Gerry Shertzer; Paintings and Prints

Artist's Statement

A good deal of my inspiration comes from just walking and driving around the city. In fact, an artist friend of mine gave me the title of, “The Drive-By painter”. A good example of this title is the painting, ” Early Departure”, based on a very early car ride to the airport. Driving through streets at about sunrise, I couldn’t help but notice all the empty cars, cans, structures and buildings lining the streets, with not a soul in sight. It reminded me of a huge living room where the kids had left out their toys and games and little buildings the night before. When I returned and began that painting I didn’t want to go back to the sight or use photographs. I didn’t want be held to what was really there. I wanted to be free to use my memory and whatever invention occurred as the painting developed. This has largely been my process of seeing and developing images as paintings.

My art training began in NYC at the High School of Music and Art. After that I went the Cooper Union, and from there a fellowship to Yale Graduate school of Art. At Yale, I was lucky enough to study color and drawing theory with Joseph Albers for three years. From Yale I went on to teach in the Art Department at Phillips Academy watercolor painting and begin my work based on the many trips to Boston and Airports. I now live in Brookline.