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NET to Show UNO Documentary on Iowa Artist

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Installation of Louis Grell exhibit at the UNO Art Gallery in January

OMAHA – The life and work of Iowa artist Louis Grell is the focus of a University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Television documentary airing tonight, Thursday, June 19, at 8:30 p.m. on NET2 (Nebraska Educational Television).

The half-hour program, titled "Discovering Louis Grell: 1887-1960, Vision & Versatility," also documents a UNO-student curated exhibit of Grell's work from earlier this year. Grell was born in Council Bluffs in 1887 and, despite finding success across the country, maintained ties to the area throughout his life

The program is currently available on demand on the NET website and will air statewide on NET2, which can be found on Cox Channel 16 in the Omaha-metro area. In addition to tonight’s premiere, the program will air at the following times:

Sunday, June 22 at 2:30 p.m.
 Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m.
 Sunday, June 29 at 12:30 p.m.
 Thursday, July 3 at 7:30 p.m.
 Sunday, July 6 at 1:30 p.m.

The program is also scheduled to air locally in Omaha on The Knowledge Network (TKN), found on Cox Cable Channel 18, at the following times:

Friday, June 20 at 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, June 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 2 at 4 p.m.

While many may not know the name “Louis Grell,” his murals adorn many public buildings across the country including the Chicago Theatre, the Netherland Plaza Hotel & Carew Tower in Cincinnati and a recently rediscovered mural created for the Union Station in St. Louis.

The documentary was produced, written, directed and narrated by UNO Television’s B.J. Huchtemann, with the help of videographers, crew members and writers made up of current and former UNO students as well as additional staff from the UNO College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media.

Earlier this year, UNO students from the Department of Art and Art History opened the first curated comprehensive art exhibit dedicated to the work of Grell, who passed away in 1960. The exhibit was the capstone project of a Fall 2013 curatorial seminar led by professor Amy Morris.

“Discovering Louis Grell: 1887-1960, Vision & Versatility” was produced with support from the UNO College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media as well as the Louis Grell Foundation.

More information about the Louis Grell Foundation can be found at www.louisgrell.com.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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About Louis Grell
Louis Grell (1887 – 1960) was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and showed artistic talent as young as age two. At the age of 12, Grell’s parents sent him to Hamburg, Germany, to live with his grandmother to study art. He continued his studies in Munich and Paris.

After World War I, Grell returned to the United States where he began to design stage sets for Broadway in New York City. Grell also worked as an instructor at The Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, where Walt Disney was a student. He also taught at the Art Institute of Chicago where he exhibited 25 times.

Grell Murals can be found at the following locations:

  • Netherland Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Chicago Theatre, Chicago
  • Union Station, St. Louis, Mo.
  • Toledo Paramount, Toledo, Ohio

About the Louis Grell Foundation
This mission of the Louis Grell Foundation is to “collect, archive, preserve, exhibit and educate” the public regarding the works of Louis Frederick Grell (1887-1960). The foundation is run by the Council Bluffs, Iowa Grell family. Richard Grell, Louis Grell’s grand-nephew, continues to research the career of his great-uncle, looking for undiscovered murals and other artwork.