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Biography

Mary Chenoweth served on the faculty of Colorado College from 1953 to 1983, as well as on the staff of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. She was born April 17, 1918, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, spending most of her childhood in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease at 80 years of age on January 14, 1999, in Sidney, Nebraska, where she had moved after her retirement.

She completed general training for the United States Coast Guard Institute in 1945. She attended the Chicago Art Institute and Pratt Institute. She came to Colorado in 1949 and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree at the University of Denver in 1950. She earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, in 1953.

Starting in 1953, Chenoweth taught printmaking at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center (FAC). In 1957, she became a CC faculty member, first as Graphic Arts Instructor from 1957 to 1963, then Assistant Professor from 1963 to 1972, Associate Professor from 1972 to 1982, and Full Professor upon her retirement in 1983.

Alongside teaching, and after her retirement, Chenoweth was a prolific artist. She was proficient in many art media, including sculpture; woodcarving and woodcut; silkscreen; watercolor and oil painting; pen and ink drawings; etchings; collage; and her unique hand-made postcards. She was constantly experimenting with and expanding the scope of her artwork, which was characterized by abstract compositions, brilliant colors, and varied textures. Her artwork was exhibited nationwide, over a span of many years, and her clients were many. Chenoweth created art up until the time of her death.

During her life, she traveled extensively across the globe, the experience of which influenced and inspired her artwork.

Mary A. Chenoweth Collection, 1919-1999, Ms 0368
Finding Aid created 2004 by Amy Brooks

Gift of Lois Ham and Phyllis Hickey of Sidney, Nebraska, sisters of Mary Chenoweth, May 2004.

Inventory

Ms 0368 Box 1: Artwork reproductions (mostly undated)

Folder 1: Photographs of artwork
Folder 2: Photographs of artwork
Folder 3: Photographs of artwork, mainly carved doors
Folder 4: Photographs of artwork on display
Folder 5: Photocopies or photo reproductions of artwork – color
Folder 6: Photocopies or photo reproductions of artwork – black and white

Ms 0368 Box 2: Artwork reproductions (snapshots, mostly undated) – 14 photo envelopes

Photographs of artwork in progress (1, 2)
Photographs of artwork displayed in others’ homes (3)
Photographs of cards/books (4)
Photographs of carvings (doors, etc.) (5)
Photographs of collages (6)
Photographs of prints (woodcuts, linoleum block?) (7)
Photographs of outdoor/clothing art (8)
Photographs of paintings – oil and other (9, 10, 11, 12)
Photographs of paintings – watercolor (13)
Photographs of artwork – various media (14)

Ms 0368 Box 3: Artwork reproductions and originals (mostly undated)

Folder 1: Doodles – originals
Folder 2: Sketches and drawings – copies
Folder 3: Sketches and other artwork – originals
Folder 4: List of works to be sold, 2002; list of Retrospective Exhibit works

Ms 0368 Box 4: Photographs (mostly undated)

Folder 1: Chenoweth’s studio and home
Folder 2: Chenoweth at work on art or with her art
Folder 3: Chenoweth in babyhood and childhood
Folder 4: Chenoweth in young womanhood and middle life
Folder 5: Chenoweth in later life
Folder 6: Chenoweth’s family and friends
Folder 7: Chenoweth’s travels
Folder 8: Miscellaneous photographs and items belonging to Chenoweth

Ms 0368 Box 5: Chenoweth Exhibitions

Folder 1: Lists of exhibitions
Folder 2: Exhibition posters
Folder 3: Exhibition announcements/notices (1950–2000)
Folder 4: Exhibition catalogs/programs (1950–1963)
Folder 5: Exhibition catalogs/programs (1964–1984)
Folder 6: Exhibition catalogs/programs (no date)
Folder 7: Exhibition entry confirmations (cards: 1936–1959)
Folder 8: Exhibition entry acknowledgements (letters: 1953–1967); exhibition-related correspondence (1971–1999)

Ms 0368 Box 6

Clients
Folder 1: List of Chenoweth carved-door clients, 1988; list of other clients; letters and notes from potential clients; guest-book from Hospice Week, 1982.

