Modernist Still Life With Stylized Flowers by Bunn Gray (1970s)

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A gentle, dreamy atmosphere permeates this large-scale acrylic still life from Tennessee artist Walter Bunn Gray. In it, a sphere-like … Read more A gentle, dreamy atmosphere permeates this large-scale acrylic still life from Tennessee artist Walter Bunn Gray. In it, a sphere-like bowl of stylized garden flowers conveys a serene domesticity. The blooms are rendered in desaturated pastels and represented by simple rings of petals—although small details hint at further botanical structure. A yellowy ochre and a robin’s egg blue—shadowed by pale moss green, dusty violets, and buff—dominate the tranquil color palette. Subtle shifts in the value of these hues evoke a quiet movement. Presently unframed. Signed by the artist en recto.

BUNN GRAY (1934–2002) was a prominent local artist in Franklin, Tenn., an affluent suburb of Nashville. He was known for expressive and occasionally flamboyant paintings, which regularly featured abstract themes, although watermelons and cats were also frequent subjects.

In 1964, Gray purchased historic Clouston Hall in downtown Franklin, sparing it from demolition. Built in 1821, the Federalist-style home had served briefly as a field hospital for the Missouri Regiment during the Civil War Battle of Franklin in 1864. Gray used the building as his residence and studio. Since his death, Clouston Hall has housed Gallery 202, a space dedicated to the support of local artists and the periodic celebration of Gray’s legacy. See less