John "Jack" Savitsky (Coal Miner Jack) was born in 1910
in Silver Creek Pennsylvania and lived in Lansford. He
documented the life and hardships of the Pennsylvania coal
miner through his sharp and colorful paintings. When the
mine closed in 1959 and Jack was out of work, his son
suggested that his father take up painting and Savitsky
thought, "What the hell, why not?". At first he thought of
it as recreation but soon realized that there was more to
it. Jack Savitsky paints the Pennsylvania coal country, its
mines, its miners, and the surrounding landscape. He is the
only folk artist who has illustrated the miners workplace.
His paintings are stunning in their impact, getting to the
core of the drudgery and difficulties of the miners daily
life. Savitsky also painted religiously motivated pictures,
peaceable kingdoms, Adam and Eve and Uncle Sam. The artist
painted on canvas board and masonite with oils and acrylics;
drew on paper, cardboard and box tops with colored pencils,
pens and pastels. Savitskys works are in a number of museum
collections, including that of the Museum of American Folk
Art and the Birmingham Museum of Art. Jack Savitsky passed
away in 1991.
Coal Miner Jack 13 x 14 framed $350 crayon dated 1991 Peace 12 x 9 matted to 16 x 12 $450 pencil and pen on paper dated 1981 Adam and Eve in the Garden #1 20 x 12 framed $7,000 oil on board from the Sterling Strausser Collection Woman with Pail 4 x 9 unframed $275 crayon dated 1986 Adam and Eve in the Garden #2 9 x 12 matted to 12 x 16 $450 pencil on paper c. 1960 Dazie 13 x 14 framed $400 crayon dated 1991 SOLD Pussy Cat 16 x 20 framed $2,400 oil on board dated 1977 Woman in Flowers 4 x 9 unframed $275 ink and crayon dated 1987 Girl in Flower Hat 13 x 14 framed $350 crayon dated 1989 Jill 10 x 13 framed $350 crayon dated 1989 Coal Miner 10 x 13 framed $350 crayon dated 1989 SOLD Young Coal Miner 9 x 11 framed $400 colored pencil dated 1985 Sleeping Beauty 18 x 24 framed $1,800 charcoal Miss Rose Garden 12 x 9 matted to 16 x 12 $425 pastel on paper dated 1987 Angel 18 x 14 framed $1,000 pastels dated 1987 Eva 9 x 12 framed pencil and pen on paper dated 1982 $450 Reading Railroad 12 x 9 matted to 16 x 12 pencil and pen on paper c. 1970's $450
