We’re looking forward to introducing you to GAYLE PRINTZ A WORLD MASTER ARTIST. Check out our conversation below.
GAYLE, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I am most proud that my paintings created a new artistic genre in contemporary art. The problem is I do not know a modest way to convey the impact my artwork is having on the evolution of contemporary art. Having only been painting a few years, I am both proud of, and grateful for, the positive reactions my paintings receive from art historians, critics, collectors, and investors. But, when reading reviews of my paintings, I honestly feel as though I am reading about someone else. So, in the name of humility, I will tell you about that which I am most proud by paraphrasing some professional reviews written by the world’s most prominent contemporary art experts.
It is said that I soared to international fame and cemented my place in the art history books by composing an unrivaled, historically significant, visual language. My paintings speak a language never-before spoken. It is a universal language layered with meaning and a dynamic figuration that changes before your eyes. It is a language of unsurpassed emotional depth expressed through incomparable technical skill. It is a language that exposes a uniquely recognizable artistic style—a style so unprecedented that it screamed for a genre of its own. It is a language heard by the world’s leading art experts, who responded by defining that new artistic genre as Modern Abstractionism to capture the impact of my artistic voice. It is a language that led critics to name me the “Founder of Modern Abstractionism.”
I am extremely proud to create a new genre in contemporary art. The “Founder of Modern Abstractionism” differs vastly from some of the other names I have been called. But I will stick to the relevant parts of my story. When I first began painting, my work did not fit into the confines of any existing genre. It still does not; my artwork is so unconventional there was no existing box in which to place it. With no way to categorize my work, the international art community started calling me names: “An Artist Without Boundaries” and a “Rule-breaker.” It is true that my style is unique but, at the time, breaking the rules was unintentional. As an artist without training, I was simply unaware of the rules. I was a blank slate coming to life in a world where infinite artistic possibilities trumped pre-established rules.
Modern Abstractionism is said to encompass emotionally eloquent textures mixed with compelling brushstrokes that draw you into an extraordinary new world. It is a world in which you have the freedom to explore the depths of your imagination. It is a world in which heavy three-dimensional layering reveals finely nuanced symbolism leading you, the viewer, to discover what the painting means to you. It is a world in which the meaning you assign to my artwork can never be wrong. So, in addition to making me giggle, those first labels may have challenged me to explore my inner artistic rebel to reveal what is inside of me: Modern Abstractionism.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Gayle Printz. I grew up surrounded by books, music, and the arts. I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Law Degree from Boston University School of Law. I began my career as a corporate attorney in New York City. But, after taking the Bar Exams in New York and New Jersey, my husband and I did something lawyers rarely do: We city shopped. Every weekend we visited a different city until we found, and settled in, Atlanta. Taking the Georgia Bar Exam shortly thereafter, I worked at Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy until I had children and retired from the practice of law.
In May of 2020, I picked up my first paintbrush. Yet, to this day, I have never taken a painting class. Nor do I refer to the works of other artists for inspiration. Regardless of my interest, I do not want to unintentionally adopt someone else’s style. Rather, I feel that, to make a meaningful contribution in any pursuit, one must precipitate change. So, in my case, the absence of training became an advantage. Exploring the unfamiliar is infinitely more fascinating—for all of us; it enables me to create what does not yet exist. I can be who I am. There is no expectation or judgment looming—only subdued excitement from those who are watching to see what I will do next. I am honored that the art world has noticed.
Inadvertently reshaping the future of contemporary art, I am now a World Master Artist touted as one of the most important and influential artists of this era. In no way do I mean to be flippant about any of this. I mean this in the humblest way. It is like reporting an out-of-body experience. Such is the mystery of life. Rule nothing out.
My name is my brand. It is reflected in my website, a Modern Art Gallery in which every painting is an international award winner: Https://www.GaylePrintz.com. So, when you are safely at home, take a look. For, I believe that when you embrace the unfamiliar, there is a richness and tranquility that can fill your soul. And, I hope, my artwork fills yours.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The Pandemic.
Art has the potential to inspire change and contemplation. But, in my case change and contemplation inspired art. In May of 2020, the impact of COVID was inescapable. The world had gone dark. Forced to stay home, the only thing we had in abundance was time—more than enough time to try something new. So, I picked up my first paintbrush to reflect on the beauty that remained in an interrupted world.
