About Wendy Gruber
Wendy was a major force and friend at the ICB, home of Marin's largest collection of artist studios under one roof. She painted "en plein air," capturing the beauty of her beloved Marin County. " . . . I want the grasses I paint to keep blowing in the wind after the piece is finished," she said. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, her many awards include first place four times for drawings and paintings at the Sausalito Art Festival. Her paintings are part of private and public collections throughout the country. Wendy passed away from leukemia at the age of 55 in September 2006.
Wendy was supportive of other artists and believed in giving back to the art community that had given her so much joy. With the creation of The Wendy Gruber Artist Fund, the celebration and legacy of her giving continues.
Background
Originally from New Jersey, Wendy Gruber studied fine arts at Boston University,
sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design (BFA '73), and design at New
York's School of Visual Arts. She spent many years in Colorado before moving
to beautiful Marin County, California where she found inspiration, good
weather and her love of landscapes.
Process
"I underpaint my pastels with acrylic washes. They enable me to block in
my composition and contours fluidly and quickly. Afterwards, I layer in pastel,
teasing out an exchange between the opaque bold strokes of the pastel
and the translucent washes. The juxtaposition sets up a dynamic vibration
of strokes emerging out of the background in a way that I find both
compelling and exciting."
Corporate Patrons
Berkshire Partners; Boston, MA
Cambridge Savings Bank; Cambridge, MA
Fidelity Investments; Boston, MA
Inn at Spanish Bay; Pebble Beach, CA
Johnson & Johnson Professional, Inc. Raynham, MA
Partners HealthCare Systems, Inc.; Boston, MA
Putnam Investments; Boston, MA
Raytheon; Sudbury, MA
Peter Sullivan Associates, San Francisco, CA
Shorenstein Properties; San Francisco, CA
Awards
2004 Sausalito Art Festival - 1st Place Winner - Drawing Category
2003 Sausalito Art Festival - 1st Place Winner - Drawing Category
2003 Artisans Gallery, Mill Valley CA, 2nd Prize - Small Works Show
2003 Napa Valley Museum - Plein Air Biennial - Curator's 1st Place Award
2002 Sausalito Art Festival - 1st Prize Winner - Drawing Category
2001 Sausalito Art Festival - 1rst Prize Winner - Drawing Category