Paris Gerrard

“Viewers will become mesmerized by the fundamental elements—paint, colors, strokes, lost and found, and then drift into a state of just experiencing the oneness of the moment— painting, feeling, being with no separation or analysis needed. This is the objective of my art and my life,” Paris Gerrard says.

This artist statement is something of an anomaly, and the artist herself—young, and already very popular, represented only by the 15th Street Gallery—is also something of an anomaly.

“For me, painting is all about the connection between the hand and the spirit, finding that connection and really following your intuition, trusting that you are making the right personal choices in each step of the process,” Gerrard says.

Gerrard’s work is very much a manifestation of her life. One of her most successful abstractions currently hanging at 15th Street Gallery is “Last Chance II” (pictured). The painting is a synthesis of tones of pearl, silver, white and shadowy gray painted as if from a purely spontaneous impulse. Contrasting this are nebulas of rose red, pomegranate and raspberry. Although loose, these shapes are more controlled, more centered, with a feeling of directness. The two seem to combine as a representation of the approach to painting—and the life—of this compelling young artist. (Ehren Clark)