Tony Fitzpatrick, indefatigable artistic polymath from Chicago, has died, aged 66

"He was an artist, poet, author, actor and first-rate raconteur, which made him a popular guest or co-host for panels, radio programmes and podcasts. He was perhaps best known for his collages, etchings and works on paper, which incorporate text plus disparate imagery and materials including birds, dogs, boxers, baseball, tattoo art, colour wheels, targets, old matchbook covers, Chicago and the number nine (which was also tattooed on his arm in red)."

"Fitzpatrick was born in 1958 and grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in the western suburbs of Chicago. He worked as a taxi-driver, bouncer, waiter, janitor and boxer before committing himself to art. He ran a storefront gallery called The Edge in Villa Park for five years, which relocated in 1989 to the then-ungentrified south loop of Chicago."

"Fitzpatrick knew how to get press and befriend the right people, but his skill and the quality of his work matched his bravado. He was generous to young artists and a vocal defender of labour unions and all underdogs. As the news of his death spread on social media and in local news reports, so did the stories and tributes."

Tony Fitzpatrick died of a heart attack on 11 October at age 66. He was a prolific Chicago artist, poet, author and actor whose work often combined text with disparate imagery and materials. His collages, etchings and works on paper incorporated motifs such as birds, dogs, boxers, baseball, tattoo art, colour wheels, targets, matchbook covers, Chicago references and the number nine. He grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in the western suburbs and worked various jobs before committing to art. He ran the Edge gallery, later World Tattoo, in Chicago and supported young artists and labour unions. His work appears in major museum collections.

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