Gail Rodney

For me, the process of making art is a meditation. I work best when I do not think about the outcome but concentrate on seeing and capturing, observing, and comparing one element to another. This approach is usually more satisfying than work done more consciously.

Any object or landscape can be beautiful when bathed in light, when color is most exciting. I am drawn to landscapes, particularly with water, and the urban experience of my NYC life. As a landscape painter, I prefer to integrate figures and wildlife into a larger environment. Over the past 30 years, I have worked in watercolor, pastel, collage, and oil. Watercolor offers unmatched translucency. Pastels provide a sense of immediacy, the chance to draw and paint simultaneously, and the tactile sensation of working directly with your fingers. Collage is inventive; the papers take me to unexpected places. Oils are endlessly malleable, capable of the most subtle color, the most varied texture.

Three projects in collage, inspired by three favorite poems, led me to experiment with bookmaking, resulting in three artist books in limited editions. In addition, in 2014, I published the Martha’s Vineyard & Chappy Sketchbook, a collection of ink and watercolor sketches.

Though I work predominantly in a realistic style, I believe the abstract elements of a work are the most powerful conveyors of what the artist feels. Drawing and painting deepen my appreciation and observation of nature, and I hope to convey the joy of these observations in my work.