Since I began Painting in 2017, I have had one solo show each year so this 'Geometric Series Ext'. is my 3rd Solo Exhibit for this year: It consists of 10 New Representations of the Old Masters done in the Mono-chroma Layering technique most recently perfected by Maxfield Parrish at the turn of the 20th century.
Subsequently, the five more recent pieces are reflective of the current Zeitgeist, with "Day of Arrival' depicting the March Nation-wide Shutdown. In the year 2020, I also experimented with gold leaf for the first time on the "Tù" (Frida) Piece as well as built my first birchwood custom panel due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
"Necessity is the mother of invention"
As they say...
The Final piece 'Mamba Out' is the most meaningful and took 6 months to finish. The Idea was conceived earlier in the year with the passing of the Sports Icon Kobe Bryant and completed while feeling a deep connection and grief for the family. Done on a custom-built wooden Canvas primarily because they don't make a 6ft stretched canvas locally and I needed a hard surface to burnish the gold leaf.
"MAMBA OUT" - In honor of “Basketball” Legend Kobe Bryant and daughter “Gianna”
6 months work - Oil painting with Gold Leaf
GERARDO'S Geometrical serial - Big Masters meeting Contemporary style
GEOMETRICAL SERIES
Recently I have been on auto-pilot producing paintings that have been back logged in my head from last year. But initially, the Idea of creating the Geometric series, being self taught, served as an academy of learning for me since it was drawn out of curiosity...
“Can I paint this large of a canvas?”
”Can I stand on the shoulders of say Diego Velasquez, Jacque Louis David or William Adolphe Bouguereau and do them justice?”
Contact me through U&O and it will be my pleasure to tell you more about my style, inspiration and messages in each work of art.
Presenting it to the World is my reward. Next exhibition will take place in Venice , Italy.
Also it was a re-education for the public and my community to re-introduce the great Masters in a different light and to also introduce the layering technique to new and aspiring artists. As well as bringing back to traditional realism and to show that it takes longer time and skill to produce a painting rather than making a few marks of colorful brush strokes and call it finished.
I have had artist friends tell me “I had never heard of Maxfield Parrish or the Technique until you described it to me". That has been the most rewarding aspect to me. I knew I was on a Unique and Exceptional path. The time spent on the large canvas is a individuality viewers have to recognise. Each smallest design is a trip into the mind of the great Masters, having them alive again in today's society. Making them eternal even through modern times.
- GI
GERARDO Z.
"GI"
CALIFORNIA, USA
Re-introducing the Great Masters
Artist of the Month
