Constance Forsyth (1903-1987)

Constance Forsyth's education began in her hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, with a BA in chemistry from Butler University. In 1925, she enrolled at the John Herron Art School where her father, William Forsyth, taught painting, and where she received a diploma in 1929. In 1927-28, and again in 1930 Forsyth attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. She furthered her art training at the Broadmoor Art Academy in Colorado Springs in 1932 and in 1934 where she attended the first lithography class taught in the region. In 1933, Forsyth worked as an assistant to Thomas Hart Benton on the Indiana History Murals project for the Century of Progress International Exposition in Chicago.

Her 33-year association with The University of Texas at Austin began in 1940 when Lockwood was asked to create a printmaking program in the art department. In 1945, to gain a stronger understanding of the technical aspects of printing lithographs, Connie arranged for a one-week session as assistant to master printer, George Miller. The copious notes she made during this training session allowed her to pass Miller's printing techniques on to future generations of printmakers. Forsyth was a longtime member of the “Texas Printmakers” group originally called the “Printmakers Guild”. This organization enabled its members to exhibit their work in “circuit” exhibitions around the country and through this process, helped to educate the public about printmaking.

Among the collections in which Forsyth's work can be found are: the Dallas Museum of Art, the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, the Witte Museum and The McNay Museum in San Antonio, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Joslyn Memorial Museum in Omaha.

Education

Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana. B. A. Degree in Chemistry 1925
John Herron Art School Indianapolis, Indiana, 1925-26, 1926-27, 1928-29.
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1927-28. Spring 1930.
Broadmoor Art Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Summers 1932 and 1934

Selected Exhibitions

John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana
Fort Wayne Art Museum, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Lyman Galleries, Indianapolis, Indiana
Print Exhibitions, San Francisco Museum of Art, San Francisco, California
Print Exhibitions, The Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio
New York World's Fair Exhibition, New York, New York: 1939
Annual Indiana Artists Exhibition, John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1940, 1942, 1946-49, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1959
Indiana State Fair Exhibition, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1941, 1946, 1949, 1950-52, 1954-57
Indiana Society of Printmakers Annual Exhibition, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1941, 1944, 1947-51, 1953
Texas Print Exhibition, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, Texas: 1941-45, 1947
University of Texas Art Faculty Exhibition, Austin, Texas: 1941-85
116th Annual Exhibition, The National Academy of Design, Graphic Arts Section, New York, New York: 1942
Texas Fine Arts Association, Spring Jury Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas: 1942, 1944-48, 1950-54, 1956-57, 1959, 1961
“Texas General,” Annual Painting and Sculpture Exhibition, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, Texas: 1942-46, 1957
Texas Printmakers, traveling exhibition: 1942-59, 1961-62
National Exhibition of Prints Made During Current Year, The Library of Congress, Washington, DC: 1943, 1953, 1955-56, 1958-59
Annual Exhibitions of Western Art, Denver, Colorado, Art Museum: 1943, 1945-46, 1948, 1953
Texas Fine Arts Association Annual Fall Membership Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas: 1943, 1945-47, 1949-61
Annual Exhibition, Hoosier Salon, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1944, 1949-51, 1953, 1955-58, 1961
“Mountains and Plains Exhibition,” Denver, Colorado: 1945
Solo Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas: 1946
“American Prints Today,” John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1946
Annual Exhibition Watercolors, Prints and Drawings, The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA: 1948, 1959
Annual Graphic Arts Exhibition, Joslyn Memorial Museum, Omaha, Nebraska: 1948-49
Southwestern Print and Drawing Exhibition, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, Texas: 1949, 1951-52, 1956, 1958, 1961
Solo Exhibition, Bright Shawl, San Antonio, TX: 1951
Second Mid-America Annual, Nelson Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri: 1951
Joint Exhibition with Kelly Fearing, Texas Western College, El Paso, Texas: 1952
Texas Contemporary Artists Exhibition, Knoedler Gallery, New York, New York: 1952
Annual Exhibition, Society of American Graphic Artists, New York, New York: 1952, 1954
Annual Exhibition, National Association of Women Artists, National Academy Galleries, New York, NY: 1953-55, 1957-58, 1960-61
The Texas Watercolor Society, Annual Exhibitions, Witte Memorial Museum, San Antonio, Texas: 1953, 1956, 1961
Eighth Annual National Print Exhibition, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York: 1954
Biennial Exhibition, 50 Indiana Prints, John Herron Art Museum, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1954, 1956, 1958
Texas Fine Arts Association, Traveling Exhibitions: 1954-58, 1960, 1961
National Association of Women Graphics Exhibition, Argent Galleries, New York, New York and circuit: 1955-57
1st Graphic Exhibition, Texas Western College, El Paso, Texas: 1955
D. D. Feldman Exhibition, Dallas, Texas and circuit: 1955
University of Texas Art Faculty Exhibition, Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas: 1956
National Association of Women Artists Water Color Exhibition, Argent Gallery, New York, NY, and circuit exhibition: 1957-58
University of Texas Faculty Exhibition, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA and Southern Methodist University, Dallas: 1957
National Association of Women Artists, Foreign Exhibition, Kunst Museum, Bern, Switzerland; Ciano Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland; Lyceum, Lugano, Switzerland: 1957
Annual Drawing and Small Sculpture Show, Ball State Teachers College Art Gallery, Muncie, Indiana: 1958, 1961
University of Texas Art Faculty Exhibition, Beaumont Art Museum, Beaumont, Texas: 1958
D. D. Feldman Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas and circuit: 1959
“Made in Texas by Texans,” Contemporary Arts Museum, Dallas, Texas: 1959
16th Annual Print Exhibition of the Library of Congress, Traveling Exhibition: 1959
Artists Annual Exhibition, Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana: 1960
University of Texas Art Faculty Exhibition, Waco; Fifth Avenue Gallery, Fort Worth; Invantory Gallery, Austin,Texas: 1960
Joint Exhibition, Oils and Watercolors, National Association of Women Artists and Japanese Women Artists, Municipal Museum of Art, University Park, Tokyo, Japan and The Riverside Museum, New York, New York: 1960
University of Texas Department of Art Faculty Traveling Exhibition, circulated to Texas museums and institutions: 1960-61
American Painting Today (invitational), Grand Rapids Art Gallery, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1961
Exhibition of Drawings, University of Texas Art Department Faculty, Humboldt State College, Arcata, California: 1962
Joint Retrospective, Constance Forsyth and William Lester, Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, Austin, Texas: 1974
The Prints of Constance Forsyth, Archer M. Huntington Art Gallery, Austin, Texas: 1993

