Edwin W. Zoller papers

Edwin W. Zoller is considered an abstract expressionist artist. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 29, 1900, and died at his home near Tyrone, Pennsylvania, October 25, 1967. Dr. Zoller fought in both world wars. His life was devoted to painting and teaching, interrupted only by his service during World War II as Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers. Zoller travelled and studied art in Italy, France and Mexico during his lifetime. He graduated from Penn State in 1921, and also attended the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. He taught art in high schools in the Pittsburgh area where he married Lucille Lang (Zoller) in 1927, at which time he became a part-time art instructor in Penn State's extension programs in Altoona and Pittsburgh. He was named administrative head of Penn State's Sayre-Towanda Center in 1933 and became the administrative head of the Dubois Center, a position which he held until 1942. Zoller then taught painting at the Pennsylvania State University until 1958 when he was named Assistant Director for the Arts in the University's Center for Continuing Liberal Education. In 1960 he retired as Professor Emeritus of Art in order to devote full time to painting. In 1965 he was appointed to the Governor's Council on the Arts in which he was active until his death. Zoller lectured widely on the arts and edited and wrote several textbooks and articles. He also presented lectures on the radio and television. He exhibited in Europe and the United States in numerous group and one-man shows, twice winning prizes for distinction in painting at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh.Following his death, His wife Lucille was active in organizing retrospective exhibitions. One was held at the William Penn Memorial Museum, the State Museum at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in which some 135 works were borrowed from private collections, universities and museums. She also implemented the Zoller memorial art scholarship for art students pursuing studies at Penn State University.