Jack
Lee, director and owner of Fish Monkey Films came by the
studio for a visit and brought his camera with him. Here
is a short interview that he made:
150 West Marcy Street
Santa fe, 87501
Tel: 866 820 0113
2nd
- 30th July 2010
Opening
night reception is on Thursday, July 1, 2010
from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Please contact the gallery for further
info.
I am delighted to be taking part
in Skotia Gallery's realism invitational
show with guest artists including Agostino Arrivabene,
Lyndall Bass, Tony Curanaj, David Larned, Jeremy Mann, Valerio
D'Ospina, Elliott Wall, Fred Wessell and new gallery artists
Roberto Ferri and Graydon Parrish.
130
Lincoln Avenue
Santa Fe, 87501
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 - 5
I
am honoured to be invited to take part in an exhibit at
Evoke contemporary, curated by John O'hern. John is Santa
Fe Editor of American Art Collector and Western Art Collector
magazines and was Executive Director and Curator of the
Arnot Art Museum where he originated the innovative biennial
exhibitions of contemporary realism, “Re-Presenting
Representation.
Some of the artists taking part include:
Sharon Allicotti, Daniel Barkley, Michael Bergt, F. Scott
Hess, Sabin Howard, Javier Marín, Scherer + Ouporov,
Paul Rahilly, Wade Reynolds, Jon Eric Riis, Karen Rosenthal,
David Simon, Frederick Spencer, Daniel Sprick, Roxanne
Swentzell,
Bernardo Torrens, James Tyler, Patricia Watwood,
Gary Weisman, Kent Williams, Will Wilson
opening
reception Thursday evening, Ist July from 5 – 8 pm
American Art Collector magazine
April
2010 issue #54
'Transcending
the West' by John O'Hern
"When
I visited Geoffrey Laurence in his studio, he was working on
a very large canvas in which John Wayne and his angel confront
each other with guns drawn (in a supermarket). Western characters
are rare in his work, however. Laurence moved to New Mexico in1996.
As he worked on the surface that would become John Wayne's gun, he
talked about the role of photography in contemporary realist painting
and some people's desire for photographic realism.“When I paint
a portrait of someone who is sitting for me,” Laurence observed,“it is
not just a
matter of perceiving
the effects of the the light falling on them, I also know what they
sound like, what their skin feels like, how they smell and usually
many aspects of their current life that they choose to share with
me. . . My pictorial memory is constantly running in the back of
my mind, comparing the many paintings I have experienced viewing
and the paintings I myself have made in the past. All these things
are important for me to try and communicate through my brush and
to which I respond, often subconsciously, whilst painting. These
are things a camera cannot do.”
SHEPPARD
AIRFORCE BASE, TEXAS
Yom
HaShoa Service, April 2009
I
was honoured to have been asked by Sheppard Airforce base
in Texas for permission to use some of my holocaust images
for their Yom Hashoa remembrance service this year. My thanks
to Test Control Officer Roberta F. Sheehy and Declan Dunn from
Remembrance.Org for the invitation.
American Art Collector magazine
April
2009 issue #42
'On
the lighter side' by John O'Hern
"When
I asked Geoffrey Laurence for a painting to use in this column he responded "I don't really do humour (as you know) but ... I think my red self-portrait is sort of humorous..."
Here, Laurence captures a momentary expression that contains a variety of emotions from hauteur to silliness. The figures in his large, dramatic, narrative paintings are full of expresion and as he says "common emotional themes". Although this portrait could be of Samuel Johnson looking down at puns, Laurence is not above word play when he addresses even serious topics.
Laurence says " I don't feel comfortable with being described as a 'realist'. I have no interest in 'realism' per se. My interest as an artist continues to be in exploring emotional response to my drawings and paintings and I would rather be described as a 'feelist'. "
SKOTIA
GALLERY
150
West Marcy Street
Santa fe, 87501
Tel: 866 820 0113
Open
Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm
Sun 12pm - 5pm
Gala Opening - 1st May 2009 - 5-8pm
I am really delighted to announce
that I have joined a new gallery in Santa Fe, dedicated to
showing the best in contemporary figurative art. Skotia
will also be opening a second gallery in Dubai, scheduled
for completion in 2010.
