My personal connection with Hardy Gramatky happened in 2003 when Chouinard Art Institute was having a fund raising auction and one of Gramatky's works became available. It was a large watercolor painting titled "Martinique Harbor" and I bid on it and became it's new owner. A few years later I sold it to Michael Johnson and you can see it in his great collection online at California Watercolor.
Hardie Gramatky bio:
Artist/Illustrator Hardie Gramatky was born in Dallas, Texas on the 12th of April 1907. His father was Bernard August Gramatky and his mother was Blanche (Gunner) Gramatky. His schooling was split between two years at Stanford University and two years at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles.
He became a head animator at Walt Disney Productions in Burbank, California during the period of 1930 through 1936. Later he became a pictorial reporter for Fortune Magazine in New York City from 1937 til 1940.
During World War II (1942 - 1944) he became a supervisor of military training films for the U.S. Military and later from 1944 tip 1979 he became a free lance writer and artist. His most popular series of books from this period were the "Little Toot" stories, which were a great commercial success.
Renowned for his watercolor skills he won many top water media awards. Among these were the Chicago International Award in 1942, The AWS (American Watercolor Society) High Winds Medal in 1979. His work is included in scores of public and private collections: The Chicago Art Institute, Brooklyn Museum, Toledo Museum of Art, Frye Museum, Marietta College in Ohio, and many others.
He belonged to the NAD (National Academy of Design), AWS (American Watercolor Society), Society of Illustrators, The Salmagundi Club of New York, and The Westport Artists.
Hardy Gramatky died on the 29th of April, 1979 at Westport, Connecticut.
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