Eugene Von Bruenchenhein Education Resources
The second of Edward and Clara Von Bruenchenhein’s (broonchen-hine) three sons, Edward Eugene Von Bruenchenhein was born in Marinette, Wisconsin, in 1910. After graduating from high school, Eugene worked as a florist and later found employment at a commercial bakery, where he worked until the late 1950s. During the last forty years of his life, he transformed the home he shared with his wife, Marie, into an art environment.
He created work in many media, including photography, painting, and sculpture. In all of his work, he transformed everyday materials from his simple way of life into objects inspired by fantasy and royalty. For example, he built towers and chairs out of chicken bones and crowns out of clay. Not many people visited his home during his lifetime. When he passed away and people saw his work, they wanted to save the work so others could see it. The Arts Center holds the largest collection of Eugene Von Bruenchenhein’s artwork, which can be seen at the Art Preserve.
