Ludmilla Pilat first met Thaddeus Welch when she found him sketching near her family’s Hudson Valley home. Thaddeus had recently returned to the US after studying painting in Munich and living for a time on a houseboat on the Seine. He became friendly with the Pilats, and subsequently Ludmilla’s painting teacher. As Ludmilla turned 16 in 1883, the two married. Thaddeus was 39.
In 1894, the Welches moved to Marin County, building a small cabin-studio on Mt. Tamalpais at Steep Ravine. From their perch in the redwoods the couple painted vigorously, developing a similar style. Their favorite sketching trips took them over the Lone Tree Trail (now the Dipsea) west to Bolinas, where they drew inspiration from the wild landscape.
The turn of the 20th century brought new interest in Thaddeus’ work. He began exhibiting in commercial galleries and at the elite Bohemian Club, garnering praise from both collectors and critics. Even as demand for his paintings increased, the couple continued to live a secluded, simple life. In 1902, they moved to San Geronimo, and then to Santa Barbara in 1905.
Upon Thaddeus’ death, the SF Chronicle proclaimed: “It is through the work of Welch that the country surrounding Mount Tamalpais became famous throughout the United States.” Ludmilla continued to paint landscapes, with special interest in old adobes, until her death six years later. Today, a small grove of calla lilies is all that marks the location of their cabin in the woods.