Biography
Frank Gardner was born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1986 with a BFA in Painting. A desire to find true inspiration for his paintings eventually led him to Mexico. He has been living in México since 1990 and now resides in San Miguel de Allende with his wife and daughter. Gardner paints on location and in the studio using paintings or sketches done on the spot and or photo references. His style adeptly captures his subjects’ moods and emotions, whether it be paintings of dramatic landscapes, colorful marketplaces, or boats in a harbor. The combination of confident brushwork, dynamic compositions and lively color invokes true character in Frank’s work. México inspires a large amount of Gardner's paintings. However, traveling and painting is something that he loves to do. "A fresh set of eyes on a new landscape is good for the art spirit." Frank says, "It pushes me in my work with new challenges". Cape Cod is a frequent destination for his painting trips. Other recent locations he has painted include the coasts of Maine, Florida and México. Gardner's work is part of many fine collections across the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe.
Artist’s Statement
My paintings are interpretations of my experiences. They come from the desire to share the beauty that I see every day by arranging bits of color and ideas to tell a story. Drawn to the colors of fleeting light effects on the landscape I try and accurately represent color I see. However, I also interpret and push color if it is useful to convey how the scene makes me feel. Color combinations and juxtapositions are a lot of what make a subject appealing to me. I look for situations that are unique to a particular place at a certain time, depending on lighting conditions, but also filtered through my mood at the time a piece is painted.
Painting in a representational style, and influenced by the impressionists, I am drawn to fleeting light effects and color while sometimes sacrificing detail. A controlled chaos or loose spontaneity is my favored look, although each color and stroke is well thought out and carefully placed. My goal is to convey to the viewer my feelings about the scene through my use of color and brushwork. I’ll let the subject and my mood determine how much detail is required to complete each painting.
Paint application is important to me. It is a very personal facet of my work. An artists brushwork and paint handling is what sets their work apart from another artist’s interpretation of the same view. It is as unique as a fingerprint. I not only brush paint on, but lift it off, or smear it with a finger or paint rag. It is often the lifting off of the paint or moving it around after it is on the canvas that gives the look I am after.
Resumé
Frank Gardner
San Miguel de Allende, Mexicoemail: frank@frankgardner.com
Phone in Mex. from US 011-52-415-152-6290
US mailing address
Frank Gardner
220 N. Zapata Hwy. Suite 11
PMB 102
Laredo, Texas
78043
Education
BFA Painting, Rhode Island School of Design 1986Exhibitions
"Creative Convergence"
Group show of paintings from Mexico tripAddison Art Gallery
Orleans, MA
Feb- Mar 2010
"Creative Convergence"
Museum show of paintings from Mexico tripCape Cod Museum of Art
Dennis, MA
Feb- Mar 2010
"Wet Paint"
Select paintings from 15 artists visiting San MiguelGaleria Gardner
San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico
October 2009
“Paintapalooza”
Group show of paintings from Maine tripAddison Art Gallery
Orleans, MA
Feb 13 - Mar. 22, 2009
“Plein Air Painters”
Group show of paintings from Maine tripCape Cod Museum of Art
Dennis, MA
Jan. 17 - Mar. 22, 2009
“Little Treasures”
Group show of small worksTubac Center of the Arts
Tubac, AZ
Nov. 16 - Dec 24, 2007
Preview Show
Art Auction XIILong Beach Museum of Art
Long Beach, CA
Sept. 2007
“Catching the Light”
One Person ShowW.A.R.D. Gallery
Harbor Springs, MI
July 2005
Salon International
Greenhouse Gallery of Fine ArtSan Antonio, TX
May 2005
Salon International
Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art
San Antonio, TX
May 2004
Group Show
“The Landscape”Gallery Shoal Creek
Austin, TX
Fall 2003
One Person Show
“A Taste of San Miguel de Allende”Gallery Shoal Creek
Austin, TX
Apr 28 - May 20, 2000
“Pueblo Chico, Abierto al Mundo”
Group ShowCasa de la Cultura “Francisco Eduardo Tresguerras”
Celaya, Gto., Mexico
Fall 2000
Bibliography
Article in American Art Collector Magazine, Feb. 2009“Maine Stay”
Article in International Artist Magazine, Apr./ May 2009
“Maine Stay”
Article in American Artist Workshop Magazine, Dec. 2007
“Frank Gardner, Using a Pre-Mixed Palette”
Awards
Honorable Mention for Artistic ExcellenceSalon International 2004
Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art
San Antonio , Tx
Current Gallery Representation
Addison Art gallery, Orleans, MA.M Gallery of Fine Art, Sarasota, FL.
Windrush Gallery, Sedona, AZ.
Galeria Gardner, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Old Town Gallery, San José del Cabo, BCS, México.