Fred Machetanz
Fred Machetanz (February 20, 1908 – October 6, 2002) was an Alaskan painter and illustrator who specialized in depictions of Alaskan scenes, people and wildlife. He first came to the territory in 1935, when he traveled to Unalakleet to visit his uncle, Charles Traeger, who ran a trading post there and spent 2 years developing a portfolio of Alaskan scenes. After leaving Alaska, he spent some time as an illustrator in New York, but longed to return to Alaska.
Also recorded as Frederick Machetanz
Fred Machetanz
- Name
- Fred Machetanz
- Born
- 20 February 1908
- Birthplace
- Kenton, Ohio, US
- Died
- 6 October 2002
- Place of death
- Palmer, Alaska, US
- Spouse
- Sara Dunn (1918–2001)
- Known for
- Painting, Illustration, Author
- Training
- The Ohio State University, American Academy of Art in Chicago, Art Students League in New York
- Movement
- Impressionism, wildlife
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- painter
- Movements
- Impressionism
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In this article
Biography
Biography
He returned in 1942 after volunteering with the U.S. Navy and requesting a posting to the Aleutian Islands during World War II. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was responsible for intelligence for the North Pacific Command. After the war, he trained for a short time at the Art Students League in New York, studying lithography under Will Barnet, and then returned to Unalakleet in 1946. Machetanz married Sara Dunn, a writer, in 1947, and the two settled near Palmer, Alaska in 1951. They published several books together and collaborated on films for Walt Disney, the Territory of Alaska, and Encyclopædia Britannica. They also made many promotional and lecture tours through the lower 48 states from 1948 through 1960. The turning point in Fred's painting career came on April 21, 1962, when Bob Atwood, editor and publisher of the Anchorage Times, arranged for a one-man show of his paintings. The works at the show sold quickly, and the success allowed Fred to pursue painting full-time.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Fred Machetanz • Birth Name — Fred Machetanz • Born — 20 February 1908 • Birthplace — Kenton, Ohio, US • Died — 6 October 2002 • Place of death — Palmer, Alaska, US • Spouse — Sara Dunn (1918–2001) • Known for — Painting, Illustration, Author • Training — The Ohio State University, American Academy of Art in Chicago, Art Students League in New York • Movement — Impressionism, wildlife • Notable Works — "Panuck, Eskimo Sled Dog", "On Arctic Ice", "Barney Hits the Trail", Mary Lou Johnson – Hardin County District Library, The Anchorage Museum of History and Art, The Morris collection of Alaska art
Style
Style
Machetanz was a strong colorist. He most often painted on hardboard, which was prepared with layers of an ultramarine blue base using a large brush. He then applied a transparent oil glazing technique to build up layers from there, emphasizing areas of color and form. This gave his works a cool, luminous quality that he felt reflected the environment of the Arctic. During his career, he produced fifty stone lithographs of scenes of Alaska.
Family
Family
Fred and Sara had a son, Traeger, in 1959 who practices law in Washington and Alaska. Through Traeger, Fred and Sara are the grandparents of Alex (b. 1992) and Olivia (b. 1996.)
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Kenton.
Birth place
Palmer.
Death place
Books
* * * * * * * * *
Honors
He was named Alaskan of the Year in 1977, and American Artist of the Year in 1981 by American Artist magazine. Machetanz was also awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Alaska and The Ohio State University. As a result of their philanthropic activities, several facilities are named for the Machetanz's including: the football field at Palmer High School, a building at Mat-Su College, a theatre in Wasilla, and Fred & Sara Machetanz Elementary School in Wasilla.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Fred Machetanz, revision 1364552615 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 01 October 2026.
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