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

Hi Philip, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued my artistic career because creating has always brought me the most joy. In my 25 year career in graphic design I was more of a problem solver. The question was how do I create something that is pleasing to look at and also invites the viewer to engage in the information that the piece was conveying. Then 20 years ago I began a more personal artistic pursuit as a landscape and floral photographer. My goal was to capture and highlight a fleeting moment of beauty that I could show the world. Now as I have added painting to my artistic journey I find even greater creative freedom to infuse my emotion and passion for art into each piece. What I might find difficult to express in words I work to communicate powerfully on the canvas.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a neurodivergent artist my abstract landscape work, like a coin, has two different sides but they are both part of the whole. Many of my pieces are created with broad strokes of vibrant, contrasting hues. This helps me communicate on a visual level what I would find much more difficult to communicate with words. For example I find sunsets to be incredibly vast, luminous, awe-inspiring wonders of creation. To convey that in a painting I might employ high intensity colors, metallics, and pearlescent paints with bold brushstrokes. On the other side of the coin, there are times when my senses are overloaded and I want a calming experience. In that mindset my paintings will have cool colors, with subtle, but still intriguing variation.
I have been creative my entire life with clear memories of drawing very early in childhood. That early interest in colors and shapes led me to an extended career in graphic design. I’ve been a Fine Art Photographer for the last 20 years and a Fine Art Painter for the last five years.
Throughout my art journey I have learned to be persistent and strive to do more and learn more than just what is required, in the end the extra effort paid off.
I want the world to know that even if some consider you to not be “normal”, it does not mean that you are any less. Incredible, beautiful, groundbreaking things have come out of neurodiversity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Locally there are a dozen selfie-worthy sites to explore along the iconic “Mother Road” Route 66 including Carl’s Ice Cream and Sugar Grove Nature Center.
For natural beauty Starved Rock State Park in Utica with its waterfalls, exposed rock canyons, diverse forest plants, and hiking trails is just about an hour away. Day trip options from early spring through late fall would be the Anderson Japanese Gardens in Rockford, Cantigny Gardens in Wheaton, and the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.
Any time of the year you can explore the “Windy City”. Chicago is filled with many world class museums including the renowned Art Institute along the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue. Another experience I’ve enjoyed and recommend is the Chicago Boat Architecture Tour which explores a century of amazing buildings along the Chicago River.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My special shoutout would be to my wife and artistic partner Glenda. Early on in my attempts to get my art out into the world I had received two rejections to be part of a juried art festival. I was ready to give up trying but her encouragement to try one more time resulted in being accepted to that show and then the doors opened up for many more juried festivals throughout central Illinois and the Chicago area.
I would also want to thank my mom Beth who nurtured and encouraged my many creative interests from a very young age.
And a final shoutout to art business guru and author Maria Brophy for her book “Art, Money & Success”. Maria outlines fresh ideas and strategies for selling art in today’s competitive market.

Website: https://www.ganglerart.com

Instagram: @ganglerartstudio

Other: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ganglerartstudio/

Image Credits
All photos belong to me.

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