The family of Jefferson Eugene Grigsby, Jr. is immensely proud of him, his accomplishments, and the impact that his life had on countless numbers of people worldwide.  As an educator, artist, mentor and shining example, he demonstrated what can be done to change one’s surroundings, environment and the world by simply “being”.  He was a true renaissance person.  He was an artist, a teacher, a playwright, a poet, an essayist, an author, a lecturer, and a writer.  He engaged everyone with whom he came in contact.  He had a creative mind that was active up until the very moment he died.  He was a fierce advocate for justice and righteousness.  He literally walked with kings and queens and never lost the common touch.
Gene Grigsby’s art evolved with his expanded understanding of the world.  He moved from simply depicting his surroundings to trying to influence those surroundings.  His works, in later years, focused more and more on the powerless—from his more recent paintings “Will Work for Food” to “The Job Seekers”, he sought to portray the reality of the flip side of the excesses of the “Wall Street” elite .  His work also portrayed a strong connection between Africa and African Americans.  He also clearly saw the connection between oppressed peoples wherever they were in the world.  And, he continually plumbed the depths of the links between Native American, African American and African Art.  As a matter of fact, his New York University doctoral thesis specifically focused on those links.  He also had a very strong sense of the importance of family that came through in his works.  From his signature piece “The Family” to his more jarring piece “No Vacancy”, there was no question about his view that family relationships were not only important, but paramount.
Gene Grigsby will perhaps be best known to us, his family, as one who truly cared about everyone.  He was there for all of us.  He was the patriarch.  He listened, loved, laughed, commiserated with, and encouraged all of us to be the best we could possibly be.  We will miss his presence, but we rejoice in his having been with us for 94 wonderful and glorious years. 

Marshall C. Grigsby

(photo by Dee Dee Woods)