Most of the paintings available here as prints were done by a woman of extraordinary talent in a difficult medium. Egg tempera is a time consuming, sometime tedious art form that starts with dry pigment and the yolk of an egg for binder. It is an ancient form of painting, used long before oils were used.

Betsy was introduced to egg tempera at Moore College of Art by Reginald Marsh. Other instructors in other media were Frank Reilly, George Sklar, and Will Barnett. Later, a workshop with Robert Vickrey put the finishing touches on her skill.

When Betsy Jane Boss was seven, her father, seeing her drawing talent, bought her a set of pastels to help her get serious about her art. After professional instruction, her efforts and talent were rewarded by a four-year scholarship to Moore College in Philadelphia.

In 1955, marriage brought her to Cape Cod. As Betsy Hammond she had three children, taught painting, practiced her art, and began showing and selling paintings. By 1976, the need for independence and change caused a move to Oregon, where she had similar success, including a grant to paint pioneer Oregon women. In 1980, she was brought together with an old friend, which brought her back to the east coast and marriage to Sid Bennett.

Shows in Boston at the Copley Society and other galleries followed for a few years until 1994, when she returned to Cape Cod. A very successful association with Tree’s Place Gallery in Orleans lasted from 1986 to 2004.