Kestutis Kizevicius

Kestutis (Kesty) Kizevicius was a painter and printmaker born in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents emigrated from Lithuania, and Kesty was exposed to an active Lithuanian culture in his childhood home. Kizevicius received a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and his MFA in printmaking from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He then further explored the world with several trips, domestic and abroad, that profoundly influenced his art. He described his interests and inspirations ranging from a variety of different muses “from Hunter Thomson, films of Cocteau and the New Wave to World War II.” He seems to be have been especially moved by World War II as he said in an autobiography there are several aspects that interested him, “I am interested in the way that reality and normalcy were suspended alongside the acknowledgement of madness by large segments of the world’s population. The idea of a soldier serving to support someone else’s sense of reality compels me to reflect upon how my actions are purposeful and in what ways I am serving traditional roles of the artist.”

Kizevicius’ art has been exhibited around the United States and the world including “Center of Europe” International Art Exhibit, Vilnius, Lithuania (1991); and The Ohio/India Traveling Portfolio, Calcutta, Bombay, Bangalore (1989). His work has also been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the Greater Cleveland area. He received a vast amount of awards and recognitions including the Individual Artist’s Grant from the Ohio Arts Council in 1982. Kestutis’ art can be seen in a number of permanent collections including the Mayfield Regional Library.