Note from Mary McConnell Wiant

Will Shuster and my Mother, Nettie Gotthold McConnell, grew up together in Philadelphia. Their mothers were sisters; my grandmother was Mary Louise Steck.

When Will returned from WW1, having been gassed in Europe, his doctors told him if he wanted to live past six months, he should move to the Southwest. He married his childhood sweetheart, Helen, in Philadelphia. His father a strict German, did not approve of his artistic plans for his career, nor did he approve of his move to the West.

Helen was so beautiful; she was very tan when last I saw them, during the 30's, with very dark hair arrange in the native American fashion...center part, bangs (I think) and braids on either side. She was very striking. I believe that was their only trip East after settling in New Mexico.

I remember seeing Will walk out of the back of our house. It was the first and last time I ever saw him. He was smiling and full of good humor, with that halo of white hair in the sunshine.

He and mother corresponded for many years. I have two of his etchings which he sent to her at Christmas time; he wrote a note on each of them.

After Mother retired, she took a trip out to Santa Fe and visited with Will and his second wife. Mother and she did not hit it off too well. My belief is that Mother preferred Helen.

I am sorry that I can not go to Santa Fe for his forthcoming exhibit and auction.
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A realist and early modernist painter, graphic artist, illustrator, and sculptor, Will Shuster became known primarily for his work in New Mexico where in 1920, he settled in Santa Fe, having been encouraged to come there by John Sloan. He had studied electrical engineering at the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia and later was a student of Sloan's in Santa Fe in both etching and painting.

He was in World War I, where he suffered a gas attack. On his return, he studied with J William Server in Philadelphia but was advised to go West for his health.

In Santa Fe in 1921, he became one of the founding members of Los Cinco Pintores, artists who responded to the New Mexico environment including the Penitentes in a respectful way and modernist, abstract style. Later he became more realist in style. He also illustrated a frontier biography, "My Life on the Frontier," by Governor M.A. Otero.

His income was supplemented by his disability pension.

Source:
"The Illustrated Biographical Encyclopedia of Artists of the American West" by Peggy and Harold Samuels

"Who Was Who in American Art" by Peter Falk

"Art in New Mexico, 1900-1945" by Charles C Eldredge