We had the good fortune of connecting with Gary Palmer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gary, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up in northern Ireland during the early years of the conflict. As a child, drawing and painting offered a doorway into a world of imagination – a safe interior domain protected from the harsh realities of the outside world. I initially went to university in Edinburgh to study Theoretical Physics – it was the creative aspect of the field that attracted me. In the end I switched to Architecture, which seemed a better fit – combining artistic expression and rational thinking – but painting was always my passion from an early age. After university, I travelled around the world making large scale chalk paintings – that offered a great deal of freedom. It was a way to see the world while picking up inspirations for my work. The public art – street art and murals – integrated some aspects of my architectural training – such as an interest in perspective and illusion – but the studio work was more intimate – a way to explore my interior world and more personal emotional territory.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a body of abstract / narrative work from a journey in East Africa from the banks of lake Malawi to Zanzibar island. Many of the original paintings have found homes – but the story is documented as a book and limited edition print series – available from fathom gallery – www.fathom.gallery.com.

A recent series of work – ‘moments of stillness’, shown last year with Tarryn Teresa Gallery are in a way ‘peace paintings’ or colorfield meditations – related to a period of time spent living at a meditation retreat on top of a mountain, close to the border to Mexico.
There’s a new series of paintings in development at my studio in Venice and I’m enjoying the sense of exploration. I’ve spent the past few years distilling out separate elements of painting such as line, form and motion, color, light, and space. Now I’m working on pulling these studies together in a series of abstract paintings which integrate aspects of all these elements.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This question is making me wish our beloved Hals restaurant – heart and soul of venice was still with us… I’d start with a bike ride at the beach, and along Abbot Kinney. Then a decent coffee at French market cafe to get the feel of the neighborhood. the LA louver is a special spot to take in some quality paintings and sculpture. For new people visiting town – dropping in to visit a few artists studios at the Santa Monica airport is interesting way to spend some time – Lola del Fresno, Luigia Martelloni, John Goetz and Tanya Rector. El Matador out toward Malibu is one of my favorite places to walk by the ocean or watch the sun set. James Beach, an old time venice classic for a cocktail.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shout out to the passionate and compassionate people at Venice Community Housing – who commissioned a recent mural at Washington and Centinela – they work tirelessly to alleviate homelessness – helping build low income communities – we need more and more of this kind of work in our cities today. I’d also like to give a mention to some inspiring friends in the artistic community of venice – Francisco Letelier who has always been around to inspire and offer support and encouragement. Also to luigia Martelloni who has boundless energy to organize (and include my work) in exciting international exhibitions with other local and foreign artists, to Frank at Fathom Gallery who has helped develop the Zanzibar work into a book and print collection. Paris Chong who has been a passionate supporter for many years connecting collectors to my work at the studio. And Tarryn Teresa who has hosted exhibitions of my abstract colorfield work.

Website: www.garypalmerart.com
Instagram: garypalmerart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garyhenrypalmer

Image Credits
Gary Palmer

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