Selected Awards

Fort Worth Art Association Award, Fifth Annual Texas Print Exhibition, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas, Texas: 1945?
N. S. Von Phul Print Purchase Prize, 8th Texas General Exhibition, Collection of Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas: 1946
?First Print Prize, Texas Fine Arts Association Fall Membership Exhibition: 1947?
Purchase Award, Indiana Society of Printmakers, Indianapolis: 1949?
Purchase Award, Joslyn Memorial Museum, Omaha, Nebraska: 1949
?Birdwell Memorial Prize, 25th Annual Hoosier Salon Exhibition, Indianapolis: 1949?
Robert G. Payne Award, Texas Fine Arts Association, Spring Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin: 1951
?The Eve Clendenin Prize, 63rd Annual National Association, Women Arts, National Academy Gallery, New York, New York: 1955
?Water color award, Texas Fine Arts Association Fall Membership Exhibition, Laguna Gloria, Austin, Texas: 1956?
Art Center Award, Texas Water Color Society, 7th Annual Exhibition, Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas: 1956
?Dallas Print Society Fund Purchase Award, 6th Southwestern Print and Drawing Exhibition, Dallas Museum of Fine Arts: 1956?
Purchase award from Depauw University Purchase Fund, Hoosier Salon, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1961
?Naomi Goldman Prize, Annual Exhibition, National Association of Women Artists, New York, New York: 1961
?Printmaker Emeritus Award, Southern Graphics Council, 1985

Selected Collections

Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas
Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, Austin, Texas
Witte Museum, San Antonio, Texas
The McNay Museum, San Antonio, Texas
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
Joslyn Memorial Museum, Omaha, Nebraska
Texas Fine Arts Association, Austin, Texas
Texas Wesleyan College, Fort Worth, Texas
Ball State Teachers College, Muncie, Indiana

Constance Forsyth

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