Meet the Artist at Tappan Z Gallery: Geri Geremia

Geri Geremia, Mixed Media Artist: ‘People notice the smallest things…’

Geri Geremia’s creative journey began after she’d already raised her family. She was in the working world but always knew that she wanted to make her living as an artist. In 1980 Geremia enrolled in the Art Students League in Manhattan where she studied watercolor technique with the renowned commercial artist and teacher Mario Cooper. Over nearly 20 years Geri developed her life as a painter of floral designs. Towards the end of the 1990’s, however, she began incorporating abstract shapes into her creations; foreshadowing the next major phase in her development as a painter.

In 1999 Geri’s passion for abstract painting drove her to take what she describes as a “risky step”, embarking on a new phase that saw her completely break from working with conventional floral themes. Without an active mentor or guide, Geremia began painting abstract designs in acrylics and experimenting with imported papers which she would layer onto canvas or illustration board after applying color with a large, gesso brush.

Geri now works at a faster pace than she did working in watercolor and, according to her with ‘more freedom’. On any given day in her studio Geri has a number of works in progress partly because of the drying times required for the densely layered pieces, but also because she doesn’t do preparatory sketches for her paintings and likes the designs to evolve. Large pieces can take up to two weeks to complete.

Almost all of her current works make use of corrugated surfaces and some collage technique. Recently Geremia began incorporating composition gold leaf into her pieces which she says viewers are really responding to.

“People notice the smallest things;” said Geri on the phone from her New York home this week; ‘…they key in on details of the work’. Collectors “want to know they are really getting their money’s worth,” and she says they do understand the amount of work going into her painting that may be selling for several thousand dollars.

2012 looks like another busy professional year for Geri who makes her living entirely as a touring artist. Geremia will be at Tarrytown’s Tappan Z Galleries “Meet the Artist” event’ on Friday April 20^th from 5 pm. Admission is free with refreshments provided.

Geri enjoys talking about the creative process will be happy to answer any questions. We hope you can get out into the Spring evening and join us.

Click on the links to view Geri's artist pages at www.tappanzgallery or drop into the gallery between 12pm and 8pm. She also has works on display at Coffee Labs Roasters in Tarrytown until Friday.

. American Fine Art and Craft

51 Main Street, Tarrytown, New York. 10591  

For more Information email tpzgallery@gmail.com or call 914-332-8800