First National Bank of Winfield's artist Sue Jean Covacevich
Collection: Winfield Notable Artists
Title
First National Bank of Winfield's artist Sue Jean Covacevich
Subject
Covacevich, Sue Jean
Flyer
First National Bank Winfield Kansas
Description
Sue Jean Covacevich's murals she has painted inside the First National Bank of Winfield. A short biography of her painting history is also included.
Creator
Winfield First National Bank
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas USA
Date
Unknown
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Pamphlets
Citation
Winfield First National Bank, “First National Bank of Winfield's artist Sue Jean Covacevich,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 24, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/194.
Text
The first panel of the mural, called “The Beginnings”, covers the years from 1872 to 1900. The little Osage Chief, known to early settlers as Sugar Sauce, brings back the days when Island Park, now the city’s recreation spot, was an Indian campground where Indians came to trade horses with the settlers.
Before the sod house, a pioneer family pauses before climbing into the wagon.
Men’s faith was sorely tried before the days of the grasshopper plague when even the sun was blotted out and only skeletal stalks remained in the fields. But, fields were replowed and the harvest at last reaped.
Main Street of the early town shows the first bank building and its second home, a more impressive red brick structure.
Symbolizing early industry are the Baden Mills which played an important part in the agricultural economy of early Winfield.
Landmarks of this early period were North Hall, Southwestern College, St. John’s College building and Baden Hall; and the Methodist church which was Winfield’s first church. The seedling tree, corn and the fruits of the Walnut Valley are all pictured as part of the times.
The middle panel of the mural is a panorama of yesterday’s personages, places, and events. The store buildings with false fronts reaching high into the sky above their roofs all bring back memories of a quieter time. Main Street of 1910 is pictured. The two banks shown are now part of the First National Bank. Buildings of the Cowley County Fairgrounds, rise above the Pavilion, Philosophy Hall and Entrance of the Chautauqua Center pictured in the foreground.
Familiar hills, barns, and fields of Cowley County form the landscape. Dynamic lines cutting across the mural indicate the passing of time and the changing of the seasons.
The depression years are symbolized by the tornado bearing down and the twisted windmill left behind. Below this old Central School, for many years Winfield’s only public school, later housing both junior and senior high school. Mrs. Blanche Jarvis, well-known civic leader, is shown at the left. In front of her is the artist, Sue Jean Covacevich, as a first grade pupil. Mr. J. E. Jarvis, former president of the First National Bank, is shown at the right.
Christy Hall of Southwestern College, the buildings of St. John’s College and Grace Episcopal Church represent the culture upon which this community has long prided itself.
The ideals of youth, first seen in the eyes of the pioneer family, are symbolized by four school pupils standing in front of the entrance of the Winfield Junior High School. These four --basketball player (Bob Kenny, K.U. all-American), Boy Scout, student and musician - represent the interest in sports, youth groups, scholarship and the arts of Winfield’s youth.
The Hereford bull is a symbol of quality on the hoof and the rancher on his well-bred horse is the late Mr. M. F. Jarvis, president and the chairman of the board of the First National Bank for many years.
The giant elms and graceful willows of Island Park indicate the maturity of nature and the natural growth that has been Winfield’s.
Winfield industry is represented by Gott Mfg., (now Rubbermaid), Binney & Smith Crayola factory, and Strother Field airport and industrial park.
The progression of events and the impact of personalities had produced a Winfield unique in many respects, but thoroughly American in the Kansas tradition.
THE ARTIST
For this ambitious project of re-creating “The Story of Winfield” and preserving it for future generations, the First National Bank chose Sue Jean Covacevich-Boys, a native Kansan and well-known artist of the Mid-West.
Dr. Covacevich-Boys attended Bethany College, where she studied with Birger Sandzen. She also holds art degrees from Southwestern College in Winfield where she resides, and Colorado State College.
She continued her studies during a twelve year residence in Mexico. She worked at the San Carlos Art School of The National University, where she met Diego Rivera. Rivera served as a critic for her painting. In addition, she studied at the Escuela de Artes Graficos, and was associated with the artists of Rancho del Artista.
As a teacher, Dr. Covacevich-Boys had a distinguished career before her retirement in 1973. She taught primary, secondary, and collegelevel art for 43 years. She established the Art Department at Southwestern College in 1945. The art therapy classes she taught at the Winfield State Hospital and Training Center in 1952 were among the first in the state. She was active in the organization of the Winfield Art Center in 1962. The recipient of numerous awards, she was the Governors Artist of The Year in 1981, and in 1988 she was awarded an honary Doctor of Arts degree from Southwestern College.
The mural was begun in 1951 and took a year to complete. It was revised in 1975 when the bank was expanded.
Dr.Covacevich-Boys has published two folios of prints; The Churches of Mexico and Impressions of Mexico. As part of our nation’s Bicentennial Celebration, she created the sculpture at the entrance of Island Park in Winfield entitled “Gateway To The Future”. Her work is in the print collection of the Library of Congress, The New York Public Library and private collections in this country and in Mexico.
(Cover design: Otis Hadley. Photographs: Enid Collinson, Rod James, Jane Richards.)
Printed by Gilliland Printing, Inc.