It is located in
the new GALA gallery district (Galleries
At Lincoln Avenue),
downtown near the plaza.
Artists included so
far are Juliette Aristides, Katelyn Alain,
Steve Huston, Christopher Pelley, Mark Spencer, Daniel
Sprick, Ray Turner, Rimi Yang... and myself.
"The State Department
of Cultural Affairs has received a gift of artworks valued at
$1 million."
"The
gift came
from former Santa Fe residents Edith and Ernest Schwartz. The collection
includes works by more than 100 artists, including Dan Namingha,
Glenna Goodacre, Geoffrey Laurence, Gregory Lomayesva, Kevin Red
Star, R.C. Gorman, Ford
Ruthling and Melissa Zink."
Ernie and Edie Schwartz Donation
NM Department
of Cultural affairs
American Art Collector magazine
June
2008 issue #32
'Portrait
of a man' by John O'Hern
"Geoffrey
Laurence often does several drawings of several short
poses on one sheet of paper. Rich with quick impressions, an
economy of line, bold gesture, and even erasures, Laurence's
response to the model brims with energy.
Laurence's 'Raven 3' is done in
charcoal and pastel.The tied-back hair and the
high color of the flesh barely contain the energy of the taut musculature
and the clenched jaw line. These works contrast with the more controlled,
tightly painted canvases for which he is well known."
Classical
Painting Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio
Practice
Classical
Drawing Atelier: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Studio Practice
by Juliette Aristides
published
by Watson-Guptill, 2006, 2008
Its
always such a pleasure to be able to drop by to see Juliette
whenever I am up in Seattle teaching at the Gage Academy and
have lunch in her studio.
She
has recently published a second book to follow her
first excellent book on drawing and I appreciate
being included once again amongst the contemporary artists she
has used as examples in the book.
They are both currently available from
Amazon.
'WHAT MAY BE'
February 16 - March 1, 2008
I have been
invited to take part in a show at the Douglas Udell gallery
in Vancouver, British Columbia, which opens on February 16th
2008 and runs for two weeks until March.
I have not had the opportunity to exhibit in Canada before
and I happily welcome this chance.
The show will be viewable online onwards from a week before
its opening - DouglasUdellgallery.com
'40
PORTRAITS / 40 ARTISTS'
January
7 - March 1 , 2008
Who says all artists are self
obsessed?
My red self-portrait is in a show right now at Gallery One
in Ellensburg, Washington until March 1st. Curated by gallery
director Robert Tomlinson and dedicated to artists' portraits
of themselves.
Artists included
are: Lauren Ari,
Ree Brown
Justin Colt Beckman,
Therese Brown,
Rory Burke,
Larry Calkins,
Steve Davis,
Dianna Elliott,
Richard Elliott,
Stephen John Ellis ,
Carlee Fernandez,
Scott Fife,
Geoff Flack,
Angela Fraleigh ,
Mary Frances,
Jazno Francoeur,
Barbara Fugate,
Anne Grigich,
Joseph Guggino ,
Molly Hill,
Claire Johnson,
Scott Kolbo,
Mona Kuhn,
Geoffrey Laurence,
Donna Malek,
Fiona McGuigan,
Steven Miller,
Charlotte Niel,
Jane Orleman,
Alan Pace,
Ann Ploeger,
Dorothy Rissman,
Stephen Rue,
Tom Semple,
Anne Siems,
John Sloan,
Francesca Sundsten,
Kate Stigdon ,
Joanna Thomas,
Keith Tilford,
Amanda Triggs,
Elliott Wall ,
Tilde Weems ,
John White,
Helene Wilder,
Claude Zervas.
