Reggie Grooms was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1900.  He was a well known painter, lithographer, lecturer, and educator.  His father was a well known wood engraver who had prepared the engravings for illustrations by Henry Farny for McGuffey’s Eclectic Reader.  At the age of four, Reggie began painting in watercolor.  His father used to work with him every Sunday afternoon.  At the age of eight, Reggie began painting in oils.  He continued to study art throughout high school and college.  In 1923, he went to Europe to study painting at the Academie Julian in Paris.  While in Paris he exhibited in the Spring Salons of both 1924 and 1925.  The New York Times reported that he was the youngest American exhibiting in those shows.  In 1925, Reggie was called back to Cincinnati to teach at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and the University of Cincinnati School of Applied Arts.  He taught painting at these schools for 46 years.  Reggie took several painting trips to Spain, France, Ireland, Canada, California, New England, and the South.  He had over 33 one-man shows during his life time.  He influenced many artists and was respected by many.  He died in 1989. 

Studied

Cincinnati Art Academy, 1917-23; Academie Julian, Paris with Royer, Pages, and P.A. Laurens, 1923-25

Member

Cincinnati MacDowell Society (pres. 1941-43); Cincinnati Art Club (pres. 1933-35); Scarab Club; Cincinnati Professional Artists; Ohio WCS

Exhibited

Cincinnati Museum, 1923-44; Butler Art Institute, 1936-45; PAFA, 1937-38; GGE, 1939; WFNY, 1939 (Century of Tomorrow); AIC, 1936-39; Kearney Gallery, Milwaukee, 1946; Soc. Artistes Francaises, Paris Salon, 1924-25; CI, 1942 (Artists of Tomorrow)

Work

University of Cincinnati; Muncie (IN) Art Museum; Miami University, Oxford.  Commissions:  Evening Education (mural), Evening College Office, University of Cincinnati, 1948; portraits:  Dean Drufngr, 1940, Dr. Martin Fischer, 1960, Helen Coops, 1963, Joseph Meyer, 1969, University of Cincinnati