In the Valley

George M. Bruestle was born and raised in New York City.

Bruestle was a trained illustrator and worked for Harper's Bazaar. In 1886, he enrolled at the Art Students League and made his first trip to Essex, CT.

In Essex, Bruestle was inspired by the countryside and scenes along the Connecticut River. He later returned to Connecticut as a member of the Old Lyme Art Colony.

An Impressionist painter, Bruestle was an active member of artist communities both in Connecticut and New York. In addition to The National Arts Club, he belonged to the Society of American Artists, Allied Artists of America, the Salmagundi Club, the Lotos Club, the Lyme Art Association, and the Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts. During his lifetime, he exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Institute, Corcoran Gallery, Lyme Art Association, National Academy of Design, Paris Salon of 1895, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.