408 N Pearl Street
Ellensburg, WA
THE
ASHEN RAINBOW
Essays on the Arts
and the Holocaust
by Ori Z. Soltes
published by
Eshel Books, 2007
Professor
Soltes has a written a series of essays, now pubished as a
book, on the arts in relation to the Holocaust and in it he
refers to some of my work. It is serious and thought provoking.
From his preface: " The juxtoposition
of the terms 'Arts' and 'Holocaust' seems inherently paradoxical;
the one pertaining to creation and the other to destruction.
The fact is the two not only coexist, they are the mirror
of the coexistent power of creation and destruction across
the history and geography of human beings."
The Teaching Company is famous for its many fascinating
courses on tape and DVD and I am honoured to be included in their
latest art history course. Ori Soltes, professor of Theology
and Fine Arts at Georgetown University has created a series
of lectures called
'Art across the Ages', filled with
unique and new insights into the history of western art
. Following one of his recurring themes - that of the transformation
and reconfiguration of ideas in art across the centuries - he
discusses my painting 'Hold Fast' in some depth in the lecture
entitled "Art, Politics and Religion from era to era".
Photo
by Peter Ogilvie
Santa
Fean Magazine
October / November issue
2007
Its rare that I get the pleasure of actually seeing my work hanging
in the homes of my collectors, so I am thrilled to see a
picture of George and Lynn Goldstein's living room in the
October issue of Santa Fean magazine.
"The
couple hang the art they both feel most passionate about
in the public areas of their home. The living/dining area's
diamond plaster walls are replete with large-scale figurative
paintings by New Mexico artists including Geoffrey Laurence"
14th ANNUAL REALISM INVITATIONAL 2007
October 5 -
November 5 ,
2007
If you are around in Santa Fe in October, I have work in
the invitational realism show at Klaudia Marr Gallery on
Canyon Rd, now in its 14th year.
Artists included this year
are: William Barnes, Michael Bergt, David Michael Bowers,
Robert Brawley, Laura Brink, Pamela Carroll, Tricia Cline,
Julie Comnick, Morgan Craig, Craig Cully, Daniel David,
Lynn Davison, Marc Dennis, Mary Frances Dondelinger,
Don Eddy, Emilia Faro, Toc Fetch, William Fogg, Steven
Graber, Tyson Grumm, Julia Hunkins, Daniel Jackson, Jared
Joslin, Steven Kenny, , Alan Magee, David Mauldin, Susan
McDonnell, Heidi McFall, Kenney Mencher, John Nava, Brian
O'Connor, Larry Ogan, Laura Orchard, Jaime Valero Perandones, Robert Peterson, Antonio Roybal, Aristides Ruiz, Jorge Santos, Gustavo Schmidt, Myra Schuetter, Jeanette Pasin Sloan, Steve Smulka, Michael Sokolis, JoanneTeasdale, Jared Antonio-Justo Trujillo, Timur Tsaku, Eric Wert, Rodney Wood, Irina Zaytceva, Eric Zener, Baochi Zhang... and of course myself.
If you happen to be in Manhattan over the next
month, I am currently in a group show at the New York Academy
of Art, curated by
Vincent Desiderio,
Eric Fischl and
Jenny Saville.
The show is open daily from 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm at 111 Franklin
Street, New York, tel
212.966.0300
'Santa Fe Artists
Share a Passion at Their Weekly Sessions by Kathaleen Roberts
"Painter Geoffrey Laurence takes an ambidextrous approach
to charcoal and pastel, his blackened fingers testament to his
dual skills as he captures steep contrasts in shadows and light.
Laurence shows his work at LewAllen Contemporary. He likens
drawing to a musician's scales.
"Artists have to draw all the time," he said. "Rembrandt
was sketching constantly. It's like exercise. If I don't draw
for three weeks, it starts to go. It's just like a muscle."
He taught himself to work with both hands, insisting each appendage
possesses its own character.
"The left is more female; the right is more male," Laurence
said. "The left is curvilinear, the right is more linear.
