Laurence Rathsack Art

Painter and Educator, Laurence Rathsack was born and raised in Milwaukee. He studied under Alfred Pelikan while in high school. One of Rathsack’s block prints, River Bridge, can be seen in the book, Milwaukee Senior High School Block Prints. His art mentors at college were Robert Von Neumann and Howard Thomas. Before becoming a Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1956, Rathsack taught in high schools, the University of Saskatchewan, and privately. When commenting on his amazing teaching career from 1956–88, Rathsack called himself "a string, a conduit, from the mid-30s to the present. I came from a poor background and felt comfortable at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an urban institution that is not one of those prestigious universities that call students of wealth.” Rathsack’s generosity and personal grace towards students led to a scholarship honoring him. The scholarship promotes excellence in drawing and painting. Known for his provocative experimentation in the watercolor medium, he was president of Wisconsin Watercolor Society. Rathsack was also the president of Wisconsin Painters & Sculptors (1960–61).