The Cleveland DaVinci

January 10, 2024

Viktor Schreckengost is a local legend – artist, industrial designer, teacher, visionary – whose influence goes far beyond local boundaries.

He was on the faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Art and he commuted to the school from his Cleveland Heights home. It was reported that he kept count of the items he designed that he encountered on his commute, “One time, while driving to school, he said he counted 38 items he had designed. Lamps, bicycles with streamers, bells and banana seats, tricycles, now all collector’s items.” (ref. FreshWater Cleveland)

I was interested to read that his designs for Cleveland Hopkins Airport, which had been in storage for many years after renovations to the airport took place, are now reinstalled in the entryway to the airport for a new cadre of travelers to enjoy.

A sampling of his other works:

Johnny Appleseed mural – Lakewood High School

Mammoth and Mastodon mural – Cleveland Museum of Natural History

O’Neill memorial outside the Cleveland Mounted Police Stables

I was lucky to hear him speak on the influences on his work at a ceramics conference many years ago. I was also fortunate to participate in several art shows in which he also exhibited, and I count myself lucky to own a print of one of his works.