Join us for a celebration of the artist, Henryk Ptasiewicz and his masterful and colorful art.

Reception: Friday May 8, 2026 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm

On Display from May 6, 2025 through June 6, 2025

Henryk Leon Ptasiewicz (1955–2025) was a British-born artist whose work and presence left a lasting impact on the St. Louis art community. Born in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, he was the only child of Gladys Dent Ptasiewicz and Henryk Leon Ptasiewicz, a decorated World War II navigator with the Polish RAF. He studied technical illustration at Kelsterton College in North Wales and earned a BA in Graphic Design from St. Martin’s School of Art in London in 1978.

In England, Henryk built a wide-ranging creative career as a painter, illustrator, designer, and sculptor. He spent years designing and constructing fiberglass works, from playground structures to full-scale dinosaurs, and later worked as a special effects designer and book illustrator. During this time, his friendship with figurative painter Robert Lenkiewicz helped shape his commitment to painting from life and to telling meaningful human stories through art.

Henryk moved to St. Louis in 1999 and quickly became an integral part of its arts community. He launched his “Hire Your Own Picasso” practice, painting commissions and teaching, and became active with the St. Louis Art Guild, where he regularly painted alongside fellow artists. A master colorist known for bold, expressive brushwork, he was devoted to painting from life, capturing people and their stories with energy and compassion. He was also a founding member of the Missouri Plein Air Painters and an award-winning participant in regional plein air events, including an invitation to the Door County Plein Air Festival in 2017.

Deeply engaged in the community, Henryk contributed to major public projects, including painted fiberglass cake sculptures for St. Louis’ 250th anniversary, and maintained an active live drawing practice at events, fundraisers, and gatherings across the region. Widely respected by fellow artists, he was known for his generosity, always willing to share his knowledge or paint alongside others. Henryk lived fully as an artist until his passing on October 22, 2025, after a day spent working in his studio at the Fine Arts Building in Soulard. He is remembered not only for his remarkable body of work, but for the community he helped build and the lives he touched through his art.