Malcolm Meyers on Walter Quirt
I became acquainted with Walter Quirt in 1948 when I arrived at the University of Minnesota as an instructor in the Department of Art. Walter had joined the department in 1947 at the request of H, H. Arnason, who was then the chairman.
Walter Quirt was an extremely vital artist, influencing all who knew him with his philosophy of art as well as with the many paintings he produced. He soon attracted outstanding students to his classes in painting. My most vivid memory from my long association with Walter is of the young artists who were challenged to produce art as a result of the creative stimulus they received from his classes.
Walter was a dedicated artist. His paintings were highly
inventive, always lively, with the imprint of an inquiring mind searching for culminations of form and color which would satisfy his quest for beauty. His early works in Minnesota were structural ‑large canvases with heavy white impasto backgrounds on which were placed strong lines and vividly colored shapes. This was an extremely effective body of work that was produced over a period of several years.
I remember a series of paintings of women, more baroque than the preceding style, executed with swirling strokes of color that gave a quite compelling monumental quality to the works. Sometimes Walter would forsake color harmonies to focus on problems of form. I recall a starkly beautiful group of paintings composed of human figures and horses, calligraphic in execution and painted in rich browns or blacks against white backgrounds.
There were, of course, many transitional periods in
Walter's career. A major group of paintings titled the Lake
Harriet Series was produced during the last years of his life. Walter and Ellie Quirt lived near Lake Harriet for many years. They spent evenings walking along its shoreline, watching the people who came to hear the band concerts, go boating, or enjoy the cool breezes that came across the lake. This series of paintings was a lyrical statement of humanity, fusing the figure into an environment of nature. The color was full, resonant with vigor and life.
Many of Walter's former students visit Ellie to tell her about their progress in the art world and express gratitude for the inspiration they received from Walter. 1, too, feel fortunate in having been a close friend of Walter Quirt. We exhibited our paintings together several times, and I have examples of his work that were exchanged for mine. When I look at them, I am reminded of the creative sensibility of a truly important artist of our time.
Malcolm H. Myers
Professor, Studio Arts
University of Minnesota
June 1979
Walter Quirt was an extremely vital artist, influencing all who knew him with his philosophy of art as well as with the many paintings he produced. He soon attracted outstanding students to his classes in painting. My most vivid memory from my long association with Walter is of the young artists who were challenged to produce art as a result of the creative stimulus they received from his classes.
Walter was a dedicated artist. His paintings were highly
inventive, always lively, with the imprint of an inquiring mind searching for culminations of form and color which would satisfy his quest for beauty. His early works in Minnesota were structural ‑large canvases with heavy white impasto backgrounds on which were placed strong lines and vividly colored shapes. This was an extremely effective body of work that was produced over a period of several years.
I remember a series of paintings of women, more baroque than the preceding style, executed with swirling strokes of color that gave a quite compelling monumental quality to the works. Sometimes Walter would forsake color harmonies to focus on problems of form. I recall a starkly beautiful group of paintings composed of human figures and horses, calligraphic in execution and painted in rich browns or blacks against white backgrounds.
There were, of course, many transitional periods in
Walter's career. A major group of paintings titled the Lake
Harriet Series was produced during the last years of his life. Walter and Ellie Quirt lived near Lake Harriet for many years. They spent evenings walking along its shoreline, watching the people who came to hear the band concerts, go boating, or enjoy the cool breezes that came across the lake. This series of paintings was a lyrical statement of humanity, fusing the figure into an environment of nature. The color was full, resonant with vigor and life.
Many of Walter's former students visit Ellie to tell her about their progress in the art world and express gratitude for the inspiration they received from Walter. 1, too, feel fortunate in having been a close friend of Walter Quirt. We exhibited our paintings together several times, and I have examples of his work that were exchanged for mine. When I look at them, I am reminded of the creative sensibility of a truly important artist of our time.
Malcolm H. Myers
Professor, Studio Arts
University of Minnesota
June 1979