Syd Solomon

Syd Solomon and his wife Annie pictured in front of their home and studio by Gene Leedy. Solomon was awarded five Bronze Stars for his service in World War II. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago before he joined the army. He served as a camoufleur, creating instruction manuals and camouflaging techniques that assisted in the lead up to the Normandy Invasion, in which he participated.

After the war Solomon split his time between Sarasota, Florida and the Hamptons. If this story sounds familiar you may recognize it as the inspiration behind Vonnegut’s ‘Bluebeard’. Kurt Vonnegut is quoted saying “ “Your letter, which will join my papers accumulating at Indiana University, is proof which would otherwise be missing of how valuable Syd’s silver tongue [and] now AWOL mind were to me long ago. I committed plagiarism on a grand scale! BLUEBEARD had everything but originality.” 

The Solomon residence, by Gene Leedy, was built on the edge of Midnight Pass on Siesta Key in 1970. The land was assembled in three purchases by Syd Solomon in an effort to prevent it from being developed. He planned to build an artist colony on the property. In 1983 however a large portion was eroded and by 2004 was condemned to be torn down.