Janet, 1992, is a portrait of painter Janet Fish, a friend of Close’s from Yale University. The inspiration derived from this new painting process has resulted in Close’s portraits becoming more abstract and colorful. Close began seeing each grid as a tiny painting within itself. With the creation of a remote-controlled easel and help from studio assistants, Close continued using a grid system to create his portraits. With limited movement in his arms, Close was able to paint using a paintbrush-holding device that was strapped to his forearm and wrist. During his rehabilitation process, Close was encouraged by his wife to try painting again. In 1988, Close was diagnosed with an artery collapse, which he refers to as “The Event.” As a result of his condition, Close suffered complete paralysis from below the neck. When inspected closely, a grid of squares is visible, each containing various colors and abstract shapes and forms yet, when viewed from a distance, the squares morph into a clearly defined portrait. There is an illusion present in Close’s portraits. Close started to break away from Photorealism through the act of physically incorporating the grid layout into his paintings. Over the next few years, Close’s work continued to evolve and, while still painting portraits, he also began transferring images onto canvas using a grid system, copying grid segments from images into corresponding cubes in his paintings. The subjects of these large portraits were mostly Close’s family members, friends, and fellow artists. Photorealistic paintings resemble photography in their close attention to detail. Inspired by portraiture, Close began creating large black-and-white photo-based portraits in the style of Photorealism. With his MFA completed in 1964, Close began experimenting with different styles of painting drawn from his studies of contemporary art. During his time at Yale, Close was exposed to a contemporary curriculum that inspired his artwork. After earning his BA from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1962, Close attended Yale University. Chuck Close was born in 1940 in Washington.

Gridded art