The Library is closed.

Gail Smith

0

I am an accomplished watercolorist and taught fine arts in the secondary school system in New York City for 32 years. 

Although I have worked in other mediums, watercolor was my first love, and I found that its intrinsic clarity and light spoke to me.

My paintings are primarily still life.  After creating the basic composition I find myself focusing on the patterns.  I see patterns everywhere and try to juxtapose them in an exciting way.  Introducing pattern to familiar items such as flowers, fruit and even sneakers make my work unique.  Most of my paintings are done from life, but a few have been painted from photographs taken in Italy.  “Italian Grapes” is an example of a work that found its inspiration from a photograph taken in Rada in Chianti, Italy.

My use of color is always vibrant and intense, atypical of many watercolorists.  The way I use color and pattern defines my work.

A love of animals provides another outlet for creative expression.  I found myself doing pet portraits for my friends, working in pastels and colored pencil, a medium that lends itself to textures and subtle shading.

I studied art at Queens College and received my BA in 1969 and an MFA in 1974.

My work has been show in galleries in New York City; Woodmere, NY; Sag harbor, NY; Nassau County Museum of Art, Greenvale, NY; and Nyack, NY.

Comments are closed.