Esther Rolick

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Esther Rolick

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'''Esther Rolick''' (1922–2008) was an American painter born in Rochester, New York, on October 9, 1922. She studied at the Art Students League and was represented by Jacques Seligmann Galleries in New York in the early 1950's. She was a fellow at [[Yaddo]] and the [[MacDowell Colony]], and her exhibition credits range from the Whitney Museum of American Art to Le Centre D'Art in Haiti. Rolick traveled and painted extensively, especially in Bogota, Colombia, Rome, and Tahiti. She is listed in Who Was Who in American Art, and her papers are in the Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution.
'''Esther Rolick''' (1922–2008) was an American painter born in Rochester, New York, on October 9, 1922. She studied at the Art Students League and was represented by Jacques Seligmann Galleries in New York in the early 1950's. She was a fellow at [[Yaddo]] and the [[MacDowell Colony]], and her exhibition credits range from the Whitney Museum of American Art to Le Centre D'Art in Haiti. Rolick traveled and painted extensively, especially in Bogota, Colombia, Rome, and Tahiti. She is listed in Who Was Who in American Art, and her papers are in the [[Archives of American Art]] of the Smithsonian Institution.


She was known for her style which was considered to be both [[Expressionism|expressionist]] and [[Neo-romanticism|neo-romantic]]. In some of her works she painted with what one critic called "meticulous realism" but was better known for works incorporating fantastic elements. Her most prolific periods centered around dream-scapes of fantasy plants, flowers, and peaceful and friendly wildlife. She was one of the few female artists in the avante-gard movement of the late 1940s and 1950s. She taught college classes for many years and achieved recognition for taking innovative approaches.
She was known for her style which was considered to be both [[Expressionism|expressionist]] and [[Neo-romanticism|neo-romantic]]. In some of her works she painted with what one critic called "meticulous realism" but was better known for works incorporating fantastic elements. Her most prolific periods centered around dream-scapes of fantasy plants, flowers, and peaceful and friendly wildlife. She was one of the few female artists in the avante-gard movement of the late 1940s and 1950s. She taught college classes for many years and achieved recognition for taking innovative approaches.
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==Early life and training==
==Early life and training==


Rolick attended public schools in [[Rochester, New York]] and graduated from the city's Washington High School in 1940. She took art classes while in school and also studied under the sculptor [[William Ernst Ehrich|William Ehrich]] in Rochester's [[Memorial Art Gallery]]. In 1941, a local newspaper printed a photo of Rolick with a sculpted figure called "The Refugee", a piece that was to appear in a student exhibition in the gallery of Rochester's [[Rundel Memorial Library]]. She traveled to New York City in the early 1940s to study under the American [[expressionism|expressionist]] artist, [[Harry Sternberg]], and others at the [[Art Students League of New York|Art Students League]]. In 1945 and 1946 and again in 1953, [[Yaddo]], the philanthropically supported artists' community in Saratoga Springs, New York, accepted her applications for its weeks-long residencies. In 1948, she was able to travel and study in Europe for the first time, possibly with financial support from the actress Hildegarde Watson. In 1947 and 1952, she received fellowship awards to work at the [[MacDowell (artists' residency and workshop)|MacDowell Colony]] in Peterborough, New Hampshire. In 1954, she received a fellowship from the [[Huntington Hartford#Patronage of the arts|Huntington Hartford Foundation]] to work at an estate in Pacific Palisades, California.
Rolick attended public schools in [[Rochester, New York]] and graduated from the city's Washington High School in 1940. She took art classes while in school and also studied under the sculptor [[William Ernst Ehrich|William Ehrich]] in Rochester's [[Memorial Art Gallery]]. In 1941, a local newspaper printed a photo of Rolick with a sculpted figure called "The Refugee", a piece that was to appear in a student exhibition in the gallery of Rochester's [[Rundel Memorial Library]]. She traveled to New York City in the early 1940s to study under the American [[expressionism|expressionist]] artist, [[Harry Sternberg]], and others at the [[Art Students League of New York|Art Students League]]. In 1945 and 1946 and again in 1953, [[Yaddo]], the philanthropically supported artists' community in [[Saratoga Springs, New York]], accepted her applications for its weeks-long residencies. In 1948, she was able to travel and study in Europe for the first time, possibly with financial support from the actress Hildegarde Watson. In 1947 and 1952, she received fellowship awards to work at the [[MacDowell (artists' residency and workshop)|MacDowell Colony]] in Peterborough, New Hampshire. In 1954, she received a fellowship from the [[Huntington Hartford#Patronage of the arts|Huntington Hartford Foundation]] to work at an estate in Pacific Palisades, California.


