Lee Gatch Jr. (b. 1902/ d. 1968)

He was born in Benton Heights, a small town near Baltimore, MD.

Studied:
Maryland Institute of Art early 1920's
American School Fontainebleau, France 1923
Academie Modern Paris, France 1924

During his schooling, Gatch studied with Leon Kroll, John Sloan, Moise Kisling and Andre Lhote. While in Paris, Gatch view many artists' works, such as Andre Derain, Edouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard. In these artists' works he admired the use of different colors to create a sense of space.

He returned to the States in 1925. In New York Gatch had his first solo show in 1932. In the summer of 1935, Gatch lived at the artists' colony Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY. It was here he met Elisie Driggs who that same year became his wife. Gatch and Driggs moved to a remote farm in Lambertville, NJ. It was here that he gained much of his inspiration from the western New Jersey landscape.

In 1966, Gatch was inducted into the Academy of Arts and Letters. His style is described as an American representational tradition, combining elements of Post-Impressionism, Cubism and Symbolism.

On October 11, 1968 Gatch died in a Trenton hospital near his home.

Sources Include:
The Oxford Dictionary of American Art and Artists
www.phillipscollection.org
www.en.wikipedia.org