Short Bio
Gail Galli has been involved with art the major of her life. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a BA in Interior Design. Her career was primarily with architectural firms in San Francisco doing commercial interior design with offices and banks. Upon retiring her time has been spent taking art classes and workshop as well as producing and marketing her art. Gail's areas of interest and activities include Plein Air and figure paining with oil; print making and collages. Her love of color and composition can be seen throughout her work.
Statement
For about ten years I have been seriously painting. Although, my experience with drawing and painting began while studying Interior Design at the University of Oregon, long ago. Being able to transfer your design ideas to paper as a means to illustrate your idea was essential. This was of coarse, prior to the advent of the computer and the multitude of drawing programs.
I have enjoyed experimenting with pastels, acrylic and oil paints, printmaking and collage assemblage, as well as sketching. I settled on landscape paintings due to the experience of being outdoors and chose oil paint in that it is as fluid as the scenes. My art has primarily been of landscapes done En Plein. Marin County and the surrounding counties are close to paradise and spectacular to paint. The outdoors affords a minimum of distractions and maximum of vistas.
I love color. After a career as a commercial interior designer I still wish to be involved with color choices and combinations. I do feel that I will struggle my entire life with color values and subtlety. Yet I constantly enjoy the challenge.
I love seeing how little is required to portray an image . II base my designs on simplified forms and shapes, primarily accented with indications of light and shadow. I would like my images to invoke a quiet thoughtful mood in the viewer and a desire to fill in the details not shown. The viewer should care that much is portrayed with a little use of natural materials.
Biography
Gail was born in Massena, New York. Yet has have never seen it; since her parents left there immediately after her birth. After that the family lived to three other states, some more than once, and Sydney, Australia. Gail attended a total of eight schools. Being an only child, and always moving locations, she spent a great deal of time on her own and creative endeavors occupied her interest and time. Interior Design was a nature direction for a major at the University of Oregon.
Her experience with drawing and painting began while studying Interior Design at university. Subsequently, she pursued a career in commercial Interior Design working with several architectural firms in San Francisco, with a brief experiment as an Art Consultant.
Gail loves color. After a long career as a commercial interior designer she still wishes to be involved with color choices and combinations. She says that she will struggle her entire life with color values and subtlety. Yet constantly enjoying the challenge. The same basic elements that determine a great interior design project also apply to art. These elements being composition, balance or unintentional unbalance in forms and color. The contrast between light and shade or light and dark always add to the interest. Pattern is also an additional element. Over her life time she has worked to improve her skills with drawing, print making, painting with oil, acrylic and pastels and now collage or assemblage. This started as a full time interest during the recent shelter-in -place months and hasn’t abetted. The quest for interestingly pattered, prepared or colored papers and even printed shopping bags has taken all over the Bay Area.
Resume / CV
As an artist I create large collages, mostly figurative, with unique and colored
papers, Life Paintings of figures and En Plein Air landscapes with oil paint.
Education:
BA University of Oregon 1964-1968
College of Marin 2012-2022
Painting, Life Painting, Drawing, Life Drawing and Printmaking
Professional Experience
Interior Designer, Commercial, SF 1968-2009
Hiatus to be with family 1977-1985
Art Consultant, White Scheff and Associates 2004-2006
Artist 2009-present
Exhibitions
JURIED EXHIBITIONS
College of Marin Student Art Show at COM Gallery 2014, 2015, 2016
Marin County Fair Art Exhibition 2015, 2016, 2019,2023&2024
Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Vintage Palette 2016
Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael 2018 & 2021
Las Laguna Art Gallery (Collage) 2022
Collage Artist of America (Collage) 2022
Art Weekend Sausalito ( 3 Collages) 2022
San Francisco Women Artist Gallery 2020 & 2023
Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Solo Show
Juried by Catharine Clark of Catharine Clark Gallery , SF 2023
Studio Gallery, SF Auction 2023
O’Hanlon (Collage) 2024
NON-JURIED EXHIBITIONS
Artworks Downtown, Small Image Show 2022
Marin Society of Artists, Expressions Show 2017
Marin Society of Artists, Colorful Show 2018
Marin 6 Exhibition, exhibition assembled by self and five 2020
other artist in a local gallery space
OPEN STUDIO, MARIN COUNTY
Exhibited collection of works at studio 2015 & 2022
Exhibited at Marin Art & Garden Center 2020
