Jessica Gandolf Returns to the Figure - Artist Interview

"Sometimes, after making an abstract oil painting, I begin to sense that a body is ready to enter the painting. This body drops in from above or below in any number of ways. I sense that the painting “catches’ the figure and the dance between figure and ground begins. This tension is really the subject of the painting. The figure might be indicated by contour line or be fully three dimensional. In either case they stand in contrast to the flat shapes that surround and fill them. Using feet adds the suggestion of a ground plane."
-Jessica Gandolf
Born and raised in New York City, Jessica Gandolf has lived in Portland for 30 years. She received her BA from Oberlin College and her MA from Brooklyn College where she studied with Lois Dodd and Lee Bontecou. She received an NEA Regional Fellowship in Painting in 1994. She has been awarded residencies at MacDowell (twice) and at the Ellis-Beauregard Foundation, Hewnoaks and Cummington Community for the Arts. She has been a Lecturer at Bowdoin College and Bates College. She has exhibited across the country and at several venues internationally.

[@katherineelizabethco]

I love your figurative paintings the best. Probably because all I’ve ever wanted to paint are people. For a decade I painted portraits in oil on canvas. Today I’m making watercolor illustrations in those watercolor books . I make the drawing first, ink it in and at the end I add watercolors. When I look back at my portraits I have to wonder, ‘’ Who did that ? ‘’, which bears resemblance to what you said in the video. I can relate to so much of what you talked about. This response could go on and on !

[@lizdeluna7024]

Great interview, and video!!