An impressive group of female artists were drawn to Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Monterey around the turn of the last century. M. Evelyn McCormick (1862-1948) was a major talent and a leader among them. These painters came primarily because of the striking beauty of the area, but the local welcoming attitude toward women had a lot to do with it as well. The Spanish culture, still strong in California, allowed women to own property, helping…