Biography

Elsie Driggs was an American painter born in 1898, known for her significant contributions to the Precisionism movement. Precisionism was a modernist art movement that emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, characterized by its focus on geometric forms and industrial subjects. Driggs was the only female artist associated with this movement, which sought to capture the essence of the new American landscape through a Cubist-inspired lens. Her works often depicted skyscrapers and factories, reflecting the industrial growth of the era. Beyond her Precisionist works, Driggs also explored floral and figurative subjects in watercolors, pastels, and oils later in her career. Her art is held in high regard and is part of the collections at notable institutions such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Driggs was married to abstract artist Lee Gatch, and she passed away in 1992 in New York City. Her work remains influential for its unique perspective on the industrial age and its contribution to American modernism.