About Eve Garrison

Eve Garrison was born in Boston in 1903. She was always drawn to the arts and moved to Chicago where she studied at the Art Institute in the late 1920's. By 1930 Garrison had graduated from the School of the Art Institute and was awarded a gold medal for her figure painting at the Corcoran. In 1933 she was known to be one of the best figure painters in the city of Chicago. In 1934, the Denver Art Museum asked Garrison to exhibit her nude paintings and portraits. This exhibit was her first solo show and the beginning of an astonishing career as an artist. Once she mastered the art of the form, Garrison graduated to cityscapes. Between 1933 and 1934 Garrison painted a series of Chicago cityscapes, Colorado landscapes, and Mexico cities and towns.  
 
When she passed away in 2003 at the age of 100, Garrison left behind a legacy of over 1000 paintings for the world to enjoy. 

As time progressed Garrison explored new techniques and styles. In the 40's she began to experiment with abstractionism and painted a series of cubism-influenced surrealist paintings. She then added 3D surface texture to her pieces by scarring the canvas and board, layering and scraping away, while still dealing primarily with figures. She showcased these paintings in galleries around New York. 
 
In the late 1950's Garrison had solo shows at galleries like Milwaukee Art Center and Miami Museum of Modern Art. At this time, she discovered a new abstract technique she called "sculptured oil" paintings. These paintings incorporated every day elements such as tin can lids, string, peach stones, crushed paper bags, glass, and wood. 

Throughout her life, Garrison displayed her paintings around the world—from Chicago to Paris and beyond. Her work is currently on display in galleries around Chicago. Contact us to enquire. 
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