Biography

Misha Reznikoff was born in Ukraine and in 1921 immigrated with his family to the United States to settle in Rhode Island. At 22 Misha enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design where he won a three year scholarship sponsored by S.J. Perelman. During this period he meets his long time friend, Arshile Gorky. Their friendship lasts till Gorky’s death in 1948. In the early 30’s he moved to New York where he became introduced to a New York’s generation of the painters. Through the early 30’s he worked as an art instructor at many institutions including Art Students League, Miss Halls School, Pittsfield, MA, and The New School for Social Research. In 1935 he joined the WPA and socialized with Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Ad Reinhardt, Milton Avery, Milton Resnick and Diego Rivera.