Eugenie shonnard biography

Eugenie Frederica Shonnard was an American sculptor and painter born in Yonkers, New York.
Born in Yonkers, New York, Eugenie Shonnard studied with Art Nouveau master Alphonse Mucha at the New York School of Applied Design for Women.
An interview of Eugenie Shonnard conducted 1964 February 27-1964 April 9, by Sylvia Loomis, 9 for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral.

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Oral history interview with Eugenie Shonnard, 1964 February 27-1964 April 9

Transcript

Interview

(Corrected and edited by Sylvia Loomis, April 17, 1964)

SL: Sylvia Loomis, Interviewer
ES: Eugenie Shonnard

SL: This is an interview with Miss Eugenie Shonnard at her studio, 226 Hickox Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The interviewer is Mrs. Sylvia Loomis of the Santa Fe office of the Archives of American Art, and the particular phase of art to be emphasized is that of the Federal Art Projects during the 1930s and '40s. As you were one of the artists involved in the projects, Miss Shonnard, we would like to ask you some questions about it and also about yourself; where you were born, where you received your education and so forth.

ES: Well, I was born in Yonkers, New York, and I knew Yonkers as a village. Shall I tell you about it?

SL: All right.

ES: It went from the Hudson River to the Saw Mill. It was originally a grant of land from King George III of England to the Shonnard family. And I, as I say, I knew it just as a village and no streets.

SL: Do you want to t

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Object Details

interviewee: Shonnard, Eugenie Frederica, 1886-1978
interviewer: Loomis, Sylvia Glidden
Subject: New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project

Place of publication, production, or execution

New Mexico

Physical Description

2 Sound tape reels, Sound recordings, 7 in.; 22 Pages, Transcript

General Note

Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 10 min.

Access Note / Rights

Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.

Summary

An interview of Eugenie Shonnard conducted 1964 February 27-1964 April 9, by Sylvia Loomis, 9 for the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project.

Citation

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Eugenie Shonnard, 1964 February 27-1964 April 9. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Additional Forms

Transcript available on line.

Biography Note

Eugenie Frederica Shonnard (1886-1978) was a sculptor and designer from Santa Fe, N.M.

Language Note

English .

Provenance

Conducted as

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Eugenie Frederica Shonnard

BiographyBorn in Yonkers, N.Y. on April 29, 1886, Eugenie F. Shonnard (Mrs. E. Ludlum), herein
referred to simply as EFS, became a resident of Santa Fe at age 40 years and lived there (226
Hickox Street) until her demise at age 91 years, on April 5, 1978. She had a prestigious heritage,
being the daughter of a Civil War colonel, and three generations removed from a signer of the
Declaration of Independence.
She began her art training at a very early age at the New York School of Applied Design
for Women where she became a model for Alphonse Mucha. In 1911 she went to Paris to
continue her studies with helpful criticisms from Rodin and Bourdelle. She often exhibited at
the Paris Salons from 1912 to 1923.
Showing much promise, in 1926 she was invited by Edgar L. Hewett to visit New Mexico
and sculpture Pueblo Indians. She had an exhibition the year after at the Museum of Art.
Eventually she invented a product called "Keenstone" that was actually artificial stone. Although
sculpture was her favorite art form, she began h