Carstenson, Cecil C. (January 3, 1991)
Dates
- Existence: January 3, 1991
Biography
Cecil C. Carstenson was a white engineer and sculptor born on July 13, 1906 in Marquette, Kansas to William Carstenson and Edith Familia “Faye” Norris. Cecil, Blanche, and Blue, their son, are listed as being residents of Kansas City as early as the 1930 census. He joined the military in 1940 and was a lieutenant colonel in the Army Air Forces in World War II, receiving the Legion of Merit and an air medal with three clusters.
Carstenson was a sculptor for 50 years, working exclusively in wood for the last 40 years of his life. His work has been displayed in more than 25 museums, colleges and public buildings, including the Nelson Gallery; the Phoenix Museum; the Josyln Museum in Omaha, Nebraska; the University of Missouri-Kansas City; St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas; the Birger Sandzen Gallery of Art in Lindsborg, Kansas; the Missouri State Historical Museum; the Kansas City Art Institute; and the Wichita Museum of Art. He exhibited sculptures in the Missouri Pavilion at the 1964 World's Fair in New York.
Carstenson formerly taught sculpture at the University of Kansas City (now the University of Missouri-Kansas City or UMKC) and conducted sculpture workshops at other colleges. He was past president of the Mid-America Artists Association and of the local chapter of the Artists Equity Association. He wrote the book Craft and Creation of Wood Sculpture. He attended the Kansas City Art Institute and the Omaha Art School, and studied with sculptors in the United States and Italy. He was a member of the Friends of Art, the Kansas City Art Institute Alumni Association, the Friends of UMKC Library and the Kansas City Artists Coalition. He had worked for Western Electric Co. for 36 years and retired as a shop superintendent in 1962. He had attended Finlay Engineering College.
Cecil Carstenson died January 3, 1991.
*Excerpts taken from the Kansas City Star, Metropolitan Edition, January 6, 1991
**Excerpts taken from the Kansas City Star, October 3, 2002
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Blanche & Cecil Carstenson Collection
The Blanche and Cecil Carstenson Collection documents the couple’s artistic accomplishments from 1941 to 1998. Included are items relating to art exhibits, special events and other such programs. The “Gnome Gnotebook” contains exhibit dates from 1941-1964, with detailed information. There are multiple photographs of two of Cecil Carstenson’s unidentified wood sculptures and a sketchbook belonging to Blanche Carstenson, dated 1972, filled with original sketches.
