Bio
As the son of a steelworker and grandson of a coal miner, Gary Kulak grew up in Noblestown, Pennsylvania, a small town outside Pittsburgh. He remembers visiting Bethlehem Steel Co. with his father and the discussions of the mill at dinner. In Pittsburgh, everyone spoke of the mills and legend has it that the iron in the water made them strong. Gary’s father made sure he pursued an education and did not have life in the mills. As an artist, Mr. Kulak continues a tradition of drawing from the memories of his youth and embedding them in steel. Gary began his career as a professional sculptor in 1974 graduating with a BFA from Cranbrook in 1975. He completed his MFA from Hunter College in 1983. Gary worked with John Henry in Chicago prior to Cranbrook. At Cranbrook, he studied with Michael Hall. Upon graduation, as an independent artist, Gary assisted Sol Lewitt, John Mason and Lyman Kipp with installations of their work. At Hunter College in New York, Gary studied with John Mason, Robert Morris and assisted Alice Aycock. Gary’s work is a part of many public and private collections throughout the US. He is currently Head, Fine Arts Department at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.