painting with words

For as long as I can recall, music has always been one of the most inspiring forces in my life. The lyrics to my favorite songs paint an inevitable image of hope, remembrance, and inspiring emotion on my soul. Many of those lyrics have layered their spirit into my paintings. If ever there were a film capturing my private time in my art studio, the footage would certainly capture the emotion that three and a half minutes of words supported by a few guitar chords and rhythm uniquely have on my work.

I tip my hat to the songwriters who are poets and the poets who sing the songs.

Shown above: "Three Sisters", mixed media on paper, © 2009 Gary Garbett.

fine art books displayed in richmond

bookart@artspace 
Richmond artist Michael Pierce and VCU instructor and artist Ginna Cullen curated this exhibit that presents a broad array of bookart works, both one-of-a-kind and editioned.  The work will be exhibited on pedestals in the gallery and selected images of the work will be displayed on-line and in a printed catalog.  In addition, the public can spend some time in a "Reading Room" at the gallery created by Douglas D'Urso; there you can sit and handle some of these bookart works (when artists have granted such permission) and experience them in time and space.

Invitational Bookart Exhibition

September 25 - November 1, 2009  
Fourth Friday Reception: 7:00 - 10:00 PM, Friday, September 25, 2009
Opening Artists' Reception: 7:00 - 10:00 PM, Friday, October 2, 2009
Fourth Friday Reception: 7:00 - 10:00 PM, Friday, October 23, 2009
Closing Curator / Artist Talk: 4:00 PM, Sunday, November 1, 2009

fine art of stick figures

..stick figures meet chuck close.

just a brush stroke

David Leffel

Painting isn't just applying layers of color over one another.
In this video, David Leffel from the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art poetically explains the importance of the brush stroke and ".... putting down pieces of paint on the canvas".

contemporary figures meet classic

Mark Miltz

I had the opportunity to meet Mark Miltz and view his incredible paintings while exhibiting in an exhibition at the Rawls Museum Arts in Courtland, Virginia during 2003. Mark's total mastery of the figure and his inclusion of contemporary culture and sculpture with his large-scale paintings is truly stunning.

fearing art

©2011 gary garbett.com

I find myself amazed at the varied perception of others when it comes to the human form. My wife and I have a very diverse and impressive collection of fine art that we've collected through the years. As we prepared to place our home on the market last year, we found ourselves following the normal Realtor suggestions to de-clutter our home before placing the lovely "for sale" sign in the yard. De-clutter we did and upon the agents returning we were given full approval of our earlier assignment. It was at that point that we were then asked one additional task before placing our gorgeous home into their hands during one of the worst real estate markets in decades, ...remove or replace any nude art in our home... "because it just may offend someone".

I didn't recall us having any musty covers from men's magazines or tacky velvet paintings hanging throughout our home. Each of the paintings and sculptures in reference are all beautiful original works of art, all from artists who have exhibited in upscale galleries and museums around the country... including some work of my own. I was stunned by the suggestion and angry at the idea that I had to secretly hide our beautiful art collection. After six months, we removed our house from the market and replaced all of our art back to their walls and pedestals. Regardless of whether you refer to it as nekkid or nudes, our home was once again filled with the inspiration and the beauty of art.

Art has always filled my life with vivacity, passion, and a yearning for life. The staleness of status quo numbs my soul and generates a void for all emotions.