August 2020: Gregory Coutinho
The drive to paint is not just to celebrate the spectacular, but for me is also to expose the magnificent within the mundane, or the sublime within the trivial. I often simply find inspiration in light draped over form and the light within the shadows, and am fascinated by the vibration of that which appears still, both for drawing and painting.
The challenge of capturing that fleeting, ever-shifting effect of natural light, especially only a few hours before sundown, is what inspires me to paint en plein-air. I prefer being outside on location with the landscape rather than using a photograph as a reference. All the elements- the wind, the scents, the temperature, the sounds- all of this is felt and, I believe, filters through my senses onto the canvas, even if on the most subtle level. The latter applies to painting a portrait as well. The energy, vibe and spirit of a person, not to mention a more sculptural feel spatially, is better captured in person.
An abridged life history: I grew up on Martha’s Vineyard, currently reside in New York City, lived in Santa Fe for a while after graduating from the Hartford Art School, was the drummer in a few bands, was a hip-hop/house dancer (and sometimes still am), practice Transcendental Meditation, avoid plastic as part of reducing carbon footprint in my daily habits as a consumer, and hope to play in organized softball leagues again when social un-distancing resumes.
Vineyard Series
New York Series
Pandemic Period Paintings
