Edmund Lewandowski was born in Milwaukee in 1914 and attended the Layton School of
Art in Milwaukee from 1931 to 1934. Following graduation, he assumed a teaching position in public school as a means of support though he pursued painting and commercial commissions in advertising and magazines on his own. In 1936, Edith Halpert, an important New York art dealer of modern art, invited him to join her gallery, the noted Downtown Gallery. That year, he also began painting murals for the Federal Art Project, and during 1939 and 1940, he executed post office murals in Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. From 1942 to 1946, Lewandowski made maps and concealments while serving in the United States Air Force. In 1947, he went back to the Layton School of Art where he was appointed to the faculty, but he also continued to do commercial work. In 1949, he moved to a teaching position at Florida State University, in Tallahassee, where he remained until 1954. Following his tenure in Florida, he returned to the Layton School of Art as Director until 1972. Lewandowski was chair of the Art Department at Winthrop from 1973-1984 and was named professor emeritus upon his retirement. Lewandowski is recalled by students at Winthrop and members of the Rock Hill community for his teaching, service to the community and his exceptional artwork. He remained in Rock Hill until his death in 1998. [SOURCE: Birdnest, http://www.birdnest.org/Lewandowski/Bio.html, accessed October 11, 2016]
