Gary Niswonger

GARY NISWONGER

WILLIAMSBURG, MA - Gary Niswonger died February 18, 2024, at home amongst his family.

Born to Lewis Harmon Niswonger and Irma Virginia Pike Niswonger at home in Guilford, Ohio, in 1941, Gary attended local schools throughout his childhood, playing the tuba in the high school marching band. He learned to work growing up in the farming community of Guildford: he brought in the cows at night as a boy, he harvested fruit that the family sold by the road, he worked on his uncle's diversified farm. After high school he worked in more industrial settings, from compounding pharmacy to foundry to paper mill. He ultimately attended Miami University in Oxford, OH, graduating in 1966 with a degree in History.

After graduating he continued to work a variety of jobs in and around Cincinnati, including during the Cincinnati riots, until joining the Teacher Corps which ultimately granted him a Masters in Elementary Education.

The Teacher Corps sent him to Zanesville OH, where he student-taught and took classes. He enrolled in a painting class, the first time he had been exposed to studio art. He was really excited by what he was doing, and, with the encouragement of his teacher, he decided to apply to Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). He moved to Providence, RI and taught 5th grade for a year before enrolling at RISD, receiving his MFA in Printmaking in 1972.

He was hired by Smith College in 1972 to teach printmaking in the newly opened Hillyer Hall. He taught at Smith College for 38 years and was deeply involved in developing the print shop. He was an early adopter of computers and other technology, and encouraged studio arts students to make use of them. He loved to travel and would paint wherever he went. But he was also always looking to learn and bring new ideas to the classroom, such as low toxicity printmaking techniques learned in Peace River, Alberta.

While Gary taught printmaking – lithography, etching, and engraving – he also loved to paint, ultimately concentrating on painting for his personal work. He was inventive and loved color, deeply involved in plein-air landscapes and also working in very meditative, abstract terms.

Gary really enjoyed his students, some of whom have stayed in touch for many rewarding years. He admired the determination that brought these young women to try new ideas.

He continued to paint until very recently. He died whilst a show containing some of his work was hanging in the Oxbow Gallery. His membership there meant a great deal to him. He spent many satisfying hours helping to hang shows and to "sit" on the gallery, enjoying his gallery colleagues.

Gary leaves DeeDee, his wife of 60 years, his three children, their spouses and five grandchildren and his sister Janet.

He will be deeply missed.

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A service in celebration of Gary's life will be held March 9 at 11:30am at Grace Episcopal Church, 14 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary's memory may be made to Historic New England (historicnewengland.org) or the Grace in Haiti Program at Grace Church (graceinhaiti.org). Please go to Czelusniakfuneralhome.com for online condolences and tribute book.