Artist Reception: "Banners' by Marcia Gawecki

If you have seen the new banners on the outside walls of the Desert Art Center you must come and see the inspiration for these banners by the work of our featured artist Marcia Gawecki with her banners in our small gallery. 

Marcia's Artist Statement:

The flat style and bright colors that define my art today emerged after graduating from UNL, where I minored in art. Just for fun, I took a beginning painting class. The teacher sked us to bring in large brushes and gallons of acrylic paint. Using these big supplies was supposed to help us overcome any fears. 

After awhile, however, everyone started using their own tiny tubes of paint, while I clung to the gallon mis-tints. I loved the bubblegum pinks, seafoam greens and popsicle oranges.

My portraits now are created in those funky colors with hard lines, and I'm lucky to get a likeness early on. Then I add many layers of thin acrylic paint until the colors "pop!" I guess you could call the style, "Pop Art."

Over the years, I've done hundreds of portraits, mostly of regular folks, but some famous faces like President Barack Obama, actor jon Polito and Newt Gingrich have them as gifts.

Painting on tab-topped curtains stemmed from artwork that I saw hanging from windows on the elevated train line in Chicago, where I lived for four years. Some of the banners were political, others geometrical, but the portraits I'll never forget. 

I wanted my art to be just as accessible as those in Chicago, so I started painting on cotton curtains that are easily hung, transported and stored. My first one in Idyllwild was of Barack Obama that was used for an ObamaRama Rally at Café Aroma. Later, I sent a T-shirt of the same image to the president and got a nice thank you note that I framed and cherish.

These banners from the 2009-2015 Jazz in the Pines Series are a tribute to all of the jazz greats, including Ella, Billie, Miles and Satchmo, along with locals Marshall Hawkins, Barnaby Finch, Herb Jeffries, Chuck Alvarez, and "American Idol" heartthrob, Casey Abrams.

I hope these jazz banners complement the great music that is played at Jazz in the Pines every year, and inspire you to listen, learn to play, appreciate and collect jazz music, a true American art form!

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