Paintings By My Father Tadeusz Leski

Many people have known my father as an architect, but he was also an artist especially in
his later years. My fathers recent passing has made me think about what he loved to do and his

influence on me.  

      I remember when I was young he asked me one
day what I wanted to be when I  grow up and I thought for a moment and I said I wanted to be an artist. I think it was because I didn't know what else to be, since art had always been such an important part our lives. I grew up remembering my father always sketching a design for his buildings or projects and being taken to museums. So I never really thought of any other option. My father’s reply to my wanting to be an artist was “well then you must paint and you must paint a lot.” Well being more practical minded, I turned to a more commercial venue and went to school to become a textile designer. But as time passed, my desire to paint haunted me so I started painting remembering my father’s words that I must paint a lot to become an artist. Sadly I still do not have the time to paint as much as I think he meant for me to do.

My father was born in Kielce, Poland, a prisoner of war during World War II. his story is quite interesting as to how he escaped from the prison camp and traveled up to England where he met my mother and later on came here to the USA to work as an architect to design many of the important buildings in New York City in the sixties, only to return later on in life to Poland.  I wonder how the experiences he had during his early life influenced him later on and why he chose to paint the subjects he did.  

Dad never tried to sell his paintings, even though he was quite good. He painted because he loved to and I knew it was pure pleasure for him. A few of his paintings hang on the walls of my house, my sister’s and my children’s and some he gave away to friends.  He used any material he had at hand, sometimes he couldn't get canvasses so he would use a piece of wood to paint on or a board. His paints were also what ever he could find. 
His love for art I am sure was passed down to me. He taught me how to see the beauty in things and encouraged me to paint it.

A few of my fathers oil paintings

 

all images may not be used elsewhere without my consent.

  

To read more about my father click on link below

A book about my father written by my sister Kyna Leski

 

I would also like to share a link  this is a interesting read

 https://medium.com/@kynaleski/genesis-the-chandeliers-of-the-metropolitan-opera-house-2090ee74690e#.u1bpcnl0c