In the early 1940s, when she was living in Accokeek, Maryland, she married Robert Ware Straus, who was to play an integral role in the preservation of the view across the Potomac River from George Washington's home at Mount Vernon and the formation of the Moyaone Reserve.[7] She maintained a studio at their Accokeek home.[8] In 1968, she moved to Maine, where she was a student of zen teacher Walter Nowick at Moonspring Hermitage[9] in Surry, which later became the Morgan Bay zendo. She was an active member of the Morgan Bay zendo,[1] and several of her sculptures remain on its grounds.[9]
In 1987, the University of Maine honored her with the Maryann Hartman Award, which recognizes distinguished women of Maine.[10] Shortly after her death in 1988, the Lenore Thomas Straus Scholarship was established in her name at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, where Straus had taught as an artist-in-residence in 1984 and 1986 and plunged into the medium of handmade paper.[11]
Legacyedit
According to FBI files related to the House Un-American Activities Committee, Lenore Thomas Straus was investigated and admitted that she had joined the Communist Party while working for the government in 1935.[12] Her stand on social justice, like that of her husband, leaned heavily on U.S. Communist affiliations.[13] Her art focused on equality for immigrants, along with dignity, personal power, and respect for the working poor. Idealized collective beliefs about the social benefits of Communism were a visible constant for numerous other artists in the 1930s.[14]
The annual campaign by President Franklin Roosevelt's office to reignite the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 for almost a decade not only worked to lift the economic down-slope in the United States, but also changed career directions for numerous artists, especially women artists living and working in the 1930s and 1940s. For many, this was the first time women were able to make a viable and valuable living as both artist and creative.[citation needed]
It wasn’t until 1952 that Lenore finally took on her youngest and longest-standing art apprentice, Sue Hoya Sellars.[15] In 1953 Lenore met and recognized thirteen year old Sellars as a young and budding teenage artist with exceptional, yet publicly ignored, talent. Lenore Thomas Straus later became Sellars' legal guardian as well as her artistic mentor. Concepts in art outlining the importance of intentionality in creating art became an important creative focus for both Straus and Sellars within their lifetime as artists.
Today's modern movement in the use of art as 'Intentional Creativity' has more recently been taught by Sellars' artist daughter Shiloh Sophia McCloud. In June 2015 the Greenbelt Museum in Greenbelt, Maryland opened an exhibit of Lenore's work called "The Knowing Hands That Carve This Stone: The New Deal Art of Lenore Thomas Straus." This show highlights the work of Lenore Thomas Straus along with the work of Sue Hoya Sellars and Shiloh Sophia McCloud as a demonstration of art reaching the public from a continuing lineage of art and artists.[16]
Roosevelt Public School, Roosevelt, New Jersey[17]
1937
Preamble to the Constitution
limestone
Greenbelt Community Center, Greenbelt Maryland
1939
Delivery of Mail to the Farm
glazed terra cotta
Post office, Fredonia, Kansas
1939
Mother and Child
stone
Town center, Greenbelt, Maryland
1939
Rural Life
Post office, Covington, Virginia
1940
Frog
concrete
Langston Terrace playground, Washington, DC
1941
Industries and Agriculture of Leetonia
terra cotta relief
Post office, Leetonia, Ohio
1943
Springtime
Post office, Webster Springs, West Virginia
1967
The Fisherman's Wife
Vestvågøy, Lofoten, Norway
Two Headed Sculpture
Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill, Maine
Alice
Alice Ferguson Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Henry
Alice Ferguson Foundation, Accokeek, Maryland
Bibliographyedit
The Tender Stone (1964)
Stone Dust: The Autobiography of a Stone Carving (1969)
Referencesedit
^ ab"Lenore Thomas Straus obituary". Bangor Daily News. January 18, 1988. p. 11. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^Kienholz, M (2012). The Canwell Files: Murder, Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State. iUniverse. p. 230. ISBN9781475948806. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
^Public Works of Art Project, Report of the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, December 8, 1933 – June 30, 1934. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1934. p. 70.
