Eunice Parsons facts for kids

Eunice Lulu Parsons (born August 4, 1916 – died November 16, 2024) was an American artist. She was also known as Eunice Jensen Parsons. She was famous for her unique collage artworks. A collage is a piece of art made by sticking different materials like paper, fabric, or photographs onto a surface. Eunice Parsons was born in Loma, Colorado. She later lived in Portland, Oregon. She went to art schools like the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She also studied at the Portland Museum Art School. Later, she taught art there for more than 20 years!

Growing Up and Learning

Eunice Parsons was born in Loma, Colorado, on August 4, 1916. Her parents were Florence Alta (Weed) Parsons and Brainerd Parsons. When Eunice was four years old, her family moved to Chicago.

She started taking art classes for kids in 1934. These classes were at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Later, from 1950 to 1954, she studied at the Portland Museum Art School. In 1957, she traveled to big cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. She went there to learn about a style of art called abstract expressionism. This art style uses colors and shapes to show feelings. Her travel sketchbooks showed her early ideas for using "color, line, and shading" in her own special way.

Her Art Career

Eunice Parsons became an art teacher at the Portland Museum Art School. She taught painting, printmaking, and how to arrange art pieces. People knew her as a very smart and direct teacher. She taught there from 1957 to 1979. She also taught classes at Portland State University.

Parsons helped start an art gallery called 12x16 in Portland. This gallery showed the work of different artists from 2006 to 2017.

In 2016, when she turned 100 years old, she had a special art show. It was called Eunice Parsons, La Centenaire. It showed her new collage artworks. In 2017, at age 100, she was the only living artist from a 2004 art show. That show was called "Northwest Matriarchs of Modernism". It featured important women artists from the Northwest.

A Long Life Ends

Eunice Parsons passed away in Portland on November 16, 2024. She was 108 years old.

Where Her Art Was Shown

Eunice Parsons' art has been shown in many places, including:

• Marylhurst University – The Art Gym
• Willamette University, Hallie Ford Museum of Art
• Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, OR
• Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
• Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
• Portland Community College, Helzer Art Gallery, Portland, OR
• Russo Lee Gallery, "Early Northwest Masters: A Survey", Portland, OR

Awards and Special Recognition

In 2001, the Pacific Northwest College of Art gave Eunice Parsons a special award. It was an honorary Master of Fine Arts degree. They also had an art show called "Eunice Parsons, a Fifty Year Retrospective". It showed her art from 50 years. A kind person named Stephen Wiener also created a special fund in her name. This fund helps art students travel and learn.

Learn More

• American modernism