Stairwellblog

We sat down last week with one of America’s preeminent artists, David Garrison. Considered a master of pastel and oils, Mr. Garrison has exhibited in major galleries and museums across the United States and in Europe. He currently lives and works in Normandy, France during the winter months and otherwise lives in Iowa where he teaches pastel and oil workshops and pursues his own projects. We asked him what makes him tick, and how technology has played a part in his career and art over the last decade.

Q: Once you knew you were going to be a visual artist or at least work in the field of visual arts, what kind of artist did you imagine you would be?

A: Before art school I had visions of only the fine arts; during art school, an interest in the fine arts and whatever it took to be there by studying only the fine arts courses. I took no commercial art courses. I did take extra life drawing, and extra anatomy classes. In anatomy alone I have 122 credit hours of study. After art school a total effort to only be in fine art.

Q: What and where was your formal training in art?

A: I studied formally for four years at the American Academy of Art, Chicago.

Q: Did one artist or mentor make a particularly strong impression on you as a student?

A: Claude Monet; John Singer Sargent; Zorn; Sorolla and Richard Schmid

Q: How would you characterize in words your style of work as it has evolved over the years?

A: In the 70s, I was working in Conte Crayon and a small amount of pastel. I used the earth tones alone such as my recent portrait of Abe Lincoln. All of it had an aged look to it, perfect for the Indian portraits I did at that time. Southwest Art Magazine did a story on me in the early 70s. The aged look needed to change as I saw that the women (the main buyers) passed by my work. I noticed the men found my style interesting, but were often not allowed to buy it. Evolved from limited colors to extreme use of colors. I was soon using five sets of pastels and 13 colors when I painted in oil, to create an impressionistic style.

Q: How have others characterized your work? What recognition are you most proud of?

A: “Mr. Garrison’s paintings are exciting. They vibrate; they have a lyrical quality; they are alive; they have emotion in them. And his choice of colors is always so right.” Corrine Shane, Art Consultant and owner of Investinart, NY, NY (an agent that rep. me in the NY area) She wrote this of me 15 years ago for a magazine review of my work. To answer the second part of your question, my one-person exhibit in a Paris gallery, and being the Guest of Honor with the Pastel Society of France annual exhibit, both two years ago was for me the best recognition so far. As for my murals, I was given a standing ovation by the the representatives of Iowa and the combine Chamber of the Iowa Capitol building in Des Moines, Iowa. I’m also privileged to report that recently I’ve been having my paintings represented in Hilligoss Gallery on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Q: What was your reaction to emerging digital arts technologies in the late 80s and 90s?

A: New ideas, good or not so good, are always going to be developed. But I was willing to look it over and see if it could improve any area I was working in.

Q: Did you think you should adjust your own career path? Why or why not?

A: No, I felt I should stay on the route I had chosen, because those were the years I was developing my new interest in the medium of pastel. This is when I received awards from the Pastel Society of America, and they said of me: “The Pastel Society of America is quite fastidious and demands the highest caliber of fine art. Mr. Garrison is a vivacious and convivial person that one would be proud to know. When you work with Mr. Garrison, you will, without a doubt, enrich your life as well as your business.” Also, I had been receiving mural commissions each year so I said to myself ‘Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke’ But in small ways, I did make adjustments.

Q: You are well known in France not only as an artist, but as a seasonal resident. When did you decide to spend winters in France? What did you hope to capture or accomplish by doing so?

A: When I discovered a beautiful French madame named Cécile, and we could warm-up those French winters, I hoped to expand and paint the land of Monet (my favorite artist), and see what kind of landscapes I could develop and create there. Normandie is very paintable and I did some of my best paintings during those years living in France. I just received an award in New York for another piece I painted there.

Q: You still sketch for your paintings with paint and unmounted canvas on site, then develop your paintings further from these sketches. Why not use a quality digital camera to capture your ‘sketch’ images and paint from that?

A: The use of digital camera is not as extreme as a projector. (Norman Rockwell projected his photos then outlined around them) By painting a sketch on location, or even Plein Air (which is a finished painting in one sitting), an artist can capture more then the likeness of trees, a snowy mountain, villages, etc. All the surrounding landscape that would not be seen in the painting but is felt by the artist, as he paints, is important. In capturing this atmosphere you discover it’s a fleeting experience. A quality sketch must be captured within a two hour time table, or the sun changes and its a different effect; shadows, intensity of the sun. But this is still a plus over the digital camera. By having a short time frame, you’re forced to look at and capture what is most important. And do it right now! A photo, you can take any amount of time. But this causes you to lose the focus of the original mood. At least it does for me. Over the years, I’ve taken many photos and later as I looked over the images I’ve wondered what I was seeing that day that interested me enough to take that photo. I had lost those inspiring feelings, the mood I once felt. Even a sunrise or sunset, with their extreme shortened timing of only a half hour to capture the mood, is better with paint. I have gone with both camera and the painting experience and I still prefer the painting sketch. We do have a great digital camera and use it for the details we could not remember or have time to paint in. We know we live in the 21st century and this great technology is available but a photo is never as good as the real colors only your eyes can see.

Q: What are you doing now with technology to assist in your mission to create art and find a home for it?

A: Its a great help with details. Even Degas and Sorolla used the camera in painting better. Also, both Cécile and I take photos of our work in progress while still on the easel. We can see areas that need improving…such as anatomy or values not quite right. I ‘m going to develop a business with prints of my paintings ( Giclée, prints on canvas, posters ) and of course, we will use the high definition digital photos for this project.

Q: What advice would you offer young artists, in both digital and more traditional media, as they embark upon their careers?

A: During my four years in art school, often I was told: “Learn the rules and then learn how to break them.” I would say this thought process has influenced all the art reforms in history. From the small developments to major ones such as Cubism. Do not restrict yourself in creating or thinking. It takes consistency, courage, and focus on the expression and style you have chosen. Always learn from the Masters. Stay humble because you can always improve.

Visit David’s web site at david-garrison.com

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