Konstantin Rodko
Encyclopedia
Konstantin Rodko was a Latvia
n painter
who was based in the United States
. Rodko's parents were Belarussian and Estonian. He married his first wife in Latvia and had four children. During World War II
they had lived in Germany until they were able to leave from Bremerhaven
on 19 August 1950 on the USS General Harry Taylor, and arrived in New York
four days later. It was in America his painting talents came to prominence and sold them on the streets of New York. Rodko lived in Brooklyn
with his children and then divorced his first wife and remarried a woman by the name of Kate Dennison. She too was a painter and the couple sold their works alongside each other.
They moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island
, a close neighbor to Glen Cove. There he lived on the second floor of a Russian school. His second wife made many miniature paintings and Rodko painted his best works there. He would sell and give paintings as gifts to his four children. He also loved to play and listen to Russian gypsy music and folk music
, paint Russian scenes and speak Russian
, which is why many thought he was Russian. He was a multi-instrumentalist
, and Kate was a tailor
who loved her cats. She considered the animals as her children (she never had children with Rodko) but she adopted his children from his previous relationship. Rodko had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Toward the end of the 1980s, Rodko moved to Brentwood
, Long Island until Kate died of a stroke in 1984.
Rodko then returned to Glen Cove where he met his third wife in the house she owned, and he rented the upstairs apartment. It was that home in a small basement that his last art studio existed. He became sick and also had a stroke which led to his death in 1995.
Unfortunately, the paintings that he left in the home were sold off and never given to his children but works are in private collection
s with his family. He is survived by two daughters that live in New England
and two sons that live
in Florida
. Many of his grandchildren and great-grand children still live in the New York area.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n 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...
who was based in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Rodko's parents were Belarussian and Estonian. He married his first wife in Latvia and had four children. 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...
they had lived in Germany until they were able to leave from Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
on 19 August 1950 on the USS General Harry Taylor, and arrived in 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...
four days later. It was in America his painting talents came to prominence and sold them on the streets of New York. Rodko lived in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
with his children and then divorced his first wife and remarried a woman by the name of Kate Dennison. She too was a painter and the couple sold their works alongside each other.
They moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, a close neighbor to Glen Cove. There he lived on the second floor of a Russian school. His second wife made many miniature paintings and Rodko painted his best works there. He would sell and give paintings as gifts to his four children. He also loved to play and listen to Russian gypsy music and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, paint Russian scenes and speak Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, which is why many thought he was Russian. He was a multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, and Kate was a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
who loved her cats. She considered the animals as her children (she never had children with Rodko) but she adopted his children from his previous relationship. Rodko had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Toward the end of the 1980s, Rodko moved to Brentwood
Brentwood, New York
Brentwood is a hamlet of the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Brentwood is 53,917.The colony was established on March 21, 1851, on 750 acres of land on Long Island, New York, by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews...
, Long Island until Kate died of a stroke in 1984.
Rodko then returned to Glen Cove where he met his third wife in the house she owned, and he rented the upstairs apartment. It was that home in a small basement that his last art studio existed. He became sick and also had a stroke which led to his death in 1995.
Unfortunately, the paintings that he left in the home were sold off and never given to his children but works are in private collection
Private collection
A private collection is a privately owned collection of works, usually a collection of art. If seen in a museum alongside a work or describing said work, it signifies that piece of art in a museum is not actually owned by that museum, but is on loan from an independent source. This source will...
s with his family. He is survived by two daughters that live in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and two sons that live
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Many of his grandchildren and great-grand children still live in the New York area.