Louise Kenyon

1906 - 1998

Louise Kenyon was born in Newton, Massachusetts to William and Mabel Tomlinson. After attending Skidmore College for one year she left to study art and design at Vesper George School of Art in Boston. At the beginning of the Depression she married Paul Kenyon, a reporter for the Boston Transcript. The couple moved to Cape Ann and had two sons, Paul Jr. in 1931 and Peter in 1934. Paul found a job as a correspondent for the Gloucester Daily Times and eventually became its editor. Paul had known Virginia Demetrios when she was working as an illustrator for the Boston Transcript.

In 1940, when the Kenyons visited the first exhibition of the Folly Cove Designers, Louise was already creating linoleum prints for personal projects. Virginia persuaded Louise to join the second design class forming that year, and Louise went on to become one of the most prolific Folly Cove Designers, producing 30 jury-approved designs for the group. She printed her designs, which were largely block repeats, primarily on fabric and purchased the first mechanical press for the Folly Cove Designers. 

An active member who continuously studied block printing and design, Louise was a member of the Folly Cove Designer jury for much of her time with the group. She created multiple designs for Lord & Taylor and F. Schumacher and fashioned the “Smith College” design for the Smith College Alumni Association in 1954. In 1998, the program for Louise’s memorial service featured a design she created, honoring her legacy and creativity.