NW Missouri Times

An exhibit at Northwest Missouri State University is casting new light on Olive DeLuce, the founder of the university's art department. "Olive DeLuce and Her World" opened last March in the Olive DeLuce Art Gallery and will remain on display through February. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Karen Britt, an associate professor of art, with assistance from Dani Downey, a recent graduate with a degree in history.

Dr. Britt remarked on DeLuce's expansive world: “Her world was a really large one,” she said. Olive DeLuce began teaching art at Northwest in 1915 and retired as department chair in 1959. During her career, she traveled extensively both domestically and internationally, creating artworks inspired by her journeys.

The exhibition showcases paintings from her travels to Europe and various parts of the U.S., including oil paintings from New Mexico, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, France, and England. Dr. Britt highlighted the significance of Olive’s career: “Olive’s career is significant because this is the very time... that several female artists... were traveling to the desert Southwest and painting.”

Visitors can explore Olive’s slide collection which documents her travel experiences through personal snapshots and postcard-like photographs. These slides were used by Olive in her art history courses at Northwest.

Additionally, personal items such as a rug from New Mexico, a suitcase with Olive’s initials, and diplomas recognizing her education are displayed alongside artworks by Percival DeLuce—Olive's father—who was also an accomplished artist.

After Olive's death in 1970, Northwest accepted numerous pieces from the DeLuce estate for what became known as the Percival DeLuce Memorial Collection. This collection was resurrected around 2012 after being stored for decades and reopened to the public in 2016.

Britt expressed excitement about discovering untapped resources during preparations for this exhibit: “While rearranging some of the items... we noticed an untapped walk-in closet.” She emphasizes that such finds are invaluable for historians seeking to understand past legacies.

For those interested in visiting "Olive DeLuce and Her World," it is housed on the first floor of the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building adjacent to its namesake gallery.