Eric James Bransby was born in Albany, New York, but spent most of his childhood in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Eric's interest in art was inspired when he attended a Tony Sard marionette performance while he was in high school. Later, Eric hitched a ride with a friend to Kansas City and enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute. He studied under the famous muralist Thomas Hart Benton.
Eric was drafted into the US Army in 1942 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he painted a series of mural panels for the Command College Library, which are now located at the Frontier Army Museum. He was discharged in 1945. He then attended the Broadmoor Art Academy, and received his BA degree from Colorado College. The Broadmoor Art Academy flourished in Colorado Springs from 1919 to 1945. The name was changed in 1935 to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center with the opening of the new building. He then went on to obtain his MFA from Yale University.
Eric dedicated his career to mural painting. His work can be viewed locally in the Pioneer Museum; Loveland Museum; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College; NORAD Headquarters; among many other local locations.
His works led to numerous awards and recognitions including : Who's Who in American Art; a Lifetime Achievement Award, Congressional Citation for Lifetime Achievement; the Veatch Award for Distinguished Creative Activity, University Missouri and others. He was the recipient of two honorary doctorates, one from the University of Colorado, and one from Park University. He was the subject of the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary "Art for the People", honoring his life and career.
As an artist and a teacher Eric influenced hundreds of artists and inspired many through his murals. He taught at the University of Missouri; Western Illinois University; Colorado College; Brigham Young University; University of Illinois; and Yale University. His love of teaching continued in his retirement with weekly studio sessions.
Eric was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann in 2011. He is survived by his daughter Mrs. Fredericka Fiechter (Jacques) and grandchild Alexis Fiechter (Christine) and two great-grandchildren.
Sources:
1. From Roots to Soaring Visions, Eric and Mary Ann Bransby, A retrospective. From the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 2000-2001.
2. Various obituaries. Colorado Springs Gazette, etc.
Eric was drafted into the US Army in 1942 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he painted a series of mural panels for the Command College Library, which are now located at the Frontier Army Museum. He was discharged in 1945. He then attended the Broadmoor Art Academy, and received his BA degree from Colorado College. The Broadmoor Art Academy flourished in Colorado Springs from 1919 to 1945. The name was changed in 1935 to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center with the opening of the new building. He then went on to obtain his MFA from Yale University.
Eric dedicated his career to mural painting. His work can be viewed locally in the Pioneer Museum; Loveland Museum; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College; NORAD Headquarters; among many other local locations.
His works led to numerous awards and recognitions including : Who's Who in American Art; a Lifetime Achievement Award, Congressional Citation for Lifetime Achievement; the Veatch Award for Distinguished Creative Activity, University Missouri and others. He was the recipient of two honorary doctorates, one from the University of Colorado, and one from Park University. He was the subject of the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary "Art for the People", honoring his life and career.
As an artist and a teacher Eric influenced hundreds of artists and inspired many through his murals. He taught at the University of Missouri; Western Illinois University; Colorado College; Brigham Young University; University of Illinois; and Yale University. His love of teaching continued in his retirement with weekly studio sessions.
Eric was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann in 2011. He is survived by his daughter Mrs. Fredericka Fiechter (Jacques) and grandchild Alexis Fiechter (Christine) and two great-grandchildren.
Sources:
1. From Roots to Soaring Visions, Eric and Mary Ann Bransby, A retrospective. From the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 2000-2001.
2. Various obituaries. Colorado Springs Gazette, etc.
Eric James Bransby was born in Albany, New York, but spent most of his childhood in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Eric's interest in art was inspired when he attended a Tony Sard marionette performance while he was in high school. Later, Eric hitched a ride with a friend to Kansas City and enrolled in the Kansas City Art Institute. He studied under the famous muralist Thomas Hart Benton.
Eric was drafted into the US Army in 1942 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he painted a series of mural panels for the Command College Library, which are now located at the Frontier Army Museum. He was discharged in 1945. He then attended the Broadmoor Art Academy, and received his BA degree from Colorado College. The Broadmoor Art Academy flourished in Colorado Springs from 1919 to 1945. The name was changed in 1935 to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center with the opening of the new building. He then went on to obtain his MFA from Yale University.
Eric dedicated his career to mural painting. His work can be viewed locally in the Pioneer Museum; Loveland Museum; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College; NORAD Headquarters; among many other local locations.
His works led to numerous awards and recognitions including : Who's Who in American Art; a Lifetime Achievement Award, Congressional Citation for Lifetime Achievement; the Veatch Award for Distinguished Creative Activity, University Missouri and others. He was the recipient of two honorary doctorates, one from the University of Colorado, and one from Park University. He was the subject of the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary "Art for the People", honoring his life and career.
As an artist and a teacher Eric influenced hundreds of artists and inspired many through his murals. He taught at the University of Missouri; Western Illinois University; Colorado College; Brigham Young University; University of Illinois; and Yale University. His love of teaching continued in his retirement with weekly studio sessions.
Eric was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann in 2011. He is survived by his daughter Mrs. Fredericka Fiechter (Jacques) and grandchild Alexis Fiechter (Christine) and two great-grandchildren.
Sources:
1. From Roots to Soaring Visions, Eric and Mary Ann Bransby, A retrospective. From the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 2000-2001.
2. Various obituaries. Colorado Springs Gazette, etc.
Eric was drafted into the US Army in 1942 at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, where he painted a series of mural panels for the Command College Library, which are now located at the Frontier Army Museum. He was discharged in 1945. He then attended the Broadmoor Art Academy, and received his BA degree from Colorado College. The Broadmoor Art Academy flourished in Colorado Springs from 1919 to 1945. The name was changed in 1935 to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center with the opening of the new building. He then went on to obtain his MFA from Yale University.
Eric dedicated his career to mural painting. His work can be viewed locally in the Pioneer Museum; Loveland Museum; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College; NORAD Headquarters; among many other local locations.
His works led to numerous awards and recognitions including : Who's Who in American Art; a Lifetime Achievement Award, Congressional Citation for Lifetime Achievement; the Veatch Award for Distinguished Creative Activity, University Missouri and others. He was the recipient of two honorary doctorates, one from the University of Colorado, and one from Park University. He was the subject of the Rocky Mountain PBS documentary "Art for the People", honoring his life and career.
As an artist and a teacher Eric influenced hundreds of artists and inspired many through his murals. He taught at the University of Missouri; Western Illinois University; Colorado College; Brigham Young University; University of Illinois; and Yale University. His love of teaching continued in his retirement with weekly studio sessions.
Eric was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann in 2011. He is survived by his daughter Mrs. Fredericka Fiechter (Jacques) and grandchild Alexis Fiechter (Christine) and two great-grandchildren.
Sources:
1. From Roots to Soaring Visions, Eric and Mary Ann Bransby, A retrospective. From the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 2000-2001.
2. Various obituaries. Colorado Springs Gazette, etc.
