Tyson Grumm

In this body of work, Grumm recalls a cohort of inventors who are “All But Genius.” Each painting captures the story of gizmos, gadgets, experiments, and innovations that couldn’t quite get off the ground, but had the potential to change the course of our lives. This legion of notorious, albeit failed, inventors come together to inform a collection of hilarious, witty, odd, and curious narratives that could only be shared through the creative lens that has come to define Grumm’s illustrious artistic career. Acrylic on panel, 24 x 36 in, SOLD The ongoing complexity of weighing and documenting certain wildlife species has always been a massive task, usually involving tranquilizing the animals so that it can be checked in relative safety. With the introduction of the water totter, a fresh new scheme to approach this dilemma for larger animal life was hatched. The idea was to use some form of bait on one end of the sea-saw that would encourage the animal to climb up onto the undulating buoy. At that point the mechanism would register an accurate weight and then gently drop its subject back into the water. Loosely tested for a few seasons, the water totter seemed like it was more work than payoff and the tranquilizer method was put back into practice. Acrylic on panel, 24 x 29.5 in, $8,000.00 It’s thought that the Chinese invented the first ice cream, while the man who tried to turn it into a streamlined process was Mitchel Farnsworth. Mitchel spent years developing absurd steps that would produce ice cream in an environmentally thoughtful manner. He was an early advocate for utilizing natural resources to help scale up production. Oddly, today he is best known for creating the first slushie—the perfect blend of a slurp-able and scoopable frozen treat. Acrylic on panel, 16 x 24 in, $4,200.00 The Harstrom Halitosis tester was a nature-based testing apparatus inspired by coal mine canaries used for early carbon monoxide warnings. This sentinel idea was investigated to test levels of bad breath in an office environment to alert coworkers while also taking advantage of the soft sounds of these songbirds. Acrylic on panel, 15 x 16 in, SOLD In the 1980s, Scotland imported a substantial amount of pandas from China’s Sichuan province. Hundreds of pandas were shipped to Scotland in an odd trade of whisky for pandas. These bears were known for being docile with a knack for clinging. Bagpipers from the Great Highlands utilized these pandas as a natural resource for carrying a piper’s spare chanters while adding to the visual entertainment. This so-called assistant was used regularly until the turn of the century when most pandas became elderly and less clingy. Acrylic on panel, 16 x 25 in, SOLD This pachydermian sauna was the closest thing to luxury that an elephant ever achieved. Sore and inflamed muscles are extremely common in geriatric elephants, and treating this common ailment is no simple task. This mobile unit was created to eliminate the need for elephants to travel for treatment. the elephant is enticed into the therapy unit by roasting peanuts on the steaming rocks inside the sauna. Elephant glute inflammation could be reduced in as little as fifteen minutes. while only a handful of these trunkless sauna units still exist today, these units enjoyed a golden era during the prime circus years of the 1920s. Acrylic on panel, 24 x 43 in, SOLD In 1981, a one-of-a-kind channel marker buoy was created to provide a short recovery stop for migrating water fowl. These living buoys were quite the sight to see in the open ocean. Today only one resting marker still functions and is used daily by a random assortment of birds to catch a breath. Affectionately nicknamed The Sea Bonsai, this remaining buoy is 47 years old. The sea bonsai system allowed for miraculous growth of the tree while surrounded by saltwater catching all its nutrients from a built-in dispersant system integrated into the buoy. Acrylic on panel, 15 x 16 in, $3,200.00 This half bath, half lounger was Bart Gillespie’s brainchild. After getting out of a bath one evening and making himself an extra strong old-fashioned, Bart retired to his easy chair to enjoy his drink and mull the day’s events. While sitting there, he began to wonder, “Why am I choosing to relax? Why couldn’t these two relaxing spots come together to be one?” This moment was the spark for the Cathedrabath, a one-of-kind lounging masterpiece. Acrylic on panel, 12 x 17 in, SOLD In the 1960s, riding the popularity of outdoor games such as lawn darts and croquette, the game “Hole Punch Knockout” briefly appeared on store shelves. Hole Punch’s popularity was scarce due to the preparation it took to start the game. It required a six-foot hole to be dug before play could begin but only came standard with a small camping shovel. Acrylic on panel, 15 x 16 in, SOLD The raised garden bed was developed to bring rurality into suburban communities. Acrylic on panel, 18 x 22.5 in, SOLD Charl