Artist Spotlight: Anne Gibson

“To be,” two words that describe the heart of Anne Gibson’s work.  “I regain equilibrium when finding places outdoors to be,” she says.  Her work aims to transport the viewer somewhere else, showing them what it feels like to be there rather than just what it looks like.  This was an especially valuable gift at the beginning of stay at home orders this past March.  After cancelling her spring break plans, Anne used her talents to virtually visit places along the Oregon coast by using photo albums from her past to inform her recent paintings.  This is where she found references for the three panels she submitted to the Seventh Generation project (Otter Point Passage, Sunset Bay, and Simpson Bay, Oregon).
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Her style uses emotive brushstrokes to capture the gesture of these seascapes.  Her process does not consciously begin with considerations of form and color, instead she finds inspiration in the change of seasons and the restorative nature of water.  The Jersey native, now Oregonian of 25 years, makes a point to enjoys walks on the beach often where she can experience the salt in the air.  It is the engagement of the senses with the ocean that comprises her work.  To show this, Anne uses palette knives, spatulas, and left-over pieces of mat board to paint her pieces.  By creating representational work using unconventional tools, the artist adds a layer of emotional depth to what would be a more traditional seascape.

When describing her work and process, Gibson always relates a scene to a memory or tradition within her family.  The painting of Sunset Bay was based on a trip she took with her two children ten years ago.  She recalls being able to walk out far into the surf at low tide and enjoying the unique winter sunset.  Allusions to this memory can be seen in the olive green and light purple sky depicted on this panel.  Aside from familial ties, the artist finds herself at peace by the ocean and rocky cliffs. “The Oregon coast is a dramatically carved landscape.  The rock is even fluid like the water, but on another timescale,” she remarked.

The ocean represents healing to Anne, who says, “amidst all that we’ve been going through, I can still walk out my door or take a short drive and be in nature.”

Anne’s work will be on exhibition and for sale at the Elisabeth Jones Art Center as a fundraiser for Surfrider.