Olga Ross Hannon

Olga Ross Hannon (September 15, 1890 - 1947) was an art professor at Montana State College (now known as Montana State University) from 1921 to 1947. As an artist she is known for mountain landscape and Indian culture paintings.

Early life and education Olga E. Ross was born on September 15, 1890, to Peter M. and Caroline Ross in Moline, Illinois. She had one brother, Arthur E. Ross.

She attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1911. She then studied at the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts; the Snow-Froehlick School of Industrial Arts in Chicago; and the Art Students League of New York.

Teaching career In 1916 Olga Ross Hannon was head of the art department at Ferry Hall, Lake Forest, Illinois. She then moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, where she taught high school, and finally to Bozeman, Montana.

Hannon taught art at Montana State College from 1921 to 1947. Her purpose was to "prepare students for a practical realization of their talents". She was the head of applied art from 1941 to 1947. John C. Ewers wrote that "these tipis were of religious significance, being part of a complex of sacred objects and rituals and taboos surrounding the Indian owners as long as they possessed the tipis."

As the head of the Art Department, Hannon granted $300 to Frances Senska and her first students, among whom several World War II veterans, to create a ceramics studio in the basement of Herrick Hall.

Outside of the classroom, Hannon founded the Montana State College chapter of the art honorary Delta Phi Delta and served as the national president for eight years. Hannon also collected "Indian, Oriental, and Mexican arts and crafts" and spearheaded a project to preserve painted designs on Blackfeet lodges through silk screening. The subject matter for these photographs includes indigenous peoples and indigenous lodge designs, accompanied by a large selection of postcards and artwork by Hannon and indigenous artists.