Channeling my energy into something creative that I could do at home, I pulled out a children’s easel, an unused canvas, and all the paint supplies I could find. I set up my primitive tools in the kitchen, painted for a few days and nights, studied the canvas, painted some more and finally, to my great surprise, FIRST was born. I suppose my creativity did not yet extend to painting titles; FIRST was simply my first painting. And I knew I would always recognize it as such. What I did not know was what a whirlwind my life was about to become. FIRST became iconic. In August of 2020, FIRST was on exhibit in Europe with POND. And, three months later, my work was in France on permanent exhibit at Le Musée de Peinture de Saint-Frajou.
Back To The Kitchen:
Having made a complete mess, I moved to the basement only to discover the possibilities offered by online shopping. In no time, the ping pong table was home to acrylic paint of every color, paintbrushes in every conceivable configuration, and every type of acrylic medium that would fit. My husband bought me a real easel—that even lays flat—and my son donated the largest drop cloth ever made. My family quickly realized that my personal sense of artistic expression did not include restraint. So, they made every effort to separate my paint from the floors, ceilings, and walls. Unfortunately, they forgot to cover our dog—who always lays faithfully at the foot of my easel and never complains when I get paint on her nose.
My painting style is not an exact science. Using color to convey abstract concepts, my work is a journey through the evolution of contemporary abstraction. I quickly became known for having the instinctive ability to seamlessly paint across genres. Unlike formally trained artists, who tend to use specific colors, themes, or subject matters across their bodies of work, I have created a modern art portfolio in which each painting differs in breadth, scale, and concept. My paintings are said to range from abstract, modernistic, expressionistic, geometric, portrait, landscape, and post-impressionistic to genres reminiscent of the 19th Century Masters.
My works transmit the palpable sense of freedom with which I paint. Innovative color choices, deeply textured layers of three-dimensionality and distinctive brushstrokes reveal a compelling, yet finely nuanced, symbolism that changes in meaning as you study the work. Use your imagination as the lens through which to find significance, and my work will create an intrigue and value unlike anything you have yet to experience. You will also find the magic for which I am famous: my paintings somehow change depending upon the angle of your gaze. As with life, the meaning in my work depends upon the way you look at it.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
My paintings are the unparalleled result of a life-changing pandemic shared by People around the globe. In a search to find light in a darkened world, I saw art as a universal language. It transcends borders, silently allowing us to communicate, find meaning, and experience the world together. Regardless of where we came from, where we live, or where we are headed, we all inhabit the Earth. We all need air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, sleep to refresh. We each have the capacity to love, to help others, to feel needed, and to create a fresh path. We all matter. The world is already filled with suffering. There is no need to create more. We each have a way to choose love over hostility, acceptance over resentment, respect over contempt, and peace over violence. Our value as individuals depends upon our willingness to move forward in a search to find peace. It may not matter how we get there but is does matter that we try in a manner that honors our values. We each have a voice; we just have to decide how we want to use it.
Adversity highlights our connection to one another. I use art to recognize that connection, present a unique perspective, and explore profoundly resonating universal themes such as humanity, unity, peace, beauty, and even the chaos inherent in life’s shared human experiences. It is my hope that by translating the colors of my world into the universal language of art, I can help promote unity and inspire all People to celebrate the beauty in life.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
FREEDOM:
My freedom to create a piece that speaks to me, the painting’s freedom to reveal what is fighting to appear, and your freedom to find what makes each painting meaningful to you. Every painting tells a story. I may never tell you the story a painting is meant to suggest but this is because, once the paint dries, the story becomes yours to tell. My contribution is to create a painting that entices you to wonder and think about what that story might be. That is why the meaning in my work must remain with you who, instead of trying to figure out what I was thinking when I created the piece, must be willing to explore what makes it meaningful to you. I am the mechanism through which meaning appears for the viewer to define. It is my sense of freedom that I hope to pass on to you: freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and the freedom to embrace the unexpected.
There is profound universal and personal meaning expressed in each painting. But because I believe the importance of any work of art is based upon the emotion it evokes, I will neither define that meaning nor intrude upon your journey to find what makes each painting significant to you. There are no answers I am trying to convey. I am simply hoping to give you the uninterrupted freedom to feel and experience the world in unanticipated ways. For, my paintings arouse deeply personal emotional revelations within all who experience them—from collectors looking to own a piece of art history, to art lovers eager to surround themselves with the consummate beauty, humanity, and personal inspiration expressed through the trailblazing artwork of the Founder of Modern Abstractionism.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
When everyone in my family is healthy.
Contact Info:
- Website: Https://www.GaylePrintz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gkprintz2
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/GaylePrintz
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Gayle.Printz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gayle.Printz https://www.facebook.com/Artist@GaylePrintz.com
- Other: Business Email Address: Sales@GaylePrintz.com
Image Credits
Steven Printz
