Arthur Kraft
Encyclopedia
Arthur M. Kraft was an American
painter
, sculptor and muralist. A native of Kansas City
, Kraft was a member of the expressionist movement.
Kraft continued to pursue the arts at the Kansas City Art Institute
and later at Yale University
’s School of Fine Arts. After serving in the Army
during World War II
, he returned to Yale
to finish his degree. In 1946 after winning the Audubon Artist Society national painting award Kraft was propelled onto the national scene. Highly regarded in the artistic community, his art was exhibited in one-man showings at the Salon de Jean Cocteau, Paris
, Jacques Seligmann & Company
, New York
, and the Landau Galleries, Los Angeles
. Kraft’s work was also installed in several locations across the United States
.
In 1958 Kraft illustrated his long time friend Lon Amick’s widely acclaimed book “The Divine Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Understanding.”
One of Kraft's best known works is the Court of the Penguins displayed at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza
. The five-foot bronze sculptures were reproduced in 1979 from miniatures that originally stood three to four inches tall. Kraft also designed a mosaic for the downtown Kansas City Public Library
. The mural features a bold lion, a polar bear, a giraffe and several penguins and exemplifies his trademark use of color. Kraft's sculpture of three figures, entitled "Family," was dedicated at the Commerce Building in 1961, and was re-installed at the Executive Plaza Office Building at 720 Main in 1989.
Kraft spent most of his life in Kansas City and continued to make art, even during his long bout with cancer
. His final work was a mural for the waiting room of the Veteran's Hospital in Topeka, which he finished just before he died.
Since his death Kraft’s legacy has continued to play a large role in the life of artists, especially those in Kansas City. In 2007 Betty Brand established the “Arthur Kraft Memorial Scholarship for the Visual Arts” with the Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City)
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, sculptor and muralist. A native of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Kraft was a member of the expressionist movement.
Biography
Arthur Kraft’s formal art training started with Saturday-morning classes at the Nelson Gallery of Art and by the age of 13 he was selling his work at local art fairs. Upon graduating from Southwest High SchoolSouthwest Early College Campus
Southwest Early College Campus or Southwest or SWECC is a university preparatory middle school and high school campus located at 6512 Wornall Road in Kansas City, Missouri, 64113, United States. It is part of the Kansas City, Missouri School District.-School Background:Southwest Early College...
Kraft continued to pursue the arts at the Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City Art Institute
The Kansas City Art Institute is a private, independent, four-year college of fine arts and design founded in 1885 in Kansas City, Missouri....
and later at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
’s School of Fine Arts. After serving in the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he returned to Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
to finish his degree. In 1946 after winning the Audubon Artist Society national painting award Kraft was propelled onto the national scene. Highly regarded in the artistic community, his art was exhibited in one-man showings at the Salon de Jean Cocteau, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Jacques Seligmann & Company
Jacques Seligmann & Company
Jacques Seligmann & Co. was a French and American art dealer and gallery specializing in decorative art and antiques. It is considered one of the foremost dealers and galleries in fostering appreciation for the collecting of contemporary European art. Many pieces purchased through Jacques Seligmann...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and the Landau Galleries, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Kraft’s work was also installed in several locations across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1958 Kraft illustrated his long time friend Lon Amick’s widely acclaimed book “The Divine Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Understanding.”
One of Kraft's best known works is the Court of the Penguins displayed at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza
Country Club Plaza
The Country Club Plaza is an upscale shopping district and residential neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. It was the first shopping center in the world designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile...
. The five-foot bronze sculptures were reproduced in 1979 from miniatures that originally stood three to four inches tall. Kraft also designed a mosaic for the downtown Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City Public Library
The Kansas City Public Library is a public system headquartered in the Central Library in Kansas City, Missouri.The system operates its Central Branch and neighborhood branches located in Kansas City, Independence, and Sugar Creek...
. The mural features a bold lion, a polar bear, a giraffe and several penguins and exemplifies his trademark use of color. Kraft's sculpture of three figures, entitled "Family," was dedicated at the Commerce Building in 1961, and was re-installed at the Executive Plaza Office Building at 720 Main in 1989.
Kraft spent most of his life in Kansas City and continued to make art, even during his long bout with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. His final work was a mural for the waiting room of the Veteran's Hospital in Topeka, which he finished just before he died.
Since his death Kraft’s legacy has continued to play a large role in the life of artists, especially those in Kansas City. In 2007 Betty Brand established the “Arthur Kraft Memorial Scholarship for the Visual Arts” with the Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City)
Metropolitan Community College (Kansas City)
Metropolitan Community College is a community college system in Missouri, United States. The system consists of five separate campuses located in Kansas City, Independence, and Lee's Summit. The five campuses have a total enrollment of over 21,000 students per semester...
.
Sources and references
- "Kansas City Artist, Arthur Kraft, Dies". The Kansas City Times, September 29, 1977.
- "Ambassador's walls reveal a mural, a mystery". The Kansas City Star, June 29, 1983.
- "Chic Piece". Star Magazine. December 2, 1979.
- "Arthur Kraft's Mural". The Kansas City Times. April 8, 1989.
- Lon G. Amick, 1956, 1968. "The Divine Journey: A Guide to Spiritual Understanding" http://www.divinejourneyguide.com
- Susan Jezak Ford, 1999. "Biography of Arthur M. Kraft, 1922 - 1977" http://www.kclibrary.org/localhistory/media.cfm?mediaID=34845
- US Junior Chamber Ten Outstanding Young Americans (1954)http://www.usjaycees.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18&Itemid=100051