CHARLOTTE — Maize Bausch, a.k.a. Marion Otis Handy McDougal Bausch, died peacefully on May 15, 2021, at Mayo Health & Continuing Care in Northfield, Vt., aged 96 years.

Born in Greenwich, Conn., March 16, 1925, Maize spent much of her childhood at family homes in Barnstable, Mass., and Akron, Ohio. In Barnstable on Cape Cod, she grew up by the sea, sailing small boats with her brothers and sisters. After graduating Vassar College, Maize explored her artistic inspiration at the Arts Students League in New York City, inspired initially by Van Gogh and later influenced by Kandinsky, Picasso, and Pollock.

Maize was married to Edward D. McDougal III on his return from Europe at the close of World War II. Together they had three children: Nicholas, Charles, and Jane. After the dissolution of this marriage, Maize departed Vermont in the late ‘50s for Ajijic on Lake Chapala in Mexico. She set up a studio there and shared a home with sister Tinker, a.k.a. Virginia Handy Heffron. Then after brief stays in Stinson Beach, California and New York City, Maize and family settled in Williston, Vt., in 1960. She taught art at the Overlake Day School in Burlington, Vt., for a decade, much loved by her students as they discovered the joy of artistic creativity Maize revealed to them.

During a summer camping trip with friends in the Adirondack Mountains, Maize met Carl L. Bausch Jr., whom she married in 1966. Together they built a house in Charlotte, Vt., where they each pursued their creative ambitions: Maize painting and Carl building canoes. Maize extended and deepened her commitment to her art, not only painting, but also making pottery from native clay. Refreshing their connection with nature, Maize and Carl explored Canada’s rivers and lakes on canoe trips together.

Maize created some of her best paintings late at night to the sounds of Bach, the Beatles, Monk and Coltrane. Her work was exhibited throughout Vermont and New England in the 1970s through 2000s, culminating in a retrospective at the Walkover Gallery in Bristol, Vt., in 2013, Maize’s 88th year.

Maize encouraged her children to find their way in life by discovering the joy of creativity in art and personal relationships, saying “Become an artist of Life!” — Charlie and Nick in musical pursuits and Jane in her weaving. Though Jane was born with multiple disabilities, Maize’s devotion enabled Jane to lead a full life beyond all expectations. Thus, Jane has been able to live independently, gainfully employed, while developing her own artistic talents in fabric arts. After Carl’s death and as her grandchildren were born, Maize showered them with love, sharing hours together in play, reading, in the garden, and painting together in her studio.

Maize was predeceased by her parents, John Littlefield Handy and Virginia Seiberling Handy; sisters Virginia Handy Heffron and Annabelle Handy Kirby; her brother, John L. Handy Jr.; her husbands, Edward D. McDougal III and Carl L. Bausch Jr.; and is survived by her children, Jane Otis McDougal, Charles Blayney McDougal and Nicholas Ulysses McDougal; grandchildren Nicholas Charles Arbuckle McDougal and Quincy Sinclair McDougal; her sister Sylvia Handy Bowman of Port Townsend, Wash.; her brother Edward A. Handy of Cambridge, Mass., and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be announced at a future date.

To learn more about Maize Bausch, see these references:

•  Addison Independent

•  Seven Days

•  Vt Senior Blogspot

•  New York Times ◊