John Gall
John D. Gall
was born in 1943 at St. Louis, MO.
John is married and been a resident of North Carolina since 1970. Statement
I
strive to tell stories with my art, whether indirectly as metaphors or directly
as narratives. Even a still life
can tell a story. My subjects may
be dreamed, imagined, or experienced, as an autobiographical interpretation,
but those invented from my imagination are the most precious to me. Any person, place, time or thing can be
a source for inspiration allowing freedom and diversity of subject matter. Solving the problem of staying focused
is handled by working in series, pursuing an idea until it has been explored,
drained, and pushed to the limits of my interest. It is difficult to say how many different images may come
from a basic "idea." I
admire drawing, and my primary creative medium is printmaking, with the
majority of my prints being intaglio(etching). I relate to the European
tradition of etching, emphasizing line and technique. Many of my mentors: Rembrandt, Goya, Whistler, and Picasso all excelled as
draftsmen and etchers. The love of
a strong graphic image and the craft to produce it can be clearly seen in their
prints. I would like to think I am
proceeding in the same direction.
To keep myself fresh and introduce variety, I also work in other mediums
in addition to printmaking; the most common of these is mixed media on paper. The realm of imagination has brought me to my most current body of work
(1995-present). Coming from a math
and science background, I am fascinated by the aesthetic beauty of mathematical
equations, graphs and symbols.
This has led me to the most complex equation of all: the "Human
equation"� In an almost surreal way I have begun combining and incorporating
human figures with these symbols in a new, fabricated "world" of
Knowledge Seekers. The works are usually in an unexplained space where
different scales and perspectives exist. The symbols represent metaphors for
various conditions of knowledge and depict ways these Knowledge Seekers "use"
their knowledge. This direction in my art has expanded to include not only the
"Human" equation, but also botanical and biological subjects, and
most always include symbols and some sort of scientific data. Other noteworthy series include: "Souls" (whimsical predicaments of
human souls) and "Tuscany" (interpretations from travels in Italy).
John D. Gall Selected Resume/Achievements
Education
Miami-Dade Junior
College (1964-65) Miami, FL. Guilford College
(1989-92) Greensboro, NC. Art
Related Experience Work as part-time
preparator for the Theatre Art Galleries, High Point, NC and the Green Hill Center for North
Carolina Art, Greensboro, NC.
Active as a visiting artist to various educational institutions,
providing lectures and demonstrations. Solo
Exhibitions 2006 One
person show at UNC-Wilmington. On
view at the Warick Center, the "UNCW-Presents" show includes 25 works of both
intaglio hand pulled prints and mixed media works on paper. The show was entitled: �Human
Equations�- Prints and drawings. 2006 One
person show at the Theatre Art Galleries, High Point. Fourteen etchings and fourteen works on paper from 1996
through 2006 were exhibited. 2006 Invited
to show at the Moring Art Center, Asheboro, NC. Exhibited prints and drawing in connection with sculpture
artist, William Donnan. 2004 One
person show held at Triad Stage, a satellite gallery of the Green Hill Center
for North Carolina Art. The show was entitled Human Equations- The Series. The
exhibited works were intaglio prints. 2004 One
person show at Waddell Art Gallery, Northern Virginia Community College,
Loudoun Campus, Sterling, VA. A
selection of intaglio prints from the Human Equations series created from 1994
thought 2004 wereexhibited. Work
was purchased for the school�s permanent collection. 2004 One
person show at the Eastern Standard Gallery, Greensboro, NC. An exhibition of 25 mixed media works
on paper entitled: The Botanicals were exhibited. The series featured trees, flowers, shrubs, weeds, and other
botanicals within a few hundred feet of my studio, incorporating scientific
symbols. 2001 One
person show at Reinhardt College, Waleska, GA. Approximately 35 intaglio prints and mixed media drawings
were exhibited. A Gallery talk was given.
