Steve Wheeler (1912-1992) was an American abstract painter who was born in Slovakia in 1912 and emmigrated to Western Pennsylvania with his family in 1914. He had an influential role in the New York art world of the 1940's and 50's. He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Student's League of New York and the Hans Hofmann School of New York. His fame is primarily as the influential but reluctant leader of a group of abstract artists known as the Indian Space Painters. The group utilized quirky imagery influenced by European modernism and Native American art. In many relevant ways, the Indian Space Painters may be considered the forerunners of Abstract Expressionism. Steve Wheeler's artwork can be found in many important collections including the The Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The artwork for sale is an original 1947 serigraph or silkscreen print on green heavy stock paper. This print was one of several original serigraphs included in the 1947 slipcase style book by Steve Wheeler entitled "Hello Steve". The print measures 13" high by 10" wide and is humorously entitled "Little Joe Picking His Nose". It was graphic number nine in the rare book. Only 513 proofs were printed in total with 500 of them enhancing the art book and the remaining 13 signed by the artist in a seperate edition. The cover sheet for the print (which contains its title and number and which is also on heavy stock paper) will also be included (see photo 2). The artwork for sale is unsigned as was the case with all the original prints in the monograph.