GAERTNER, CARL FREDERICK (1898-4 Nov. 1952), a nationally known landscape artist whose best medium was watercolor, and son of Nellie and H. Frederick Gaertner, manager of BURROWS BROS. CO., was born in Cleveland, graduated from EAST TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, began attending Western Reserve College in 1918, finishing at the CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART. In 1918, while still a student, he began instructing at South High School in Willoughby.
In 1925, Gaertner started teaching at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Western Reserve College, and JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY. Gaertner exhibited in 27 Cleveland May Shows and his paintings hang in galleries throughout the country, including the CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART, Metropolitan Museum, Chicago Art Institute, and Whitney Gallery. Gaertner is best known for his Ohio landscapes, with their dark, dramatic skies. He traveled frequently to Cape Cod, Hudson River Bay, the Allegheny Mts., and the Monongahela Valley to find variety in landscapes, but always returned to the Chagrin Valley and his farm in Willoughby. Gaertner won the Natl. Academy of Design Award in 1953 for an oil painting entitled "Barge Men." His portrait hangs there in tribute to him. He was president of the CLEVELAND SOCIETY OF ARTISTS and the Carl Gaertner Memorial Prize in painting is offered at the Institute of Art. A retrospective of Gaertner's work was held at the Cleveland Museum of Art in June 1953. Gaertner married Adelle Potter in 1938 and had 2 sons, Frederick and Carl.