The Mezzanine Gallery at Gadsden State Community College will host a meet-the-artist reception for Glencoe native Gina Brown Nov.14, from 5-7 p.m. Brown’s exhibition, From Within: Recent Paintings, features numerous oil paintings ranging from landscapes, animals, portraits, and still lifes.
Brown is an artist who paints from a deep seeded need to communicate her vision with others, and that vision is one that sees beauty in everyday situations. Her paintings are not based on conceptual ideas, nor do they require knowledge of art history to appreciate. “That is in no way a jab at the artist, said gallery director Mario Gallardo. “On the contrary, these paintings display a sophisticated sensibility and a keen awareness of the light and shadow, which might go unnoticed by a lesser artist. She paints in her studio and on-site which is often referred to as “en plein air.” When asked what she preferred to paint Brown said, “Pretty much anything. I’m so blessed to be able to do what I love and I hope to glorify God in everything, including my art.”
Her latest works are all oil paintings of a variety of things that she considers beautiful including: Gadsden’s historic bridge, a happy bluebird singing his morning song, and a French demijohn with her mother’s iris. Speaking of her approach to painting Brown said, “I usually do not plan ahead what I intend to paint each day. Rather, I paint what calls me. I know it may sound weird, but my best paintings are the ones that flow from within. I tell people a piece of my heart extends down my arm and off my brush with each painting. I find it very humbling that people enjoy my art, because it is so much of me and who I am. You can learn a lot about me just by viewing my work.” Viewers will also learn about the artists’ dedication to her craft and her relentless pursuit to capture the fleeting moments of beauty in everyday life.
Brown grew up surrounded by wonderful Southern storytellers and, at a young age, she felt compelled to tell stories with her art.
In 1991, she received an art degree in graphic design from Jacksonville State University and afterward worked as an art and marketing director for a national marketing agency. A few years later, she opened her own advertising agency, but she never felt completely satisfied. In 2009, she once again felt compelled to tell her story and returned to her passion of fine art.
She began painting full time, mostly in oils and has since received numerous awards including the Energen Art prize. She has had solo exhibitions in the Southeast including the Shelby Lee Gallery in Charleston, S.C., and the Renaissance Gallery, in Northport, Ala.
Admission is free and open to the public. The Mezzanine Gallery is in the Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center on the Wallace Drive Campus of Gadsden State Community College. It is a collaborative project between the Art Department and The Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center.
For more information or to schedule a group visit, contact gallery director Mario Gallardo at mgallardo@gadsdenstate.edu or 256-549-8395.