Ann Grimmer (BFA 1935): A Century of Art & Life

Ann Grimmer: A Century of Art & Life

Approaching her 100th birthday on February 17, 2010 my mom has been painting since childhood.

She studied on a scholarship at the Art Institute of Chicago from 1928-32. After graduation she continued with two more years of post graduate work while painting murals in train stations, libraries and schools for the New Deal WPA (Works Progress administration) during the Great Depression. During the 1930's her work was juried into six consecutive Chicago & Vicinity Artists Shows at the Art Institute of Chicago. Several of her paintings were exhibited at the Springfield State Museum and in galleries in Taos, New Mexico and Arcadia, California.

Ann Radville Grimmer

In 1935 she accepted a job as a graphic designer and commercial artist for Kirk-Teich. She basically did drawings for greeting as well as postcards. In 1940-41 she won an Art Institute traveling fellowship with which she went to paint in Mexico. In 1948 she started teaching art classes in the adult evening education program of Nettlehorst School in Chicago. Among her first students were Hilda Rubin Pierce and Helenka Bimstein both of whom later became well-known artists.

Beginning In 1958 for 30 years she taught art classes and conducted workshops for artists at the Recreation Center, the YWCA and the Suburban Fine Arts Center all in Highland Park, Illinois. During this time she became an award winning exhibiting artist. Two of her vividly expressive paintings "And There's Always Tomorrow" and "St. Tropez Scene" were juried into the Annual Exhibition of Chicago & Vicinity Artists at the Art Institute of Chicago. Many of her paintings won prizes at the North Shore Art League and the Woman's Club of Evanston Shows. Her wood sculpture, "Who Can Understand A Woman," was awarded first place at the New Horizons in Sculpture Show in Chicago and her sculpture, "The Torso," won Best In Show at the Glencoe Art Fair. She made models of houses and did interior design for Arthur Swanson & Associates, an architectural firm. She designed the carpets for the O'Hare Inn, a hotel near the airport. For 10 years she drew renderings of Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches and Jewish Synagogues for renovation projects for Fred LeRoy & Associates.

Beginning In 1958 for 30 years she taught art classes and conducted workshops for artists at the Recreation Center, the YWCA and the Suburban Fine Arts Center all in Highland Park, Illinois. During this time she became an award winning exhibiting artist. Two of her vividly expressive paintings "And There's Always Tomorrow" and "St. Tropez Scene" were juried into the Annual Exhibition of Chicago & Vicinity Artists at the Art Institute of Chicago. Many of her paintings won prizes at the North Shore Art League and the Woman's Club of Evanston Shows. Her wood sculpture, "Who Can Understand A Woman," was awarded first place at the New Horizons in Sculpture Show in Chicago and her sculpture, "The Torso," won Best In Show at the Glencoe Art Fair. She made models of houses and did interior design for Arthur Swanson & Associates, an architectural firm. She designed the carpets for the O'Hare Inn, a hotel near the airport. For 10 years she drew renderings of Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox churches and Jewish Synagogues for renovation projects for Fred LeRoy & Associates.

She did costume design for the company of modern dancer Anne Rudolph during the 1940's and later under the name ARG she was the costume designer for my American Dance Company. In later years she became a published poet. In 1998 she contributed several of her poems to a book of photographs called "Dancescapes" by San Francisco photographer Norinder Dolgra.

She was married to my dad Vernon Grimmer for 48 years. He, too, was a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago and painted murals for the WPA. After discovering that he could not make a living as an easel painter in the Depression, he studied architecture at the Armour Institute of Technology (now the Illinois Insitute of Technology). He became an architect and product designer. During the war he designed battleships, aircraft carriers and submarines for the Austin Company. During the post-war era he designed houses, schools, motels and commercial buildings in addition to the interiors of the Zephyr train and Betty Crocker kitchens. I, their only child, became a dancer, choreographer, artistic director and dance teacher.

for original article visit:

http://www.pioneerlocal.com/winnetka/news/2048973,winnetka-yourbirthday-021710-s1.article