Artist Gretchen Dow Simpson Dies at 85 - Author of 58 New Yorker Covers

Artist Gretchen Dow Simpson Dies at 85 - Author of 58 New Yorker Covers

Artist Gretchen Dow Simpson, who died peacefully on April 11, wrote: “As a painter and photographer, and artist in general, I am inspired and motivated by the juxtaposition of shapes, light and color. My paintings are pieces of the world as I see it. I want to be able to imagine what is outside the edges of my images and see the beauty in the isolation of the subject matter that I choose to portray.

 

“My standard working method consists of breaking down a photograph into shapes. Then I decide what's important for the painting and what details I want to include. The fact that the photographs are my own creates a strong bond and makes the entire process highly personal. I look to neither contemporary nor historical photographers or painters for artistic reference. If I've put down with paint what was the essence of the photograph, then I know the painting will work for me.
 

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“I am interested in the abstract qualities of the world and how that translates to my paintings. The mystery of images plays an important part in my vision. I don't want to show every detail. I am interested in the geometry and feeling of the subject matter. ·
 

“Above all, it is the color, beauty, and mystery of my surroundings that move me to paint.”

 

Gretchen attended the Rhode Island School of Design, class of 1961. She was a freelance photographer and painter in Boston, New  York City,  Minneapolis and Scranton, PA, from 1962 to 1970.  From 1974 to 1993, Gretchen was a cover artist for the New Yorker Magazine, with 58 paintings used as covers.

 

She was the recipient of various  commissions, including assignments from Bostonian Magazine,  The Atlantic Monthly, Absolut Vodka and Kirin­Seagram Company. She had solo shows and group exhibitions in museums and galleries across  the country, and her work  is held by many private collectors and corporations.

 

She received the  Pell Award in 2005 and an Honorary Doctorate from  Bryant  University in 2009. In 2012, she was part of the Rhode Island Governor’s Highway Beautification Program and designed a 1,367-square-foot mural on Route 95 in Pawtucket, RI.  In 2013, she was awarded the Special Distinction Award by The Pawtucket Foundation. On June 12, 2024, she received the Providence Art Club Metal. 

 

Born in Cambridge, MA., Gretchen Hansell Dow was the daughter of Elizabeth Sagendorph Dow and Richard A. Dow. She leaves behind her daughters, Phoebe Bean and Megan Wolff; her brother, Richard Dow; her sisters, Tyna Donaldson and Pam Brown; her grandchildren, Ruby Wolf, Oscar Wolf, Ezra Bean and Joao Bean, and her husband, James Baird.      

 

Editor's Note: An earlier version reported she was 86. She died at 85.