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Gary Coleman – Artist’s Statement My recent paintings have been for the most part oil landscapes and large abstracts. I don’t find anything unusual about doing a landscape one day and an abstract the next. Both depend upon color and composition, balance and energy. My landscapes may start with a generally realistic sketch, but once work in the studio starts, painting takes precedent over scene, emotional response over strictly visual response. My paintings are more about something than they are of it. Landscape is for me a peaceful concept. As a result much of the line I use is rolling, undulating line. The fact that I was born among (and lived most of my life among) the rolling hills of Northern California has a good deal to do with my landscapes. As to colors, I tend to lean toward warm ones, another part of my California heritage My abstracts tend to come more from my urban California upbringing, starting off in Oakland, and are more likely to feature the angle than the curve, aggression vs. peace. They can be hard edged and hectic, sometimes a bit threatening. While they seem to come from a different place in my psyche, the process for painting them is the same. Of course, the real purpose of painting is to make the painter feel alive. I love it when someone responds positively to one of my paintings, but the real charge comes from putting the paint down onto the canvas. For me the inspiration for a painting comes from the act of painting. Resume: Gary Coleman Selected Exhibitions: 1999: University Arts Juried Show @ Pacific Art League. (Artist’s first show entry). Hon. Mention. “Reflections” show @ Pacific Art League, Palo Alto. Second Prize, all media. 2000: “Toys R’ Art” show @ Pacific Art League. First Prize, all media. Saratoga Contemporary Artists show, George Rivera judge. Second prize in oil and pastel. One Man Show @ Ridgeside Restaurant in Portola Valley. 2001: One Man Show, “The Artist as Landscape”, Elizabeth Norton Gallery, Palo Alto. Los Gatos Art Association, Annual Membership Show: Third Prize – Oils. “Red Hot” show sponsored by Blue Chalk Café, Palo Alto. Image used for publicity. AVA Art Fest @ Triton Museum in Santa Clara. Merit Award. 2002: Three-month One Man Show @ Tied House Restaurant and Brewery, San Jose. Los Gatos Art Association Open Juried Show. Honorable Mention – Oils. “Artist’s Space” show @ Pacific Art. Honorable Mention & image used for publicity. 2003 One Man Show @ Hotel California, Palo Alto. One Man Show @ Institute for the Future, Menlo Park. Los Gatos Art Association Annual Membership Show. Third Prize – Oils. “Off the Wall” show and auction @ Pacific Art. First Prize, all media. 2004: Institute for Contemporary Art, San Jose, Monotype Marathon, sponsored artist. “Water Works” show @ Pacific Art. Third Prize, all media. Palo Alto First Friday Art Walk featured artist. One Man Show @ Peninsula Community Foundation, San Mateo. 2005: AVA Art Fest, Santa Clara. Merit Award. ICA Monotype Marathon sponsored artist. Three-month One Man Show @ Tied House Restaurant and Brewery in Mt. View. “Transitions” show @ Pacific Art. Third Prize. 2006: One man shows @ Akane restaurant, Los Altos; Borders, Sunnyvale; Books Inc, Mt. View. Two person show @ Pacific Art League with Karen Devich, sculptress. 2007: Show @ Pacific Art League again with Karen Devich, and this time Inge Infanti. 2008: Landscapes / Gary Coleman, Pacific Grove Art Center, Pacific Grove, CA. ______________________________________________________________________________ Current or past representation: Pacific Art League, Palo Alto; Valley Art, Walnut Creek; Casa Galleria, San Juan Bautista; Stone Griffin, Campbell; Art Junction, Winters; Khalid Gallery, San Jose; Los Gatos Museum’s Art Gallery, Los Gatos. e-mail: garioski@pacbell.net. Web: www.garycolemanartist.com