Today we’d like to introduce you to Harry Blitzstein.
Hi Harry, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Born in Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in 1938. Brought up in Boyle Heights, moved to West LA when I was 9. Graduated LA High school, went to UCLA for one year and transferred to Pomona College. After graduation, I went to Claremont Graduate School where I earned a MFA. Offered teaching job in Indiana State but rejected because after all those years of school, it was time to paint. I had 9 wonderful one-man shows in Los Angeles and finally opened up my own gallery on Fairfax Ave. 32 years ago. I have been painting for approximately 70 years and would like to go for another year or two.
At UCLA I fell in love with Vincent Van Gogh, but later my favorite artist became Francisco Goya, Paul Cézanne, and Hieronymus Bosch, and Chaïm Soutine When I paint I love hearing Lennon Cohen, but now all I hear is Bob Dylan. In Spain, I visited the black paintings of Goya. In Italy the sculptures of Michael Angelo. In Czechoslovakia, I toured all the sites where Franz Kafka lived, as he is my favorite writer. In England, I met Francis Bacon, who said that my paintings were to bizarre for him which I took as a compliment. Other artists that I love are: Jean Dubuffet, Alberto Giacometti, Antoni Gaudí and David Park. One of my earliest childhood inspirations was Dr. Seuss. I borrowed McElligot’s Pool from my grammar teacher and copied it all night long until the letters were blurry, as I didn’t dare to ask my parents to buy my book. We didn’t have many books in the house, but now I have an amazing art book collection.
I won a prestigious writing award at Pomona College which then made me waste 10 years of my life proving I wasn’t a writer. To make up for the lost time I started to paint furiously.
The reason I only want to paint a year or so is to complete the materials I have and then I am going to rest my weary bones. Except when I shoot jump shots and travel through Europe.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Too many to mention. Trying to get art shows and trying to sell paintings have been my biggest obstacles.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Mostly have greatly enjoyed working with oil on canvas. But I have also painted on wood, cardboard, and skateboards, I have painted with spray paint, and created many paper collages. For the past 5 years, we have been putting the prints of my work on T-shirts.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My childhood memories are playing sports.
Contact Info:
- Website: bmoashop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harryblitzstein/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harry.blitzstein/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@harryblitzstein
- Other: Blitzstein Museum of Art is located at 428 North Fairfax Avenue, LA, CA 90036
Image Credits
James Mach IG: @afraidoftechnology (Personal photograph + Additional photographs: 5 first photographs + #8) Andrea Blitzstein (all other photographs)
