Urantia Book reader, artist, and professor of art
Gustav was born 01
May 1912 in Srb, Lika, Croatia. He was known as the Father of Acrylics.
His education includes the lst Real Gymnasium, in Zagreb, Croatia, with
a diploma in 1926. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Munich,
Germany, Paris, France, Rome, Italy, and Hague, Netherland from 1930 to
1937 with a specialty in artistic painting. He became a professor at
the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Bavaria, In 1950 he began a two
year commission for Eva Peron, painting murals in all the Argentina
schools. He became a professor at the Chicago Institute of the Fine
Arts. It was during this time in Chicago that he and his wife became
very interested in the Urantia Book. On Jesus' Birthday, 21 August
1962, Mr and Mrs Likan presented a beautiful portrait of Dr. William S
Sadler to the Urantia Brotherhood. In 1963 he painted an “American
Tragedy” depicting the Kennedy family in mourning. In 1969 he moved to
Austin, Texas. His paintings are in museums and galleries throughout
Europe and the Americas. He published an autobiography, The Life and
Times of Gustav Likan, in 1993. He died on 20 Oct 1998 in Austin,
Texas.
Michael Likan, the only son of Gustav Likan assembled this portrait of his father, composed of Gustav Likan's paintings.
In Memoriam
On Sunday, October 18, painter Gustav Likan passed away. Likan was an artist of international reputation, whose career took him from his native Yugoslavia to the Argentina of Eva Peron, for whom he painted murals, to Chicago, where he taught at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and where his lushly colored canvases earned him the title "father of acrylics," to Austin, where he and his wife Barbara moved after hearing it praised by none other than Madalyn Murray O'Hair. (They met during a vacation to Mexico in 1969.) But despite a prominent career outside this area, Likan's impact on the Austin arts scene may be best measured by the 11 years he taught art at Laguna Gloria Art Museum. He served as an influence on hundreds of local artists and art lovers, inspiring them with his love of and flair for bold, vivid hues. Though he left teaching behind almost 20 years ago, Likan continued to paint until the day he died. He spent part of Sunday at work on a canvas in his West Lake Hills home. Cause of death was unknown at press time. Likan was 88 years old.
Michael Likan, the only son of Gustav Likan assembled this portrait of his father, composed of Gustav Likan's paintings.
In Memoriam
On Sunday, October 18, painter Gustav Likan passed away. Likan was an artist of international reputation, whose career took him from his native Yugoslavia to the Argentina of Eva Peron, for whom he painted murals, to Chicago, where he taught at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and where his lushly colored canvases earned him the title "father of acrylics," to Austin, where he and his wife Barbara moved after hearing it praised by none other than Madalyn Murray O'Hair. (They met during a vacation to Mexico in 1969.) But despite a prominent career outside this area, Likan's impact on the Austin arts scene may be best measured by the 11 years he taught art at Laguna Gloria Art Museum. He served as an influence on hundreds of local artists and art lovers, inspiring them with his love of and flair for bold, vivid hues. Though he left teaching behind almost 20 years ago, Likan continued to paint until the day he died. He spent part of Sunday at work on a canvas in his West Lake Hills home. Cause of death was unknown at press time. Likan was 88 years old.
Sources:
* Number: 324-34-8638; Issue State: Illinois; Issue Date: 1956-1958. Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Social Security Administration
* Death Date: 20 Oct 1998 Death County: Travis Gender: Male; Texas Department of Health. Texas Death Indexes, 1903-2000. Austin, TX, USA: Texas Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit
* Who's Who in America. 38th edition, 1974-1975. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1974. (WhoAm 38) Who's Who in American Art. 12th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1976. (WhoAmA 12) Who's Who in American Art. 13th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1978. (WhoAmA 13) Who's Who in American Art. 14th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1980. (WhoAmA 14) Who's Who in American Art. 15th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1982. (WhoAmA 15) Who's Who in American Art. 16th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1984. (WhoAmA 16) Who's Who in American Art. 17th edition. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1986. (WhoAmA 17) Who's Who in American Art. 18th edition, 1989-1990. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1989. (WhoAmA 18) Who's Who in American Art. 19th edition, 1991-1992. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker, 1990. (WhoAmA 19) Who's Who in American Art. 20th edition, 1993-1994. New Providence, NJ: R.R. Bowker, 1993. (WhoAmA 20) Who's Who in American Art(R) (Marquis(TM)). 23rd edition, 1999-2000. New Providence, NJ: Marquis Who's Who, 1999. (WhoAmA 23) Who's Who in the South and Southwest. 13th edition, 1973-1974. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1973. (WhoSSW 13) Who's Who in the South and Southwest. 14th edition, 1975-1976. Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. (WhoSSW 14)
* The Life and Times of Gustav Likan by Gustav Likan, 1993 ISBN: 1880092158
* A Historical Timeline of Urantia Brotherhood, January 1955 - March 1975 by Marian Rowley, Secretary-General Urantia Brotherhood; HD1975SSSS_RowleyM_12.pdf page 5
* Minutes of the Ninth Annual Meeting of the General Council of the Urantia Brotherhood, BN19630127_B_10.pdf page 3.
* Quarterly News Letter from the Executive Committee of the Urantia Brotherhood to the General Council and other interested individuals, 20 October 1962, BO19621020_B_04.pdf page 2-3.