Thomas Gilling
Chatham, NY USA - This submission made me stop to catch my breath. I felt oddly at home looking through these pieces, which I must attribute to the twist in perception that’s recently been forced on most of us. Stop, take a breather, and let your eye dance through some robust thematic ideas and details.
From the Artist, Thomas Gilling:
The pieces certainly reflect an overused term "Surrealistic". Not surprising since de Chirico [and many more] was an inspiration for me a thousand years ago. [I did, however, find his technique too heavy handed]. The surrealist quality in my recent work is blended to produce what I think is a synergism with my previous works imagery created over the past decades, These were floating [for the most part] mechanical geometric-type forms, interlocking in some dance of muted colors and, typically, black spaces.
It may be that due to the pandemic galleries are not as receptive as they used to be regarding artists they have never seen nor heard of before. Being as frustrating as it can possibly get, I would assume that the social distancing and the donning of a protective mask as well as an overall oppressive atmosphere has suppressed what perhaps would have been a more receptive gallery, not to mention audience.
This being said I do not know if what I have written is sufficient or not;. Having been around the better part of seventy-five years, as with a million other artists out there, I too am trying to just make a mark of some kind before too long.
Head over to Thomas’ Website to see more.
“The Jockey, the Horse and the Radiator Kid”, 2018,
Acrylic on wood panel, 24”h x 72”w
“Gargyle”, 2017, Acrylic on wood panel, 24”w x 48”h
“Three Simians and Their Rhinoseros”, 2018, Acrylic on wood panel, approx 20”h x 50”w
Click any image to enlarge
“Gangsters and Lovers”, 2019, Acrylic on wood panel, 24” x 24”
“Eye on the Prize”, 2020, Acrylic on wood panel, 24” x 24”
“Selfie”, 2018, Acrylic on wood panel, 24”w x 30”h
“The Reluctant Swimmers”, 2020, Acrylic on wood panel, 24”h x 48”w
“The Holy See”, 2018, Acrylic on wood panels, 48”h x 96”w