Notable people · Artist · Painter · Alaska
Fred Machetanz
Born in Kenton, Machetanz became one of Alaska's best-loved painters, known for luminous Arctic scenes. He first went north in 1935 and settled near Palmer in 1951.
At a glance
- Born
- 1908
- Died
- 2002
- Education
- Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL
- Art Students League, New York, NY
- Known as
- Artist, Painter, Alaska
- Organizations
- US Navy
Life story
Fred Machetanz was born in Kenton in 1908. He studied at Ohio State, the American Academy of Art in Chicago and the Art Students League in New York.
In 1935 he first visited Alaska, staying with an uncle who ran a trading post at Unalakleet, and over two years built a portfolio of Arctic scenes. He served in the Navy in intelligence from 1942 to 1945, rising to lieutenant commander.
He married writer Sara Dunn in 1947 and settled near Palmer, Alaska, in 1951. He painted in thin oil glazes over a blue underpainting, which gave his scenes a cool glow, and made fifty stone lithographs. A one-man show in 1962 broke his career open.
Alaska named him Alaskan of the Year in 1977; he was American Artist of the Year in 1981 and received honorary doctorates from the University of Alaska and Ohio State. An elementary school in Wasilla is named for the Machetanzes. He died in 2002.
Timeline
- 1908: Born (Kenton, OH) source
- 1935: First travels to Alaska (Unalakleet, AK) source
- 1942: Begins Navy service (to 1945) source
- 1947: Marries Sara Dunn source
- 1951: Settles near Palmer (Palmer, AK) source
- 1962: Career breakthrough after a one-man show source
- 1977: Named Alaskan of the Year source
- 1981: Named American Artist of the Year source
- 2002: Dies source
What Fred is known for
- Alaskan of the Year (1977)
- American Artist of the Year (1981)
- Fifty stone lithographs
- Fifty stone lithographs
- Arctic paintings
Honors and things named for them
- Alaskan of the Year (1977)
- American Artist of the Year (1981)
- Honorary doctorates, University of Alaska and Ohio State
- Machetanz Elementary, Wasilla
Family
- wife: Sara Dunn Machetanz
- son: Traeger (b. 1959)
Ohio places
Where Fred Machetanz was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Kenton, Hardin County ZIP 43326 · Kenton · Hardin County
- School: Columbus, Franklin County ZIP 43210 · Columbus · Franklin County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: Fred Machetanz birth in Kenton, education, Alaska career, honors