Thaddeus Mosley is a strict but loving father, a World War II veteran and an internationally recognized sculptor, friends and family said Monday.
Mayor Ed Gainey recognized the 97-year-old Pittsburgh artist on Monday in a small ceremony at the City-County Building.
“You have changed this city,” Gainey told Mosley, whose artwork has been exhibited around the country.
The mayor commended Mosley on his “mastery of how you can make things come to life.”
Mosley fought in the South Pacific theater during World War II after enlisting in the Navy at age 19. He later studied English and journalism at the University of Pittsburgh before launching a career as an artist.
His son, Khari Mosley, called his father “one of the great sculptors of the modern age.”
The younger Mosley — who is the Democratic nominee for a City Council seat this fall — said his father was strict, but loving when he was a child. Now, he described his dad as his best friend.
“He’s always been my north star my entire life,” Khari Mosley said. “He’s always been an inspiration to me.”
Yvonne Cook said she met Mosley about three decades ago when she was working as the program officer for the Pittsburgh Foundation. She recalled Mosley inviting her to his home and showing her the art collection that adorns his house.
“He was so kind and so generous with his time,” she said. “He will help anybody. He will open up the doors for you to come in. He’s met with artists from around the country and around the world. He loves art. He has such a good heart.”
Gainey said Mosley has been a “blessing in the arts community.”
