About the Artist

My father Stephen J. Lasky was born December 3, 1941. He grew up in Albany, NY and as a young boy exhibited extraordinary talent with painting and drawing. That eventually lead him to study at Pratt University from 1959-1965 in Brooklyn, NY.

After receiving his BFA in Art Education, he continued his education there to receive a masters in Painting. After college he began his lifelong career of teaching art to high school students across several schools in the NYC and Long Island areas, before joining the inaugural staff of John Dewey High School in 1969. He spent his entire teaching career at John Dewey eventually becoming the Assistant Principal of Art and Music. Throughout his career he held a multitude of supervisory positions including the Director of the Brooklyn High School Summer Arts Institute, NYC Summer High School Citywide Supervisor of Art, and supervised a special skills program for high school students at The School Visual Arts in printmaking and illustration.

Throughout his entire lifetime, he never stopped painting and exhibiting his work. Throughout the 1970s-2006 his work was exhibited in numerous places including: 110 Gallery, Pratt Institute, Library of Congress, Domenicos T. Gallery, Washington Square Outdoor Art Show, Brooklyn Heights Esplanade Show, Merrick Country Club, Davidson National Print Show, Carl Shurz Park Association Invitational Show, Gallery 91, Brooklyn Museum, Roko Gallery, Adams State College, Trinity University, Ohio Wesleyan University, National Arts Club, Oklahoma Arts Center, Butler Institute of American Art, Hallmark Cards, Institute of the Arts, SUNY Oneonta, Springfield Public Library, University of Pittsburgh, University of Wisconsin, Prince Street Gallery, Avenue Art Gallery-Cornell University, The Space at Chelsea Market, 37th National Juried Fine Art Show, Northern Colorado Artists Association, Art Show at the Dog Show, Queens College Faculty Show, and Salamagundi Club NYC.

During the late 90s until the end of his life, he rediscovered his passion for painting watercolors. His subject matter focused on his first love of figure painting, but expanded into portraits, still lifes and the occasional landscape. Living in SeaGate, Brooklyn, at the very tip of Coney Island was the perfect location for Lasky to spend his summer days on the beaches and boardwalk painting beach goers, Mermaid Parade characters and unique compositions of figures of all shapes and sizes sunbathing. His technique is incredible, with an eye for detail and a control of the medium that is very rare, indeed. 

Stephen J. Lasky passed away on September 3, 2017. Though he always wanted to, he never got to assemble a comprehensive online digital catalog of his watercolor work. This is a massive project I have taken on with great love and pride. 

The site is dedicated to his memory, his enduring artistic genius and great legacy. 

Jeremy Lasky
sjlaskyart@gmail.com