Henry Martin Gasser (1909–1981)

Henry  Gasser was an acclaimed American painter known for his vivid depictions of everyday life across mid-century America. Working in oil, watercolor, and casein, Gasser captured New Jersey’s bustling streets, New England’s harbors, and the quiet dignity of working-class neighborhoods with an expressive realism that made him one of the country’s most beloved regional painters.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Gasser studied at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, where he later became Director from 1946 to 1954. He also trained at the Grand Central School of Art and the Art Students League in New York, developing a confident, painterly approach rooted in American realism and influenced by the Ashcan School and the Cape Ann School of American Impressionism.

During the summers, Gasser frequently visited Cape Ann, Massachusetts, painting in and around Gloucester and Rockport. There, he joined a community of artists inspired by the rugged New England coastline and the region’s luminous light. His watercolors of Gloucester’s working harbors, Rockport’s backstreets, and Annisquam’s shoreline cottages reveal his sensitivity to atmosphere and his ability to find beauty in the ordinary. These Cape Ann compositions align him with fellow New England artists such as Emile Gruppe, Aldro T. Hibbard, and Anthony Thieme—painters who helped define the area’s enduring artistic legacy.

Gasser’s service in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he worked in a visual-aids unit at Camp Croft, South Carolina, further deepened his observational skills. After the war, he became a respected instructor and author, publishing several influential books including Oil Paintings: Methods and Demonstrations (1953), Techniques of Painting the Waterfront (1959), and Techniques of Picture Making (1963). His approachable teaching style and passion for direct observation inspired countless students nationwide.

Over his career, Gasser earned more than one hundred awards, became a full Academician of the National Academy of Design, and served as Vice President of the American Watercolor Society. His work is represented in major institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Newark Museum of Art, and the National Academy of Design.

Henry Gasser believed that “everyday subjects can be infused with excitement.” Whether depicting a New Jersey street corner or a Cape Ann harbor at dawn, he brought empathy, structure, and painterly vigor to all his work. His legacy endures as a bridge between urban realism and coastal American Impressionism—a testament to his lifelong belief in finding beauty in the familiar.