Oil on heavy weave herringbone linen, signed "Marecak" and dated 1961 lower right, presented in a gilt frame with linen liner and gilt fillet, retains Weatherspoon Art Gallery label to verso.

Frame dimensions 41.75 x 43.5 in.

Deaccessioned from and being sold to benefit the Acquisition Fund of the Weatherspoon Art Museum, UNC Greensboro

Gifted to Weatherspoon Art Museum in 1976 by Morton D. May.

Edward's work referenced Midwest landscape imagery, bringing to life in it witches and spirits adapted from the Slovakian folk tales he heard growing up in the multi-ethnic neighborhood of Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and Slovenians in Cleveland. A number of his paintings depict winter witches derived from the Slovak custom in the Tatra Mountains of burning an effigy of the winter witch in the early spring to banish the memory of a hard winter. The folk tale element imparts a dream-like quality to many of his paintings. Edward earned a full scholarship to the Cleveland Institute of Art (1938-1942) where he studied with Henry George Keller whose work was included in the 1913 New York Armory Show. In 1940 Marecak also taught at the Museum School of the Cleveland Institute, and later at University of Colorado in Boulder and in the Denver Public School System. His work was featured in many group exhibitions in Colorado, New York, and California, with solo exhibitions in Denver and California.



Surface is rigid with slight convex appearance, else good estate condition. Minor wear to frame.