Early Life and Artistic Beginnings in Akron Raphael Gleitsmann, born in Dayton, Ohio in 1910, was a distinctly American artist whose life story is as compelling as the evocative imagery he created. He spent the vast majority of his years in Akron, Ohio, a city that would become both the backdrop and often the subject of his work. Unlike many artists of his generation, Gleitsmann was largely self-taught; his formal training was limited to instruction from Miss Calvin at Central High School and Paul Travis at the Cleveland School of Art. Unable to afford tuition, he cultivated relationships wi…