September 24, 2012

The Museum of Nebraska Art presents Milton Wolsky: A 20th Century Modernist on view through December 2, 2012

Milton Wolsky was born in Omaha, Nebraska in January of 1916. He dedicated his entire life to art. Milton studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later at the Art Students League of New York under the direction of Julian Levi and Hans Hofmann.

Milton served in the United States military during World War II. He was responsible for drawing maps, creating book illustrations and other related duty. After World War II he moved to New York City. From 1946 - 1954 he worked from a New York City studio and became one of the nation's top illustrators, regularly appearing in Time, Redbook, Collier's, Woman's Home Companion and Esquire.

Despite his success in New York, Wolsky longed to return to the Midwest. In 1954 he purchased the J. Laurie Wallace Art Studio, whom Wolsky studied portrait art under in his earlier years, and returned to Omaha, Nebraska. He continued to earn his living with illustrative and commercial art. However, his true love remained with contemporary oils.

A multi-talented artist, he produced realism, contemporary and abstract art with the same skill and expert results. In addition to painting, Milton was a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Society. He crafted jewelry from semiprecious stones. It wasn't until his retirement in 1978 that he was able to devote all of his time to painting. Milton was a member of the Society of Illustrators, American Watercolor Society, and a fellow in the International Institute of Arts and Letters. He was listed in "Who's Who in Art" from 1956 until his death in 1981. He exhibited his works by invitation at various museums including the Joslyn Art Museum, Rochester Art Museum, Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, Walker Art Center, as well as the Smithsonian Institute and the U.S. Air Force Historical Foundation, among others. Despite this recognition, Milton experienced little monetary gain from his art. He personally did little, if anything, to promote his own work. He painted solely for the love of Art! Milton died of cancer in 1981.

For more information contact the Museum at (308) 865-8559.