Hale Woodruff American, 1900-1980

Hale Woodruff (1900-1980) was an American painter, draftsman, printer, educator and muralist.

Born in Illinois, Woodruff moved with his mother to Nashville, Tennessee, at an early age, after the death of his father. He left for Europe in 1927 and settled in France. There he studied at the Académie Moderne and visited the famous African American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner, who encouraged his work. Woodruff became increasingly influenced by African art and the techniques of Cubism.