Charlene Engel

Charlene Stant Engel, Ph.D., a polymath and passionate advocate for the arts, passed away on November 26, 2024, at the age of 78. A daughter of Vernon Earl Stant and Mary Rawles Stant of Norfolk, Virginia, she was a celebrated artist, museum director, scholar, educator, writer, and a devoted mother and grandmother.

Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Charlene's creative journey began in childhood, nurtured by her grandmother’s encouragement to draw and paint. By high school, she was already exhibiting and selling her artwork. She earned her B.F.A. in art and art history from Old Dominion University, where she received two Fellowships from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning advanced degrees in Architectural History and Art History.

As an artist working in watercolor, acrylic, and oil, Dr. Engel held over 20 solo exhibitions across the United States and internationally. Her work received numerous accolades, including (her favorite) a Certificate of Appreciation from the Maine Legislature for her paintings done during summers at Thomas Pond, where she vacationed with her husband for more than 40 years. Her watercolors were featured in D.P. Richards’ book, How to Discover Your Own Painting Style, and her artistry was highlighted in many reviews and interviews. Charlene also illustrated four poetry collections and authored and illustrated two cookbooks.

Believing in the transformative power of publicly accessible art, her final living exhibition was a solo show at the Cuyahoga County Public Library in Beachwood, Ohio, where she had relocated from Arizona in 2022. Her paintings are part of public and private collections in 23 U.S. states and internationally, including Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, and China. 

Charlene’s contributions extended beyond her own creative practice to scholarly research and publication. She wrote extensively on artists such as Edward Hopper, Jan van Eyck, Winslow Homer, and George Bellows. The 1999 catalog she co-authored, An American Pulse: The Lithographs of George Bellows, remains a significant contribution to the field. In her later years, her writing focused on arts education in elementary schools, African trade beads, and perspective in Winslow Homer’s war prints.

As an educator and mentor, Charlene shared her love for the arts through teaching and lecturing at institutions such as the College of William & Mary, the University of New Mexico, Moravian College (now University), DeSales University, UC San Diego, and the San Diego Museum of Art. She also served as a museum director or curator for academic galleries at Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Grossmont College in El Cajon, California. 

Charlene was deeply devoted to her family, friends, and, yes, cats. She is survived by her husband, Wilson F. Engel III, Ph.D., of Beachwood, Ohio; her daughter, Grace Engel Hill, and son-in-law, Scott Dorsett Hill, of Shaker Heights, Ohio; her son, Wilson F. Engel IV, and daughter-in-law, Kasia Engel, of Burke, Virginia; her grandchildren, Graham Engel Hill and Kadence Joy Engel; her siblings, Deborah Stant of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Vernon E. “Buddy” Stant Jr. of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and numerous beloved in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at a time and place to be announced.