Christopher Grace ’87
Studio Art Major
Based in Boston, MA
He/Him/His
“When I was a printmaker, my favorite techniques were woodcut and intaglio. I like the directness of woodcut especially; it has a powerful graphic punch along with the nuance that is intrinsic to the character of wood. I also love the tactile richness of both media.”
Professional Life Post-Carleton
1994–95
- Lived in Umbria, Italy
1992–94
- Post-MFA, taught printmaking and drawing at Hamline University and University of Michigan
1992
- MFA (Printmaking) University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1990
- Studied papermaking & Ukiyo-e technique at Kyoto Seika University and in Echizen, Japan
1989
- Master printer for Leonardo Lasansky
1987–88
- Fifth-year assistant in Carleton Art Department
Favorite memory of life at Carleton
“In my mind, “Boliou” is shorthand for all the interesting and creative people who gathered there. It was an exciting and welcoming place for me, as I trust it still is today, including the new Weitz Center. The students who frequented the building — mostly art and art history majors, but others too — were a tight-knit group. Fred started teaching the fall of my sophomore year, while I was off-campus. It wasn’t easy to return to Minnesota in January, after a life-changing term in Greece and a few months on my own in the interim, touring Europe by train. I liked Fred instantly and loved everything about the print studio and the way he ran it. We’ve been friends ever since, for more than 35 years.”
Favorite memory of studying with Fred Hagstrom
“I always looked forward to final critiques with Fred. We talked all the time during the regular term, both casually and seriously about everything one could imagine, yet come the end of that trimester, he still had new insights and suggestions that I hadn’t considered. As his student, Fred is someone you naturally want to please — in a healthy way — because he speaks with such thoughtful authority. In my adult life as a husband, a father, a professional and many other things, I have tried to emulate his empathy, insight, and honesty. I treasure his friendship and trust.
“I don’t practice art or call myself an artist these days. My main creative outlet is taking other people’s art and presenting it to the best advantage. I handle works on paper and also design and build object mounts and display furniture for galleries, collectors, and museums, mostly in New England and New York. My experience with observational drawing, composition and design, the technical aspects and problem-solving of printmaking, and a solid grounding in art history (among other Carleton-instilled skills) have served me well.”