'Passage: Painting Through The Pandemic' features work of Tim Gilbert
PORTSMOUTH - The upcoming exhibit, “Passage – Painting Through The Pandemic,” features the most important body of work by Tim Gilbert, an emerging artist, who was motivated by the emotions of this “sometimes difficult” period. It will be on exhibit during the month of February at the Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery.
“The definition of passage is the action or process of passing from one place, condition, or stage to another,” Gilbert said.
“My painting is a very emotional, visual interpretation of the world I live in,” he said. “It tends to be structured, but also captures the soul of an environment, expressed through abstraction.”
While creating this body of work, Gilbert kept developing and pushing his exploration of color and motion in his paintings. These 15 paintings, created in the past two years of the pandemic, capture a major breakthrough in content, style and overall vision of the world around him.
Like most, the pandemic has had a powerful effect on Gilbert, but in terms of his art it produced an exhilarating collection of paintings now available for all to enjoy.
Born in Natick, Massachusetts, in 1946, Gilbert was an outstanding football player at Natick High School, but also showed a serious interest in art.
After being recognized for his exceptional football abilities, he was awarded a full athletic scholarship to Syracuse University in 1964. He decided on Syracuse University not only for its football prowess, but for the university’s School of Art.
After his freshman year, which consisted of a basic art foundation, Gilbert majored in painting. His most important influence as an artist was Professor Larry Bakke.
In both Bakke's work and teaching activity there was a combination of intellectual content, artistic form and cultural awareness.
Gilbert took a leave of absence from the university half-way through his junior year. He spent time in Stockholm, Sweden and also traveled Europe. He spent time in Paris, Florence and London, spending most of his time in the fine art museums and galleries each city had to offer.
On his return home, Gilbert married his wife Brenda and returned to Syracuse University in order to complete his undergraduate degree. Upon graduation, he began an advertising career in Boston at the renowned advertising agency, Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc.
Over the years, Gilbert painted, but never had the opportunity to paint full-time. His advertising career was distinguished with a number of awards and recognition, and after 40 years of working in the agency world, he retired.
Now, he has dedicated himself to fulfill that one passion he has always had, to paint. Establishing a studio at The Art Center in Dover is a commitment to his art.
“The palette for any one canvas emerges from a limited number of colors and the overall colorations evolves as the painting evolves,” Gilbert said. “My process of painting is a continuous search for spiritual, rather than the physical nature of our existence.”
GO & DO
What; “Passage – Painting Through The Pandemic” by NH Art Association artist Tim Gilbert
When: Feb. 2 to 27. Opening reception at the Levy Gallery on Friday, Feb. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. (Note: The City of Portsmouth has an indoor mask protocol in effect.)
Where: Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery, 136 State St., Portsmouth
Gallery hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 'Passage: Painting Through The Pandemic' features work of Tim Gilbert