Work was selected for the permanent collection of the college. 1997 One person show,
Pressure Sensitive, Elliott University Galleries, UNCG, Greensboro, NC. Etchings from two series were
exhibited. 1995 One person show,
Italy and Beyond, Theatre Arts Gallery, High Point, NC. Approximately 30 intaglio prints from
the Italian series and the Souls series were exhibited. 1992 One person show,
Mindscapes, Elliott Center Gallery, UNC-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC. New mixed media works on paper. Selected
recent group shows-Achievements-Awards 2008 Work
selected for the 21st Parkside National Small Print Exhibition at
the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Juror: Karla Hackenmiller, Chair and Associate Professor, OU. 2008 Work
selected for the 16th Sixty Square Inches small prints show at
Purdue University. Juror:
Janet Ballweg, Professor of Art, Bowling Green State University. 2008 Work
selected for the Delta National Small Prints Exhibition at Arkansas State
University. Juror: Marjorie Devon,
Director, Tamarind Institute. 2008 Selected
for the 20th University of Dallas National Print Invitational. After the University of Dallas
exhibition the show will travel throughout Texas until 2010. Fifteen printmakers were selected by
graduate students from the University of Dallas. This project is organized by Jurgen Strunck, Professor of
Art. 2007 Invited
to participate in the printmaking show, Printmatters, at the 5IVE & 4ORTY
gallery, Winston-Salem,
NC. Ten artists form throughout the United States were invited by curator,
Kimberly Varnadoe (Art Professor, Salem College). 2007 Invited
to participate in the theme based exhibition, Art & War, at Elon
University. The artists were
chosen by the art faculty, Elon University. 2007 Participated
in the 2007 Guilford College Alumni art exhibition, Guilford College. 2006 Invited
to participate in "Nascar Inspired," a group show curated by the Hickory Museum
of Art, Hickory, NC. 2006 Work
selected for the AAWS national juried show, Dimension 2006. Juror: Brooke Anderson, Director and
Curator, The Contemporary Center of the American Art Museum. 2006 Selected
as Professional Artist status in the Center for Visual Arts, Greensboro,
NC. Juror: Hank Foreman, Director
and Curator of the Turchin Center, ASU. Exhibited in the first annual show for
this new level. 2005 Invited
to hold an etching workshop at High Point University. The workshop was for students at the school with varying
knowledge of etching. 2005 Work
selected for the Delta National Small Prints Exhibition, Arkansas State
University. Juror:
Lloyd Menard, Director, Frogman's Press and Gallery and Professor Emeritus. 2005 Work
selected for the 18th Parkside National Small Print Exhibition,
University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI. Juror: Karen Kunc, Cather Professor of Art, UN-L. 2005 Work
selected for In The Mix, a group show featuring works in mixed media sponsored by
AAWS. Juror: Ginger Jackson
Williamson, art faculty, Greensboro College. Received third palce award. 2004 Invited
to exhibit in an invitational group small print show at the State University of
New York
at Oneonta. The show was curated
by Jim Mullen, Fine Arts Gallery Director and Professor Emeritus. 2004 Invited
to participate in the group show, Frogs and Lizards and Artists, Oh My! Exhibited at the W.H.Moring, Jr. Arts
Center, Asheboro, NC. 2004 Work
selected for the Mid-America Print Council member's show at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. Juror: Mark
Smith, artist, critic, and master printer. Show exhibited in conjunction with the 2004 MAPC Conference. 2004 Work
selected for Upward and Onward, an AAWS exhibiting member's juried show. Juror: Kathlean F. G. Hutton, curator
of education, Reynolda House Museum of American Art. Awarded
First Place. 2004 Work selected for the
Mid-America Print Council member's show at Clarion University. Jurors
were Kristin Powers Nowlin and Joe Thomas, faculty, Clarion University. 2003 Invited
to be the juror for the High Point Fine Arts Guild�s Fall all member show. A critique and gallery talk was given
at the opening reception. 2003 Invited
to participate in Purdue University Galleries' 25th Anniversary
Show, Purdue University. The
invitation was to all artists in their permanent collection. 2003 Awarded Second Place in the
Greensboro Artists League's annual all member show. Juror: Greg Shelnutt, faculty of NC School of
the Arts. 2003 Invited
as guest artist to speak about etching, my work, and techniques used, to the
students at Guilford College. A
portfolio of etchings of several artists' works was shown. 2003 Invitational small group
show, Body Language, at Arts United for Davidson County, Lexington,
NC. The show traveled to the
Moring Gallery, Randolph Art Guild, Asheboro, NC. 2002 Invitational drawing show, Working
Drawings, at the Green Hill Center for NC Art,
Greensboro, NC. Exhibited
six finished drawings. 2002 Guest curator and exhibiter
for Printmaking in the European Tradition at the Theatre Art
Galleries, High Point, NC.
Six artists from across the United States were selected to participate. 2002 Works selected for the 2002
Delta National Small Prints Exhibition, Arkansas State
University, State University, AR.
Juror: Lynne Allen, Professor of Art, Rutgers
University; Director, Rutgers Center For Innovative Print and
Paper. Received
purchase award for the permanent collection, Arkansas State University. |