==Career in art==
==Career in art==
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==Art teacher==
==Art teacher==


In the mid-1960s, Rolick began to teach at [[Mercy College (New York)|Mercy College]]. The school was founded in 1950 by the [[Sisters of Mercy]] religious order. Originally located in [[Tarrytown, New York]] as a school for women called Mercy Junior College, it moved to nearby [[Dobbs Ferry, New York|Dobbs Ferry]] in 1961 and, now known as Mercy College, became a four-year school. In 1968 it received accreditation and subsequently became independent, nonsectarian, and coeducational. Having joined the faculty at about the time the school expanded its curriculum and moved to Dobbs Ferry, she was an assistant professor of fine arts by 1970. By 1979, her course load included drawing, multi-media, and art appreciation. During the roughly two decades that she taught there, she helped develop several innovative programs including a class on "Black Music and Art" of 1970–71 in which she interviewed prominent members of the [[Harlem]] music and art communities.{{refn|group=note|Interviewees included [[Charles Alston]]; [[Benny Andrews]]; [[Romare Bearden]]; W. Joseph Black of the Harlem Music Center; [[Robert Blackburn (artist)|Robert Blackburn]]; [[Valerie Capers]]; [[Roy DeCarava]]; Allen Fannin, a hand spinner, weaver, and entrepreneur; Dorothy Fannin, his wife; [[Alvin Hollingsworth]]; [[Jean Hutson]]; [[Jacob Lawrence]]; [[Norman Lewis (artist)|Norman Lewis]]; [[John Rhoden]]; Edward S. Spriggs, director of the Harlem Studio Museum; [[Hale Woodruff]]
In the mid-1960s, Rolick began to teach at [[Mercy College (New York)|Mercy College]]. The school was founded in 1950 by the [[Sisters of Mercy]] religious order. Originally located in [[Tarrytown, New York]] as a school for women called Mercy Junior College, it moved to nearby [[Dobbs Ferry, New York|Dobbs Ferry]] in 1961 and, now known as Mercy College, became a four-year school. In 1968 it received accreditation and subsequently became independent, nonsectarian, and [[Mixed-sex education|coeducational]]. Having joined the faculty at about the time the school expanded its curriculum and moved to Dobbs Ferry, she was an assistant professor of fine arts by 1970. By 1979, her course load included drawing, multi-media, and art appreciation. During the roughly two decades that she taught there, she helped develop several innovative programs including a class on "Black Music and Art" of 1970–71 in which she interviewed prominent members of the [[Harlem]] music and art communities.{{refn|group=note|Interviewees included [[Charles Alston]]; [[Benny Andrews]]; [[Romare Bearden]]; W. Joseph Black of the Harlem Music Center; [[Robert Blackburn (artist)|Robert Blackburn]]; [[Valerie Capers]]; [[Roy DeCarava]]; Allen Fannin, a hand spinner, weaver, and entrepreneur; Dorothy Fannin, his wife; [[Alvin Hollingsworth]]; [[Jean Hutson]]; [[Jacob Lawrence]]; [[Norman Lewis (artist)|Norman Lewis]]; [[John Rhoden]]; Edward S. Spriggs, director of the Harlem Studio Museum; [[Hale Woodruff]]
and artists affiliated with the Cinque Gallery of Harlem, the [[Weusi Artist Collective]], and the [[Spiral (arts alliance)|Spiral]] arts alliance. }} Mercy College had a reputation of innovative programming, including evening and weekend classes. As one component of this innovation, Rolick joined with a member of the music department in 1979 to teach classes that began at 1:30 in the morning.
and artists affiliated with the Cinque Gallery of Harlem, the [[Weusi Artist Collective]], and the [[Spiral (arts alliance)|Spiral]] arts alliance. }} Mercy College had a reputation of innovative programming, including evening and weekend classes. As one component of this innovation, Rolick joined with a member of the music department in 1979 to teach classes that began at 1:30 in the morning.


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