About the Artist

Reynold Weidenaar was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 11/17/1915, and died there on 4/23/1985. He lived most of his life in west Michigan, with brief residencies away in Wisconsin, Kansas City, Missouri and in old Mexico (on a Guggenheim fellowship). There is an archival collection of 900+ states and finals of his intaglio works in the permanent collection of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. That collection (The Betty and Jay Van Andel Archival Collection of Weidenaar Art), additionally includes almost all of the artist's cancelled plates and the press he used to produce prints. Weidenaar enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute and began printmaking in 1939. From a need to work to support himself, Weidenaar worked at a job during the day and made prints on the school's press at night. He seldom was able to attend classes, but the greater benefit afforded by the school was access to a press. He produced a significant small percentage of his total life's work during that one year in Kansas City. He won national awards while still a first year student there. Returning to Michigan, he married, fathered three children and diligently labored at recording his visions. He quickly achieved fame and acclaim. He received a long list of honors and awards and was elected to membership in the National Academy and later was elevated to its highest rank--that of full academician. excerpted from www.AskArt.com