Robert E. L. Rainey (1914–2002) was an American artist, art educator and advertising executive. Born in

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city sits on the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), Pearl River and is locate ...

, he grew up in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, and attended the

Chicago Art Institute The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park. Its collection, stewarded by 11 curatoria ...

, studying under Francis Chapin and

Boris Anisfeld Boris Izrailevich Anisfeld (1878–1973) was a Russian-American painter during the Modernist period, best known for his Symbolist stage designs. Biography 1878 – October 2. Boris Izrailevich (Srulevich) Anisfeld is born in Bieltsy, in th ...

and receiving B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees. Initially a watercolorist, Rainey specialized in rural and urban scenes in the Midwest characterized by very strong color. His early work also included lithography. Later he originated a medium he called "petronexus"—bas-relief paintings of wood, stone, jesso, and color. Rainey signed his works "Reni", a play on the name of Italian Baroque painter

Guido Reni Guido Reni (; 4 November 1575 – 18 August 1642) was an Italian Baroque painter, although his works showed a classical manner, similar to Simon Vouet, Nicolas Poussin, and Philippe de Champaigne. He painted primarily religious works, but al ...

. Among Rainey's many exhibits and prizes were Northwest Print Makers 1945 (prize); Canton Art Institute 1946 (prize); Art Institute of Chicago 1938, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1946; Providence Art Club 1945; Massillon Museum 1945; Canton Art Institute 1946 (one-man show). Institutions holding his work in their permanent collections include the

Seattle Art Museum The Seattle Art Museum (commonly known as SAM) is an art museum located in Seattle, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The museum operates three major facilities: its main museum in downtown Seattle; the Seattle Asian Art Museum in ...

Seattle, WA Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...

, the

Butler Institute of American Art The Butler Institute of American Art (BIAA), located on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio, United States, was the first museum dedicated exclusively to American art. Established by local industrialist and philanthropist Joseph G. Butler, Jr., the ...

Youngstown, OH Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 census. The Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area has an estimated 430,000 re ...

, the Canton Museum of Art,

Canton, OH Canton () is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the eighth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 70,872 at the 2020 census. The Canton–Massillon metropolitan area, which includes all of Stark ...

and the North Canton Little Art Gallery, North Canton, OH. Rainey lived in

North Canton, Ohio North Canton is a city in Stark County, Ohio, United States. The population was 17,842 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb in the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area. History North Canton was established as the village of New Berlin in 1831. R ...

after 1944, where he served as director of the North Canton Little Art Gallery from 1947 to 1968. From 1950 to 1984, he owned the Ad Scribe advertising agency. His wife, Herta M. L. Kracher Rainey (1917–2006) was a printmaker, potter, and art educator. She was also a graduate of the

and had previously studied under

Franz Cižek Franz Cižek (12 June 1865 – 17 December 1946) was an Austrian genre and portrait painter, who was a teacher and reformer of art education. He began the Child Art Movement in Vienna, opening the Juvenile Art Class in 1897. Life Franz Cižek wa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rainey, Robert E. L. 1914 births 2002 deaths 20th-century American painters American male painters 21st-century American painters 21st-century American male artists American modern painters School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni Artists from Jackson, Mississippi People from North Canton, Ohio 20th-century American male artists