ABOUT THE ARTIST Zita Biliūnaitė-Sodeika was born in Jurbarkas, Lithuania in 1934. In 1944, her family, as so many others, was forced to abandon their home and seek refuge in Germany by the advancing Red Army during World War II. In 1949, they moved to the U.S. to a new life in Chicago. Zita studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, receiving her degree in advertising and design in 1958. After graduation she worked as a commercial artist at the FAIR department store, then at Hoskinson & Rohloff studio, in Chicago. In 1961 Zita switched to fine arts working at home and raising a family. She also returned for further studies to the Art Institute: painting (1965-1966) and printmaking (1969-1970). During the 1980s and 1990s, she lived in Ohio, where she also worked with the Poet-in-Residence program of the Ohio Arts Council publishing her own poetry, created cover art for Westron Press publications, and worked as the art and photography editor of Heartland Today, an annual review of Midwestern artists and writers. Her largest work, a hand-colored drawing-painting consisting of nineteen eight-foot high panels and totaling 84 feet in length, is titled "The Wall" and was exhibited in 1983. It depicts the deceptions and repression practiced by communist regimes. This mural is now a part of the permanent collection of the Lithuanian Museum of Art in Vilnius, Lithuania. Currently, Zita Sodeika lives and works in Apple River, Illinois. She uses drawing, painting, and collage in her work. Describing her work Zita says: "I like to place images in different contexts to arrive at different moods. By rearranging points of view and by bringing back to the present the decorative elements of medieval, Byzantine, and Persian art, I create different realities, which are forever closing the ring with the past and the future."
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SELECTED WORKS All images are provided by the courtesy of Zita Sodeika. Any use of these images must be with her permission. Zita Sodeika can be reached by mail at 3A142 Gen. Jackson Drive, Apple River, IL 61001, or by phone at 815-492-2582. |
12 works with collages. |
9 works with pen, ink, pencils, & 1 mixed media. |
9 works of acrylic on canvas & 1 mixed media. |
10 works from the series "Bird People". |
6 remaining works. |
SOLO EXHIBITS 2001 - "Dreamscapes and Universal Portraits - Surrealistic Visions", 39 works consisting of drawings with collage, mixed media, and acrylic on canvas, Lithuanian Museum of Art, Lemont, Illinois 2000 - Dublin Arts Council Gallery, Dublin, Ohio 1997 - Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1996 - "Little Gallery" Firelands College of BGSU, Huron, Ohio 1996 - Greyling Gallery, Tiffin, Ohio 1995 - Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, Chicago, Illinois 1994 - Cultural Center, Jurbarkas, Lithuania 1992 - OSU Gallery Marion Campus, Marion, Ohio 1990 - National Museum of Art, Vilnius, Lithuania 1990 - Cultural Center, Jurbarkas, Lithuania 1990 - International Gallery at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 1986 - Columbia College Art Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1985 - SXC Gallery at Xavier College, Chicago, Illinois 1983 - "Berlin Wall", 8 by 84 foot mural in 19 panels, Galerija, Chicago, Illinois 1983 - "Berlin Wall", Lithuanian Art Gallery Čiurlionis, Chicago, Illinois 1982 - Galerija Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1980 - Lithuanian Cultural Center, Detroit, Michigan 1980 - Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, Chicago, Illinois 1977 - Lithuanian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California 1976 - Lithuanian Art Gallery Čiurlionis, Chicago, Illinois 1970 - Lithuanian Art Gallery Čiurlionis, Chicago, Illinois 1968 - Lithuanian Cultural Center, Los Angeles, California |
TWO ARTIST EXHIBITS 1991 - Pearl Conard Gallery, OSU Mansfield Campus, Mansfield, Ohio 1990 - Fava Gallery, Oberlin, Ohio 1988 - Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, Chicago, Illinois 1988 - Concourse Gallery, Columbus, Ohio 1986 - Artreach Gallery, Columbus, Ohio 1984 - Don Coburn Gallery, Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio 1981 - Dittmar Gallery, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 1974 - Countryside Art Center, Arlington Heights, Illinois 1968 - Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, Chicago, Illinois |
THREE ARTIST EXHIBIT 1981 - Swen Parsons Gallery, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois |
