"Everything already exists - the only thing is to find it."
"An artist expands the universe, a non-artist collects data."
- Herman Cherry, Statement from the artist's notes, c. 1950s.
Herman Cherry (1909-1992) was a prominent American artist known for his non-objective abstraction. Born in Atlantic City, NJ, to immigrant parents, he faced hardships but pursued art passionately. Cherry studied under influential teachers like Stanton MacDonald Wright and Thomas Hart Benton. In the 1930s, he exhibited fellow artists' works and forged lifelong friendships. After WWII, he explored art and culture in Europe, and his experiences profoundly influenced his paintings.
Cherry became a member of The Club in NYC and exhibited non-objective abstraction. He taught at various universities, co-founded a slide business, and continued his artistic journey with renewed interest in monoprints. His works gained recognition, leading to retrospectives and exhibitions until his passing in 1992.