Joseph Plavcan: The Making of an Artist, Part II

Harbor Master’s Shed | Acrylic on Panel | 1966 | Museum Collection

September 25th, 2024 - TBD

Nicholas Gallery

Joseph Plavcan (1908–1981) is one of Erie, Pennsylvania's most celebrated artists and art educators. He painted from life, capturing the people and places of his community. This exhibition explores how mentorship impacted Plavcan’s work as a student and a teacher, focusing on his connections with his Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) professors and colleagues.

As the second chapter of a three-part retrospective, the works on display highlight Plavcan’s stylistic transitions throughout his 50-year career. It begins with landscapes he painted during his time at PAFA that reflect the influence of his teacher, Pennsylvania Impressionist Daniel Garber (1880–1958). As a result of his studies with Garber, in 1929 Plavcan received the Cresson Traveling Scholarship to study throughout Europe. This exposed him to the processes and methods of a range of painters, including “the painter of light,” Joseph William Mallard Turner, and his land and seascapes.

After returning to Erie in 1931, Plavcan continued his robust painting practice and taught art at Erie Technical High School for nearly 40 years. He was constantly involved in learning through observation, insisting his students draw from life. His fascination with the act of perception inspired generations of students to pursue their own artistic careers. Among them was Richard Anuszkiewicz, whose op art paintings and prints also influenced Plavcan’s bold color and geometric landscapes of the 1960s and 70s. This exchange is symbolic of the mentorship and reciprocal learning among artists who shared the overlapping roles of teacher, student, and peer.

Friendly Tavern | Acrylic on Panel | 1965 | Museum Collection

Acknowledgements

In 2022, local collector Martin Farrell loaned a large body of recently rediscovered student work by Joseph Plavcan to the Erie Art Museum for study. This became the spark for this three-part retrospective, the first major showing of Plavcan’s work since 2008. The exhibition would not be possible without the generosity and enthusiasm of Plavcan collectors, both in Erie and farther afield. We would like to thank Lisa Plavcan Drumm of Akron, Ohio for the loan of many of her father’s works. Other lenders include Gary Cacchione, Roger and Nedra Richards, the Messrs. Falcone, Patricia McCormick Loubeau, Jim and Carolyn Halladay, and Erie Insurance. We also thank those lenders who wished to remain anonymous. The Erie County Public Library and The Hagen History Center have graciously shared their collections and knowledge. The expertise and connections of gallerist and Plavcan enthusiast Steve Wood proved invaluable in bringing many of these pieces to light and interpreting them. EAM Collections Intern Lauren Stroupe provided vital help with research, writing, and curation. Finally, thanks to Erie Art Museum staff, board, donors, and members for supporting the mission and making exhibitions like this possible.

Generous support for this project is provided by Art Bridges. Art Bridges works with museums of all sizes to create and support art programs that educate, inspire, and deepen engagement with local audiences.

Sky Above, Earth Below | Acrylic on Panel | Museum Collection