Today in Wheeling History: March 17--Patrick J. Sullivan, a celebrated primitive painter of the 20th century who later made Wheeling his home, was born to Irish immigrant parents in Braddock, Pennsylvania (1894).
Patrick J. Sullivan, born on March 17, 1894, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to Irish immigrant parents, is celebrated as one of the outstanding American primitive painters of the 20th century. After his father's death when he was two, Sullivan spent some years in an orphanage. At the age of 16, he and his mother moved to Wheeling, West Virginia. Sullivan's early life in Wheeling was marked by various jobs, including working in the mills, as a playground manager, and as a house painter. His passion for painting was evident from a young age, and he would paint on any surface he could find, including cardboard and window blinds. It wasn't until the Great Depression that Sullivan had the time to fully dedicate himself to his art. His first original canvas, titled "Man's Procrastinating Pastime," was painted in 1936 and gained the attention of Sidney Janis, a well-known art collector. Janis encouraged Sullivan to continue painting, and by the time of his death in 1967, Sullivan was recognized for his unique technique and personal symbolism. His works are represented in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art. Sullivan's legacy lives on through his paintings, which continue to be celebrated for their emotional power and technical expertise.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives (https://tinyurl.com/3xbk5p8y) (https://tinyurl.com/2fbmxpxj), National Gallery of Art (https://tinyurl.com/t477d4tj), American Folk Art Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mucbbn73), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yc8y5pda)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; National Gallery of Art
Patrick J. Sullivan, born on March 17, 1894, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to Irish immigrant parents, is celebrated as one of the outstanding American primitive painters of the 20th century. After his father's death when he was two, Sullivan spent some years in an orphanage. At the age of 16, he and his mother moved to Wheeling, West Virginia. Sullivan's early life in Wheeling was marked by various jobs, including working in the mills, as a playground manager, and as a house painter. His passion for painting was evident from a young age, and he would paint on any surface he could find, including cardboard and window blinds. It wasn't until the Great Depression that Sullivan had the time to fully dedicate himself to his art. His first original canvas, titled "Man's Procrastinating Pastime," was painted in 1936 and gained the attention of Sidney Janis, a well-known art collector. Janis encouraged Sullivan to continue painting, and by the time of his death in 1967, Sullivan was recognized for his unique technique and personal symbolism. His works are represented in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art. Sullivan's legacy lives on through his paintings, which continue to be celebrated for their emotional power and technical expertise.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives (https://tinyurl.com/3xbk5p8y) (https://tinyurl.com/2fbmxpxj), National Gallery of Art (https://tinyurl.com/t477d4tj), American Folk Art Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mucbbn73), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yc8y5pda)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; National Gallery of Art
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