Painter, chiefly of landscapes and still life. Born in Dunedin, New Zealand she first received instruction in watercolour painting from her father. Studied at Dunedin Art School 1895 to 1898 and began teaching and working as an illustrator. Hodgkins came to Europe 1901 and travelled in England, France, Holland, Italy and Morocco.
She settled in Paris 1908, where she acquired a reputation as a water colourist and then moved to England between 1914 to 1919, spending the war years mainly in Cornwall. On her return to France in 1920 she was influenced by Matisse and evolved a more modern style, which was an innovative combination of still life and landscape, integrating foreground and background, indoors and outdoors into an imaginary landscape that had suggestions of a dreamlike world.
From the 1930s there are fewer paintings of people, the human presence being suggested by the houses, fences, tables and domestic animals of her visionary landscapes. As a member of the 7 & 5 Society (1929–34) she came into contact with Ben Nicholson and other pioneers of modernist art in Britain, including Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.
Hodgkins spent her last years mainly at Corfe Castle and died at Dorchester 13th May 1947.
