Don Mangus' "It Only Hurts When I Smirk.": Ohio State University

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Friday, October 9, 2015

Fred Machetanz: "Panuck Eskimo Sled Dog"

With Homecoming season upon us, we decided to showcase the artistry of some of our old football program covers. Even better, some of the best were drawn by OSU alumni. One such artist was Fred Machetanz, an OSU alum. Between 1929, when he was still an undergrad, and 1942, Machetanz drew 37 football program covers.

Machetanz was born in Kenton, Ohio, in 1908, and he graduated from OSU with his bachelor’s degree in 1930. He earned a master’s degree in Fine Arts in 1935. He was also a member of Phi Kappa Psi, Scarlet Mask, and University Players.

Immediately after receiving his second degree, Machetanz went to visit his uncle in Alaska for short vacation. He loved the area so much, though, that he became a permanent resident, basing his artwork on the various scenes and people he saw. Shortly after arriving, he began making sketches, and he decided to illustrate a children’s book. He went to publishers in New York, only to be told that they wanted illustrations for a book about sky scrapers—if he wanted to do a book on Alaska, he would have to write it himself. Machetanz ended up publishing “Panuck, Eskimo Sled Dog,” the first of several books published for children about Alaska.

He served in the Navy during World War II, ending his service as a lieutenant commander in the Aleutian intelligence detail. He eventually made his home in Alaska, although he and his wife travelled the “Lower 48” extensively, showing documentaries and lecturing about their home state. Eventually, Machetanz became a full-time painter. He was awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters at Ohio State’s Commencement ceremony in March 1984. He died at the age of 94 in 2002.

Fred Machetanz

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Fred Machetanz: The Ohio State Football Program Covers

Fred Machetanz

The 1929 season introduced the first program cover illustrations by a young Ohio State graduate by the name of Frederick Machetanz, whose varied yet uniformly striking styles were to grace the Buckeye programs for another 13 years. This particular cover was drawn in the famous "fadeaway" style of the popular illustrator Coles Phillips, and if you didn't know better, with the gold and black colors you'd think it was an Iowa program. After World War II Machetanz moved to Alaska, and for more than 50 years became known as one of that state's finest regional artists, still active until just before his passing in 2002.

Fred Machetanz

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Fred Machetanz Lithographs

The 50 Stone Lithographs of Fred Machetanz (ISBN 0941728005)

Fred Machetanz made 50 stone lithographs between 1946 and 1980, each in editions of 100. Many of those same prints now sell for well over $5,000 each. In 1982, all 50 of these beautiful designs were compiled into this 101-page book, which was published in a limited edition of only 950 copies.

Each lithographic image is accompanied by a written description which was written by the artist's wife, Sarah. Each book is also hand-signed by artist Fred Machetanz and is individually numbered. It is extremely rare for a book of such high quality to be published in such a small limited edition-- just like his limited edition prints, it was intended to become valuable.

Originally published by Mill Pond Press of Venice, Florida in 1982.

To collect all 50 of the original full-size prints (of which only 100 were made and sold from 1946 to 1980) it would likely cost six figures.

Fred Machetanz (1905-2002)

The dramatic colors of Alaska are the colors of Machetanz's palette: the pinks

and golds of the northern sunlight, the blues and greens of snow and ice, the grays and creams of polar bear fur. Machetanz credited his classic transparent oil technique with capturing Alaska's kaleidoscope of color.

Fred Machetanz painted portraits of an Alaska in what he called its romantic period, between the gold rush and the oil boom. He chronicled the traditional Eskimo lifestyle- now rapidly changing but not as yet vanished -- and the constantly changing resplendency of the Alaskan landscape.

One of Alaska's preeminent artists, during his lifetime Machetanz traveled a long trail from his first one-man show in 1961. His paintings and stone lithographs have been exhibited around the world, including in numerous permanent collections and have been published in several books. His awards ranged from 1977 Alaskan of the Year and a seat in the Alaska Press Club Hall of Fame to three honorary doctorates, including one in humane letters from Ohio State University, his alma mater.

Machetanz pictured the Alaska he first encountered in the village of Unalakleet; it was here that he first established a bond with the land and its people that lasted nearly 50 years. As the patterns of light and dark and the luminous effects of his glazing techniques are the trademarks of a Machetanz oil painting, the spirit of Machetanz is the trademark of Alaska. He once said, "If anyone viewing my work has felt the beauty, the thrill and the fascination I have known in Alaska, then I have succeeded in what I set out to do."

Fred Machetanz