Welcome to the art of painter Gary Paterson
Thanks for visiting. My work is grouped into the categories listed above. Please click the category that you'd like to see, or click on GALLERY OF ALL WORK to see all my work, most recent first. Click on any painting to enlarge its view and see name, size and availability. All work is acrylic on canvas.
I like things to be organized. The surfaces of my paintings are organized by an overlay of geometric shapes. The subject is seen through this overlay - like a theater's scrim - which flattens and equalizes the objects. After years of using woven patterns, like houndstooth weave, embroidery, patchwork, etc. over the surface, I discovered breezeblocks. These are concrete building blocks that have geometrically shaped holes going through them. They are mainly used to create a privacy wall that still allows air movement. If four blocks have a quarter-circle, they can be assembled so they create one whole circle. Using breezeblocks makes for a solid surface AND another plane that happens behind it. The range of patterns and combinations is just shy of infinite.
Color is a critical element for me. Each adjoining block has a different color, to distinguish the pattern. The surface blocks can be two colors that alternate - or several colors that play around in interesting ways. Within the openings behind the surface, there is another range of color possibilities. Balancing (or NOT balancing) the color value/chroma (light to dark/intensity) is what brings the piece to life.
Is the geometry expressed perfectly? Any number of mechanical or electronic devices could create precise patterns - perfect and ultimately slick and uninteresting. But the human eye is drawn to any visual anomaly. My geometric delineation is close to perfect - but its handmade imperfections bring the viewers' attention into the piece, and that hopefully starts a deeper interest and involvement with what is going on.
Titles are for fun - and often for pun. Many block patterns are named, and the painting's title may play off that name. Or the block's shape may reflect the subject's shape. Or all of the above.
It's all very organized.
Biographically speaking, I was born in upstate New York and have lived in Illinois, Massachusetts and California. Periods of full-time painting were necessarily sandwiched between jobs in retail (California College of Arts & Crafts, department stores) advertising (agencies, Macy's), and in event coordination (Palm Springs Art Museum). Based in Palm Springs, I have been painting full-time since 2012.
Please CONTACT US using the link in the drop-down for information or pricing. Original canvases are available unless noted that they are in a private collection.
I like things to be organized. The surfaces of my paintings are organized by an overlay of geometric shapes. The subject is seen through this overlay - like a theater's scrim - which flattens and equalizes the objects. After years of using woven patterns, like houndstooth weave, embroidery, patchwork, etc. over the surface, I discovered breezeblocks. These are concrete building blocks that have geometrically shaped holes going through them. They are mainly used to create a privacy wall that still allows air movement. If four blocks have a quarter-circle, they can be assembled so they create one whole circle. Using breezeblocks makes for a solid surface AND another plane that happens behind it. The range of patterns and combinations is just shy of infinite.
Color is a critical element for me. Each adjoining block has a different color, to distinguish the pattern. The surface blocks can be two colors that alternate - or several colors that play around in interesting ways. Within the openings behind the surface, there is another range of color possibilities. Balancing (or NOT balancing) the color value/chroma (light to dark/intensity) is what brings the piece to life.
Is the geometry expressed perfectly? Any number of mechanical or electronic devices could create precise patterns - perfect and ultimately slick and uninteresting. But the human eye is drawn to any visual anomaly. My geometric delineation is close to perfect - but its handmade imperfections bring the viewers' attention into the piece, and that hopefully starts a deeper interest and involvement with what is going on.
Titles are for fun - and often for pun. Many block patterns are named, and the painting's title may play off that name. Or the block's shape may reflect the subject's shape. Or all of the above.
It's all very organized.
Biographically speaking, I was born in upstate New York and have lived in Illinois, Massachusetts and California. Periods of full-time painting were necessarily sandwiched between jobs in retail (California College of Arts & Crafts, department stores) advertising (agencies, Macy's), and in event coordination (Palm Springs Art Museum). Based in Palm Springs, I have been painting full-time since 2012.
Please CONTACT US using the link in the drop-down for information or pricing. Original canvases are available unless noted that they are in a private collection.