John L. "Jack" Massey, Jr.

Jack Massey, 97, passed away at home surrounded by the love of his family on January 1, 2023. He was the much cherished husband of Susan Bellaire for the past 28 years and the beloved father of John-Luc Phu. He was the son of the late John L. Massey, Sr. and Ethel Merkamp Massey of Pittsburgh, PA.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Jack began creating art as a child and continued doing so well into his nineties. During his school years in Pittsburgh, he studied art at the Albert C. Barnes Foundation and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. After graduating from high school, he served in the U. S. Army, 87th division, 346th regiment during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge under General Patton’s leadership. In his later years, he wrote a memoir of his experiences as a combat soldier.

Returning to PA at the end of the war, Jack worked at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette for a number of years and then went on to study painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. While there, he received a grant which enabled him to travel extensively throughout Europe, piquing his interest in returning to spend an extended period. After graduation and working for several years in PA and NJ, he applied for and was awarded a Prix de Rome and spent three years at the American Academy in Rome creating innovative and exquisite artwork and developing friendships that lasted throughout his life. He later returned there as an artist-in-residence. His experience while abroad remained an inspiration and source of reference throughout his artistic and professional career.

In 1963, Jack began teaching at Rhode Island School of Design, where he taught for 50 years and was honored with the title of Professor Emeritus in 2013. A mentor to countless students, he was able to encourage and inspire them to develop their unique artistic voices. In 1992, he received the Faculty Member of the year award from the RISD Alumni Association. Jack worked collaboratively with his colleagues across campus and was known for his contributions to what is now known as the Experimental and Foundation Studies Division, for the founding of the Carr Haus gallery and for his key role in the rehabilitation of RISD’s Woods-Gerry Mansion which became RISD’s main exhibition space for student work. Jack also played a pivotal role in the establishment of RISD’s European Honors Program in Rome where he was the Chief Critic for several years.

Jack’s work has been shown extensively on the East Coast, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, California, and Rome. His work is included in many collections including The RISD Museum of Art (RI), Carnegie Institute (PA), Philadelphia Museum of Art (PA), Albright-Knox Gallery (NY), Westmoreland County Museum of Art (PA), Colgate University (NY), Princeton University (NJ), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA) and the American Academy in Rome. A retrospective of his work was held at the Thompson Gallery at the Cambridge School of Weston (MA) in 2017. His last show of new work was at the Hera Gallery in Wakefield, RI (where he was a member) in the fall of 2019 when he was 94-years old.

In addition to his many professional accomplishments, though, for those of us who knew and loved him, Jack will be remembered for his ability to impart a sense of well-being to those around him, his compassion, openness, kindness, generosity, playfulness, unparalleled sense of humor, down-to-earth elegance, zest for life and spectacular twinkling blue eyes. He was the epitome of a husband and partner, treasured deeply by Susan and a devoted loving father dearly appreciated by John-Luc Phu. He will be profoundly missed.

A celebration of Jack’s life will be planned for spring or early summer and will be announced. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory may be made to the Hera Educational Foundation, P. O. Box 336, Wakefield, RI 02879, heragallery.org.