Although the majority of my original ideas for art-making are provided by my synesthetic experiences and the milieu of memories from life moments from my childhood into adulthood, there are other times when I’m feeling more eclectic and gather ideas from people and places farther away from my immediate surroundings. As someone who enjoys exploring various art forms and conceptual methods, especially those involving vibrant colors and abstraction, I get inspiration from many artists and find it hard to choose a few to emphasize over all the rest. For this post, though, I will introduce you to one—meet Ginny Gaura.
Gaura is a self-described multidisciplinary artist who graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.F.A. in Illustration, and started her career as a graphic designer who became
successful working at the Chicago Tribune, but later found a greater satisfaction in painting and began devoting her time to creating pieces as an independent artist. Her pieces frequently
feature rich colors, powerful lines and brush strokes, and interesting treatments of light that combine to form surreal spaces with some natural elements to guide the viewer in. In addition to
graphic design and painting, she also does photography, hand-lettering, and poetry, but my favorite works of hers are the paintings that come from her series Dreamscapes and Spiral
Journey. Here are a few below.
In Dreamscapes, I find the softly meandering curves of layered tones of gradually defined color, as well as the visual paths to and from light, very welcoming, as I enter an abstract space I can make my own, while being swathed in colors that trigger synesthetic metaphors—a subconscious home away from home; a sanctuary. Gaura’s meditative approach has spurred me to pay more attention to and investigate further the depths of spaces in my own work.
The natural—namely, botanical—aspects of Gaura’s art have also inspired my work. In her piece Plant Spiral, she places a green, leafy vine into a spiral pattern extending from the middle
of the space outward, to signify the concept of growth. Along with Gaura, I too find spirals fascinating and, without even thinking about this piece, I would incorporate a spiral into one of my
drawings that I did for a series in which I explored floral development:
Overall, I appreciate Ginny Gaura’s pieces particularly in her series Dreamscapes and Spiral Journey for the ways they use colors and lighting techniques to create inviting conceptual spaces. The compositions of these works really speak to my perceptions and emotions on a level that is pensive and liberating at the same time, and inspire me to artistically express my messages through similar routes.
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