- BORN
-
September 21, 1882
Saint Louis, Missouri
- DIED
-
June 15, 1959
Saint Louis, Missouri
- EDUCATION
-
St. Louis School of Fine Arts, Washington University
Saint Louis, Missouri
Born in 1882, Paula Ida Fenske spent her life as an artist in St. Louis, Missouri. She attended the St. Louis School of Fine Arts at Washington University, where she studied along with the impressionist painter Kathryn E. Cherry, and was influenced by the work of American artists such as Henry B. Snell, Sigurd Skou and Ernest Thurn.
In a 1932 newspaper article in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Fenske was interviewed regarding the effects of the Great Depression on art sales and, potentially, future exhibitions. Penske proclaimed that viewing other artists' work gave her “the greatest urge to paint” and wondered if she could go on to paint “without the stimulation” of her artistic peers (St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 26, 1932).
Fenske’s support of artist exhibitions was further prevalent through her own participation in both local and national shows and as a member of Shikari, the St. Louis Artists’ Guild, the St. Louis Art League, and the National Association of Women Artists, Painters, and Sculptors. She also served on the selection/hanging jury for many of the St. Louis Art League’s events, while contributing to the “china painter and potter” art periodical Keramic Studio early on in her career.
Fenske died in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1959.
Note
Fenske was a member of the selection jury for the St. Louis Artists' Guild Drawings and Prints Exhibition, 1939.
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Art League Bridge Party Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Art League Special Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, St. Louis Public Library
Organized by St. Louis Art League, St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
No-Jury Show of the Independent Artists Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
City Art Museum Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
Mayfair Artists' Salon Exhibition
Organized by Mayfair Hotel
Organized by Mayfair Hotel
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
City Art Museum Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
Shikari Annual Exhibition
Organized by Shikari, Stix, Baer and Fuller
Organized by Shikari, Stix, Baer and Fuller
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Women Artists 1818-1945 Exhibition
Organized by Missouri Historical Society
Organized by Missouri Historical Society
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Awards & Exhibitions 37
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Art League Bridge Party Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Open Competitive Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Art League Special Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, St. Louis Public Library
Organized by St. Louis Art League, St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
Organized by St. Louis Art League, City Art Museum
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Thumb-Box Annual Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Art League
Organized by St. Louis Art League
No-Jury Show of the Independent Artists Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
City Art Museum Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
Mayfair Artists' Salon Exhibition
Organized by Mayfair Hotel
Organized by Mayfair Hotel
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
City Art Museum Exhibition
Organized by City Art Museum
Organized by City Art Museum
Shikari Annual Exhibition
Organized by Shikari, Stix, Baer and Fuller
Organized by Shikari, Stix, Baer and Fuller
St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
Organized by St. Louis Artists' Guild
St. Louis Women Artists 1818-1945 Exhibition
Organized by Missouri Historical Society
Organized by Missouri Historical Society
Award, St. Louis Artists' Guild Exhibition
References
Artist clippings file is available at:
St. Louis Artists’ Guild Collection, SC 18:10, St. Louis Public Library, Saint Louis, Missouri.
Mary Clifton Womer Papers, MSS 006, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Archives, Kanas City, Mo.
Bibliography
Select Sources
Sam Blain, “Research on Missouri Artists,” five binders of documented Missouri artists.
“Paula Ida Fenske,” Find a Grave, accessed September 24, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134099457/paula-ida-fenske.
“Work of 54 Artists Selected…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 11, 1940, 7.
“St. Louisan’s Painting Shown in Philadelphia,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 8, 1938, 21.
“Painting Exhibit Rounds Into Shape Despite Boycott,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 21, 1936, 17.
“22 Artists to Exhibit in Mayfair Salon,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 13, 1934, 19.
“Paintings of 49 Local Artists to be Shown,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 18, 1934, 26.
“Oil Paintings by Local Artists…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 29, 1932, 12.
“Fifty Oil Paintings by St. Louis Artists," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 14, 1932, 11.
“Art and Artists,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 26, 1932, 10.
“Thumb Box Painting Exhibition to Open…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 29, 1931, 3.
“Decked in Brilliant Color,” The Modern View, June 26, 1931, 4.
“100 Artists’ Works Listed…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 18, 1926, 26.
“Paula Fenske Awarded First Prize…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 7, 1924, 10.
“Art League Picture Sales,” The St. Louis Star and Times, December 24, 1922, 20.
“Art League Party,” The St. Louis Star and Times, February 12, 1922, 17.
“Comment and Gossip,” The Bookseller, Newsdealer, and Stationer 1, no. 1 (1919): 452.
Core Reference Sources
askART (database), askART, https://www.askart.com/.
Peter H. Falk, et. al, Who was Who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America (Madison: Sound View Press, 1999).
Contributors
Kristina Impastato, St. Louis Public Library
Christain Hartman, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Artist Record Published
Published on December 3, 2021
Learn more
References
Artist clippings file is available at:
St. Louis Artists’ Guild Collection, SC 18:10, St. Louis Public Library, Saint Louis, Missouri.
Mary Clifton Womer Papers, MSS 006, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Archives, Kanas City, Mo.
Artist’s work in these institutions’ collections
Lindenwood University
Bibliography
Select Sources
Sam Blain, “Research on Missouri Artists,” five binders of documented Missouri artists.
“Paula Ida Fenske,” Find a Grave, accessed September 24, 2021, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/134099457/paula-ida-fenske.
“Work of 54 Artists Selected…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 11, 1940, 7.
“St. Louisan’s Painting Shown in Philadelphia,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, February 8, 1938, 21.
“Painting Exhibit Rounds Into Shape Despite Boycott,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 21, 1936, 17.
“22 Artists to Exhibit in Mayfair Salon,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 13, 1934, 19.
“Paintings of 49 Local Artists to be Shown,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 18, 1934, 26.
“Oil Paintings by Local Artists…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 29, 1932, 12.
“Fifty Oil Paintings by St. Louis Artists," St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 14, 1932, 11.
“Art and Artists,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, June 26, 1932, 10.
“Thumb Box Painting Exhibition to Open…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, November 29, 1931, 3.
“Decked in Brilliant Color,” The Modern View, June 26, 1931, 4.
“100 Artists’ Works Listed…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 18, 1926, 26.
“Paula Fenske Awarded First Prize…,” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, December 7, 1924, 10.
“Art League Picture Sales,” The St. Louis Star and Times, December 24, 1922, 20.
“Art League Party,” The St. Louis Star and Times, February 12, 1922, 17.
“Comment and Gossip,” The Bookseller, Newsdealer, and Stationer 1, no. 1 (1919): 452.
Core Reference Sources
askART (database), askART, https://www.askart.com/.
Peter H. Falk, et. al, Who was Who in American Art, 1564-1975: 400 Years of Artists in America (Madison: Sound View Press, 1999).
Contributors
Kristina Impastato, St. Louis Public Library
Christain Hartman, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Artist Record Published
Published on December 3, 2021
Updated on None
