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The Reason 4: Real Talk

"Self Portrait with Rembrandt"2000 18x 24" oil on panel

This is one of my all time favorite self portraits. This painting took me 3 months to complete. I worked on this painting daily for that period. I wanted to see how far I can push it. During this painting my grandmother passed which changed the mood of this piece almost drastically. The painting was about finish when I got the call from my mother about what happened, then I sanded the piece down. I wanted to make the piece feel the I was feeling at that time, gritty, scumbled, caked on... But there's always beauty anywhere if you look for it... I left New York for a couple of days to attend the funeral, upon my return I added the necklace with an onyx charm. You can barely see it, but its there too show that she was there with me. I finished it a couple days after New Years in 2000. The faint red glow outside the window ( not the back light ) was painted actually on New Years eve. I was highly motivated by Van Dyke's " Lucas van Uffel" on the display at the MET. I miss being in city for that reason, if I had a painting problem I could go to the museum look a particular painting and solve it, word...

Over there...

"Out to Dry (study)" 10x 13" oil on board

In this study I'm planning on doing for a larger painting. I never really do proper studies. This maybe the fourth of fifth one, so doing it the proper way feels wierd to me. I really just wanted to focus on the figure, since he's the focal point in the peice. Someone earlier this week suggested that I focus more on drawing, so I tried to slow down with the handling of the figure. On the big one I'm going to see how far I can push it and REALLY slow down... It should be fun, it maybe a couple of months painting.

Up There

"Air Jordans" 12x 16" oil on board

This was a fun one, I have a friend who wanted me to come to her neighborhood and take some pictures for possible paintings for a while. So about a little over month ago I went over to my friends just to house chill out and chat. When I was about to leave she suggested we go around the neighborhood and take some pictures. I was like I didn't have my camera she quickly replied "I'll get mine." I wasn't to enthused in the beginning, but I was like alright I'll check it out. Well look, what do I know? We looped around her block. The first quarter she was shooting. After a while I grab the camera, I was there ( present in the moment ). I had a great time looking at the people and random things. I was really energetic looking around. I talked some people and took a couple of pics of them. A couple funny stories that I'll post when I complete those pieces. But on our way back to her house while walking down Ashley Ave. she shouted "look up there" I was like "Oh Shit!" and there was the "Air Jordans" then I shot. It was crazy seeing that when I used to live in Brooklyn I saw that everywhere. I thought it was more of a north-eastern city thing I never knew it had any specific meaning. I later came to find out that it meant gang activity and that drugs are being sold there. Who knew? Well if the old guys up the block playing chess and drinking beer were selling anything, which I think they were more interested in talking smack than selling it. lol... Look at what I know it was a great suggestion.

The Black Swan Theory

" At the Foot of Saturn " 5x 7" oil on canvas
Private Collection

This litle self-portrait I did back in during Oct. It's it gets its title because, behind me was my first attempt at the " Saturn " painting. That particular one I started back in 06. That one was just a 30x 40" tiny in comparison to the massive 48x 72" I tried tackling a year later. In this composition I'm literally at the foot of my father the Saturn figure, word...

Part 2

"Gerald Deane and Cousins (The Funeral II)" 22x 28" oil on canvas

The lady in the foreground is my second cousin Gerald Deane, my Aunt Baby's ( who's cropped ) youngest daughter. The other 2 are distant cousins. This is the at the wake of my dads oldest aunt funeral, Aunt Eva.

Process: Well I started this painting back in Oct. right after my parents came of up for my show. My mom gave me the reference photo for " Eva's House " ( shes my great aunt ). She also had photos of the wake for her funeral when I saw this image and immediately wanted to paint this. It initially set out be one image. I wasn't planning to break it up into 2 parts. The decision was to push aunt Baby in this one to make her fit or crop her or to forget her all together. I decided to crop her, so I grabbed a piece of wood I had in the studio and carried her over. So that's how "The Funeral 1 and 2" came to be.

Yeah it took me a minute to finish this one it was one of my off again, on again paintings. It almost got painted over a couple of times. I have a three month rule, then things get painted over, but with outside encouragement to finish this painting. I punched through in the clutch. It reminded me of art school, the last day was an all nighter, sniffing too much turpentine and to many energy drinks ( crazi delirium )...

