Artists Statement Painting is a passion, a doorway into a life long journey of self discovery. My work is based on seeing, perceiving and responding to the power of nature and the quiet beauty in the world. Moods of the sea, forests, expansive vistas, intricate foliage and glimpses of wildlife inspire me. My artistic process an ongoing exploration in pattern, light, texture and space. Each painting is approached differently. Techniques of layering, pouring, stamping or scraping and sculpting with a palette knife can result in a rich variety of surface and color. I employ these various painting methods to push through to more imaginative interpretations. Depending upon the motif, the primary focus might be on edges, fluidity, atmosphere, clarity of objects or the experience of space. I’ve come to embrace happy accidents, allowing stray marks, drips and splatters, appreciating the energetic, vibrant results when and as they appear. Though I frequently paint and sketch on site, photography and graphics editing are used extensively in the beginning. From there the process is largely intuitive with periods of being lost in relaxed concentration. The goal is that the elements come together to make a sensory experience. I hope that my paintings lift or awaken the spirit of the viewer and that they may access the work through their memories.  Bio Art has been a central part of my life, beginning in childhood. My mother was a professional artist and school teacher who had attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and TCU . Our home gradually became filled with an enlivening array of paintings, sculpture and unusual objects made by family, friends and others including many works by my mother's teacher, modern impressionist Samuel P. Ziegler, a student of William Merritt Chase, a leading figure in the American Impressionist movement. Throughout my high school years I spent evenings participating in printmaking and sculpture classes at the Ft. Worth Museum of Science and History adjacent to the FW Contemporary Art Museum. There I had the opportunity to learn from a number of established artists in the region. During my senior year I studied visual art full time at the Magnet School art program located at that time at an old school building in downtown Ft. Worth. It was the first year that the program existed and there were only about 10 students. It was well equipped with whatever we needed to explore various artistic mediums. We spent our days fabricating jewelry, casting in metals, sculpting with ceramics or exploring printmaking techniques. From there I went on to be an art major in Texas and eventually California. I've taught or worked at various art organizations over the years. Being a lifelong fan of primitive and outsider art, it was a wonderful experience for me to be on the teaching staff Neighborhood Center for the Arts in Grass Valley California, an art program for developmentally disabled adults of all ages. As a hobby I collect art by unknown or under-appreciated artists who work in an original and inspired way. In the mid 90's my husband and I moved from Northern California to Maine where he had grown up. Living year round in Maine provides a soul stirring four season climate. We live and work in an antique home near a very busy working harbor complete with fishing boats, ferries, pleasure boats and a fleet of schooners. One advantage of living in the North is that there is permission to go inward during the cold months to brew something creative from within (or something wicked- take your pick!). With all of the time spent indoors during the winter, Still life has been a passion. Making art inspired by local flowers and garden produce along with objects that I've collected or found (or have found me) is a joyful activity. During the warm season I enjoy painting nautical scenes. My interest in boating began in childhood, spending holidays near the Gulf of Mexico. My husband is a sculptor and a practicing therapist in the Jungian tradition. Our shared interest in boating has allowed opportunities to visit islands nearby and to partake in the beauty of one of the most fascinating and unique coastlines in the world. I like to row to the shore, gather and eventually drag home everything from interesting pieces of wood, seaglass, shells, buoys, chards, old bones, seed pods, all which I use for inspiration and for creating art. Plein air, or outdoor painting is a longstanding tradition in New England. I'm an active member of Plein Air Painters of Maine. It is a wonderful way to creatively participate in nature. Like my fellow painters I try to capture the powerful Northern seasonal rhythms that make Maine such a haven for artists. I hold a BA degree in studio art from UC Davis. Some of my past instructors are well known artists. Included are: Robert Arneson, John Brough Miller, Michael Lucero, Wayne Thiebaud, Cornelia Schulz, Julie Bozzie, Gillian Hodge, David Hollowell, Peter Voulkos , Roland Petersen, Michael Thompkins, and poet Gary Snyder. I also studied with professor of psychology and author ("Altered States of Consciousness") Charles Tart. I've been a student and practicing artist since I was young. My work is in private collections across the US and in Europe. My art has won awards in Texas, California and Maine. In my younger days I was known as Gwen Clardy. Link to Curriculum Vitae © Gwen Sylvester Back to HOME PAGE Contact me at: gwens@gwi.net |