Celebrating Larry Basky: A Lifetime of Paintings

The Plymouth Arts Center will present a commemorative art show featuring the artwork of the late Larry Basky. The show is entitled “Celebrating LARRY BASKY….A Lifetime of Paintings & Prints from Wisconsin to Maine and Beyond.” The public is invited to attend the opening reception on Friday, March 10 from 5-7pm. Live musical entertainment will be provided courtesy of pianists, Marlene Wondergem from 5 to 6 pm and Brittany Seifert from 6 to 7:00 pm. Larry’s paintings and hand-pulled prints will be on display in Gallery 110 North. All of the work will be for sale and many pieces will be featured in a silent auction, which will run through April 2nd with bidding closing at 2:00pm. The exhibition runs through April 28, 2023. Art sale proceeds will benefit The ALS Association of Wisconsin, Aurora at Home Hospice (Sheboygan,) and the Plymouth Arts Center. The show is generously underwritten by Dan and Barb Garton, Paul and Kathy Sartori, and Sargento.

Larry was recognized nationally as one of the foremost printmakers of our time. He was a native Midwesterner having begun his career teaching art, coaching football, and creating his own art in Kansas and Colorado. Larry graduated from Marquette High School and earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Pittsburg State University and a Masters of Art from Adams State University. He was a teacher, football coach, and artist both in Wichita, KS and Alamosa, CO. In 2000 he started a National Small Print Show (NSPS) in Creede, CO. This juried art show of matted hand-pulled prints attracts artists from all over the country and is still going strong today. Larry and his family returned to the Midwest in 2002 and settled in Plymouth where he opened Basky Gallery and Studio. Later on, after closing his commercial gallery, he continued to work from his home studio in Plymouth, employing new techniques and creating inspired works of art. Serigraphs, monotypes, woodcuts, oil paintings, mixed media, watercolor sketches and etchings are representative of the many forms of art he created.

Known to many as a “Renaissance Man,” Larry lived life passionately and prolifically. Inspired by the great outdoors, he blessed us with his engaging works of art and tales of his lifetime of adventure. He enjoyed canoeing, fishing, cooking, reading, sports, and music. As a mentor, Larry left a lasting impression on many aspiring artists and athletes, including the Plymouth Arts Center, where he served for many years as a respected member of the Visual Arts Team.

A quote from Larry’s Artist Statement: “I have been printing and painting for over fifty years and am still fascinated with the processes and the products. My subject matter varies with the message or personal feelings I am trying to communicate. At one time in my life, I thought that one of the most important aspects of art was the geographic location where one lived. This, I am sure, was because I do landscapes. After traveling the country for a number of years, I find that it is more what is inside a person rather than what is visually outside. A beautiful composition can be a square foot and could represent subject matter from California to Maine; it’s all in the eyes of its creator.”

Gallery 110 North is located in the Plymouth Arts Center, 520 E. Mill Street in historic downtown Plymouth. Regular PAC hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10am to 4pm. Admission to Gallery 110 North is always free thanks in part to generous sponsors. Tour and school groups are welcome! Visit the Plymouth Arts Center Gift Shop for fine art and gifts created by our member artists. For more information contact the Plymouth Arts Center, 920-892-8409 or visit us at www.plymoutharts.org; follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.