Ernst Gruler grew up building and taking things apart, then refined and expanded those talents to become a furniture artist, metalworker, and painter.
Gruler’s furniture is not about perfect finish or exotic wood. He prefers the durability of plywood, with which he crafts tables and chairs, painted in dark and textured hues, that combine aesthetics and functionality. His modular chairs are remarkable for their comfort and ability to accommodate any body type. The result of this labor and craftsmanship is innovative and contemporary fine art furniture that melds sculptural design and ergonomic comfort.
Repurposed steel is the media for another body of Gruler’s work, which includes furniture and what he calls “sound sculptures.” The cast-offs of cars, trucks and farm machinery—plow blades, mesh steel, leaf springs, strut rods—are melded to create new, practical and sculptural objects. The bells, made from former pressure canisters, resonate with tones of noble beauty that belie their mundane industrial origins.
Media and process inspire Gruler’s abstract paintings. He works with acrylic paint, metal leaf and mixed media on textured panels. Imagery arises from the process, suggesting both organic and constructed environments.
Ernst Gruler’s furniture, sculpture, and paintings exhibit technical mastery, creative design, and artistic excellence. Gruler experiences art as a form of active meditation. When asked how long it takes to make something, he says “the sum total of my moments in life so far.”
Ernst Gruler earned his BFA and MA from Northern Michigan University. He lives in Lamy, New Mexico and co-owns GVG Contemporary with his wife, Blair Vaughn-Gruler.