Georgeanne Gaffney

Artists Statement

As an artist, observing and absorbing my surroundings is instinctual. Painting is the vehicle I choose to express and present this information into a visual form. In my work I use rich colors and dramatic compositions to create a thoughtful, contemplative mood or feeling.

Fine Art Biography

Born and raised in Maryland, Georgeanne Gaffney’s initial creative interests centered on fashion design. Influenced by her grandmother, a talented seamstress, Georgeanne found herself not only inspired by the texture and colors of fabrics, but also observed the satisfying accomplishment of creating something beautiful.

Georgeanne enjoyed the drawing element of fashion design and began finding herself being drawn to the more organic world of fine art. She pursued this direction by attending Towson State University, MD, focusing on drawing and painting, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. Working in pastels, Georgeanne created large scale figurative drawings using magazine photos as her subject matter. In her senior year, she received a first place award for her self portrait and had her first solo exhibition of her pastels.

Moving to the central coast of California, Georgeanne found her influence in the natural environment. Wanting to experiment with texture, she began working with melted beeswax and acrylic paints. Paintings of leaves and flowers resulted in a saturated stained glass effect.

Living on the west coast, Georgeanne expanded her artistic talents by working in the interior design field as a decorative painter. Collaborating with clients and designers on commercial and residential projects, she was challenged to develop skills and techniques within many mediums and styles. During this time Georgeanne continued to exhibit her fine art work in group exhibitions.

Missing the four seasons, Georgeanne relocated back east to northern New York State. The dramatic landscape of the Adirondacks has impacted the palette and subject matter of her art work. The rich colors and textures of the area lend themselves to Georgeanne’s sense of drama, whether it is a landscape or figurative painting. Her current paintings have a style reminiscent of artists of the late 19th and 20th century, such as Edvard Vuillard, Gustav Klimt and Egon Shiele.

Résumé