Carmen Grier

Carmen Grier was born and raised in Iowa. After graduating from the University of Iowa earning a degree in Music, she soon found her way back to her true passion: visual art.  She earned an MA from The University of Iowa in Textile Design followed by an MFA in Fiber from Cranbrook Academy of Art. 

In 2018, Carmen Grier redirected her work towards painting with oils. Before her current painting practice, Carmen Grier’s long, sustained career centered on creating and exhibiting functional and art textiles.  She taught and exhibited nationally, has been awarded national and international residencies, with her work placed in private and public collections. 

Carmen Grier’s studio and home are in rural Mitchell County, NC where she resides with her husband, artist Terry Gess, having met in the mid- 1990’s while each participated in the prestigious 3-year Artist Residency at Penland School of Craft. 

With her studio situated in the rural landscape of Western North Carolina, the view from her studio windows is a constant inspiration. A dream day in her studio consists of having uninterrupted time to get into the flow, responding to the visually rich world around her with color, line, and shape through paint.