INVITATIONAL EXHIBITS 1990 - "5 Figurative Artists", Sandusky Cultural Center, Sandusky, Ohio 1986 - 30 Ohio Artists in the Cultural Exchange Exhibit, Taipei, Taiwan 1986 - "Self Images", Čiurlionis Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1985 - "Pastel But Not Pale", 13 Ohio artists at Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1978 - Trinity College, Deerfield, Illinois 1978 - Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, Illinois 1976-77 - 20 Lithuanian Artists Living in Illinois, traveling exhibit 1976 - Six Women Artists, Hull House Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1973 - 12 Lithuanian Artists in America, Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C. 1973 - Five Graphic Artists, Čiurlionis Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1972 - Winnetka Art Fair Green, Winnetka, Illinois 1972 - Winter Show of Fine Art, River Forest, Illinois 1969 - Winter Show of Fine Art, River Forest, Illinois 1967 - Winter Show of Fine Art, River Forest, Illinois |
JURIED GROUP SHOWS 1999 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1996 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1995 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1994 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1993 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1992 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1991 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1990 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1989 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1988 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1987 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1986 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1985 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1984 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1983 - "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1980 - Countryside at Woodfield Fine Arts Exhibit, Schaumburg, Illinois 1978 - Old Orchard Art Fair, Skokie, Illinois 1978 - Annual Print & Drawing Show, Harper College, Palatine, Illinois 1977 - Press Club, Chicago, Illinois 1977 - Illinois Landscape Artists Exhibit, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, Illinois 1976-77 - University Club, Chicago, Illinois 1976 - Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago, Illinois 1972 - Barat College, Lake Forest, Illinois 1972 - Professional Artist Exhibition at Illinois State Fair, Springfield, Illinois |
AWARDS 1999 - Best of show prize, all Ohio juried exhibition, Pearl Conard Gallery, Ohio State University campus, Mansfield, Ohio 1996 - Jurors' award, "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1998 - First prize for a drawing, "May Show", Zanesville Art Center 1994 - Jurors' award, "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1994 - Jurors' award, "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1991 - First prize for a full body mask, The Art Institute of Chicago alumni reunion, Chicago, Illinois 1991 - Jurors' award, "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1990 - Jurors' award, "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1989 - Lithuanian-American Artist of the Year Award 1985 - Best of Show for the entire entry (2 paintings & 2 drawings), "May Show", Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield, Ohio 1981 - First prize for a painting, Members Show at Countryside Art Center 1980 - First prize for a painting, Members Show at Countryside Art Center 1978 - First prize for a painting, Members Show at Countryside Art Center 1977 - First prize for a drawing, Illinois Landscape Artists Exhibit, Hyde park Art Center, Chicago, Illinois 1972 - Second prize for a painting, Winnetka Art Fair Green, Winnetka, Illinois 1971 - First prize for a painting, Lithuanian Artists of Chicago Exhibit, Čiurlionis Gallery, Chicago, Illinois 1968 - First prize in painting, Young Artists Exhibit, Čiurlionis Gallery, Chicago, Illinois |
COMMISSION 1980 - One of ten Chicago artists commissioned for a painting for Mother Seton Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois |
PURCHASE OF PUBLICATION RIGHTS By Scott, Foresman to print a painting in "United States In Literature" |
SELECTED COLLECTIONS Ashland University, Ohio - 24 drawings and collages purchased for their permanent collection in 1997 Lithuanian Art Gallery Čiurlionis, Chicago Lithuanian Fine Arts Club Inc. - five drawings purchased with a grant from Illinois Art Council Lithuanian Museum of Art, Vilnius, Lithuania - 10 drawings, 10 paintings, and "The Wall" (8 ft x 84 ft drawing-painting) are in the permanent collection Vincent Price Collections - six paintings purchased Many paintings, drawings and collages are in private collections. |
SEMINAR 1998 - "The Imagenery of Zita Sodeika", visiting artist program at Northern Illinois University, De Kalb, Illinois |
ILLUSTRATION Numerous poetry books, album covers, parts of Childcraft World Book Encyclopedia and the Lithuanian Family Traditions Book cover artist for Weston Press, Toledo, Ohio. |
EDITING Art and photo editor for the Heartlands Today. |
PLEASE, if you see any errors or you have additional information on the subjects of this page, write to [email protected]. Thank you. |