Faith Murray Britton, Untitled, n.d. Tempera paint on paper. Collection of Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center. Gift of the Artist.

Faith Murray Britton (Student 1941-1942) (b.1922-d.1983)

The Weaver, painted by alumna Faith Murray Britton in the summer of 1942 (pictured below), can be found on the door to the shared Weaving Workshop and Art Room on the lower level of the Studies Building at BMC. Britton used fellow student and weaver, Don Page as the model in this work, which potently symbolizes the connection between two vibrant spaces of learning and expression. The door likely remained in place until the college’s closure in 1957. It is thought that Britton, who was residing in Canton, NC at the time, retrieved the door during this time of transition.

During the Summer Art Institute of 1944, Britton would contribute to another large-scale project, when she was chosen as the student assistant to fresco artist and painter Jean Charlot. As his assistant, Britton played a key role in the creation of the frescoes Inspiration and Knowledge, which remain beneath the Studies Building to this day.

While her time at BMC was abbreviated due to financial restraints, she was well respected by faculty, particularly by Josef Albers who championed her education in the arts. Others described her as quiet, but her impact on the campus was significant through her involvement in the fresco project and her work on this door. Britton went on to be a prolific painter, maintaining her practice while also raising a family.

Faith Murray painting door to the Weaving Workshop, ca. 1941-1944. Courtesy of the Western Regional Archives.

Faith Murray Britton (Student 1941-1942) (b.1922-d.1983), Weaving Workshop Door, ca. 1941-1944, oil paint on wood. On temporary loan from the private collection of Louise Britton.

Faith Murray painting door to the Weaving Workshop, ca. 1941-1944. Courtesy of the Western Regional Archives.