Harry Edward Stinson
Encyclopedia
Harry Edward Stinson was a noted 20th century sculptor.
He grew up in Winfield, Iowa
. In 1918 he enlisted in the US Army and was discharged in 1919. In 1920 he attended the University of Iowa
, Iowa City and received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1921. He studied art at the Cummings School of Art, Des Moines, Iowa, and then at the National Academy of Design
, and Art Students League of New York
between 1926-28. In 1923, he was a resident painter member of The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation
at Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.
He traveled throughout Europe to study art in 1930 and then returned to the University of Iowa, where he was he was the first in the nation to receive a Master of Fine Arts
degree in 1940. While he was working toward this degree he participated in several WPA projects, which included a statue honoring Chief Blackhawk
in 1934 at Crescent Park, Blackhawk Lake
, Lakeside, Iowa
; a memorial to Lewis and Clark, in 1936, in Council Bluffs, Iowa
; and sculptured walls in the Iowa Union Building of the University of Iowa
in 1940, honoring the sons and daughters of Iowa who served their country in military service. A model of the statue of Chief Blackhawk was exhibited in a place of honor in the Iowa Building at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition. While in Iowa he worked with artists Grant Wood
and Jean Charlot
.
In 1941 he moved to New York City with his family of wife, Ruth Eby Stinson, and two daughters, Carolyn and Norma. He joined the faculty the Art Department at Hunter College
of the City of New York. He joined the Clay Club in Greenwich Village
to have a place to create his own works and the Clay Club later became the Sculpture Center on 69th Street in NYC. His sculptures evolved from wood and clay, to stone, to welded steel.
He has exhibited in such venues at the National Academy of Design
and American Watercolor Society
in NYC, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
He grew up in Winfield, Iowa
Winfield, Iowa
Winfield is a city in Henry County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winfield is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. In 1918 he enlisted in the US Army and was discharged in 1919. In 1920 he attended the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
, Iowa City and received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1921. He studied art at the Cummings School of Art, Des Moines, Iowa, and then at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
, and Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
between 1926-28. In 1923, he was a resident painter member of The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation
The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation
The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation was founded in 1918 by Louis Comfort Tiffany to operate his estate, Laurelton Hall, in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. It was designed to be a summer retreat for artists and craftspeople...
at Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York.
He traveled throughout Europe to study art in 1930 and then returned to the University of Iowa, where he was he was the first in the nation to receive a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree in 1940. While he was working toward this degree he participated in several WPA projects, which included a statue honoring Chief Blackhawk
Black Hawk (chief)
Black Hawk was a leader and warrior of the Sauk American Indian tribe in what is now the United States. Although he had inherited an important historic medicine bundle, he was not one of the Sauk's hereditary civil chiefs...
in 1934 at Crescent Park, Blackhawk Lake
Black Hawk Lake (Sac County, Iowa)
Black Hawk Lake is a natural glacially-formed lake measuring in area in Sac County, Iowa, at the eastern edge of the city of Lake View, Iowa in Viola and Wall Lake Townships. It exits through the oddly named "Ditch No. 57" to Indian Creek, a tributary of the North Raccoon River...
, Lakeside, Iowa
Lakeside, Iowa
Lakeside is a city in Buena Vista County, Iowa, United States. The population was 484 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lakeside is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
; a memorial to Lewis and Clark, in 1936, in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, Iowa
Council Bluffs, known until 1852 as Kanesville, Iowathe historic starting point of the Mormon Trail and eventual northernmost anchor town of the other emigrant trailsis a city in and the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States and is on the east bank of the Missouri River across...
; and sculptured walls in the Iowa Union Building of the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1940, honoring the sons and daughters of Iowa who served their country in military service. A model of the statue of Chief Blackhawk was exhibited in a place of honor in the Iowa Building at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition. While in Iowa he worked with artists Grant Wood
Grant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
and Jean Charlot
Jean Charlot
Louis Henri Jean Charlot was a French painter and illustrator, active in Mexico and the United States. Charlot was born in Paris. His father, Henri, owned an import-export business and was a Russian-born émigré, albeit one who supported the Bolshevik cause. His mother Anna was herself an artist...
.
In 1941 he moved to New York City with his family of wife, Ruth Eby Stinson, and two daughters, Carolyn and Norma. He joined the faculty the Art Department at Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
of the City of New York. He joined the Clay Club in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
to have a place to create his own works and the Clay Club later became the Sculpture Center on 69th Street in NYC. His sculptures evolved from wood and clay, to stone, to welded steel.
He has exhibited in such venues at the National Academy of Design
National Academy of Design
The National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, founded in New York City as the National Academy of Design – known simply as the "National Academy" – is an honorary association of American artists founded in 1825 by Samuel F. B. Morse, Asher B. Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E...
and American Watercolor Society
American Watercolor Society
The American Watercolor Society is a nonprofit membership organization devoted to the advancement of watercolor painting in the United States. It was founded in 1866 by eleven painters and, originally, was known as the American Society of Painters in Water Colors...
in NYC, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
External links
- Slideshows of his work at the Winfield Historical Society