Group Exhibition @ Greenville County Musuem of Art

Gone—Like a Cool Breeze through October 25

Click for information

"Sacred Object" 8x 8" oil on canvas

RIP MJ

I was just listening to "They don't really care about us"via youtube. I guess, paying my own respects of sorts... It's crazy how in death people (me included) now truly appreciate someones genius. Does it take one to die finally look past someones parcularities. Micheal was no different than Dali or say Ben Franklin even ( who would sit on his poch stark naked ). You wouldn't even notice him in the east village, there's definitely weirder... What the fuck people, that all we do is tear people down as society (ex. Brittany Spears), we build them up only to push them over. We get perverse enjoyment out of the train wreck. Then we are like how did they get like that. I'm glad Mikes getting his just do respect as an true artist, humanitarian, and philanthropist. Instead of that hand your using push someone down turn it around and use it help someone up. Rip Mike!!!

note: I wanted a jerry curl becuase of this dude, which my mother wouldn't let me have by the way, looking back now thanks mom. lol....

just human...

" Imperfect (self-portrait)" 11"x 14" oil on canvas

Well during the time before I did this painting. I was in a big depression and tired of art in general. I was hanging with a good friend of mine one day and he introduced to another friend of his that was working on a religious icon painting for a present for his wife to be. Since at time I was tired of looking at anything visually that resembled my work (realistic paintings). Seeing the icons gave me a much needed jolt at that particular moment. In the conversations that followed I learned the meaning behind the a lot the things that mystified about this particular form of art like the hand signs, the colors used, lettering, etc... Everything means something. My friend took me over to his friends house for a couple of weeks and we would chat. All the while seeing ways I could integrate what I was learning unto my own language. This painting was my first attempt at it. I always feel comfortable trying out new ideas and techiques on self-portraits, I'm much freer with them. I want to show that there's GOD in everyone. All you can do is your best at life. We all are imperfect, but perfectly human... Thank God..

Note: Thanks everyone for the talks that inspired this painting... much love, just gary, one...

Flapper

"Crimson" 2009 5x 7" oil on canvas

One of my reasons for me coming to Charleston in 2004 was for a painting commission. The gallery I was with at the time lined this up for me. I was to do two large jazz paintings ( my largest at the time ) with a thirties speak easy feel. It was fun getting all the reference together. I was renting props, brought a flapper dress with all he furls.. This was crazy for me, because I usually just go to an area, observe life and try to be a fly on the wall. With this project I was constructing. It was pretty funny me and my model and trying find the music so she could get into character. It started out with Ozzy (that was my suggestion) then some jazz, my model suggested Spanish music none of the stuff I had was right then I found Buena Vista Social Club. All was well after that.

The two paintings are at the Oak Steakhouse.

Being...

The Paslm" 2006, 48x 60" oil on canvas
Private Collection

I was talking with someone the other day and we were talking about being an artist. He was stating that he's thinks of himself as creative person, but he doesn't see himself as an artist, because he doesn't have an visual outlet for his creativity ( painting, sculpting, etc...). I told him he was one. Me personally I think that's the the tail of being an "ARTIST". The main part of it is your "being"... The life experiences that dictates who you are, all dictates how you paint (or whatever your medium of choice). Experiences are your teacher negative or positive it's all ala prima or glazing. My mistakes are like the studies for my next opus. I take in everything , too much at times. My interactions with people verbal or non-verbal they're my round brushes, fiberts, flats, fans, sables,etc... That acute sensitivity which I hated at first is the pulse. Now I have RAW pigment to work from.

Not Alone

"Solitude" 16x 20" oil on canvas

I met someone recently that sees the way I do. Man it was totally refreshing. His photos were breathtaking and I've never been so moved by a photo in my life. After him sharing stories about his photos I was more inspired to keep pushing through and follow through with my vision. He stressed, "You only have one life to live, so don't take moments for granted". Well I'm a try and that's all I really can do... huh, just try...

