Edmund Lewandowski
Encyclopedia
Edmund Lewandowski was an American
Precisionist
artist who was often exhibited in the Downtown Gallery alongside other artists such as Charles Sheeler
, Charles Demuth
, Georgia O’Keeffe, Ralston Crawford
, George Ault
, and Niles Spencer.
. He attended the Layton School of Art
from 1931 until his graduation in 1934. Afterwords, he assumed a teaching position in public school in order to make a living while he pursued painting
on his own and sought commissions in advertising
and with magazines. In 1936, he was invited by prominent modern art
dealer Edith Halpert
to join her Downtown Gallery. That same year, he also began painting murals for the Federal Art Project
and during 1939 and 1940 executed murals for the post office
in Minnesota
, Illinois
and Wisconsin. From 1942-1946, Lewandowski made maps and camouflage
for the United States Army Air Force and United States Air Force
. In 1947, he returned to the Layton School of Art where he was appointed to faculty. In 1949, he moved to Florida State University
, where he remained until 1954. Following his tenure in Florida, he returned to the Layton school, where he was the directory until 1972. His final position was as the chairman of the art department at Winthrop University
in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he served from 1973 until 1984 before his retirement, when he was named professor emeritus. He died in Rock Hill
, South Carolina
in 1998.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Precisionist
Precisionist
Precisionist was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. In 1985, Precisionist won the Strub Series at Santa Anita Park becoming only the fifth horse to win the Malibu Stakes, the San Fernando Stakes and the Charles H. Strub Stakes...
artist who was often exhibited in the Downtown Gallery alongside other artists such as Charles Sheeler
Charles Sheeler
Charles Rettew Sheeler, Jr. was an American artist. He is recognized as one of the founders of American modernism and one of the master photographers of the 20th century.-Early life and career:...
, Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth
Charles Demuth was an American watercolorist who turned to oils late in his career, developing a style of painting known as Precisionism....
, Georgia O’Keeffe, Ralston Crawford
Ralston Crawford
Ralston Crawford was an American abstract painter, lithographer, and photographer.-Early life:He was born on September 5, 1906, in Canada, at St. Catharines, Ontario, and spent his childhood in Buffalo, New York. He studied art beginning in 1927 in California at the Otis Art Institute. After...
, George Ault
George Ault
George Copeland Ault was an American painter. He was loosely grouped with the Precisionist movement and, though influenced by Cubism and Surrealism, his most lasting work is of a realist nature....
, and Niles Spencer.
Life
Edmund Lewandowski was born in Milwaukee, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He attended the Layton School of Art
Layton School of Art
The Layton School of Art was a third level institute based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was established by Charlotte Partridge and Miriam Frink in 1920 and closed as a result of financial insolvency in 1974. At its closure, the school was regarded as one of the top five art schools in the United...
from 1931 until his graduation in 1934. Afterwords, he assumed a teaching position in public school in order to make a living while he pursued painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
on his own and sought commissions in advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and with magazines. In 1936, he was invited by prominent modern art
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
dealer Edith Halpert
Edith Halpert
Edith Halpert or Edith Gregor Halpert was a pioneering New York City dealer of Modern art. Halpert brought recognition and market success to many avant-garde American artists over her forty year career from 1926 through the 1960's...
to join her Downtown Gallery. That same year, he also began painting murals for the Federal Art Project
Federal Art Project
The Federal Art Project was the visual arts arm of the Great Depression-era New Deal Works Progress Administration Federal One program in the United States. It operated from August 29, 1935, until June 30, 1943. Reputed to have created more than 200,000 separate works, FAP artists created...
and during 1939 and 1940 executed murals for the post office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Wisconsin. From 1942-1946, Lewandowski made maps and camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
for the United States Army Air Force and United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. In 1947, he returned to the Layton School of Art where he was appointed to faculty. In 1949, he moved to Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he remained until 1954. Following his tenure in Florida, he returned to the Layton school, where he was the directory until 1972. His final position was as the chairman of the art department at Winthrop University
Winthrop University
Winthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South...
in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he served from 1973 until 1984 before his retirement, when he was named professor emeritus. He died in Rock Hill
Rock Hill
Rock Hill is the name of some places in the United States of America:* Rock Hill, South Carolina, fourth largest city in South Carolina, population 70,000* Rock Hill, Missouri, small city in Missouri, population 5,000...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
in 1998.