A N D R E ..J O S E P H ..G R I L L
Watercolor and Oil Paintings - Summer
June 26 - July 23, 2011
After the Parade, 1958
This delightful work was painted for a July cover illustration for a popular American magazine. It was not bought by the magazine much to the disappointment of the artist and his family. Within a few years the magazine, the last major publication to employ illustratrators for its "human interest" covers, The Saturday Evening Post, went out of business.
The scene portrayed is after the 4th of July parade in Racine, Wisconsin. The baton twirling majorette sitting on the curb mopping her brow, is hot and exhausted after a long march in the hot July sun, prancing and twirling her baton all the way from the Northside, through downtown and finally winding up on the Southside. The artist painted his own neighbood. The artist's wife, Margaret, posed as the majorette, borrowing the uniform from a friend of a friend who was part of the Johnson's Wax Band.
The detail in this painting is a wonderful glimpse into life in the 1950s. Very different from his other paintings, this work clearly shows the artist's remarkable attention to detail and twist of humor. The painting is an oil on illustration board.
North Beach in Racine, Wisconsin, Late Afternoon,
oil on paper laundry card board
View 1 From the Campsite, Price County, Wisconsin 1961 - Watercolor
In 1961 our family went up north, a traditional Wisconsin summer get-a-way. We pitched our umbrella tent near the banks of a pristine lake in the wilderness of the Chequamegon Forest. We did a little fishing from the banks and also riding around in a row boat. My mother did the cooking at a portable Coleman camping stove. My father and I were busy with our watercolor paints. Later the pan-fried fish tasted delicious.
These are a few of André's artistic souvenirs of that vacation in the north woods of Price County, Wisconsin.
View 2 From the Campsite, Price County, Wisconsin 1961 - Watercolor
Wildfowers - Price County, Wisconsin 1961, Watercolor
View 3 From the Campsite, Price County, Wisconsin 1961 - Watercolor
Tall Pines at Sailor Lake, Price County, Wisconsin - Watercolor
Poppies and Corn Flowers -Watercolor, France, 1950
Woman in a Summer Garden - Watercolor, about 1957
Basket With Cherries - oil on wooden board, France, 1951