Good HeART

"Homage"(after Valesquez) 30x 40" oil on canvas $7200
for purchase contact garygrier2003@yahoo.com

This painting was the piece I donated for the American Heart Associations silent auction this year. Unfortunately it didn't sell, but we're still working on it. A third of the sale of this painting goes to the Heart Association. This is a copy of a Velasquez painting I did. The painting is of his mulatto slave/ assistant Juan de Pareja ( who was a great artist in his own right ) he did in preparation for his most famous portrait that of Pope Innocent X. Of Juan's own artistic merit, it was said King Philip IV would sneak into Velasquez studio to see what the artist was working on. Once Juan used this an opportunity to place one of his own small pieces for hopes that Philip would possibly see it. The king was immediately drawn to it. Juan acknowledged that he created the painting that so entranced the king. Philip responded, " But no man that who has this skill can not be a slave, we shall not speak of this no more".

To learn more about the Amaerican Heart Association CLICK HERE

New Work at Carolina Galleries

I have new exhibition up at Carolina Galleries, it runs from March 6 - 31. It's been my blood sweet and tears as of recent. You can check it the new paintings out on-line or better yet go down to the gallery and see them in person. I recommend the latter , but that just me... lol

Port-City

" His-story" 72x 48" oil on canvas
Collection of the Greenville County Museum of Art

I decided to paint over the "Saturn" painting. With me it's hard to start back on something if it's been around the studio for a couple months. The new piece is what I've documenting as for my painting sessions most recent on my blog post. First, on this particular canvas I've started 4 paintings to date a streetscape , a self-portrait, the "Saturn" piece, and now another streetscape of sorts. Sometimes I get comments on textures of my paintings it's because they're a couple of paintings underneath. The new painting it's a 6' x 4' vertical the title is "His-story" (a play on the word history) it's of a boy in front of the Old Slave Market here in Charleston, I've learned since locating here that Charleston was the wealthiest city in America before the civil-war. Being that it was a major port and 60-70 percent(If I remember correctly) of the slaves came in through here. So it's a big chance if your African American your ancestors were shipped in and sold here in Charleston and then shipped out to other parts of the country.

Synesthesia: seeing music in colors

Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple, I listen to this 3x's on repeat painting last night. This album is my favorite album of 09 even though it came out in 08. It's great motivational music, very aware, Cee-Lo's lyrics hit home with me. He goes through the album displaying all his imperfections, which is his perfection. " I just wanted yall, to know I don't it all" Cee-Lo belts on "Surprise". He's gut wrenchingly honest, the beautiful thing is displays it through his art.
Next was Micheal Jackson Off The Wall, man that got me in the zone, I blacked out, " Got me, got me, working day and night", word... I was entranced the entire album focused on the painting.
India Arie Acoustic Soul,one of the best album after 2000. The album slowed me down and helped refine a couple of things, being that the album is a lot mellower than Off The Wall( which by the way had g-man copping a two step )lol.
Then I put in Cold Play X & Y, the closer. I always forget how amazing this album is. I had so much energy I started another painting. So I painted till my eyes got blurry. Oh yeah put on Stevie "Mr Wonderful" Wonder, "Hold on to Your Dream", "Redemption Song", Word up!!! all with no coffee(huh), just tea and honey.

HOT summer day!!!

"Places to Go" 16x 20" oil on canvas

This piece is a study done in the traditional since, but using a modern contemperary subject. A urban youth riding down the street in hurry going some where... Where though?

Unconventional Beauty

"Other Side of the Tracks" 19x 40" oil on canvas
for purchase contact Carolina Galleries

This painting is of the Cracker Jack, parking lot up in Greenville. While taking reference photos for that particular piece. I was drawn to this nothingness of the abandoned lot beside it. I'm attracted to the unconventional beauty, the over looked, the everyday. The parking lot was oil stained, cracked, over run by vegetation, just awesome!! While taking this particular set of reference shots my father was asking me why was I taking a picture of that. I replied simply "Its beautiful". The painting composition is half the lot. With the railroad tracks splitting the picture plain almost directly in half, which normally goes against the rules of composition, but I love pushing boundaries with in the conventional setting. And just on the other side of the railroad tracks that divides the painting there's life, huh. Plus, It's on the side of town that maybe to some consider the other side of the tracks. But to those that I met while I was there. From there warmth it's not, it's just home.

note: I honestly have to say while taking reference shots there I've never felt more accepted in a area. Everyone I met was warm and receptive. I left feeling really good. Usually the areas where I go people aren't as receptive to unfamiliar faces taking pictures.

