Paul F. Seavey, Clearwater Pass, July1945, oil on canvas, 15 by 20 inches. Signed lower left Paul F. Seavey, 7/45.
Portrait artist Paul Seavey had a winter studio in Dunedin. Following his graduation from Northwestern University, Seavey taught at the Massachusetts Normal Art School for two years and one year at the Swain School of Design in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He first came to Dunedin in 1940 as manager of Honeymoon Isle. Later Seavey was secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, local public relations director for the U.S. Marine Corp, and president of the Clearwater Art Club. In 1945 he accepted a position as instructor at the Ringling School of Art and taught there until 1985. In the 1950’s Seavey taught portraiture and figure composition at the Sprague Art School in St. Petersburg. His work appeared on the covers of Saturday Evening Post, Motorboating and Yachting Magazine.
Paul Seavey, Dunedin Oaks, oil on canvas 12 by 16 inches. Signed lower right Paul F. Seavey. Painting courtesy of Ellen “Freddie” Coolidge ex director, Florida Gulf Coast Art Center, circa 1975.
Education: Northwestern University, School of Illustration; Massachusetts Normal Art School. Membership: Clearwater Art Club, president; Art Club of St. Petersburg; Florida Federation of Art. Exhibits: Clearwater Art Museum, 11th Annual Exhibit, February 1945, 3rd popular prize, Northeast Passage; Clearwater Art Museum, 15th Annual Member Exhibition, March 1949, 3rd John Hall Jones Memorial Award, portrait, Hilda Simms; Florida State Fair, Tampa, February 1953, 1st prize, portrait; Pinellas County Fair, February 1954, 1st prize, portrait in oil; Clearwater Art Group, Contemporary Arts Gallery, Pinellas Park, 1954; Art Club of St. Petersburg, January 1956, 1st prize, portrait, Yellow Rose; Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, March 1955, Jack Carlson Award, Portrait of Mrs. Norma Culler; Art Club of St. Petersburg, Members’ Jury Show, January 1957, Georgianna; Clearwater Art Group, 8th Annual Member’s Exhibit, Gulf Coast Art Center, March 1957, oil, Mrs. Seavey; Florida Artist Group, 8th Annual Exhibition, on national circuit, 1957-58, oil, Mrs. S.; Clearwater Art Group, 9th Annual Member’s Exhibit, March 1958, 1st prize, portrait, Maggie Leonard of Belleair. Directory: Listed in the Clearwater City Directory, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1955, 1956, as an artist with a studio at 522 Scotland.
