Alex F. Yaworski

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Alex F Yaworski
Alex F Yaworski 1980.jpg
Black and White Portrait of Alex F. Yaworski in 1980
Born(1907-12-29)December 29, 1907
Died25 March 1997(1997-03-25) (aged 89)
CitizenshipUnited States, Other?
OccupationArtist
Years active50
SpouseMaurine Bell Yaworski
ChildrenErnine Kratsch Astolfi (Stepdaughter), Don Yaworski (Son)
Parents
  • Anthony (Anton) Yaworski (father)
  • Anna Zupkova Yaworski (mother)
RelativesNicholas Yaworski, Edward Yaworski, Tony Yaworski, William Yaworski, Sophie Yaworski Sharpe Fay, Helen Yaworski Dobrovich

Alex F. Yaworski (born 1907, Odessa, Imperial Russia, now Ukraine; died March 25, 1997) [1] was a visual artist who specialized in Watercolor painting and Illustration. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Summertime by Alex F. Yaworski, 1941 Summertime by Alex F. Yaworski, 1941.jpg
Summertime by Alex F. Yaworski, 1941

Alex F. Yaworski's parents, Anton and Anna, married right before the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. His father, Anton, was conscripted into the Czarist Army and maintained cavalry horses, while his mother, Anna was employed as a cook for a group of generals. Alex was born December 29, 1907. They immigrated to the United States through Canada when Alex was almost two years old and settled in Superior, Wisconsin [1] During his lifetime, Superior and environs were the subject matter of many of his paintings. He found fascination in the Northern Wisconsin scenic beauty as well as the waterfront shipyards, freight yards, and grain elevators of the Duluth/Superior Twin Ports region. As early as grade school, he was determined to become an artist. In 1927, he left Superior for Chicago, Illinois to attend The American Academy of Art. He graduated in 1931. [2] He taught life drawing while still a student and continued teaching there for a period of time after graduation.

Career

Alex F. Yaworski at Little Manitou Falls, Pattison Park, WI Alex F Yaworski Pattison Park WI.jpg
Alex F. Yaworski at Little Manitou Falls, Pattison Park, WI

Yaworski's first full time job out of school was working in the art department of the Chicago Tribune. After a few years as an employee of the Tribune, he became a freelance artist and worked for Sears Roebuck and other clients. In the 1940s, he again became a full time employee but this time for Poster Products in Chicago. While there during World War II, Alex illustrated many posters and advertisements for the war bond effort. After the war, he returned to freelancing for multiple companies. From 1946 through 1954, he designed and illustrated Sears Roebuck’s Christmas Book covers. [3]

Personal life

Alex was doing work for Sears Roebuck when he met his then-to-be wife Maurine who was working in their advertising department. [4] She already had a daughter named Ernine from her previous marriage. Together, they formed a family of three when they got married in June,1936 and had son Don twelve years later. Maurine died in 1983 and in 1991 after spending over 60 years in Chicago, Alex moved to Kansas City, MO to be closer to his son. In his final years, he continued to paint and he enjoyed his visits to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Alex F. Yaworski died on March 25, 1997. [2]

Notable Mentions

Juror

Honors and awards

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Alex F. Yaworski - Biography".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Alex F. Yaworski, 89; Painted Chicago Scenes". Chicago Tribune .
  3. 1 2 "Documents".
  4. "Alex F. Yaworski - Biography".
  5. "Results for 'Alex F. Yaworski' [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org.

Sources