Why walk around with this one thing that's hanging down there
like a dead limb? We don't use one foot."
Photo:
Eddie Moore
Art In America
March 2007 issue
'Artworld'
Not to be outdone by Art
News magazine's mispelling of my first name in the April 2002
issue, Art In America magazine decided this month to have done
with the weird spelling altogether and changed it to "Gregory".
Thanks!
George Sugarman (1912-1999), was a prolific and controversial
American artist. Always interested in the well-being of dedicated
artists, Sugarman provided for them in his will.
In an era
when much visual art fails to address the profound existing
issues of violence, poverty, war and discrimination, the George
Sugarman Foundation offers annual grants to painters and sculptors
who are engaged in the creation of artworks that incorporate
humane themes.
Howard
Tullman's Collection
'Hindsight'
blog'
Collector Howard Tullman
posted his purchase of my painting '9-11' on his blog
site 'Hindsight' so I am returning the compliment here.
Scroll down
and click on any name to view works in his amazing collection.
I'm in good company!
Art-Talk magazine
February 2007
'Hocus Pocus' by Renee Targos
REMEMBER.ORG -
HOLOCAUST WEBSITE
Remember.org
is currently featuring an online exhibit of my holocaust
related work . The site includes many interesting holocaust
related items. I am honored to be on it.
Los Angeles Art Show 2007
January 25th - 28th
Booth P-129
Lewallen
Contemporary will be showing my work, along with other gallery
artists at the Los Angeles Art Fair in Santa Monica, CA.
at the end of this month.
Look for
their booth in the Barker Hangar if you happen to be visiting.
American Art Collector magazine
January
2007 issue #15
'The art of the 'other'
Santa Fe' by John O'Hern
"One of
the group members is Geoff Laurence, whose large figure paintings
are accomplished with great skill and insight.
Often the subject is posed before a classic
painting, adding another layer of interpretation and demonstrating
his mastery of technique. His work, Collateral Damage
(page 45), features a businessman talking on the phone, wearing
a jester's hat and seated before a large painting of a vanquished
foe.
Laurence's comfortable and well-lighted
studio contains myriad studies and sketches
for his paintings, as well as finished drawings
which are works of art in themselves. The
record of the process is fascinating to see."
'THE'
magazine ~ November 06 issue.
"Talk
of how the notion of "truth to materials" fits
into your work process."
"Artists prior to
the 20thC made incredibly varied paintings with far fewer
choices of material, just a handful of colors, really, and
much cruder brushes than those manufactured today. My experience
in art has been that less creates more and I usually restrict
myself to a limited palette of no more that 3 or 4 colors.
I don’t
really understand the term ‘realism’ in
painting. Rather than obliterating the brushstrokes, I try
to remain truthful to the materials and let the paint look
like paint. My figures will never walk off the canvas no
matter how much I torture the paint with a fan brush. The
challenge is to make paintings that ‘feel’ like
the life I experience around me and inside me."
Photograph
by Stanley Darland
Profile
on the website 'www.ArtQuotes.net'
up for the month of November 06. Here's the
interview:
+1
::: Why are you an artist Geoffrey, and how did you first decide
that art was your path in life?
I knew
I was interested in art when I was 10 and had a painting
accepted in an exhibit in Nassau, Bahamas where my parents
were then living. I had a very hard time convincing them that
that was my chosen path and in fact they were dead set against
it. I ended up leaving home at 15, moving to London and going
to art school.
+2
::: Could you tell us some more about your work?
I
have always been interested in figure and narrative painting.
I was drawn to classical painting early on, when everyone around
me was into pop art and installations. They bored me stupid
and I couldn’t wait to get back to the National Gallery
every time to find some sanity. I did respect the early 20thC
experiments and was much taken with Picasso for a long time.
I start losing interest somewhere in the painting of the 1950s.
My desire has always been to somehow find a way to marry the
elements of the past with the present. To use classicism in
a modern way. But how? I am still searching. I have absolutely
no interest whatsoever in conceptual art. It means nothing
to me.
