Why donuts? Instead of an ironic response, Denver-based artist Gregory Block shared a rather serious story that gave way to an ever-growing body of work that is not nearly as frivolous as one might initially think.
Back in 2018, Block was in a cycling accident and broke nearly every bone on the right side of his body while sustaining other internal injuries. After enduring many surgeries and extensive time in the hospital, Block was having difficulty gaining back the weight he had lost. He was also depressed, having lost the ability to do the athletic activities he loved. Almost two years into his recovery process, his housemate brought home a box of donuts.
Orange Cream, oil on board, 7 x 7"
“Opening that box, it clicked immediately,” Block says. “[I knew] this is what I need to paint; this is what I need eat. It was just a burst of color, texture, form, and light and shadow. It was so vibrant and graphically stunning. It was everything a painter could wish for in a composition. I realized I would love to paint them, get to know them better and, maybe, enjoy eating them more.”
Block is far from a junk food junkie. His diet is mostly vegetarian and he grows his own vegetables. “But every now and then you need to treat yourself,” he says. “I wanted to treat myself by painting and eating a donut.”
Seeing Red, oil on board, 48 x 40"
Block didn’t think his “donut phase” would last longer than a single painting—in fact they almost seem like an anomaly in a portfolio that includes masterfully executed wild mustangs, moody still lifes and florals—but the series continues to grow and the artist is enjoying the subject matter as much as he did when he painted the first one.
“Anything I’m curious about can be an inspiration,” says Block, who approaches painting with the spirit of the scientist he almost became. “Biology is all about observing things closely and experimenting. I see my process in the studio as being very much a reflection of a scientific method. You’re out in the world, you ask a question and search for an answer through a series of experiments. I think inspiration comes from curiosity, from mystery.”
One of the reasons Block turned away from science is its quest for definitive answers. “I don’t think those exist in the world. The questions are most important. What we ask ourselves when we see something beautiful is the pinnacle of inspiration.”
Rhapsody in Blue, oil on board, 48 x 60"
Right now, for Block, that’s a donut. While he does work from actual boxes of donuts—from Dunkin’ to Voodoo—he doesn’t like to label them still lifes. He perceives all paintings as landscapes. “My eye travels over the surface and the light, in the same way as if I was looking over hills or the cracked desert. Sometimes I feel like I’m painting sand dunes or glaciers or a forest.”
One donut piece was actually a family portrait, with each family member choosing a donut to eat and another that best personified their character for the portrait.
Box Set, oil on board, 48 x 36"
“Everyone identifies with donuts,” he says. “They’ve had experiences with donuts. People have their favorites and least favorites…it’s a huge conversation starter.” Block’s favorite is a maple glaze with bacon, but he’d have to say that an old fashioned best represents his nature.
Block shrugs off the fact that he’s starting to get a reputation as the “donut guy” in the gallery world and the Denver donut scene.
“If an artist is happy doing what they do, people will be happy to look at. I’m still ‘sprinkling’ in other portraits and still lifes, but it feels like home doing these paintings and if that’s what I become known for…so be it. If only everyone in the world was so fortunate.” —
Gallery 1261 1261 Delaware Street, Suite 1 • Denver, CO 80204
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