Eugene Bonfanti Thurston (1896 to 1993)
Born into an art family, Eugene Thurston’s first lessons were from his mother, Fern, a fixture of the El Paso artist community. He first started in art as a cartoonist and commercial artist producing advertisements for local businesses. In the 1920s, he was encouraged by Audley Dean Nichols, Harry Wagoner, and his mother. He was a charter member of the El Paso Artists Association and one of its earliest presidents. He primarily exhibited in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and California.
Information courtesy of Heritage Galleries, December 2007.