James Penney

Born in Missouri, Penney graduated from the University of Kansas before moving to New York City where he studied at the Art Students League with George Grosz and John Sloan. Penney painted murals in the 1930s, some under the auspices of the Federal Arts Project. In the 1940s he began teaching, which became his focus. He taught at Hamilton College and the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, among other places.