Artist Gilbert Gorski is a happy man with his wife, three daughters, three grandchildren and his western Pennsylvania studio that overlooks the Allegheny Valley—where he paints his realistic depictions of trees and woodlands. “It is filled with north light, books, two dogs, a fireplace and an exquisite collection of pottery,” the artist shares.
Red Maple, oil on linen, 22 x 24"
Opening October 11 at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia, Gorski will feature 24 paintings that he’s created over the past two years in the aptly titled show, Painting Trees—also the name of Gorski’s book ,published earlier this year.
In the book's introduction, Gorski writes, “Over the last seven years I created paintings of trees and woodlands. It has been a blessing to pursue something that I have spent my life thinking about. The curiosity I had about where such a journey might lead is finally being satisfied.”
Afer Ventus, oil on linen, 38 x 38"
An architect in his first career, Gorski is interested in the nature of man-made space, but as a landscape painter, he’s interested in nature-made space. “Drawing and painting architecture involves straight lines and perspective, while landscape painting dispenses with these things, allowing the creation of the work to progress in a more sympathetic way to the natural motions of the human hand,” he says. “On an existential level, I think of trees and woodlands as a microcosm of the universe, or perhaps a mirror of the human mind: an infinite number of points of energy contained in a finite space.”
Taylor Chauncey, assistant director at Principle Gallery adds, “Gorski remains focused on exploring the natural world and its beauty. In his exploration, he has stayed true to his technique while slightly evolving his compositions. In the last two years, we’ve started to see elements in his work reminiscent of the Art Nouveau and Vienna Secession periods. He’s begun using long and organic lines characterized with these periods. [His paintings] Afer Ventus and Rookeryare perfect examples.”
Vespers, oil on linen, 32 x 34"
The artist also admits that he’s moving away from strict realism and more towards abstraction as an organizational element. “Japanese woodblock prints continue to inspire me,” Gorski says. “To this end, I have stopped taking photographs and have been drawing on site more. I’m trying to memorize my subject so that I don’t have to go looking for it in the heat of painting.”
In pieces like the aforementioned Afer Ventus—portraying a forested scene of diverse flora and fauna—Gorski’s style is reminiscent of pointillism, but the artist thinks of himself as more of a “pixelist.” He says, “I stumbled upon this composition by creating numerous sketches, sometimes in a sort of meditative state.”
Rookery, oil on linen, 46 x 46"
The show, which closes on November 4, will also include beauties like Red Maple, inspired by a tree in the artist’s neighborhood; and Vespers, with a color palette inspired by a textile piece. A reception will be held on opening night from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Overall, Gorski’s hope for viewers of the show can be summed up in one quote from the book Art & Fear, by David Bayles and Ted Orland; “In essence, art lies embedded in the conceptual leap between pieces, not in the pieces themselves.” —
Principle Gallery 208 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 • (703) 739-9326 www.principlegallery.com
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