John "Jack" Savitsky (1910 - 1991), "Jeany", 1987
Crayon, colored pencil and marker on cardboard (piece of Land o' Lakes margarine carton), signed and dated at bottom, also titled "Jeany" and signed and dated on the reverse. 5" x 3 1/4".
Savitsky was born and lived in Pennsylvania coal mining country. He quit school in the sixth grade to start working in the mines, where he worked until 1959 when the mine closed and Savitsky began painting at age 49. Jack's son Jack Jr. introduced him to New York painter Sterling Strauser in 1961, and Strauser began promoting Savitsky on the the New York art scene. Strauser and Jack Jr. also took Savitsky to the major New York galleries and museums, where he fell in love with the work of Vincent Van Gogh. When Savitsky was diagnosed with black lung disease in the early 1980's, he switched from oil paints to primarily colored penils and markers on paper, wood, or any piece of cardboard he could find, like cereal boxes.
Crayon, colored pencil and marker on cardboard (piece of Land o' Lakes margarine carton), signed and dated at bottom, also titled "Jeany" and signed and dated on the reverse. 5" x 3 1/4".
Savitsky was born and lived in Pennsylvania coal mining country. He quit school in the sixth grade to start working in the mines, where he worked until 1959 when the mine closed and Savitsky began painting at age 49. Jack's son Jack Jr. introduced him to New York painter Sterling Strauser in 1961, and Strauser began promoting Savitsky on the the New York art scene. Strauser and Jack Jr. also took Savitsky to the major New York galleries and museums, where he fell in love with the work of Vincent Van Gogh. When Savitsky was diagnosed with black lung disease in the early 1980's, he switched from oil paints to primarily colored penils and markers on paper, wood, or any piece of cardboard he could find, like cereal boxes.
Crayon, colored pencil and marker on cardboard (piece of Land o' Lakes margarine carton), signed and dated at bottom, also titled "Jeany" and signed and dated on the reverse. 5" x 3 1/4".
Savitsky was born and lived in Pennsylvania coal mining country. He quit school in the sixth grade to start working in the mines, where he worked until 1959 when the mine closed and Savitsky began painting at age 49. Jack's son Jack Jr. introduced him to New York painter Sterling Strauser in 1961, and Strauser began promoting Savitsky on the the New York art scene. Strauser and Jack Jr. also took Savitsky to the major New York galleries and museums, where he fell in love with the work of Vincent Van Gogh. When Savitsky was diagnosed with black lung disease in the early 1980's, he switched from oil paints to primarily colored penils and markers on paper, wood, or any piece of cardboard he could find, like cereal boxes.