From 1930 - 1940, artists from around the state of Missouri spent their summers in an art colony in the state's historic town of Ste. Genevieve. Some sixty years older than St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve was already well-known for its French heritage. Soon its reputation also included hosting one of the leading art colonies in the country, where artists were creating works that responded to the key political and artistic issues of the day, including social injustice, the impact of the Depression, and the creative possibilities of abstraction.

The colony was founded by Aimee Schweig, Bernard Peters and Jesse Beard Rickly. Schweig had already participated in an art colony in Provincetown, Massachusetts with her daughter, Martyl and Rickly. When that colony ended they returned to St. Louis and founded the Ste. Genevieve colony.

As early as the 1890s art colonies were popular throughout the United States as an opportunity for artists to escape the heat of urban summers and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow artists. Their time at the colonies was often a time of experimentation with new styles and an opportunity to learn from other painters, and the environment at Ste. Genevieve was no exception. There was a structured curriculum that provided training and critique of current work. Unlike other colonies, however, where the artists frequently worked in very similar styles, at Ste. Genevieve the artists were highly individualized and worked in varied styles, even while sharing their ideas and techniques with one another.

The Ste. Genevieve art colony was a significant element in the cultural development of Missouri, the Midwest and the nation, as the influence of the artists who practiced there continues to be felt today.