Colorado College publications featuring Chenoweth
Folder 2: Colorado College publications, with covers designed by or feature stories about Chenoweth: Colorado College Bulletin (1978), Colorado College Bulletin, Summer Session (1989); Colorado College Magazine (1966 and 1968); Leviathan (1978 and 1981).

Newspaper clippings
Folder 3: Newspaper clippings about Chenoweth exhibitions
Folder 4: Newspaper clippings about other topics related to Chenoweth

Correspondence
Folder 5: Correspondence (letters and postcards) to Chenoweth, 1970–1998 (see also Box 8, Folder 10). Senders include: Marlene Hallenbeck of May D&F; Harry W. Kroll of the Garden of the Gods Rotary Club; Kathie Donahue of The Junior League of Colorado Springs, Inc.; Fred L. Goldsby of the Horticultural Arts Society; Richard C. Bradley of Colorado College; Carlin J. Kielcheski of the Air Force Academy; “Nell” of The National League of American Pen Women, Inc.; Harriet Brooks of Colorado College; Linda Brannen of Cheyenne Village; “Jan” and “Jim”; “E.L.”; “K”; Trudie Gregory; “Eardley” and “Beverly.”

Folder 6: Correspondence (letters and postcards) from Chenoweth, 1980s and no date. Recipients include: “Mom”; J.A. Hickey family; “Lois”; “All.”

Folder 7: Correspondence (letters and postcards) about Chenoweth, 1999–2002 and no date (see also Box 8, Folder 15). Senders include: Andrew and Peggy Marshall; “Phyllis”; Steve Wood; “Nathalie” (Nathalie d’Arbeloff); Thomas Stark of Sidney Public Library Foundation; “Alex” of Old Courthouse Preservation Committee, Inc.; “Jane” (two letters); Daniel G. Turner of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center; Frank Boyd; William Geary of American and European Art Glass (two letters); Carla Keter; “Merr” (Merr Shearn); Carl Reed of Colorado College.

Ms 0368 Box 7

Chenoweth diary (one) and day-planner (six): 1988 is a descriptive diary; 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 1998 are day-planners, wherein Chenoweth has noted daily rounds, weather conditions, appointments and meetings, social engagements, and so on.

Ms 0368 Box 8

Career and job/teaching
Folder 1: Contracts – Fine Arts Center, 1953, 1955 (two contracts), 1956 (two contracts)

Folder 2: Colorado College appointment and salary letters, 1957–1983. Senders include: Louis T. Benezet (six letters); Lloyd E. Worner (eighteen letters); J. Douglas Mertz (attached response from Chenoweth); Gilbert Johns (two letters); William A. Fischer; George A. Drake; Gresham Riley (three letters).

Folder 3: Colorado College Honors-related correspondence. Senders include: Gresham Riley (four letters); Jay Vogel; David D. Finley; Michael Grace.

Folder 4: Job description and promotion-related documents

Folder 5: Chenoweth’s class grade book (1974–1983)

Honors, diplomas
Folder 6: Colorado College Honors Convocation programs (1985, 1990, 1992, 1993)

Folder 7: Chenoweth Diplomas (The United States Coast Guard; The University of Denver, B.A.; The University of Illinois, M.F.A.); certificates of recognition (Alpha Lambda Delta of Colorado College; Historic Denver, Inc. and The Denver Post). And Colorado College Art Department invitation to Chenoweth’s retirement party.

