Dear CAFC Community,
With deep sadness, we share the passing of acclaimed artist James Grashow, recipient of the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County’s 2025 Artist of the Year Award.
James was a sculptor, woodcut artist, and visionary creator whose work spanned decades and mediums, always rooted in imagination, play, and a profound generosity of spirit. Best known for his monumental cardboard installations—cities, fountains, menageries—that transformed humble material into fantastical worlds, James inspired wonder and sparked cultural dialogue both locally and nationally. His artistry extended to music history as well, designing iconic album covers for Jethro Tull’s Stand Up and the Yardbirds’ Live Yardbirds Featuring Jimmy Page.
In June 2025, James’s life and creative journey came to the screen with the premiere of Jimmy & the Demons at the Tribeca Film Festival, a film that captured both his mastery as an artist and the fearless curiosity that defined his practice.
The CAFC Artist of the Year Award recognizes those who enrich the cultural life of Fairfield County through exceptional artistic achievement and community connection. James embodied this spirit fully. A master of his craft, he was also a catalyst for joy, reflection, and shared experience—qualities that will continue to ripple through the many artists, audiences, and communities he touched.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to James’s family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing him. His legacy will endure as a reminder of the power of creativity to transform not only materials but also lives.
More about Jamses’s work can be found at jamesgrashow.com
See the video below of James at the ACE Award Ceremony:
