John A. Wedda (American, 1911-2014), Still Life with Masks

Oil on board, 1978, signed and dated at lower left, presented in a period frame.

Board 24 x 18 in.; Frame dimensions 29 1/2 x 23 1/2 in.

John A. Wedda was an American artist and designer known for his work in fine arts, graphic design, and Japanese-style garden design. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 4, 1911, he grew up in Chicago and lived in Detroit, New York, Rochester, Tehran, and Salisbury, Connecticut, before moving to Pinehurst, North Carolina, in 1984.

His artwork was exhibited at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Whitney Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Wedda taught at Pratt Institute and the Workshop School and received numerous awards for his work.

During World War II, he served as Chief of Graphics for the London Office of War Information. In the 1950s, he worked for the U.S. State Department as Publications Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Later, while living in Connecticut, he served three terms as Selectman for the Town of Salisbury.

Wedda also designed Japanese-style gardens in the Pinehurst and Southern Pines area and authored several books, including New England Worships and Gardens of the American South.

Good estate condition.