James C. Kulhanek
James C. Kulhanek | |
|---|---|
,.jpg) Self-Portrait by Kulhanek | |
| Born | April 23, 1908 Cleveland, Ohio |
| Died | April 1, 1990 (aged 81) Cleveland, Ohio |
| Education | Cleveland School of Art |
| Known for | Painting, drawing, commercial art |
James Charles Kulhanek (April 23, 1908 – April 1, 1990) was an American commercial artist and designer.
Biography
[edit]Václav Kulhánek and Anna Kulhánek, née Veleba, the parents of James C. Kulhanek, were born in Bohemia within Austria-Hungary and settled in Cleveland in the 1900s. James C. Kulhanek was born there on April 23, 1908.[1]
Kulhanek was a student of Henry Keller at the Cleveland School of Art.[2]
In 1938, Kulhanek was a witness to an incident at Brookside Zoo where Judy Zemnick, another WPA artist, was pulled into a polar bear enclosure and clawed. Kulhanek and another artist called for help and tried to drive the bear away from Ms. Zemnick.[3] The incident received extensive press coverage at the time and for two years following.
Work
[edit]Between 1935 and 1942, Kulhanek received Federal Art Project commissions through New Deal Works Progress Administration- sponsored art projects, such as the rendering of several prints of elks, great horned owls,[4] and reindeer, now in the collection of Case Western University.[5][6] He also painted panels to be installed in the hallways of Collinwood[2] and Lincoln High Schools as well as the Federal Courthouse. Shortly before Kulhanek's death, the artist painted a portrait of former Cleveland mayor Dennis Kucinich, who actually sat for Kulhanek, although the portrait was never displayed in Cleveland City Hall.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Kulhanek, James Charles". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. October 25, 2022. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ a b Cullinan, Helen (March 19, 1978). "Downtown Scene - Three Painters: James C. Kulhanek". The Plain Dealer. p. 131. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ "Clawed 15 Minutes by Bear, Girl Artist to Live but Lose Eye". The Plain Dealer. October 27, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ Brent (June 8, 2018). "New Deal Bird Art (6/10): "Great Horned Owl"". New Deal of the Day. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ "Figures In Zoo Tragedy and Rescue of Artist from Bear". Plain Dealer. October 27, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ "Work Progress Administration: Prints of the Federal Arts Project". Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
- ^ Naymilk, Mark (March 9, 2010). "Cleveland City Hall still is lacking a portrait of former Mayor Dennis Kucinich". Cleveland.com. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
Selected works
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