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Self-taught artist Gregory Van Maanen (b.1947) began to paint and draw following his return from Vietnam and discharge from the Army. A bullet remains lodged in his chest from wounds suffered during the war. He was and continues to be tortured by memories of Vietnam and suffers from post-traumatic shock. Driven to create, his body of work includes over a thousand paintings, 2,400 small drawings, various objects and small sculptures. It is through his art that Van Maanen attempts to exorcise his demons.
During 2006, Gregory Van Maanen made a life decision to move from his Paterson, NJ apartment to upstate New York where he purchased a home and could be close to nature. A new lifestyle was in order as well. This change led him to Kohler Foundation. His entire body of work was acquired by the Foundation and has since been documented, cleaned, and conserved. It was gifted to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in December 2007.
Van Maanen’s work can also be seen in the permanent collections of the New Orleans Art Museum, First Bank of Minneapolis, National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, New Jersey City Museum, Morris Museum, and others.
