Judy Zemnick: The WPA artist who was attacked by a polar bear

"All I want is to get back to my artwork."

--21-year-old Judy Zemnick, a few weeks after being attacked by a polar bear at the Brookside Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio ("Girl Clawed By Bear Undismayed..." La Grande Observer (La Grande, Oregon), November 8, 1938).    

Above: In this photograph, we see artist Judy Zemnick (right front, with watch or band on wrist) on a WPA ceramics project in Cleveland Ohio, ca. 1938. Photo courtesy of the Ohio History Connection and the State Library of Ohio, used here for educational and non-commercial purposes.

Above: On October 26, 1938, 21-year-old Judy Zemnick was sketching animals at the Brookside Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio (now called the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo) and became a little too passionate about her work, went past an iron picket fence, and sat on a ledge overlooking a polar bear enclosure for a better view of the animal she was drawing. After swatting at her several times, the polar bear grabbed hold of her and dragged her in. For 15-20 minutes Zemnick was mauled. Two other WPA artists tried to stop the bear by throwing stones at it, and zoo workers were finally able to remove her from the enclosure ("Cleveland Painter Mauled Before Beast Is Driven Off," The Akron Beacon Journal," October 27, 1938). Photo from The Salem News (Salem, Ohio), October 28, 1938 edition, used here for educational and non-commercial purposes.

Above: Zemnick on January 3, 1939, a little over two months after her encounter with the polar bear. Zemnick nearly died from the attack. She was in critical condition from loss of blood. Her scalp was nearly gone, her face and throat cut, and she ended up losing an eye. Clyde Henderson, a 33-year old teacher in the area, and a friend of Zemnick, gave the blood that saved her life (see The Akron Beacon Journal article cited in the previous caption). Meanwhile, the WPA pledged to pay her medical bills, pay compensation during her recovery, and even allow her to work overtime to earn a little more, once she was back at work ("Girl Clawed By Bear Undismayed..." La Grande Observer (La Grande, Oregon), November 8, 1938). This was generous, considering that she shouldn't have been sketching where she was; and it's another example of the good spirit of the New Deal vs. today's more harsh and unforgiving form of government. Photograph by Acme Photo, scanned from personal copy, and used here for educational, non-commercial purposes.

Above: While in the WPA, Zemnick created several sculptures highlighting the transportation history of Ohio. They are now incorporated into a multi-panel history display at the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA). The sculpture above shows American Indians and a canoe. Photo courtesy of the AMHA.

Above: Zemnick's WPA sculpture of the Northeast Ohio Railroad. Photo courtesy of the AMHA.

Above: Zemnick's WPA sculpture of the Ohio Erie Canal towpath. Photo courtesy of the AMHA.

Above: Judy Zemnick made this model for a 3-4 foot concrete sculpture of a squirrel, to be placed at the Valleyview Homes housing project in Cleveland. Photo courtesy of the Kelvin Smith Library, Case Western Reserve University.

Above: Zemnick's squirrel was included in a recent restoration project, carried out by LAND studio and the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority. Photo courtesy of LAND studio, used here for educational, non-commercial purposes.

Above: A WPA poster, advertising the affordable housing at Valleyview Homes. Zemnick's work was part of a larger WPA effort to make Valleyview aesthetically pleasing. According to a website set up by Cleveland State University: "The project cost nearly $3.5 million and featured playgrounds, a community center, and craft shops. Local artists commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) created numerous murals and other pieces of art, which were placed in various spots throughout Valleyview." Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

What became of Judy Zemnick?

I wasn't able to find much about Zemnick's life after her years in the WPA, i.e., after 1940. Did she marry? Did she continue pursuing an art career? If not, what did she end up doing? However, information on the websites Legacy.com and ancientfaces.com indicates that she lived from 1917 to 2007 and spent most or all of her life in the Cleveland area (the 1917 birth year corresponds with information that Zemnick was 21 when she was attacked by the polar bear in 1938).

Every once in a while, someone will email me about an artist I feature on my blog. Maybe someone who knew Zemnick will run across this blog post and provide information. Or (perhaps more likely), we'll never know what became of this young, talented, and ambitious WPA artist - whose legacy lives on in these few remaining artworks.

"Tell everyone I want to live."

--Judy Zemnick, October 1938, as she was lifted and carried out of the polar bear enclosure ("Cleveland Painter Mauled Before Beast Is Driven Off," The Akron Beacon Journal," October 27, 1938).