Rose Shave Of Nunda

by Lynne Belluscio

When the doors closed for the last time at Ingham University in 1892, Rose Shave was the Director of the College of Fine Arts. I have often wondered how she felt about the school’s closing, but I’ve never come across any of her written accounts.
She was born in 1848, in Nunda, the youngest of the four children of William and

Elizabeth Shave. Both Rose and her sister Belle, attended Ingham as students. Belle attended in 1888. Rose arrived at Ingham in 1877 and began teaching that year. She is listed as the “Teacher of Water Colors” and a teacher in the “Preparatory Department of Drawing.” The Preparatory Department was often for young students.
In 1878 she was listed in the catalogue as the “Teacher of Water Colors and Oil Painting.” She was also granted a diploma in 1878, graduating in the same class with Frank Eastman Jones, Frank Welles and Heppie Wicks.

At that time, the College of Fine Arts was under the direction of Lemuel Wiles. His son Irving also attended Ingham, graduating in 1879. Rose continued to teach at Ingham and when Lemuel Wiles quit, she became Director of the College in 1887 and continued until the school closed in 1892.

In 1884, she conducted summer art classes in Nunda for $1 a day. That summer she exhibited seventy paintings of her own and the work of eleven of her students. The “News” reported that it was a “notable display of fine paintings.” She also exhibited her work in New York City.

In 1888, Rose studied in Paris at the Academy Julian with Professor Bougnereau and T. Robert Fleury. She returned to LeRoy and exhibited her work at Ingham. It was reported in the Rochester newspapers that “the display of work was remarkable, chiefly for variety, elegance and originality of design." The exhibit included localLeRoy landscapes and others from the Eastern part of the state.

After Ingham closed, Rose returned home to Nunda and moved in with her sister Belle in a new home and studio at 49 East Street. Belle had studied for two years at an art school in Philadelphia and was offering instruction in drawing and art. The sisters never married and Belle died in 1893. Rose’s work continued to gain notice.
In 1895, she was considered to be third in the United States in the field of water color painting of flowers. In 1898, two of her paintings were accepted for exhibition by the Academy of Design in New York City. She also exhibited work at the country fair in Cambridge Valley and Danbury, in New England.

Rose Shave died at home in 1925 at the age of 77. A year later, a collection of her paintings were displayed at the Bell Memorial Library. In 1986, the Nunda Historical Society received a collection of 20 pieces by Rose Shave. It included seven water colors and thirteen oils that had been in the collection of her grand nephew in Rochester. During the next couple of years the Nunda Historical Society received several more pieces by Rose Shave.

A few years ago, the LeRoy Historical Society loaned the Nunda Historical Society a few of the pieces that we have in the collection, including a large hand painted punch bowl, by Rose Shave, a water color of Ingham, and an oil painting “Morning Glories.” These were in the exhibit at the Letterer Gallery at Geneseo. Both of the paintings will be in the summer exhibit at LeRoy House.

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - May 3, 2009