American, 1916 - 1979
Following graduation from Chicago Latin School in 1934, Florsheim studied for a year with Kenneth Shopen and Aaron Bohrod before entering the University of Chicago. He remained only one year at the University, before going abroad for two years of travel in Europe and the Near East, 1936-38. During the Second World War, he served in the United States Navy. Florsheim had done his first work in etching the year he attended the University of Chicago, and in 1940 began to work in lithography; the first one-man exhibition of his prints occured at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1946. Thereafter his career was distinguished by two to as many as six one-man exhibition of his work being presented each year in a wide variety of cities in America and around the world, including a shows at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico City, 1952, and at the Hellenic-American Union, Athens, Greece. His work received awards in the exhibitions of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Silvermine (Connecticut) Guild, and the Library of Congress, Washington, D. C..
He served on the faculty of the Contemporary Art Workshops, Chicago, and on a grant from the Ford Foundation was artist in residence at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia. Florsheim continued a life-long resident of Chicago, but for many years summered in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and in 1963 was elected a trustee of the Provincetown Art Association. He also served a term, beginning in 1965, on the Illinois State Arts Council.
A painter as well as printmaker, Florsheim was elected to the Academy in the latter classification.
He served on the faculty of the Contemporary Art Workshops, Chicago, and on a grant from the Ford Foundation was artist in residence at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia. Florsheim continued a life-long resident of Chicago, but for many years summered in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and in 1963 was elected a trustee of the Provincetown Art Association. He also served a term, beginning in 1965, on the Illinois State Arts Council.
A painter as well as printmaker, Florsheim was elected to the Academy in the latter classification.
