Renowned Natick Artist Esther Geller Dies at 93

Obituary via John Everett and Sons Funeral Home:

Esther B. Geller

Esther B. Geller, 93 of Natick died Thursday, October 22, 2015 at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Roslindale.
She was the beloved wife of the late Harold S. Shapero.

A Natick resident for 64 years she was born in Boston the daughter of the late Gregor and Fanny Geller.

Esther was a renowned Encaustic and Water Color artist and painter for over 60 years. From 1940 -1943 she studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston under the noted artist and teacher Karl Zerbe. She first received acclaim as a painter of “organic abstractions” in the 1940’’ when she exhibited with a group of other emerging artists later known as the Boston Expressionists. After marrying composer Harold Shapero in 1945 she continued painting and exhibiting and taught art classes at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln. In 2012 her encaustics were shown in a major exhibit, The Future of the Past: Encaustic Art in the 21st Century at the Mills Gallery in Boston. The exhibit also included a video demonstration by Karl Zerbe and an interview with Esther Geller. She has exhibited important shows at the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Boris Mirski Art Gallery in Boston, the Addison Gallery of American Art, and the Children’s Art Center in Roxbury. Her works are included in the permanent collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Addison Gallery of American Art, Danforth Museum, Framingham and the DeCordova Museum.

Esther is survived by her daughter Hannah M.G. Shapero of Falls Church VA, sister in law Edith Alpers of Natick, nieces and nephews Ruth Grabel and her husband Arvin of Newton, Mitchell Geller, Howard Geller, grand niece Sarah Gracombe her husband Alf and their son Trevor. She was also the sister of the late Irving Geller and Ida Geller Cooperstein. There will be a “Friends and family” open house for those who wish to remember Esther. This will take place at the Shapero home on Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st from 1:00 to 6:00 P.M.. Esther requested to be cremated and her ashes will be returned to the earth whose natural forms inspired so many of her art works.