Thomas “Tom” Richard Olenchak (1907-1992) [RA 1947]
American Naturalist animal, landscape & portrait painter, illustrator & teacher ;
Tom Olenchak ; Thos Olenchak ; T. Richard Olenchak ; Thomas R. Olenchak ; Tom R. Olenchak ;
[Born March 22, 1907 in Scranton, PA – died December 3, 1992 in Boston, MA]

SAL record control number: 68087 ;

Record level: Person ;

Record type: Artist ;

Biography:

Birth: March 22, 1907 in Scranton, PA ;
Death: December 3, 1992 in Boston, MA ;
Sex: Male ;
Ethnicity: White ; 
Zodiac: Aries ;

Known for: Animal paintings ; Boat and marine paintings ;
Medium: Oil ; watercolor ;
Technique: Painting ; drawing ;
Subjects: Horses ; animals ; deer ; harbor ; ships ; marine ; waterscapes ; landscape ; farming ; rural ; cowboys ; portraits ; still-life ; New Jersey countryside ; people on the subway ;

Areas: Scranton, PA (1907, 1930, 1932, 1980-1983) ; New York, NY (1940-1947) ; Mahwah, NJ (1955-1959) ; Boston, MA (1992) ; Mexico ; Canada ;
Region: North East ;
Lived: Scranton, PA (1907, 1930, 1980-1983) ; New York, NY ; 14 Riverview Avenue, Mahwah, NJ (1959) ; Boston, MA ;
Father: Andrew Olenchak (?-?) ;
Mother: Stella Olenchak (?-?) ;
Relatives: Edward Olenchak (?-?), brother ; Joseph Olenchak (?-?), brother ;
Spouse: Delorma (Solinsky) Olenchak (1912-1967), wife, married September 26, 1936 in Manhattan, New York, NY ;
Children: Linda Olenchak (?-?), daughter ;

Training: Scranton Technical High School, Scranton, PA ; National Academy of Design, New York, NY ; Art Students’ League of New York, New York, NY ;
Instructors:
Work: October 14, 1940 in New York, NY, entered Navy for WWII ; Listed as sales ; Listed in 1932 as sign painter ; taught art (1980-1982), Scranton, PA ; Illustrated greeting cards for Norcross Greeting Card company, New York, NY (1959) where he was assigned to paint for “male greeting cards” and illustrate game, birds, dogs, and landscape themes ;

Taught: Mahwah Township Committee, Mahwah, NJ (1956-1957) ; In Scranton, PA (1980-1983) ;
Students:

Member: Ridgewood Art Association, Ridgewood, NJ, member ; Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, resident artist member (1947-1992), Entertainment (Programming) Committee (1948, 1958) would sing and play music for the club ; American Water Color Society, New York, NY, member ; Everhart Museum Association, Scranton, PA, member ; Fyke Nature Association, Ramsey, NJ, member ;
Exhibited with: Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science and Art, Scranton, PA, solo show (1982) ; Colorado Springs, CO ; New York, NY ; Woman’s Club of Mahwah, Mahwah, NJ, donates a painting a year (ca.1960) ;
Awards: Salmagundi Club, New York, NY, Vezin-James Purchase Prize, $150 USD (1947) ;

Milestones: Considered himself a “Semi-impressionist” ;

Notes: As a child would dissect dead animals, was interested in becoming a surgeon, liked taxidermy ; Would draw horses from age five until he died ; Was a Boy’s Scout, Scranton, PA ;