| FOR EBONY, OIL, 18 x 24. |
By Bonnie Gangelhoff
BORN: Concord, CA.
ART EDUCATION: Bachelor of fine arts in painting from Minneapolis College of Art and Design and classes at the Art Institute of Porta Romana in Florence, Italy.
STYLE: Representational oils and gouaches with explorations in color and interactions of light and shadow.
MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE WAY YOU WORK: “I usually have about six paintings in progress at any time. Sometimes I finish a painting in an hour and sometimes it takes five months or longer.”
FIRST ART SALE: “In 1996 Colorado College purchased my drawing of an orchestra for a music festival for $50.”
SECOND-CHOICE CAREER: Astronaut. “I’ve always had a dream about painting in space.”
OTHER PASSIONS: “Travel, photography, skiing, and Showings Fine Art, the gallery I own with other artists in Denver.”
MANTRA OR MOTTO: From Picasso: “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
QUIRKIEST TRAIT: “I enjoy adding a little Italian into any conversation.”
FAVORITE STUDIO MUSIC: Jack Johnson, Jake Shimabukuro, Madeleine Peyroux, and Coldplay.
BIGGEST FEAR: Going blind.
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “My uncle once told me, ‘It seems to me if you want to be a painter, you have to make a lot of paintings.’”
PET PEEVE: Jury fees for competitive art shows.
FAVORITE ARTWORK BY ANOTHER ARTIST: John Singer Sargent’s A PARISIAN BEGGAR GIRL.
PRICE RANGE: $400 to $4,200.
NEXT BIG GOAL: “In August I’m going to southern Africa and the Okavango Delta to paint, sketch, and keep a safari journal for 18 days.”
CREATIVE SPARK: Nature. Light. Weather. Color. Coffee.
I’LL KNOW I’VE MADE IT WHEN: “When all I have to do is paint.”
GALLERIES: Abend Gallery, Denver, CO; Showings Fine Art, Denver, CO; www.nicholasreti.com.
Featured in our annual “21 Under 31” article in September 2008