Sam Chinkes
Sam Chinkes | |
|---|---|
 Sam Chinkes at work, 2003 | |
| Born | September 1, 1922 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 10, 2019 (aged 96) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Occupations | Artist, designer |
Sam Chinkes (September 1, 1922 – April 10, 2019) was an American artist and designer known for his abstract sculptures, photography, and packaging design.
Early life and education
Chinkes was born in New York to Anna Chinkes and Max Chinkes, the owner of a camera store. Sam Chinkes worked at the store when he was a teenager. He began to draw the "first time he picked up a pencil."[1][2]
He served in the United States Army during World War II. He produced a series of paintings and photographs depicting his experiences while stationed in Greenland.[3]
Following his discharge, Chinkes attended the Veterans Art Center and studied industrial design at Pratt Institute[2] and the Art Students League of New York, where he studied under Reginald Marsh. He attended a summer program with Marsh's students, including Roy Lichtenstein.[2][4]
Career
Advertising and design
In 1960, Chinkes founded Sound Advertising, an advertising and public relations agency specializing in packaging design.[5] He was featured in trade and business publications including Modern Packaging, Modern Plastics,[6] Chief Executive Magazine, Candy and Confectionery, and Playthings Magazine.[7] He was a judge for local, national, and regional contests for Mattel.[5]
Art and sculpture
.jpg)
Chinkes initially worked with plaster as a sculptor before he transitioned to foam blocks, which he shaped using metal files, in the 1990s. He referred to his sculptures as "spontaneous foam sculptures". They were meant to be touched.[2] His sculptures and paintings were exhibited at institutions including the Nevada Museum of Art, the Nevada Institute of Contemporary Art and the Gobel-Lowden Veterans Museum, where his World War II Self Portrait was prominently featured.[8]
Personal life
Chinkes, who regularly attended UFC matches, was known in the mixed martial arts community as one of the sport's oldest fans.[9] He was profiled on The Ultimate Fighter in 2010; he was 88 at the time.[10]
In addition to creating sculptures that the visually impaired could touch, he read for the blind through a radio reading service. In a 2000 interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, he said he hoped to establish a permanent gallery for the visually impaired.[2] He often wrote tongue-in-cheek letters to the editor on subjects including education, the arts, taxes, bureaucracy, and public works.[11]
References
- ↑ Atlanta Southern Israelite, Jul 10, 1970, Page 11 (Atlanta, Georgia)
- 1 2 3 4 5 Allen, T. (2000, Mar 04) "Blind Faith", Las Vegas Review - Journal
- ↑ The Prattler May 18, 1951, Volume 12, Number 14
- ↑ US Modernist 1955, vol 12, issue 8
- 1 2 Wallace, Sam T. (July 26, 1979), "Some of the Best Things," Newsday, p. 44
- ↑ Electronic Design, 1969, issue 215, page 44 Electronic Design archive
- ↑ "Featured Designer: Sam Chinkes". Candy & Confectionery. 1965.
- ↑ US Federal News Service (April 7, 2025). US State News
- ↑ Anderson, Gordon (April 2, 2014). "MMA attracts fans of all ages".
- ↑ "Fighters Only : News 90". fightersonly.com. Retrieved 2026-04-13.
- ↑ Fireworks go hand in hand with destruction: (2001, Jul 03). Las Vegas Review - Journal; Feedback. (2001). Chief Executive, 2000, p. 10, New York; "Teacher's missive is required reading." (2008, Dec 11). Las Vegas Review - Journal