Joseph O’Sickey (1918-2013) was one of northeast Ohio’s most notable painters of the 20th century. The 1974 winner of the Cleveland Arts Prize took classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art as a child (his work is now in their collection) and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art. He lived near Kent, where he taught from 1964-1989, until his death. A part of the so-called “Cleveland School,” he was best known for his colorful impressionistic paintings of his own yard. His wife of 5 years, Algesa, was also a talented artist; she passed away in 2006.
His estate bequeathed a large group of his works to the Cleveland Institute of Art, to be sold to benefit the school. Some of these works are currently on exhibit (and for ale) at WOLFS Gallery in Beachwood; it’s the first of a planned series of shows of the work from the bequest. They’ll be on view through April 1, 2023.
WOLFS is open Tuesday-Saturday @ 11am-5pm. The show is free and open to the public. Go here for more information.