I am also driven to paint about the Holocaust as my parents
were both survivors. I keep thinking if I can paint the right
picture, my murdered aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents
will finally leave me in peace.
+3
::: In some of your more recent works the backgrounds are painted with Rubenesque nudes and angels. Is there a relationship between them and your subject?
Very
much. At first I was using the paintings in the backgrounds to
stop deep space from occurring. I go to great lengths to compress
the space in my paintings and achieve a tension between flatness
and three dimensionality. I realized that I could play narrative
games between the ‘painted’ space in the paintings
in the background and the painted space in the painting. It is
at its most obvious in my latest paintings ‘Quetzal’ and
The Reality of Things’ where the cloth on the foreground
figure literally goes into the painting behind her but she is
painted in a very different way to the ‘painting’.
I never directly copy paintings but rather paint ‘in the
style of’ and manipulate the images for my purpose. I seem
to like painting flying babies a lot at the moment!
+4
::: What artists have influenced you, and how?
It depends
what year you ask me – Francis Bacon, Picasso, Egon Schiele,
Ferdinand Hodler, Klimt, Munch, Van Dyke, Vermeer, Rubens, George
de la Tour, Fragonard, Boucher, Watteau, Vincent Desidirio, Odd
Nerdrum, etc etc - the list is very long and my interest
comes and goes. They have all given me something even if its
just a feeling that I am not alone or completely crazy. We are
all in this together you know. Art is a relay race going all
the way back to the caves. We hand the baton on and hope the
next guy runs like hell with it.
+5
::: You are also an art teacher. How has this influenced your career as an artist?
I like
to think that I am of some help to people who have not travelled
so far down the road yet. Making art is a scary experience for
a lot of people and I try and make them feel less scared. I can
help with the how part but not the why part. I wish someone would
help ME with the why part!
+6
::: What inspires you to paint and how do you keep motivated when things
get tough in the studio?
I don’t
know where my ideas come from. They just appear by themselves.
I never feel like its ME making the art, I just turn up for the
job and get my orders. I meet a new model and just start working.
I always work from life. I can’t get anything out of photos
other than photographic reality, which is not what I see when
I look at things around me.
I am usually motivated by boredom more than anything. When my depression reaches
stranglehold pitch, which it seems to do on an increasingly frequent basis, I
try and just get involved in painting or drawing something, anything really,
and within a short while I am usually again absorbed in creating and listening
to the painting instead of my self. I always, however, find I return to a sense
of disbelief in myself and of failure once again to reach whatever I had
felt inside. It’s a cycle that never seems to change. I wish it would.
Its painful.
+7
::: How have you handled the business side of being an artist?
Badly.
That’s why I am still broke after 45 years of being an
artist.
+8
::: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully
still painting and not dead. I would like to think that the work
will get better, though that may be too much to ask for.
+9
::: What's the best and worst parts of being a full time, working artist?
The best part is feeling alive making paintings and the worst part is needing to make paintings to feel alive. In that I mean, when I am painting there are moments that I am actually truly happy. Brief and sporadic as they may be, for those moments I am really one with the universe and not totally dominated by self. But those experiences are highly addictive and have been keeping me obsessed for 45 yrs. It has led me to living a very hard life that is filled with anxiety and fear financially and that most ordinary people cannot even imagine and would not tolerate. It seems to be the lot of artists through the ages. Quite why or what it achieves for us mystifies me.
+10
::: What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
Don't give up your day job. Lack of money is the worst part of any artist's career and having another form of income is the best thing an artist could have. I wished now that I had trained as a plumber or an electrician when I was a teenager, as well as art. I would have had choices that are no longer available for me.
Believe in your dreams above all. Without them there is no art.
Artwork
images and Web pages from this site are copyright of Geoffrey Laurence and
may not be duplicated
or redistributed
in any form without written permission.
If you would like to use images from this site, please
contact the artist for permission.
LATEST
NEWS 