^"Mother & Child sculpture". DCMemorials.com. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^"Constitution Frieze". DCMemorials.com. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^Quinn, Kelly Anne (2007). Making Modern Homes: A History of Langston Terrace Dwellings, a New Deal Housing Program in Washington, D.C.(PDF). University of Maryland Digital Repository. pp. 154–156. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^Kienholz, M (2012). The Canwell Files: Murder, Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State. iUniverse. pp. 238–239. ISBN9781475948806. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^James H. Bready (June 10, 1949). "A Colony of Dream Houses, Modern Style, at Accokeek". Baltimore, Maryland: The Evening Sun. p. 31. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
^ ab"Nowick, Walter (Biography)". Sweeping Zen. 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^"Maryann Hartman Awards - 1987 Award Winners". University of Maine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
^"Haystack Scholarship Honors Late Sculptor Lenore Thomas Straus". Bangor Daily News. January 27, 1988. p. 28. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^"HUAC HQ-13". Internet Archive. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
^Kienholz, M (2012). The Canwell Files: Murder, Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State. iUniverse. pp. 238–239. ISBN9781475948806. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
^"Communism in Washington State - History and Memory: Communist Party and the Arts". University of Wisconsin. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
^"The Life and Lineage of Sue Hoya Sellars". Shiloh Sophia Studios. October 14, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
^"Heading to the Museum: Lenore Thomas Straus in honor of Sue Hoya Sellars". Shiloh Sophia Studios. May 26, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
^"Roosevelt Public School – Roosevelt NJ". The Living New Deal. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
October 26, 2023
lenore, thomas, straus, november, 1909, january, 1988, american, sculptor, author, lenore, thomas, work, sculpture, resettlement, administration, 1936, bornlenore, thomasnovember, 1909chicago, illinoisdiedjanuary, 1988, 1988, aged, east, blue, hill, mainenatio. Lenore Thomas Straus November 1 1909 January 16 1988 was an American sculptor and author Lenore Thomas StrausLenore Thomas at work on a sculpture for the Resettlement Administration 1936 BornLenore ThomasNovember 1 1909Chicago IllinoisDiedJanuary 16 1988 1988 01 16 aged 78 East Blue Hill MaineNationalityAmericanEducationChicago Art InstituteKnown forSculpture Contents 1 Life and work 2 Legacy 3 Gallery 4 List of selected works 5 Bibliography 6 ReferencesLife and work edit nbsp Thomas at work on Garment Worker 1936 a limestone sculpture for the school at Jersey Homesteads New JerseyLenore Thomas was born November 1 1909 in Chicago Illinois the daughter of Andrew S Thomas and Lucy Haagsma and died at her home in Blue Hill Maine on January 16 1988 Although she studied at the Chicago Art Institute as a sculptor she was largely self taught 1 She had an exhibit of her work in Mexico City in 1933 2 Much of her early work involved public art created under New Deal programs including the Public Works of Art Project 3 and the Section of Painting and Sculpture She created two major pieces for the Resettlement Administration s planned community in Greenbelt Maryland Mother and Child 4 and several panels illustrating the Preamble to the United States Constitution 5 Along with other Public Works Administration artists Hugh Collins Carmelo Arutu and Joseph Goethe she created playground sculpture for Langston Terrace the first federally funded housing project in Washington DC 6 In the early 1940s when she was living in Accokeek Maryland she married Robert Ware Straus who was to play an integral role in the preservation of the view across the Potomac River from George Washington s home at Mount Vernon and the formation of the Moyaone Reserve 7 She maintained a studio at their Accokeek home 8 In 1968 she moved to Maine where she was a student of zen teacher Walter Nowick at Moonspring Hermitage 9 in Surry which later became the Morgan Bay zendo She was an active member of the Morgan Bay zendo 1 and several of her sculptures remain on its grounds 9 In 1987 the University of Maine honored her with the Maryann Hartman Award which recognizes distinguished women of Maine 10 Shortly after her death in 1988 the Lenore Thomas Straus Scholarship was established in her name at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts where Straus had taught as an artist in residence in 1984 and 1986 and plunged into the medium of handmade paper 11 Legacy editAccording to FBI files related to the House Un American Activities Committee Lenore Thomas Straus was investigated and admitted that she had joined the Communist Party while working for the government in 1935 12 Her stand on social justice like that of her husband leaned heavily on U S Communist affiliations 13 Her art focused on equality for immigrants along with dignity