Featured obituary
Professor Emeritus of Art Wasyl Palijczuk of Philadelphia died on May 1 at the age of 90. He taught on the Hill for 38 years, from 1967 until his retirement in 2003, though he continued to teach part time until 2005.
His long legacy of artistic influence and mentorship benefited many artists over the years, and he shared his fascination with life and art with all who met him. He never wanted to be only an artist, because he cherished how teaching brought variety to his life.
On the Hill, he taught painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture, and was chair of the Art Department for 18 years. He led January Term courses on the Ukrainian Experience, Experimental Art, Furniture Refinishing, and a study abroad trip to Egypt.
His impact remains visible on campus today. Most notably, he sculpted the eight-ton granite sculpture in the Benson Sculpture Garden of the Hoover Library patio, and created “The Welcome,” a 10-foot steel sculpture that invites visitors onto campus by WMC Alumni Hall.
He established The M. Louise Shipley Art Award of Excellence in 1973 to recognize outstanding graduating senior Art majors, and he also established the Wasyl Palijczuk Art Award in 1995 to recognize exceptional junior Art majors.
His artwork appears in over 500 private and public collections. Inspired by nature, he used photography, paint, wood, stone, steel, bronze, and found objects in his art.
Off campus, he judged countless local art shows and taught at various institutions, including the Baltimore Museum of Art, Jewish Community Center of Baltimore, and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).
He graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), with a Bachelor of Arts in Art and Education. He was the first person to graduate from UMD with a Master of Arts in Sculpture. He later earned a Master of Fine Arts with a fellowship from MICA’s Rinehart School of Sculpture.
Palijczuk was born in 1934 in Dzhuriv, Ukraine, and endured the upheaval of World War II. Living in impoverished conditions, he learned to draw using mud and charcoal. He moved to the United States at the age of 15 and graduated from Baltimore City College High School with honors. He served for four years as head technical illustrator in the U.S. Air Force’s intelligence division.
His lifelong love for art propelled him into professorship on the Hill. After filling in for a professor on sabbatical, he was so loved by students that they created a petition with over 300 signatures asking the college to keep him on. He was quickly hired as gallery director, full-time instructor, and department chair.
He was predeceased by his wife Oksana Palijczuk and is survived by his daughters Ksenia Scorsolini and Natalka Palijczuk, and grandchildren Sophia and Mateo Scorsolini.