J Gregory Coutinho

Professional Experience

2011  GALLERY SITTER  Pleiades Gallery  New York, NY

1994-1996   CLASS MONITOR  for the classical figurative painting and drawing workshops of Celeste and Tony Ryder

Valdes Studios    Santa Fe, NM

1994-1996   SCULPTOR  Sculpture Basis Studio  Santa Fe, NM
Projects include major installations to the African American History Museum in Detroit, MI and the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, IA

1990-1991  ARTIST GUILD CO-OP MEMBER 

Church Street Muse Gallery
Martha's Vineyard, MA

Education

HARTFORD ART SCHOOL  Bachelor of Fine Arts  1991

Cum Laude

Received Charles Salisbury Award for Excellence in the Arts

Born in Boston, MA,  grew up on Martha's Vineyard 

Island, currently resides in NYC.  Lived in Santa Fe, NM

for a while after attending art school in Hartford, CT. 

Practices TM, avoids plastic as part of reducing carbon footprint. Was the drummer in a few bands. Is/was a hip hop/house dancer. 

Even when dim, G-Light stays lit. Always learning all of it.

When describing nature, the experience of painting from life can't be matched by painting from a photograph. A camera sees with one eye but we see with two, providing 3D perspective that a 2D photo cannot.  The undetected vibration of those seemingly still forms in a plein air landscape, along with the perpetually shifting light, plus all else that filters through the senses- the sounds, temperature, aromas, even the mood and breath of a portrait subject-  all of these elements appear in the painting, if on the most subtle level. This can hardly be translated beyond mere retinal detail onto canvas from a frozen 2D photograph. To be clear, this is not a criticism of the art of photography. Rather, it is a statement on the distinction between painting/drawing from life

( 3d, portrait or en plein air landscape ) versus using a photograph as  reference/subject matter from which to paint or draw.  I'm a proponent of drawing/painting entirely from imagination as well. A piece depends on the intent of message. By all means a photo reference may be needed- and used effectively- for a more conceptual work, for example.

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Exhibitions