personal power and respect for the working poor Idealized collective beliefs about the social benefits of Communism were a visible constant for numerous other artists in the 1930s 14 The annual campaign by President Franklin Roosevelt s office to reignite the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935 for almost a decade not only worked to lift the economic down slope in the United States but also changed career directions for numerous artists especially women artists living and working in the 1930s and 1940s For many this was the first time women were able to make a viable and valuable living as both artist and creative citation needed It wasn t until 1952 that Lenore finally took on her youngest and longest standing art apprentice Sue Hoya Sellars 15 In 1953 Lenore met and recognized thirteen year old Sellars as a young and budding teenage artist with exceptional yet publicly ignored talent Lenore Thomas Straus later became Sellars legal guardian as well as her artistic mentor Concepts in art outlining the importance of intentionality in creating art became an important creative focus for both Straus and Sellars within their lifetime as artists Today s modern movement in the use of art as Intentional Creativity has more recently been taught by Sellars artist daughter Shiloh Sophia McCloud In June 2015 the Greenbelt Museum in Greenbelt Maryland opened an exhibit of Lenore s work called The Knowing Hands That Carve This Stone The New Deal Art of Lenore Thomas Straus This show highlights the work of Lenore Thomas Straus along with the work of Sue Hoya Sellars and Shiloh Sophia McCloud as a demonstration of art reaching the public from a continuing lineage of art and artists 16 Gallery edit nbsp Garment Worker 1936 Roosevelt New Jersey nbsp Greenbelt Maryland bas relief Promote the General Welfare nbsp Greenbelt Maryland bas relief Provide for the Common Defense nbsp Greenbelt Maryland bas relief Insure Domestic Tranquility nbsp Mother and Child 1939 Greenbelt MarylandList of selected works editc 1927 Blue Rhinoceros glazed brick Alice Ferguson Foundation Accokeek Maryland1936 Garment Worker limestone Roosevelt Public School Roosevelt New Jersey 17 1937 Preamble to the Constitution limestone Greenbelt Community Center Greenbelt Maryland1939 Delivery of Mail to the Farm glazed terra cotta Post office Fredonia Kansas1939 Mother and Child stone Town center Greenbelt Maryland1939 Rural Life Post office Covington Virginia1940 Frog concrete Langston Terrace playground Washington DC1941 Industries and Agriculture of Leetonia terra cotta relief Post office Leetonia Ohio1943 Springtime Post office Webster Springs West Virginia1967 The Fisherman s Wife Vestvagoy Lofoten NorwayTwo Headed Sculpture Blue Hill Public Library Blue Hill MaineAlice Alice Ferguson Foundation Accokeek MarylandHenry Alice Ferguson Foundation Accokeek MarylandBibliography editThe Tender Stone 1964 Stone Dust The Autobiography of a Stone Carving 1969 References edit a b Lenore Thomas Straus obituary Bangor Daily News January 18 1988 p 11 Retrieved January 21 2014 Kienholz M 2012 The Canwell Files Murder Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State iUniverse p 230 ISBN 9781475948806 Retrieved February 23 2019 Public Works of Art Project Report of the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury December 8 1933 June 30 1934 Washington D C Government Printing Office 1934 p 70 Mother amp Child sculpture DCMemorials com Retrieved January 21 2014 Constitution Frieze DCMemorials com Retrieved January 21 2014 Quinn Kelly Anne 2007 Making Modern Homes A History of Langston Terrace Dwellings a New Deal Housing Program in Washington D C PDF University of Maryland Digital Repository pp 154 156 Retrieved January 21 2014 Kienholz M 2012 The Canwell Files Murder Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State iUniverse pp 238 239 ISBN 9781475948806 Retrieved January 21 2014 James H Bready June 10 1949 A Colony of Dream Houses Modern Style at Accokeek Baltimore Maryland The Evening Sun p 31 Retrieved February 23 2019 a b Nowick Walter Biography Sweeping Zen 2013 Retrieved January 21 2014 Maryann Hartman Awards 1987 Award Winners University of Maine Archived from the original on March 3 2014 Retrieved January 22 2014 Haystack Scholarship Honors Late Sculptor Lenore Thomas Straus Bangor Daily News January 27 1988 p 28 Retrieved January 21 2014 HUAC HQ 13 Internet Archive Retrieved February 23 2019 Kienholz M 2012 The Canwell Files Murder Arson and Intrigue in the Evergreen State iUniverse pp 238 239 ISBN 9781475948806 Retrieved January 21 2014 Communism in Washington State History and Memory Communist Party and the Arts University of Wisconsin Retrieved August 27 2016 The Life and Lineage of Sue Hoya Sellars Shiloh Sophia Studios October 14 2014 Retrieved February 23 2019 Heading to the Museum Lenore Thomas Straus in honor of Sue Hoya Sellars Shiloh Sophia Studios May 26 2015 Retrieved August 29 2016 Roosevelt Public School Roosevelt NJ The Living New Deal Retrieved August 17 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lenore Thomas Straus amp oldid 1147267663, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
