Artist Gruskin ‘Vibrates Edges’
IBM retiree Lewis Gruskin bases his colorful painting on personal experiences like playing golf and a childhood love of visiting New York City museums.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Artist Lewis Gruskin was the subject of a video because a filmmaker was intrigued with his dual right brain/left brain capabilities. In his business career as Worldwide Manager of Multimedia Services, Gruskin was part of the original IBM Personal Computer team where he headed the creative group that produced early visual output of the devices that we all use today. Now as an active retiree, he labels his painting style as “probably closest to Expressionism but does vary from loose Realism to totally abstract.”
Gruskin explained, “Most of my work has been based on personal experiences. I take photos of interesting images, scenes, and people. I also work from still life arrangements that I have set up. Or a photo in a newspaper or magazine can provide the inspiration for a painting. As a golfer, many of my landscapes are based on the scenery on a course that catches my eye. And a lifetime of travel has built up a box of photographs to inspire.”
Gruskin grew up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn while attending Erasmus Hall High School. He always had an interest in art and visited local museums, especially the Brooklyn Museum which was just a few miles from his home.
He shared, “Drawing was with me all along. No formal training, but I would sketch when I saw something interesting or copied photographs. My father was skilled in drawing, so his encouragement was helpful.”
Since retiring in 1999, Gruskin has attended art classes mainly at the Spruill and Chastain art centers. The classes focus on drawing, painting, composition, figures, still life, and abstraction. Some of his background delayed his current creative expertise in painting with intention. Gruskin stated, “Since my job/work entailed much travel and with an active family life, I didn’t have much time to pursue art. Creative work was postponed until I had retired. Since early 2000 I have been at it pretty regularly.”
In understanding his method, Gruskin rarely paints without first sketching his vision and experimenting with modifications in order to get his general concept. He then creates a charcoal image, modifying the direction along the way, layering in the dark and light areas, using warm and cool colors. As he works, the piece further changes so he’s not just “filling in the blocks.”
He stated, “I review the entire interaction of the space, color, shapes, depth, etc. It’s a repetitive process since a change in one aspect can impact others. A typical piece can vary from three hours to eight hours of work.”
His color palette is based on the subject at hand as he considers complementary colors in most of his work where the vibration at the edges adds interest.
Gruskin has done several pieces on commission. His largest was a 4’ x 12’ landscape painting for a corporation. He had a large show 10 years ago and sold many paintings, but that is not his driving force. His paintings hang in homes and offices in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and California.
Gruskin noted whose masterful works he most admires, “Avery, Cezanne, Kahn, Klee, Matisse, Picasso, Van Gogh. plus, plus…”
He is most proud of a large abstract painting of scissors, and another with iris florals.
He said, “I like paintings that are playful with their subjects like the abstract/cubist fiddler I did. It’s pretty hard for me to select the ‘best’. Composition is my focus; and that includes so much — line, shape, color, value, texture — that it provides all of the challenge I need.”
While working, Gruskin listens to music, “not classical, but more upbeat,” to set the mood in his studio.
Looking ahead, Gruskin is in contact with a local gallery arranging a show. He concluded, “I really enjoy painting with my grandkids to get them involved in what it takes to make a good piece of art so they can better appreciate what they see in museums.”
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