Original Format
paper
Title
First National Bank of Winfield's artist Sue Jean Covacevich
Subject
Covacevich, Sue Jean
Flyer
First National Bank Winfield Kansas
Description
Sue Jean Covacevich's murals she has painted inside the First National Bank of Winfield. A short biography of her painting history is also included.
Creator
Winfield First National Bank
Source
Winfield Public Library
Publisher
Winfield Public Library, Winfield, Kansas USA
Date
Unknown
Rights
Format
text/plain
Language
English
Type
Pamphlets
Citation
Winfield First National Bank, “First National Bank of Winfield's artist Sue Jean Covacevich,” Winfield Digital Collections, accessed June 24, 2026, https://winfield.digitalsckls.info/item/194.Text
The first panel of the mural, called “The Beginnings”, covers the years from 1872 to 1900. The little Osage Chief, known to early settlers as Sugar Sauce, brings back the days when Island Park, now the city’s recreation spot, was an Indian campground where Indians came to trade horses with the settlers.
Before the sod house, a pioneer family pauses before climbing into the wagon.
Men’s faith was sorely tried before the days of the grasshopper plague when even the sun was blotted out and only skeletal stalks remained in the fields. But, fields were replowed and the harvest at last reaped.
Main Street of the early town shows the first bank building and its second home, a more impressive red brick structure.
Symbolizing early industry are the Baden Mills which played an important part in the agricultural economy of early Winfield.
Landmarks of this early period were North Hall, Southwestern College, St. John’s College building and Baden Hall; and the Methodist church which was Winfield’s first church. The seedling tree, corn and the fruits of the Walnut Valley are all pictured as part of the times.
The middle panel of the mural is a panorama of yesterday’s personages, places, and events. The store buildings with false fronts reaching high into the sky above their roofs all bring back memories of a quieter time. Main Street of 1910 is pictured. The two banks shown are now part of the First National Bank. Buildings of the Cowley County Fairgrounds, rise above the Pavilion, Philosophy Hall and Entrance of the Chautauqua Center pictured in the foreground.
Familiar hills, barns, and fields of Cowley County form the landscape. Dynamic lines cutting across the mural indicate the passing of time and the changing of the seasons.
The depression years are symbolized by the tornado bearing down and the twisted windmill left behind. Below this old Central School, for many years Winfield’s only public school, later housing both junior and senior high school. Mrs. Blanche Jarvis, well-known civic leader, is shown at the left. In front of her is the artist, Sue Jean Covacevich, as a first grade pupil. Mr. J. E. Jarvis, former president of the First National Bank, is shown at the right.
Christy Hall of Southwestern College, the buildings of St. John’s College and Grace Episcopal Church represent the culture upon which this community has long prided itself.
The ideals of youth, first seen in the eyes of the pioneer family, are symbolized by four school pupils standing in front of the entrance of the Winfield Junior High School. These four --basketball player (Bob Kenny, K.U. all-American), Boy Scout, student and musician - represent the interest in sports, youth groups, scholarship and the arts of Winfield’s youth.
The Hereford bull is a symbol of quality on the hoof and the rancher on his well-bred horse is the late Mr. M. F. Jarvis, president and the chairman of the board of the First National Bank for many years.
The giant elms and graceful willows of Island Park indicate the maturity of nature and the natural growth that has been Winfield’s.
Winfield industry is represented by Gott Mfg., (now Rubbermaid), Binney & Smith Crayola factory, and Strother Field airport and industrial park.
The progression of events and the impact of personalities had produced a Winfield unique in many respects, but thoroughly American in the Kansas tradition.
THE ARTIST
For this ambitious project of re-creating “The Story of Winfield” and preserving it for future generations, the First National Bank chose Sue Jean Covacevich-Boys, a native Kansan and well-known artist of the Mid-West.
Dr. Covacevich-Boys attended Bethany College, where she studied with Birger Sandzen. She also holds art degrees from Southwestern College in Winfield where she resides, and Colorado State College.
She continued her studies during a twelve year residence in Mexico. She worked at the San Carlos Art School of The National University, where she met Diego Rivera. Rivera served as a critic for her painting. In addition, she studied at the Escuela de Artes Graficos, and was associated with the artists of Rancho del Artista.
As a teacher, Dr. Covacevich-Boys had a distinguished career before her retirement in 1973. She taught primary, secondary, and collegelevel art for 43 years. She established the Art Department at Southwestern College in 1945. The art therapy classes she taught at the Winfield State Hospital and Training Center in 1952 were among the first in the state. She was active in the organization of the Winfield Art Center in 1962. The recipient of numerous awards, she was the Governors Artist of The Year in 1981, and in 1988 she was awarded an honary Doctor of Arts degree from Southwestern College.
The mural was begun in 1951 and took a year to complete. It was revised in 1975 when the bank was expanded.
Dr.Covacevich-Boys has published two folios of prints; The Churches of Mexico and Impressions of Mexico. As part of our nation’s Bicentennial Celebration, she created the sculpture at the entrance of Island Park in Winfield entitled “Gateway To The Future”. Her work is in the print collection of the Library of Congress, The New York Public Library and private collections in this country and in Mexico.
(Cover design: Otis Hadley. Photographs: Enid Collinson, Rod James, Jane Richards.)
Printed by Gilliland Printing, Inc.
Original Format
paper