Acrylics and Resin on Wood.
An early admirer and collector of Gatewood’s work summed up his impression of seeing the Acrylics and Resin works for the first time, “The Resin paintings are immediately striking and very dramatic. I was also drawn to the complex undertones that were gradually revealed over time.” The sculpturally robust frame format projects the work into the environment, as if to invite the viewer to approach. Gatewood fully exploits the molten qualities of his materials by building up layers that appear to have been captured in a state of liquid opacity. Pigmented castings of Epoxy Resin form the sculptural component to the work; alluding to earthly, organic forms. Gatewood’s Resin work is abstract, gestural, painterly, and expressive. “I’m often asked to interpret the imagery in my work but I find that I am merely an inquisitive viewer like anyone else. My intent with my Resin work has been to let the work embrace enough ambiguity to allow a range of interpretation. Early in the painting process I try to embrace the spontaneity and uncertainty of it all by quickly spreading out a chaotic brew of colors and textures to work with. However, much like a fussy writer, I have an internal editor eager to cut, shape, and refine. The push-pull of that dynamic is a constant balancing act. I try to hold back my internal critic long enough to allow the painter the opportunity to create.” |