Florence was educated in Philadelphia at the Friends Central School and studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 1889 to 1897. It was there that she met her future husband, Everett Shinn (1876 - 1953), who was a fairly celebrated painter of impressionistic canvases and realistic murals.

Shortly after Florence's graduation from the Academy, she and Everett were married. The Shinns moved to New York City where they pursued separate careers in art. Everett was interested in the theatre and not only designed and painted for it but built a small theatre in the courtyard behind their studio home at 112 Waverly Place, near Washington Square. He organised the Waverly Players and wrote three plays in each of which Florence played the title role.

Before World War 1 she was an illustrator of popular children's literature in magazines and books. In 1912, after fourteen years of marriage, Everett requested a divorce.

In 1925, having been unable to find a publisher for "The Game of Life and How to Play It" she published it herself. "Your Word is Your Wand" was published in 1928 and "The Secret Door to Success" was published in 1940 shortly before her death on October 17, 1940. The "Power of the Spoken Word" is a compendium of her notes, gathered by a student and published postumously in 1945.

Arthur Vergara

Thanks Gary for your permission to post this!