Official Documents (see also Honors, diplomas)
Folder 8:
Birth Certificate; Death Certificate; Witness to Living Will document; Power of Attorney document; Estate Representative document; Passport, 1996

Travels
Folder 9: List of Chenoweth’s travels

Illness
Folder 10: List of cards and letters to Chenoweth during
Folder 11: Creutzfeldt-Jakob syndrome description
Folder 12: Medical documents and medical-care–related correspondence
Folder 13: Medical statements

Death
Folder 14: Letter from Lois Ham and Phyllis Hickey (Chenoweth’s sisters) to Chenoweth’s friends; Condolence letters to Ham and Hickey, 1999

Folder 15: Obituaries

Estate-related correspondence (see Box 8, Folder 8)
Death certificate (see Box 8, Folder 8)

Mary A. Chenoweth Collection, Part 2, Ms 0369
Finding aid created 2005 by Amy Brooks

Gift of Peggy Marshall, personal friend and patron of Mary A. Chenoweth, June 2005 and March 2006.

Inventory

Ms 0369 Box 1 of 1

Folder 1: Art cards (49), hand made, addressed to “Peggy” or “Peggy and Andy” (Marshall), 1981–1998 and four undated. Most written and sent as postcards, others with accompanying letters (4).

Folder 2: Chenoweth biographical sketches, written by Peggy Marshall and others about Chenoweth for art exhibitions or other purposes (3), 1980, 1999 and undated.

Folder 3: Correspondence, 1990–1998 and undated, relating to Chenoweth. Various correspondents, including Judy Burdick, Barbara Gazibara, David G. Turner and Susan Zwinger.

Folder 3b: Correspondence, 2002 and undated, to Peggy Marshall from Lois Ham (Chenoweth’s sister); includes black-and-white photo portrait of Chenoweth “to be used at exhibit,” two color photos of Chenoweth, and one photo of a piece of art.

Folder 4: Correspondence, 1984–1997, mostly to “Peggy and Andy” (Marshall) from Chenoweth, from her post-retirement home of Sidney, Nebraska.

Folder 5: Correspondence, undated, from Chenoweth to “Peggy and Andy” (Marshall).

Folder 6: Chenoweth art exhibition notices (5), 1974–2005 and undated, including poster inscribed by Chenoweth.

Folder 7: Newspaper articles about Chenoweth (5) and Colorado Springs Art Guild (1), 1977–2004.

Folder 8: List of patrons for carved doors/panels, carved from 1958; lists (2) of works to be sold, 2002; Chenoweth Show Master List, 2002; and Coburn Gallery printmaking show list, 2005.

Folder 9: Color photographs of Chenoweth paintings (approx. 55), most undated. Some photos are mounted on acid-free paper, with “Top” hand written to indicate how paintings should hang.

Folder 10: Slides (approx. 27) and negatives (approx. 27) of Chenoweth paintings, undated.

Folder 11: Black crayon “rubbings” (2) showing carved-door designs, for “P. and A.” (Peggy and Andrew Marshall), 1984.

Folder 12: Fine Arts Center exhibition catalog, “Mary Chenoweth: Collage of a Life’s work”; Colorado College Summer Session Bulletin 1989 containing Chenoweth art reproductions.

Folder 13: Miscellaneous receipts relating to framing or purchase of Peggy Marshall’s Chenoweth art works.

[NOT PART OF ORIGINAL GIFT] Folder 14: Clippings and other information about Peggy Marshall, including obituaries.

Mary A. Chenoweth Collection, Part 3, Ms 0369A
Finding aid created 2011 by Jessy Randall

Gift of Michael J. Duffy, student and friend of Mary A. Chenoweth, October 2011.

Ms 0369A Box 1 of 1

Folder 1: 22 handmade postcards (paintings, collages, chalk drawings) addressed to Duffy, 1992-1997, one with a drawing, one with four snapshots of Chenoweth’s work, one written on a photocopy of Chenoweth’s drawing of Alexandria, Egypt. 1 handmade postcard, not addressed. 1 collaborative postcard by Chenoweth and Duffy, addressed to Chenoweth.

Folder 2: 15 letters and notes from Chenoweth to Duffy, 1990s; 2 letters from Bernard Arnest, 1980s.

Folder 3: 3-page typed draft of Duffy’s article on Chenoweth dated September 21, 2011