Eugenie Frederica Shonnard
American, 1886 - 1978
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 her artistic career as a lace designer. Her first
sculpture was a bas-relief in clay. Thereafter she worked with granite, various woods, and bronze.
She married Edward Gordon Ludlum on July 26, 1933 who predeceased her.
Her work was exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Pennsylvania Academy, the
Museum of Modern Art in New York, and at many other institutions throughout the world,
prominently in France.
Source: New Mexico Art Museum
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