Frank Gervasi was born in Palermo, Sicily, and immigrated to New York at the age of 13 in 1908. His art career was interrupted by World War I, in which he lost his right arm at the Battle of Somme in France. He overcame this adversity and inspired other wounded veterans when he learned to paint with his left arm. He studied at the Art Students League in New York with important artists such as Robert Henri and George Luks, and was elected a member of the National Academy of Design (hence the initials N.A. after his signature) in 1956. In 1960 he relocated to Marfa, Texas, to complete a mural commission. He remained in Marfa, painting landscapes in Texas and New Mexico, until his death at the age of 91. His paintings are in museum collections in Minnesota, Colorado, and Texas, and he is listed as a a well-sold artist in auction directories including ArtPrice and AskArt.

The artist lived in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York for a number of years and later in Tudor City in Manhattan. He painted in oil the mountains of the Catskills, the Adirondaks, the skyscraper canyons of the city, still life and watercolor pieces. In l955 the "New York Times" featured a story and photograph of his painting, "Fire Escape."

Gervasi was a member of National Academy of Design, Allied Artists of America and American Watercolor Society. Salamagundi Club and Audubon Artists.

 

Frank Gervasi, NA (1895-1986)

 Blue Hill Bay Gallery   11 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill, Maine 04614