LEO SEGEDIN

1927, Chicago

Leo received his BFA (1948) and MFA (1950) from the University of Illinois. He has taught at the University of Illinois (assistantship, 1948-50), U.S. Army Engineers (drafting, 1952-54) and at Northeastern Illinois University (1955-87). He has also taught at the Horwich JCC and the Evanston Art Center. He is Art Professor Emeritus at Northeastern Illinois University. He retired in 1987 after teaching there for 32 years.

Throughout his life, and with the assistance of his dedicated wife Jan, Leo has organized monthly cultural events - discussions, lectures and full-blown theatrical productions for his community of friends.

Mr. Segedin has been an exhibiting artist since 1947, his works having been shown at museums including the Art Institute of Chicago (the 60th Annual National Exhibition, among others) the Corcoran Art Gallery in Washington, D.C. and the Milwaukee Art Institute. Since retiring, in 1994, he has enjoyed a major exhibition in the Renaissance Court of the Chicago Cultural Center called ‘I Remember’, a retrospective of paintings on Chicago themes done since 1947. He has exhibited with a group called the ‘5’ at the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, the Loyola University Art Gallery, the Ukranian Institute of Fine Art and Suburban Fine Art Center in Highland Park. In 2000, he was included in a group show at the Muskegon Museum of Art called ‘Moments of Grace: New Regional Painting’. Also, during 2000, he had a one man show at the University Club of Chicago. In 2001, he participated in ‘Survey 2001’ at the Byron Roche Gallery. He was represented at ‘Chicago 2002’, the international show at Navy Pier. In 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2009, he had one-man shows at the Byron Roche Gallery. In 2010, Mr. Segedin was featured in a major retrospective at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. He has had 17 one-man shows and has won awards at several museums including the Art Institute. His work is included in Harvest of Freedom: A Survey of Jewish Artists in America (1989) by Louise Dunn Yochim.

LEO SEGEDIN ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

Transcripts of Segedin Interviews, conducted by Richard Cahan

Krimstein: Octogenarian Hipsters (PDF - New Window)

View a WTTW/PBS Video on Leo Segedin