unveiled this summer. The purchase of the painting was made possible by a generous donation from well-known art collectors and philanthropists Heidi and Tom McWilliams. The family’s donation was made in memory of Tom’s parents, Betty and Jamie McWilliams. “We are proud to be a part of helping to shape the museum’s collection and thrilled that this exceptional work will now be available for the public to enjoy,” says Tom McWilliams.

“We are deeply appreciative of the extraordinary generosity and partnership of Heidi and Tom McWilliams who made this unique acquisition possible,” says Dr. Thomas P. Sculco, a co-founder of the museum with his wife Cynthia D. Sculco. “Frank Benson is truly one of the great American Impressionists. The color and light emanating from the fireplace in this work fills the room in which the artist’s sister is seated. This painting is an outstanding addition to the museum’s collection.”

In addition to his high profile within the Boston School, Benson was a member of “The Ten,” a group of American Impressionist artists from Boston and New York who broke free from the Society of American Artists to create their own exhibition society modeled on the French Impressionist style.

The Westerly Museum of American Impressionism is believed to be the only museum in the country exclusively dedicated to American Impressionist art. The 150 American Impressionist paintings currently on view at the museum comprise roughly one half of the museum’s collection that has been acquired by the Sculcos over the past 40 years. As long-time Westerly residents, the couple support numerous cultural institutions in the area.

“This acquisition reflects what we’re working toward as a museum,” says Catherine Shotick, director of the Westerly Museum of American Impressionism. “It underscores our commitment to presenting American Impressionism at the highest level and gives our audiences the chance to experience a truly exceptional work in a thoughtful, focused setting.”

About the Museum; Located on Watch Hill Road, the museum spans 25,000 square feet, on a site overlooking the Pawcatuck River. It is designed for the exhibition, study and preservation of American Impressionist art from the 1880s to the 1920s. The museum opened on October 9, 2025. Its eleven curated galleries feature works from lesser-known artists such as Walter Griffin, Louise Upton Brumback and Charles H. Woodbury, as well as renowned artists such as Childe Hassam, John Singer Sargent, Lilla Cabot Perry, Jane Peterson and Edmund C. Tarbell. Many of the artists were part of coastal artist colonies that stretched from Cos Cob and Old Lyme, CT to Ogunquit, ME.

The museum was built on the foundation of a former vacant physical rehabilitation structure on the property. Its design features nautical blue siding and gray metal roofs that blend into a natural landscape of meadow grasses and wildflowers. Skylights invite natural light into the galleries. Framed views of the surrounding land and water were incorporated in the design, to complement the Impressionist works on the walls.

Besides ongoing and visiting exhibits, the museum plans to introduce a visiting lecture series this year, establish partnerships with schools, create an internship program for college students, and collaborate with regional cultural institutions.

The museum is open to visitors Thursday through Sunday, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information on the Westerly Museum of American Impressionism, including tickets and memberships, please visit: https://wmairi.org