Good ART and Great People

" Red Pop " 18x 24" oil on canvas
Private Collection

Well I don't know. I'm just feeling pretty good today and very optimistic about life. I didn't do anything spectacular I road my bike "The Patriot" (that's the actual name by the way ) talked to some old friends and that's pretty much it. I didn't paint the Mona Lisa or nothing. I'm just comfortable being where I'm at. I talked with a friend of mine yesterday who's in his last semester of college. He was telling me how his paintings took off the this past year and all the hard work he's been putting in. Now he's reaping all the rewards. It's inspiring for me just seeing him grow. It just reinforces what ever you put into something is what you get out of it. Not just in art, but in life. George is... Walking on Water!!!

American Master

"Andrew Wyeth, 1966 "Snow Flakes" watercolor

I'm a little late with this one, but on the 16th of Jan. we lost an American treasure Andrew Wyeth at the age of 91. Much respect and admiration...

Forty Four

I know this doesn't have anything to do with art, but it does have something to do with the next generation. Our new president a symbol for something else, something different, something more. I was proud again yesterday, very proud, word...

Well...

"Compliments( detail )",2007 15x 30" oil on canvas

This is a detail of one my favorite paintings from my "Room Full of Mirrors" exhibit this past Feb.( I would have posted the entire painting, but I have to take clearer image, this painting is hard to photograph) The model in this painting is the same one from "Gypsy Stare" which I painted a year earlier. Well I would go into a spiel about the piece, but I'll have to put up the entire painting, so I'll just have to wait...


ex. "Gypsy Stare" 15x 30" oil on canvas

I Remember...

Portrait of a Woman, Probably Susanna Lunden (née Fourment, 1599–1628)Metropolitan Museum of Art
Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577–1640)
Oil on wood; 30 1/4 x 23 5/8 in.

To move foward you have to look back. When I lived in the " big apple" I would go to the Met every sunday and look at this Rubens paintinting for 45 min to an hour at a time. I use take notes, I sketched it. It's one of those things that got me teary eyed everytime I saw it. I miss it...
It kept everything really in perspective I still got miles to go, bra. Inhale focus...

Where does one find the soul

"Reflection" 5x 7" oil on canvas


Well I woke up today really inspired. I was talking with a good friend of mine Dan Carr earlier this week and I was saying how I feel a bit stagnant. I was stating " It's a lot like art school to me". Being that my mind set is, well my classmates saw the painting I did for the second project, so I've been resting on my laurels. Which is very bad thing for me If I know I'm only pushing out at 50 percent now. They say your only as good as your last painting. So I need to up the anti, ya dig. Thanks Steve Cefalo for posting "sneaker peaker" it reminded me about what a real painting about and what one is suppose to look like. He's big inspiration to me. We go back since "bat wing 2d " inside joke. ( I can get sued for that )lol. Thanks Jeff Markowsky who taught how to paint and he seriously saved my life about 4 and half years ago, love you man. Thanks Anthony Palliser " Mr. P." the person who really took an interest as me as an "artist" and set the foundation for what I built upon. Thanks Gustave ( Duece ) thanks for being my dogg. Your Picasso, I'm Matisse. 16 years, so what set do you claim fool. lol. All my REAL friends keep me inspired as an artist and better yet a person. ( my muses you all know who you are) Dan thanks for putting me back on coarse, keep kicking ass and start sketching the Menataure( I think thats how spell it, well I'm black, lol). Shane for the talks man.

One mustn't never be afraid to look beneath the surface, because that's were you find the soul ...

