Montana State residence hall to display donated artwork painted by building's namesake

BOZEMAN — A watercolor by a former Montana State University art professor will soon hang in the MSU residence hall named after her, thanks to a donation from a Bozeman native. 

The untitled painting by Olga Ross Hannon, who served as head of applied art at MSU from 1941 to 1947 and as acting dean of the Division of Household and Applied Arts during 1944-1945, has been gifted to the university by Diana Eck, professor of comparative religion and Indian studies at Harvard University. 

The painting came from the estate of Eck’s parents, the late Dorothy and Hugo Eck. Dorothy was a longtime Montana state senator who received an honorary degree from MSU in 2003, and Hugo was an MSU professor of architecture for many years. 

Diana Eck, who herself received an honorary degree from MSU in 2013, said she fondly remembers the Hannon painting hanging in her childhood home and was excited to donate it to MSU. The artwork joins three other Hannon paintings currently on display in Hannon Hall, an all-women's residence hall named in 1954 to honor Hannon’s work in establishing MSU’s arts program. 

Hannon “was the first person to anchor the arts department at MSU, and Hannon Hall has continued to create a community of leading women to honor her legacy,” said Jeff Bondy, MSU director of housing. 

“I wanted to take special care of the pieces of art from my mother’s estate and see that they went to the places that would find the most meaning,” Eck said. “I am just delighted that this piece by Olga Ross Hannon is going in the hall named after her.” 

In addition to teaching, Hannon organized the Delta Phi Delta, an art honorary group at what was then called Montana State College, and served as its national president for eight years. She also served as Montana’s representative on the American Artists Professional League.