Gertrude Greene
Encyclopedia
Gertrude Glass Greene was an abstract
sculptor and painter from New York, New York. Gertrude and her husband, artist Balcomb Greene
, were heavily involved in political activism to promote mainstream acceptance of abstract art. They were founding members of the American Abstract Artists
organization.
Glass married Balcomb Greene
in 1926 after he graduated from Syracuse University, and traveled with him to Vienna, Austria, where he pursued graduate studies in psychology. The couple moved back to New York in 1927 where Balcomb attended Columbia University
to study for a Master Degree in English literature
, while she continued study sculpture. Balcomb moved to Hanover, New Hampshire
where he taught literature from 1928-1931 at Dartmouth College
. Initially, Gertrude joined Balcomb in New Hampshire where she had a sculpture studio. But she preferred living in New York so left New Hampshire without Balcomb. After he quit teaching at Dartmouth, the couple traveled to Paris, France for a year where for the only time during their marriage they shared a studio.
Grace Borgenicht Gallery had the first solo exhibition of her work in 1951, and another was held at the Bertha Schaefer Gallery in 1955. A painting of Greene's was chosen for the cover of Arts Magazine
in April 1982, which featured an article about Greene's paintings, written by Jacqueline Moss
. There was a retrospective of her work at ACA Gallery in 1982. Greene's work can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art
in New York, the Brooklyn Museum
, the Philadelphia Museum of Art
, and the Berkshire Museum
.
." Gertrude worked as a gallery attendant at the AAA's first annual exhibition, and was the group's first paid employee. The Greenes were active with the AAA committees, and worked to gain acceptance of abstract art by picketing museums that did not feature works of abstract artist. Lee Krasner
called Greene an "up front" person and said she was one of the most active members of the AAA.
Abstract art
Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th century, underpinned by the logic of perspective and an...
sculptor and painter from New York, New York. Gertrude and her husband, artist Balcomb Greene
Balcomb Greene
Balcomb Greene and his wife, artist Gertrude Glass Greene, were heavily involved in political activism to promote mainstream acceptance of abstract art. They were founding members of the American Abstract Artists organization. His early style was completely non-objective. Juan Gris and Piet...
, were heavily involved in political activism to promote mainstream acceptance of abstract art. They were founding members of the American Abstract Artists
American Abstract Artists
American Abstract Artists was formed in 1936 in New York City, to promote and foster public understanding of abstract art. American Abstract Artists exhibitions, publications, and lectures helped to establish the organization as a major forum for the exchange and discussion of ideas, and for...
organization.
Family life
Gertrude Glass was the daughter of Siegfried and Berta Glass who owned a department store in Brooklyn, New York. After completing high school, Gertrude went to evening sculpture classes at the Leonardo Da Vinci Art School in New York City where she met other students who were interested in the new abstract style of art.Glass married Balcomb Greene
Balcomb Greene
Balcomb Greene and his wife, artist Gertrude Glass Greene, were heavily involved in political activism to promote mainstream acceptance of abstract art. They were founding members of the American Abstract Artists organization. His early style was completely non-objective. Juan Gris and Piet...
in 1926 after he graduated from Syracuse University, and traveled with him to Vienna, Austria, where he pursued graduate studies in psychology. The couple moved back to New York in 1927 where Balcomb attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
to study for a Master Degree in English literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, while she continued study sculpture. Balcomb moved to Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
where he taught literature from 1928-1931 at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
. Initially, Gertrude joined Balcomb in New Hampshire where she had a sculpture studio. But she preferred living in New York so left New Hampshire without Balcomb. After he quit teaching at Dartmouth, the couple traveled to Paris, France for a year where for the only time during their marriage they shared a studio.
Artist
Greene was one the earliest of American artists, possibly the first, to produce non-objective relief sculptures in the early 1930s. She synthesized Cubist and Russian Constructivists themes into her work. By the 1940s, her work showed her interest in Mondrian and Neo-Plasticism. She produced her last sculpture in 1946 and for the rest of life she concentrated on abstract painting. Nonetheless, her paintings never completely lost a "sense of architectural structure".Grace Borgenicht Gallery had the first solo exhibition of her work in 1951, and another was held at the Bertha Schaefer Gallery in 1955. A painting of Greene's was chosen for the cover of Arts Magazine
Arts Magazine
Arts Magazine was monthly magazine devoted to fine art. It was established in 1926 and last published in 1992. It was originally called The Art Digest and was earlier published semi-monthly from October to May and monthly from June to September. It was later renamed Arts and finally, Arts Magazine...
in April 1982, which featured an article about Greene's paintings, written by Jacqueline Moss
Jacqueline Moss
Jacqueline Moss was an American art historian, lecturer, writer and art critic. She was the curator of education at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art and lectured widely on modern and 20th century art. Her articles and seminars often had a focus on women artists...
. There was a retrospective of her work at ACA Gallery in 1982. Greene's work can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
in New York, the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
, the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
, and the Berkshire Museum
Berkshire Museum
The Berkshire Museum is a museum of natural history, art and ancient civilization that is located in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States....
.
Political activism
Greene supported many liberal political causes affecting artists. She "encouraged the formation of WPA programs to help struggling artists" and was "an active member of the Federation of Painters and Sculptors, the Artists' Union, and a founding member of American Abstract ArtistsAmerican Abstract Artists
American Abstract Artists was formed in 1936 in New York City, to promote and foster public understanding of abstract art. American Abstract Artists exhibitions, publications, and lectures helped to establish the organization as a major forum for the exchange and discussion of ideas, and for...
." Gertrude worked as a gallery attendant at the AAA's first annual exhibition, and was the group's first paid employee. The Greenes were active with the AAA committees, and worked to gain acceptance of abstract art by picketing museums that did not feature works of abstract artist. Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner
Lee Krasner was an influential abstract expressionist painter in the second half of the 20th century. On October 25, 1945, she married artist Jackson Pollock, who was also influential in the Abstract Expressionism movement....
called Greene an "up front" person and said she was one of the most active members of the AAA.