"Cracker Jack" 48x 72" oil on canvas
Collection of Greenville County Museum

Narcissistic ( the self-portrait )

Top left " Rim Light study" 9x 12" oil on wood, Top right "Off Center" 6x9" oil on canvas, Bottom left " Comtemplation" 16x 20" oil on board, Bottom right "Over My shoulder" 5x 7" oil on canvas

I remember a funny story during my first semester of art college. In the beginning of foundation painting class my teacher would give us a quick lecture on an artist every week. One particular class it was on Rembrandt, my professor went on about his work and high lighted on his self-portraits( the mass quantity them about 90 or so). A young cocky 18 year old with 4 gold-teeth and tons jewelery replied very self assured that he's done as many. After a 3 to 5 minute intense discussion between that particular student and the works of the dutch master. The professor replied " Alright if you've done as many bring your paintings in next week so we can discuss them in class". I think the professor never thought the student was going to bring the work in the following week. The student came in the next with about 30 water colors, 15 or so acrylic paintings and 2 boxes full of slides with about 20 slides in each box. After about a 3rd of the way of the class viewing the water colors the professor told the student to put up his paintings and proceeded with the class. That arrogant little prick was me. lol... Now I can understand what my professor was talking about in that 3 to 5 "discussion" we had in class. I haven't even done my first real painting yet. But I've tried to make up for it over the past 14 years or so.

I did my 1st one ( self portrait) at the age of 16 and I haven't look back since. Inspired by a upper class men at high school who seemed to have the this art thing figured out. His work was a little more John Biggers while mine was a mix between Paul Cezanne and the German expressionists at the time. Back then I didn't think a painting no matter the size should take more than a hour to complete ( that's how I completed so many ). But during my artistic journey self-portraits became a safe way to try out new techniques. I always feel more freedom painting them, I never paint them to sell they're always for me. They are my emotional therapy, I cry while painting, I'm self assured other times. When I have something to say that think needs to be said I say it through them! You want to know whats really on mind, "Get Away", "Jupiter", "Off Center" ,"Proud", "Red White, and Blue", " Contemplation", and etc.. Now I realise I'm no Rembrandt I couldn't be if tried, but I can be the best Gary, huh. just me...

" Black and White ( Saturn Profile)" 15x 15" oil on board

This painting is mainly about the stark contrast of one of my favorite models ( my father) extremely dark complexion against white atomospheric background. In the nothingness of this painting there's everything, it's just black and white...

" Aunt Baby (The Funeral 1)" 4x 20" oil on board

Private Collection

This painting is part I of a dyptic honoring my Great Aunt Eva's funeral. Aunt Baby is my fathers youngest aunt and the aunt of his I'm closest with. Being that she stays only a couple of minutes where I grew up in Jacksonville, Fl. She also use to look after me on occasions. My strongest memories of her is when I little on friday evenings my mother would buy fish sandwiches from her, which she sold from the side of the road. Lots of mustard and hot sauce, word..

More Than... Music

"The Wind" After the song by Cat Stevens, 18x 24 oil on panel
Private Collection

Well I was looking at my friends Dan Carr blog the other day. And I started thinking about if someone was to ask me who or whom is your artistic inspiration. One would name the usual list of artist Degas, Rembrandt, Velasquez, Sargent, etc.. But it's usually other strong sources behind paintings. I don't know any artist that doesn't listen to music during the act of creation or hasn't named a painting after a song. You can say that rapper "Pimp C" is just as crucial to my development, as any artist I learned about in Art History class ( being an artist is more than applying paint, it's your entire being, that in turn dictates how you apply paint). I usually will listen to the same CD during the duration of a painting or a formulated mix. I will start out with something hard in the blocking in process ( gangsta rap or late 60's hard rock ). Next I'll tapper off unto some neo-soul or more mellow hip-hop or some alternative. Then wrap it up with my favorite artist of the moment. It's usually gives me the the momentum to close the deal. Also the mix will alter do to the subject matter I'm painting. I can't paint a serene scene listening to Plies or Ozzy. But at other times I do like adding other psyhcoligical back drops the paintings, where I will listen to the complete opposite of the visual.

Garys Painting Mix #1 :

1. B.G. "Thuggin"
2. Bjork " Hunter"
3. Cibelle " Train"
4. OC " Times Up"
5. Lil Wayne " La La La"
6. Obie Trice " The Set Up"
7. Radio Head " Paranoid Android "
8. Ghostface " Mighty Healthy"
9. Eminem " Soilder"
10. Ozzy Ozbourne "Crazy Train"