Hans Hacker - Accolades and Awards

Accolades and Awards

Hacker's work is exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio, as well as the Museum of Ceramics, the Carnegie Library and the Dawson Funeral Home (30 paintings), all in East Liverpool, Ohio and many other area businesses.

On August 16, 1985, for his contribution to East Liverpool history and culture, Hacker was honored by the East Liverpool Historical Society with a "Hans Hacker Appreciation Dinner."

At that time, Jack Lanam, former curator of the East Liverpool Historical Society said, "Take his paintings and put them together like a jigsaw puzzle, lay them out, and you have a city (East Liverpool)."

Hacker was unusual, pointed out friend and fellow renowned ceramic artist, Don Schreckengost, in his ability to pursue fine art as a prolific avocation while applying commercial art as his livelihood.

"Oftentimes a person doing commercial art for industry has a hard time finding time to do art for a hobby." said Schreckengost. "East Liverpool has been fortunate to have someone of his stature to live here as a citizen, and to contribute to the community."

"He lived at a time when he was able to make sketches and make records with his camera," said Schreckengost. But, he adds, Hacker "does things that a camera can't always do, with the feeling for light and the feeling for the time. He sees a lot more than meets the average person's eye - that's what a true artist does."

East Liverpool Mayor Norm Bucher designated August 16, 1985 as "Hans Hacker Day" in the City and the first ever lifetime membership in the Historical Society was granted that day to Hacker.

On June 22, 2007 Hacker was posthumously inducted into the Lou Holtz Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame in East Liverpool, Ohio. Frank C. Dawson, Holtz President, said "There is no way to measure the impact of his work. He was so gifted and talented that his work will live on for years to come."

The next day, Hacker was also honored with an art exhibition, jointly sponsored by the East Liverpool Historical Society and the Kent State-East Liverpool Branch.

At that time, East Liverpool Historical Society President Tim Brookes said that East Liverpool was fortunate to "end up as the adoptive home of someone so creative."

"Due to his interest and talent, he was able to preserve and document the appearance of structures that have ceased to exist, and specific moments in time from the city's past have been preserved in his work, hopefully forever," said Brookes.