My grandpa, Leon Makielski, was a well-known artist, creating over 3000 works of art over his lifetime. But the one work of art he produced that I will remember most is the house he built from an old barn with his own hands.
3. My grandfather was an artist. He created over 3000 works of art over his lifetime, including drawings, etchings, and paintings.
4. However, the work of art that he created that will always be the most memorable to me is the house that he built with his own hands.
5. My grandfather was born on May 17, 1885 in the small mining town of Morris Run, Pennsylvania. He was the third child of twelve born to Alexander and Elizabeth Makielski, who immigrated to the United States from Poland in 1881.
6. Leon was a painter whose talent was recognized at an early age. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, and spent four years studying at the Academie Julian and the Grande Chaumiere in Paris.
7. He spent his spare time painting the city parks as well as the local French countryside. He also traveled through the museums of Italy, England, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Holland and Austria, painting the towns, cities and landscapes along the way.
8. [Need picture of “Penelope Petersen”.] While in Europe, his paintings were accepted into Le Salon 1911 and Le Salon 1912, Europe's most prestigious exhibitions. This portrait of Penelope Petersen was shown at Le Salon 1911, demonstrating his considerable skill and talent at portraiture.
9. He had booked passage on the Titanic for his return trip from Europe to New York, but thankfully canceled his trip, choosing to remain in Europe to continue painting.
10. In 1913, Leon returned from Paris, eventually settling in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he launched a successful career as a portrait and landscape painter. He also taught art at the University of Michigan, as well as the Meinsinger Art School in Detroit.
11. In 1917, Leon purchased ¾ acre of land outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan, for $1 down, $1 a month. The following year, he purchased a barn from a farm near the Huron River.
12. It took three weeks to the barn to his property. My grandfather slept in the barn at night while it was being moved.
13. The barn was placed on top of the hill of my grandfather’s property.
14. He spent every spare moment working on his new home and studio, and his many friends helped.
15. Here’s my grandfather on the doorstep of his house. The front door entered on to the second floor.
16. My grandfather’s studio was on the second floor, with a ceiling that extended 2 stories high.
17. The living room was also on the second floor, and the bedroom was on the third floor.
22. The union would last a lifetime, producing five children: Elizabeth, Marjorie, Edward, Donald, and Joan.
23. As the family grew over the years, so too did the house grow to accommodate them.
24. A sleeping porch was added to make room for the growing family. The five children slept on the sleeping porch through all seasons, including the harsh Michigan winters. My mom recalls that during snowstorms, the wind would sometimes blow snow in on top of their beds.
25. The house had two ‘eyebrows’’, a bay window, and lots of stonework.
43. The large grassy front yard and trees perfect for climbing entertained my siblings and I for hours.
44. There were beautiful flowering trees all over the property, including a large maple tree my grandmother had smuggled over the border from Canada.
45. My grandfather’s studio was strictly off-limits, which made it even more mysterious to us curious grandchildren.
46.
47. My grandfather, Leon Makielski, devoted his entire adult life to perfecting his skill as a painter.
48. He earned many awards in local art exhibitions, and his paintings have received honors from the Detroit Art Institute, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the St. Louis Museum of Art.
49. He painted portraits of notable business leaders, as well as state and national government figures. He also painted numerous faculty members, some 50 portraits of which are still hanging in University of Michigan buildings today. His portraits are listed in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
54. We visited a number of times throughout the years while I was growing up.
55. In 1965, the whole family gathered at Grandpa’s house to celebrate his 80th birthday.
56. My grandparents were together until the end. My grandmother passed in 1969 with my grandfather following in 1974 at the age 0f 89. The house remained in the family until the death of Leon’s oldest daughter in 1991.
57. After his passing, his many paintings have been shown in exhibitions, including this recent exhibition at the Spartanberg Art Museum in Spartanberg, North Carolina.
58. In a biography written for one of his exhibitions, it was said that “He was able to capture innocence in a young child’s eyes, [Need a picture to fit the caption]
62. My grandfather’s pictures are now sold exclusively through the Elder Gallery in Charlotte, North Carolina. 1427 South Boulevard • Suite 101Charlotte, NC 28203704-370-6337 You can visit them online at http://www.elderart.com .
63. This presentation is dedicated to my grandfather, of course, and also dedicated in loving memory to my beloved aunts, Aunt Elizabeth & Aunt Marj. Gone but not forgotten - Always in our hearts Marjorie Makielski-Taylor & Elizabeth Makielski
