Painter, etcher, lithographer, and illustrator Grant Reynard was born in Grand Island, Nebraska and originally trained as a pianist, which he abandoned in favor of the visual arts, studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, 1906-07. In 1913 he became Art Director of Red Book and contributed illustrations to it, as well as to Colliers and the Saturday Evening Post. Reynard pursued advanced training with Charles Chapman, Harvey Dunn, Mahonri Young and Harry Wickey at Leonia, New Jersey during this period, and maintained a studio there for many years. From 1926 through 1937, he was a fellow of the MacDowell colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Reynard was elected an Associate of the National Academy, and taught at several different schools. He died at New York City.