Happy Autumnal Equinox and Birthday to Auseklis Ozols!

 

Self Portrait. Auseklis Ozols. Oil on Linen, Private collection, Los Angeles

The Autumnal Equinox marks the birthday of Auseklis Ozols. Best known for his dedication to preserving, teaching, and practicing observation based painting techniques associated with American  realism, Ozols shares his birthday with the first official day of Autumn, a rare moment with equal lengths of night and day. We can see a balance of these symbols through his use of composition, light, and subject matter. There is much to consider in this painting-and careful analysis is coming !

For now, let us just express our deepest gratitude for all that AO has shared, created, contributed and taught to so many. Happy Birthday !!

 

Auseklis Ozols Giving a Lecture. In addition to creating the resources from origin research and historical texts for this class, he also created the curriculum and taught all levels of drawing and painting classes.

Dell Weller and Magtillt Van Thiel were the first instructors to join him. The three had similar training, teaching, and methods of practice. 

 

A NOAFA publicity photograph with his original design for the palette.  Photo by AO

 

Hand drawn and painted NOAFA logo by Auseklis Ozols

 

A. Ozols designed and laid out all of the gallery invitations while he was Director. Once computers entered the game, a gallery assistant would put his ideas into the computer. He would often do a drawing by hand for a special event such as this one.

 

The NOAFA lunch table between painting classes during AO’s tenure.

 

Hand Drawn Seal for the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts created by Auseklis Ozols

A toast during a lively and fun lunch at the  kitchen table between classes. 

 

Ozols framing his own work for his last exhibition at Noafa in 2020. 

 

An Academy invitation, hand drawn by Auseklis Ozols, Pen, Ink, and Wash

 

The NOAFA lunch table in the 1980’s with the original restaurant stove. Many shared meals were prepared there. 

 

Signs created by Auseklis Ozols that hung above the entrance to his advanced still life class

 

A tired third generation helper learning the ropes of exhibition installation at AO’s’ 2020 exhibit.

 

A dumpster with the contents of the studios before the 2020 renovation. All of the hand carved painting racks and shelves from AO’s office were destroyed.

 

AO’s, self portrait after the 2020 renovation.

 

Carrying out important family work from the painting racks.

 

Auseklis Ozols, Disciples. Oil on Linen, Private Collection.

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