Bileck, Marvin

Marvin “Buddy” Bileck summered and worked on Cranberry Island for more than 50 years. He and his wife, Emily Nelligan, were both artists who found much inspiration in the landscapes of Great Cranberry. The following is an excerpt from “Artists of Cranberry Island,” a booklet by Wini Smart:

“Marvin Bileck was born in Passaic, New Jersey in 1920. A graduate of the Cooper Union School of Art, he did additional study at the London School of Architecture, and Columbia University. He received a Fulbright Fellowship to France, continuing his studies in the Cabinet des Dessins at the Louvre.

“Marvin and Emily [Nelligan] met at Cooper Union School of Art, both graduating in the 1940s. They began coming to Great Cranberry Island soon after, usually renting rooms year after year.

“Though both liked to work in black and white, their work differs immensely. Her works, often in charcoal, are rich and moody, almost velvety in application, as she modeled form with the side of her piece of burnt wood, smudging here, and wiping there. Her subjects are bold basic forms verging on abstraction.

“His was a lighter touch, done in fine lines with a pencil or etching needle. His line tells all. Intrigued with the positive and negative shapes formed by fallen trees or rocky outcroppings, he contained the subject with an outline, then added contour lines for body and form, and cross hatching for depth and shadow. His drawings are reminiscent of work done by the old masters.

“His work has been widely represented in gallery exhibitions in New York, at the Maine Coast Artists Gallery, and locally at the Islesford Artists Gallery. Museum exhibits include: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Chicago Art Institute, Queens Museum, and the Slater Museum in Connecticut.

“Marvin Bileck was also a highly respected and influential teacher at Philadelphia College of Art (now The Penn University of the Arts) and Queens College, where he was Professor Emeritus.

“The couple spent much of their time working, so islanders seldom saw them for idle chat. You might meet them on occasion riding the mail boat, on a trip to the mainland for supplies.”

Bileck and Nelligan’s works were displayed at the Alexandre Gallery in New York under the exhibit title Cranberry Island: Drawings and Prints. Sadly, Bilek passed away just before the exhibit opened. His vast body of work lovingly depicts the shapes and moods of Cranberry Island, and he is a part of a vibrant legacy of artists who found a home on the island. To learn more, look at our biography of Emily Nelligan, or check out our related archival materials.