Milton Avery (1885–1965) was an influential American painter known for his distinctive use of color and form. Born in Upstate New York and the youngest of four to a working-class family, he took jobs to support his family from an early age and thus could not fully focus on art until 1925, when he moved to New York City. Avery’s career gained momentum in the 1930s, reaching its most mature phase in 1943 when he joined the Paul Rosenberg Gallery and aligned himself with avant-garde circles. Unconcerned with labels, Avery focused on essential forms and color harmonies, a distinctive approach that inspired future generations of artists, including Mark Rothko and Adolph Gottlieb. As art historian and museum curator Barbara Haskell notes, Avery “bridged the gap between realist and abstract art.” Avery’s commitment to his aesthetic principles and pioneering color sense cemented his place as a major figure in 20th century American art. He has been the focus of major exhibitions, such as Milton Avery: The Late Paintings (2001–02), which traveled to the Milwaukee Art Museum and Norton Museum of Art.

Avery’s first solo presentation at GRAY was in 1965. His work has been featured in various GRAY exhibitions since, including Paintings and Drawings, 1966; Artists/Bennington, 1967; Works on Paper, 1970; Choices, 1972; Prints, 1976; Twenty-Five Important Paintings, 1981; and Modern and Contemporary Masters, 1992.