Early Life, Family and Training

Criss Glasell was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1898. When she was only six years old, her family moved from Austria to America in 1904. After spending some time in Wisconsin, she moved to Chicago to study at the Art Institute of Chicago. During these formative years, she worked to make a living by hand-painting lampshades, a practice that required a steady hand and a close eye for detail.

In June 1925, she married her husband, Don, who was also an artist. The two of them eventually settled in Dubuque, Iowa, where they became part of the local art scene. They maintained a studio and a gallery on Main Street, sharing a life centered around their creative work.

Artistic Activity in Dubuque

After settling in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1925, Criss Glasell became a fixture in the local arts scene. She and her husband, Don, established a studio and gallery on Main Street, a space that functioned as a central point for the community. This studio was a place of daily work and a site for others to gather around art. Her presence in the city remained steady through the 1920s and 1940s, as she helped sustain a growing creative environment in the Midwest.

Her involvement extended beyond her own studio walls. She was an active member of the Dubuque Art Association, an organization that would eventually become the Dubuque Museum of Art. Through these local institutions, she helped shape the way art was shared and preserved in the region. Her life in Dubuque was marked by this continuous engagement with the local landscape and the people who lived within it.

Circle, Mentors and Influences

The landscape of the Midwest left a mark on her work, shaped by the people she studied under. Grant Wood was a close friend and mentor, offering guidance that helped shape her perspective. She spent the summers of 1932 and 1933 at his Stone City Art Colony, absorbing the atmosphere of the creative community there. Her connection to him went beyond mere study; in 1934, she was instrumental in bringing him to Dubuque for a special exhibit and lecture.

Her artistic direction was further guided by Adrian Dornbush, who, along with Wood, acted as a major advisor to her. These relationships helped anchor her within the local art scene. While Wood’s influence brought a certain rustic quality to her compositions, the presence of Dornbush introduced a different sensibility, characterized by highly saturated colors. She found a way to blend these two distinct approaches, creating a style that remained uniquely her own.

Technique and Artistic Style

The work of Criss Glasell often captures the quiet, structured essence of the Midwest. Her paintings frequently focus on rural landscapes, where the geometry of a barn or the silhouette of a tractor takes center stage. During the mid-1930s, her approach aligned with the Precisionist style, characterized by sharp lines and a sense of order. She used bright blocks of color to define the shapes of the countryside, creating a visual language that felt both modern and grounded in the local terrain.

There is a specific way she handles color and form that sets her apart. She had a way of blending different artistic approaches to find her own rhythm. One influence brought a certain rustic quality to her scenes, while another contributed highly saturated colors. By combining these elements, she developed a portfolio that felt distinct. Her compositions do not rely on soft edges; instead, they use clear boundaries to organize the farmhouses, mailboxes, and fields she observed.

Key Works and Collections

One of her notable pieces is the 1937 mural study titled Rural Free Delivery, created for the Leon, Iowa Post Office. This work is a tempera painting on fiberboard, measuring 20 1/8 by 48 inches. In the lower right corner, her signature appears on the surface. The piece captures a scene of rural life, focusing on a landscape that includes a farm, a barn, and a tractor. It depicts a family and a mailbox, centering on the quiet activity of reading and writing letters.

This specific study is held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. It remains a significant part of the museum's holdings, having been transferred to the institution through the General Services Administration. The work reflects the specific subject matter of the Midwest, showing the intersection of domestic life and the agricultural landscape through its depiction of a farmer and the surrounding environment.