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Alex Gnidziejko "Quince & Copper" 2002
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Alex Gnidziejko
The first painting I saw by Alex Gnidziejko was a 1973 Playboy Magazine illustration titled "To China With Nixon," which I purchased from Hugh Hefner. I was entranced by its unique qualities of texture and light, combined with a realism that was somehow "beyond realism".
I ended up tracking Alex down and asking him numerous questions about his technique and his inspirations, and found that he had long-since left the world of illustration, and for many years had gone "back to his roots" to paint Dutch-Master inspired still-life paintings, figurative works and portraits. Our "art talks" would sometimes go on for over an hour, and I found in him an artist who not only appreciated the techniques of artists of the past, but who also had the ability to create his own distinctive and unique masterpieces of today. Alex brings a bit of the soul and technique of Vermeer to his paintings while still being contemporary to our own time, thus making them (and him) relevant to the history of Art.
Alex's work is, in my opinion, amongst the best being painted in America today. His place in American Art is assured. I encourage you to see these wonderful paintings in person, and to live with them, because I know they will live with you well.
-Joel Garzoli , February, 2012
Alex Gnidziejko "The Bath"
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"Moving to Maine in 1985 was a turning point for me. Illustrations expressed ideas but were often done on short deadlines. The pace and surroundings of living in rural Maine brought me back to my roots and allowed me to explore my rich training in the egg tempera oil-emulsion technique that Carroll Jones [illustrator for Life Magazine] taught me in high school. Rather than illustrations created in weeks or even days - paintings now mimicked an almost monastic rhythm... taking months to create. This change of pace allowed a greater contemplation and observation of beauty in the world around me. In producing portraits and still-lifes, I was observing everyday life. I strive to capture timeless moments in life. While it is a lengthy process to create an underpainting followed by many layers of transparent glazes, I am continually enchanted by the depth of realism that can be achieved. But more than just creating a realistic image, the process becomes a way for me to fully understand a subject as well as express my own perspective." -Alex Gnidziejko
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< click here for Gnidziejko's Bio > |
