George Ayers Cress (American/Tennessee, 1921-2008) oil on canvas painting, mounted on Masonite, coastal landscape depicting a small boat tethered on a sandy beach shore with grassy dunes in the foreground, seagulls flying over a body of blue water midground and land visible in the background. Signed and dated lower right "George Cress, 1942". Unframed. 24-1/8" H x 40" W.

Biography: "George Cress was born in Anniston, Alabama and studied at Emory University, American University, and at the University of Georgia under fellow Southern contemporary artist Lamar Dodd. He was a central figure in Chattanooga's arts community and served as President of the Tennessee Arts Council. He sat on the board of the Hunter Museum of Art. From 1951-1984 he was painter in residence at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. The Cress Gallery of Art at UTC is named in his honor." (Source: The Tennessee Historical Quarterly Vol. XLIV No. 2: "Landscape and Genre Painting in Tennessee 1810-1985").

PROVENANCE: Property of the Hunter Museum of American Art.

Unframed. Overall good condition with some loss of paint on right edge center and top right corner, approx. 1" in upper right corner.