Artist Statement
My work explores the great diversity of ways that humans can relate to the natural world. In my paintings and drawings I'm inspired by imagery from mythology and spiritual connections to nature, from human cultures across the ages and around the world.
Through Earth Art and sculptural installations, my work is informed by a more immediate personal connection to the inner spirit of a particular place. My environmental sculptures tend to have a minimalist vocabulary that includes natural forms and patterns such as spirals, mosaics, and serpentine lines. The open-ended mystery in these works invites visitors to explore their own relationship to the Earth.
Bio
Gary studied horticulture at the University of Delaware, and landscape architecture in the Graduate School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania.
He held a tenured position as Associate Professor of Landscape Design at the University of Delaware from 1989 to 1998, and since then has served as a visiting professor at other universities including the University of Texas and Louisiana State University.
Recently he was Visiting Artist in the Department of Art and Art History at Santa Clara University, where he collaborated with faculty member Ryan Carrington to teach a new course, Site-Specific Sculpture.
His book, From Art to Landscape: Unleashing Creativity in Landscape Design, shows how his creative process in garden design has been integral with his work in painting, drawing, and environmental art. It received a Gold Medal from the American Horticultural Society (Timber Press).
Gary is represented by the Station Gallery, in Greenville, Delaware.