Abstract artist Gary Denmark will have his first gallery exhibit in Utah beginning November 4th at the Julie Nester Gallery. Denmark’s exhibit, which continues through the month of November includes original works on canvas and paper.

In his artist statement for the show, Denmark writes, “Building pictures has always been an activity that I have pursued in my search to clarify my voice and to strive for a place of authenticity. Working in the field of abstraction allows me to re-define and explore those perceptual elements that challenge me; color, form, surface and space.”

Denmark’s paintings start with shapes and colors inspired by his physical surroundings. For years he spent much of his time working in a San Francisco studio and recently he has relocated his residence to Santa Fe, New Mexico. These locations and his residency in Costa Rica and Greece have inspired his works unique images. The peacefulness and color palette of the high desert can be found in “Shi Sha Hane I”. (see left) In this piece Denmark employs a color field of browns, rusts and blues, and his shapes are organic and natural.

Some of the tools and processes that Denmark uses on his paintings – stencils, squeegees and sponges – became familiar to him as a printmaker. Just as his extensive background in printmaking informed his approach to painting, the scale and improvisation of painting fed back into his prints. From his experiences in both media emerged his distinctive approach to building imagery in layers. According to Denmark, “I build a picture in a process of approach and response that established a foundation for entering the meditative act of painting. In a paintings better moment, I am simply a conduit as the painting decides its direction and end.”

This article originally appeared in the November 2005 edition of 15 Bytes

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