James Meese Art

Expressive Mid-Century figural painting of two women and child in pastel hues by Harold Kitner (American, 1921 - 2004). Image, 33"H x 48"W Walnut frame, 34"H x 49"W x 2"D Harold Kitner was born on May 18, 1921 in Cleveland, Ohio and was the son of Isaac and Frieda Kitner. He obtained his MA from Case Western Reserve University in 1947. Kitner was a postgraduate from Cleveland Institute, Ohio University, Cleveland College, Washington and Lee University. He obtained his Doctorate from Kent State University. Exhibition: Harold Kitner - Active / Figure / Exaltation at Kent State School of Art Gallery in Kent, Ohio in 2014. Harold Kitner taught for over 30 years at the Kent State University School of Art. Harold Kitner began teaching art and art history at Kent State University in 1947. During his career, he served as Director and Chairman of the Fine Arts Division. Kitner played a significant role in creating the Art School’s core program, organizing the Kent State Arts Festival, and the Blossom Festival School. He also served as President of the Kent chapter of the American Association of University Professors, and was an art critic for the Akron Beacon Journal. In 1967, Kitner became Kent State University’s first Faculty Ombudsman, officially titled Dean for Faculty Counsel. He held this position until 1974. At the time of the Kent State shootings, Kitner’s position as Ombudsman meant that he was involved in many of the decisions regarding University administration in the weeks and months following the Kent State shootings. Kitner began a partial retirement in 1980, and left Kent to become the director of the Institute of the South Florida Art...

A charming, diminutive 1930s Modern painting depicting laundry hanging in a Vermont lake house window by notable Chicago artist Harold Haydon. Artwork size: 8 x 8 1/4 inches. Fram...

A Visually Striking, early 1950s Abstract, Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Still Life Painting by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting a colorful interior ...

A Large, Compelling Mid-Century Modern Figurative Painting by New York Artist, Gerrit Hondius, Titled "Equestrienne & Clown". Artwork size: 30 x 24 inches (Oil on Masonite); Frame...

Elsa Sroka is a popular contemporary artist based in Colorado, celebrated for her wonderfully creative and evocative paintings. Her work blends elements of realism and abstraction, r...

“The Champ, 1942” by Theodore Fried (1902-1980) This important portrait by Hungarian-American artist Theodore Fried depicts the legendary boxer Joe Louis aka “The Brown Bomber” and ...

“Crossroads, c. 1940” by Sol Wilson (Polish-American, 1896-1974). This expressive painting by Wilson depicts a moody village crossroads rendered with his signature textured brushwor...

Neon Lighting WPA Mid 20th Century Social Realism American Scene Modern Figures MAURICE BECKER (1889-1975) 'Neon Lighting 17 1/4 x 13 3/4 inches Oil on masonite Signed, dated 1936 and titled on verso BIO Maurice Becker, painter, political cartoonist and social reformer, was born in 1889 either in Gorky or Niznij Novgorod, in Russia. His family came to the United States in 1892, to New York City. After high school, Becker worked in a clothing factory. He studied with Ash Can School artist Robert Henri in 1908, and exhibited in the famous 1913 Armory Show in New York City when he was only twenty-four years of age. At the Armory show, Becker showed a drawing of a dog's head...

A strong modernist oil painting depicted in 1969 by Russian painter Michael Baxte. Mostly known for his abstracted figures on canvas or street scenes, this piece is a wonderful representation of his bold still life paintings, with expressive use of color, shape, and form. Later in his career, Baxte explores Expressionism, infusing both European and North American stylistic trends. This piece is from later in his career, but we can feel this underlying style throughout. Art measures 21.75 x 18 inches Michael Posner Baxte was born in 1890 in the small town of Staroselje Belarus, Russia. For the first half of the 19th century it was a center of the Chabad movement of Hasidic Jews, but this group was gone by the middle of the 19th century. By the time the Baxte family immigrated to the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, the Jewish population numbered only on the hundreds. The native language of the Baxte family was Yiddish. It is likely that the death of Michael Baxte’s father triggered the family’s immigration. Three older brothers arrived in New York between 1903 and 1905. Michael and his mother, Rebecca, arrived in 1907. By 1910 Michael, his mother, and brother, Joseph, were living in New Orleans and may have spent some time on a Louisiana plantation. Around 1912, Michael Baxte returned to Europe to study the violin. In 1914 he, his mother, and Joseph moved to New York City. Meanwhile, in Algeria, a talented young woman painter, Violette Mege, was making history. Since for the first time, a woman won the prestigious Beaux Art competition in Algeria. At first, the awards committee denied her the prize but, with French government intervention, Mege eventually prevailed. She won again 3 years later and, in 1916, used the scholarship to visit the United States of America. When Violette came to New York, she met Baxte, who was, by then, an accomplished violinist, teacher, and composer. Baxte’s compositions were performed at the Tokyo Imperial Theater, and in 1922 he was listed in the American Jewish Yearbook as one of the prominent members of the American Jewish community. As a music teacher he encouraged individual expression. Baxte stated, “No pupil should ever be forced into imitation of the teacher. Art is a personal experience, and the teacher’s truest aim must be to awaken this light of personality through the patient light of science.” By 1920 Michael Baxte and Violette Mege were living together in Manhattan. Although they claimed to be living as husband and wife, it seems that their marriage did not become official until 1928. On their “unofficial” honeymoon around 1917, in Algiers, Baxte confided to her his ambition to paint. There and later in New Mexico where the wonderful steeped sunlight approximates the coloring of Algiers, she taught him his heart’s desire. He never had any other teacher. She never had any other pupil. For ten years she devoted all her time, energy, and ambition to teaching, encouraging, inspiring him. Then in 1928, their mutual strivings were rewarded, as his works were being chosen as one of the two winners in the Dudensing National Competition for American Painters. Out of 150 artists from across the country participated in the Dudensing, and Michael Posner Baxte and, Robert Fawcett...

A Visually Striking, early 1950s Abstract, Surrealist Mid-Century Modern Still Life Painting by Notable Chicago Artist, Harold Haydon (Am. 1909-1994). Depicting a subdued, tonal int...

Classic mid century still-life of a green drape with vase, by W. Gray (American, 20th Century). Dated and signed by the artist lower right, "57 W. Gray." ...

Ultra Realist Library Still-Life Books and Candles "Little Devil in the Details" Highly detailed library interior scene and still-life titled "Little Devil in the Detail" by Ken DeWaard (American, 20th-century). This intriguing artists performance in excellence piece, features realistically rendered books, paintings within paintings, candle light, and a devil or gargoyle sculpture. The artist creates a strong mood as well as interesting subject matter in this unique scene. Signed "Dewaard '99" upper right. Displayed in a wood frame. Image size, 13"H x 14"L. Frame: 20"H x 21"W x 2"D After receiving his Bachelor of Arts with honors, Ken began working in a commercial art studio in Chicago. He continued his studies at the American Academy of Art, where he studied with nationally recognized watercolorist, Irving Shapiro. Upon Irving's recommendation Ken joined the acclaimed Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Art in Chicago, where he soon began studying with Scott Burdick as well as Dan Gerhartz...