Elof Wedin
(1901-1983)
Elof Wedin was born in Harmosand, Angermanland, along the fjords of East
Central Sweden in 1901. He immigrated to America in 1919 taking up residence in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Having a talent and passion for art at a young age, he entered night school at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in the early 1920s.
In 1926 Wedin entered the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to study under
Mr. Obertofer. This is also the year Wedin began a history of exhibitions and one-person shows, receiving prizes and awards each and every year until the mid-70s. He received numerous awards from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts annual shows, the Minnesota State Fair Exhibitions, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Swedish-American Clubs of Minneapolis and Chicago, The Women’s Club of Minneapolis, Hudson Walker Gallery of New York City, Walker Art Center of Minneapolis, San Francisco Expo, The First New York American Artist Exhibit, The Los Angeles County Exposition, and two W.P.A. murals.
Wedin’s numerous one-person shows included two at the Hudson Walker Gallery in
New York City; three at the Harriet Hanley Gallery, Minneapolis; Walker Art Center,
Minneapolis; three at Kilbride-Bradley Gallery in Minneapolis; MAA Gallery, Minneapolis; Bethel College, Bjorkman Gallery, Minneapolis; and many others.
He also exhibited at the Rockefeller Center, NYC; San Francisco Worlds Fair,
Swedish Club, Detroit; Swedish Club, Minneapolis; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; U of M; and the Los Angeles County Museum.
Wedin’s work is represented in major private and institutional collections, such as
those of: Walker Art Center, U of M, Mayo Clinic, Swedish Institute, Dr. John Pohl,
Hon. George McKennen, Rev. Richard Hillstrom, The Women’s Club of Minneapolis,
The Daytons, The Webbers, The Doviaks of Albany, and the Smithsonian Institute,
Washington, D.C.
Chronology
1901-1918 Born 28 June, Harmosand, Angermanland, Sweden.
1919-1926 Immigrated to American. Studied at Minneapolis Institute of Art,
Art Institute of Chicago. Entered first art show 1923. Married Lillian G. Westman, October 1926.
1927-1934 THE DEPRESSION YEARS The Public Works Project
(WPA): Itasca Park CCC Camps, two Post Office murals. Moved
to 3512 James Ave. N, Minneapolis. Son Winslow born 1933.
Revisited Sweden. Influences: Rembrandt, The Impressionists
and Modigliani.
1935-1944 THE WINNING DECADE Minnesota State Fair, Shows in New York, Women’s Club, San Francisco, Minneapolis Institute. Numerous Awards. Travels: The North Shore/Lake Superior, the East Coast. Son Gary born 1942. Major influence, Cezanne.
1945-1957 DISCOVERY AND INVENTION Travels: Colorado, Sweden, Norway. Influences: Cubism, Braque, Picasso. Experimentation in textures, free form, pastel colors.
1958-1968 DEVELOPMENT AND RESOLUTION Numerous one -person exhibitions. The Walker Museum Show. Influences: the black waters of Norway, reflections and brighter colors.
1969-1977 THE FINAL BOLD EXPERIMENTS Abstract expressionism and raw colors.
1978-1983 Honors. Declining health.
Source: Biography written by “The Elof Wedin Foundation”, June 1985. | Pigeon Farm, Shakopee 1949
oil on canvas 30 x 24
$1,980
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