Today we’d like to introduce you to Gail Potocki.
Gail, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was a late-bloomer when it came to pursuing art and painted my first painting when I was just shy of 40 years old. Prior to that time, my life was on a completely different pat that did not include making art or even having a career in a creative field.
I experienced a set of personal tragedies at that time, including the death of my mother with whom I was very close. Those type of life experiences teach valuable lessons, and I really learned how precious each moment of life is and that I needed to spend as much of mine doing what I feel passionate about. That is when I decided to seriously channel my creative energy into making paintings.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been far from a smooth road which I think is quite the norm for an art career. Although the Web provides new opportunities for exposing my work to a wider audience, there is a lot of visual “noise” to overcome in order to get attention. In addition, I am continuously striving to grow creatively and improve my craft, which can be daunting but makes the journey interesting and exciting.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Gail Potocki Artist – what should we know?
On the surface, my work refers to Classical figurative painting and that of the Old Masters. I often am drawn to themes of nature, the state of the environments and humanity’s effect on it. I also have an interest in the more unusual aspects of nature, which led to a series on circus sideshow “freaks”.
There is usually a message in my work wrapped in symbolism as well as autobiographical elements. I suppose that all artists put a bit of themselves into their work, and sometimes I do this more for my own sake than for the viewers.
I don’t expect or need the viewer to completely decode my paintings and like to provide layers for them to sift through. I have a difficult time making purely decorative work and enjoy the challenge of creating an allegory or puzzle in my paintings which I feel adds richness to them.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
You definitely need a thick skin and tenacity as well as self-motivation. You also have to keep an open mind in order to see all the inspiration around you.
Contact Info:
- Website: gailpotocki.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gailpotockiart/
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