Jonnye (Shanna) Galloway (Deceased), Austin, TX Texas last lived in Los Angeles, CA

In Memory

Jonnye (Shanna) Galloway

Artist Shanna Galloway, 79, passed away November 20, 2021 in Monterey Park, CA.

She was born September 1, 1942, in Harlingen, Texas to Henry Hamilton Galloway and Dixie Americus Galloway, nee Nettles. As a child, she exhibited a talent for dance and acrobatics, often accompanying her mother who played piano for dance classes. Her acute sense of the body and how it moves was heightened as she regained the use of her limbs following a bout with polio at age 6. At age 8, she moved to Austin to live with her sister Jane Chapman, following the death of their mother. Her sister, a painter, encouraged Shanna to seek expression in art. Her sister's husband Hank Chapman, a champion diver and Olympic diving coach, offered more examples to watch the figure in motion. Kinetic movement represented through art became Shanna's life's work.

Shanna earned a BFA in Studio Art with a minor in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin. She earned an MFA in Drawing and Intermedia from the University of Iowa. After moving to Pasadena and then to Los Angeles, Shanna also studied Old Master painting technique with Jan Saether, a colleague of Odd Nerdrum. She became an influential Life Drawing instructor in Los Angeles, teaching at Otis/Parsons, Los Angeles Southwest College, Pasadena City College and Glendale College in a career that spanned over 25 years. She applied and taught a comprehensive, unique approach to drawing the figure that she called "The Process."

Shanna also drew and painted portraits, citing empathy, motion and energy as inspiration. Her work merged influences from classical Greek art and mythology, with the body language of modern dance and choreography, touching upon ancient, universal archetypes that Shanna loved. In recent years, Shanna used the ever-changing movement of the sky as subject of a series of pastel works on paper called The Millennium Diary.

Shanna called herself "a Drawer," recently describing why in a 2018 interview on the podcast Drawn to Win:

"I love the word draw. If you look into the etymology, it implies movement, and drawing and movement are inseparable to me. Also, the verb draw means many things, and can be used many ways…draw closer, draw blood, draw down the spirit…"

Her work has been said to "touch the quickness of life," which was emblematic of Shanna's thoughtful, appreciative, joyful world view. A great lover of nature, music, fine wine and roaring fires, Shanna often said we should take the time to truly experience life in all its forms and changes. She was generous, funny, kind and wise. She leaves behind loved ones who will honor her legacy by drawing together and living life to the fullest.

Shanna's funeral service was held at Forest Lawn – Glendale on December 7, 2021.

She is survived by her husband Jim McSwanson, her "sister nieces" Judy Williams and Laurie Allee, her grand-niece Raine Allee, grand-nephews Grayson Williams and Jeremy Williams and too many friends to count.

Published by Los Angeles Times on Dec. 31, 2021.

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