A&M 4170Grace Martin Taylor, Artist, Letter regarding Artist Hans Hofman A&M 4170Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History CenterWest Virginia and Regional History Center

2016/02/26

1549 University Ave. P.O. Box 6069 Morgantown, WV 26506-6069Business Number: 304-293-3536wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.comURL:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-08-30 07:45:01 -0400.EnglishDescribing Archives: A Content Standard West Virginia and Regional History Center Grace Martin Taylor, Artist, Letter regarding Artist Hans Hofmann Taylor, Grace Martin, 1903-1995 A&M 4170 Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key Previous Archival Resource Key /repositories/2/resources/3622 .01 Linear Feet 2 leaves (1 folder) 1972 Two-page letter from West Virginia artist Grace Martin Taylor (February 11, 1903-October 1, 1995) to Merv, dated May 11, 1972. The letter is a reply to Merv's questions about artist Hans Hofmann, in which Taylor briefly discusses Hofmann's teaching style during her time studying at the Hans Hofmann School of Fine Art in Provincetown, Massachusetts between 1942 and 1957. She also provides citations to books and articles that mention Hofmann, and praises his work as a teacher and artist of "Abstract Impressionism" (Hofmann is known for his work in abstract expressionism). West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/ English Conditions Governing Access

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 Biographical / Historical

A Morgantown native, Grace Martin Taylor attended and graduated from West Virginia University. She studied under Blanche Lazzell, West Virginia's most renowned artist, and like Lazzell, she studied under the noted abstract artist, Hans Hofmann. She also attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

Her art, in several media including oils and watercolor, is modernist in style, showing a preference for abstraction. She is best characterized from the following quote of a review of her Lynn Laskin Gallery show of December 1957 in Charleston: "Here is an artist of great seriousness of aesthetic purpose, singular individuality of style, with special strengths of inventiveness and finely-balanced painting constructions. These are paintings in which the true, serious nature of abstract art should become apparent."

Grace Martin Taylor taught in Charleston, WV at Mason College, and later at Morris Harvey.

 Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Grace Martin Taylor, Artist, Letter regarding Artist Hans Hofmann, A&M 4170, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

 Related A&M Collections

3206, 4170

 Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.

 Art teachers Taylor, Grace Martin, 1903-1995 Hofmann, Hans, 1880-1966