A n d r é ..J o s e p h .G r i l l
American Artist 1916 - 1985

 


André Joseph Grill in his studio in Wisconsin, 1954

Powerful.... Inspired.. ..Innovative..

.. Driven.... Visionary ..

-.. A Great Talent Revealed at Last

André Joseph Grill was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His artistic production, spanning nearly forty years, includes oils (two and three dimensional), watercolor and ink, pastel paintings and numerous drawings.

He studied painting at The Art Institute of Chicago, Academie Julian, and Academie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris.

During five years in Europe, Grill traveled France and neighboring countries producing endearing watercolors of Paris and other cities as well as quaint rural and provincial views.

After returning to Wisconsin in 1952, he and his wife, Margaret converted an 1870s carriage house into a studio where he painted for the remainder of his life. Over time, Grill forged a unique artistic path, becoming distanced from the mainstream art world, as he painted in near complete isolation. His style and technique began to include collages with fabrics, paper, and occasionally, wood built-up areas. These works later evolved into his daring and innovative style of paintings he called “cut-outs”. The three-dimensional “cut-outs” were produced from approximately 1960 until 1983. Many “flat” paintings were also produced during that time. However, the “cut-outs” reflect a time of intense turmoil and transition in the artist’s life. The early “cut-outs” were dark and brooding. He was torn between his despondency over the lack of financial success and recognition in the art world, and an unswerving belief in his gift and destiny as a painter. Gradually the colors became brighter and lighter, all reflecting the artist’s progression toward his own state of personal harmony within the universe.

 The total body of Grill's work ranges from traditional and classically drawn and painted landscapes, still-lifes, figural studies and portraits, to the dramatic, thought-provoking, radical, and profound.

 


 


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