Helen Farnsworth Mears has left a lasting impression on the community of Oshkosh and becoming an inspiration to many aspiring artists. Mears was born in Oshkosh, WI on December 21st, 1872. She was the youngest of three daughters, all of whom had artistic capabilities in different fields. Additionally, her mother was a published poet and her father, a studied surgeon, taught Mears about anatomy. He created supplies for Mears to use for her first works.

Helen’s early career was astonishing, which propelled her onto a national stage. Mears gained the recognition from Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a famous international sculptor, after creating “Repentance”. Under Gaudens leadership, Mears was commissioned by the state of Wisconsin to represent the state in the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. Mears created “The Genius of Wisconsin” which is 9 feet tall and made of marble. Creating this statute is an honor for Mears since it marks Wisconsin and Oshkosh’s embracement of her and her work.

Despite Helen’s death on February 16th, 1917, her legacy lives on today. A fund was created by the Women of Wisconsin in Oshkosh to honor Mears. It was small cash prize given to the winner of school children who could produce the best artwork. Moreover, the Oshkosh Public Museum created an exhibit titled “Geniuses of Oshkosh” honoring the late sculptor who was considered one of the most promising artists and thought of as a hometown genius. In 2022, the museum is holding another exhibit for Mears honoring her 150th birthday which brings in new content as well as other prominent work. Finally, the Paine Art Museum in Oshkosh has one of the largest collections of Mears’ work. Helen still leaves a mark on the Oshkosh community today by encouraging young student to explore their artistic abilities. Additionally, Oshkosh celebrates and honors Mears for her contribution to society and the artistic community.

Despite Helen’s untimely and tragic death on February 16th, 1917, due to influenza, her legacy lives on even today. After her death, a fund was created by the Women of Wisconsin to honor Mears. It was small cash prize given to the winner of school children who could produce the best artwork. Additionally, the Women’s Club sponsors art contests with 7th to 8th graders. If a student’s artwork won through the local, district, state conventions, they were displayed at the Oshkosh Public Museum. This museum has one of the largest Helen Farnsworth Mears art collections in the nation. Moreover, in 2016 as a tribute to Mears passing 100 years ago, the Oshkosh Public Museum created an exhibit titled “Geniuses of Oshkosh”. This honored the late sculptor who was considered one of the most promising artists and thought of as a hometown genius. Now in 2022, the museum is holding another exhibit for Mears. This exhibit is honoring her 150th birthday and is bringing in new content as well as using loaned pieces of her other prominent work. Helen, despite her passing more than 100 years ago, still leaves a mark on the Oshkosh community. She encourages young student to explore their artistic abilities in hopes of being recognized within a popular museum. Additionally, this consistently celebrates and honors Mears for her contribution to society and the artistic community.

1872	Mears was born.
1882	Created the bust of Apollo.
1893	Created Repentance.
1893	Studied under Gaudens.
1893	Commissioned to create “The Genius of Wisconsin” for the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
1905	Created the statue of France E. Willard that stands in the U.S Capitol building.
1911	Commissioned to create Wisconsin Capitol building statue, but was ultimately turned down.
1917	Mears died.
1920+	Art fund in her name to encourage young students to pursue their artistic careers
2016	Oshkosh Public Museum “Geniuses of Wisconsin” exhibit
2022	Oshkosh Public Museum, Helen Farnsworth Mears exhibit

I chose this sculpture because I believe Mears to be an inspiration. She came from a small town in Wisconsin and made a huge impact nationally and internationally. She was the first woman to study under the famous Augustus Saint-Gaudens, which was a giant step for women in the artistic community. Moreover, she has sculptures all over the country including the U.S Capitol building, Wisconsin Capitol building, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Smithsonian. Through her legacy, Mears has been able to inspire countless people in the artistic community.