Dusk at the Courthouse Square
Pastel on paper
Framed 28 x 22
Sold, private collection
Giclee available
Scenes in my hometown offer pictorial inspiration around almost every corner. The Williams County Courthouse stands in the center of town, and pretty much knocks your socks off when you see it. My choice for all time most magical view of it includes the band stand after sunset, when the sky is Van Gogh blue and the courthouse is bathed in dramatic spot lighting.
The original of this pastel was purchased by members of the Bryan City Band and upon the retirement of its honorable band director, John Hartman, age 99, the piece was given to John in thanks for his decades of service and dedication to the music community of Bryan.
Bryan’s 8 Sided Barn – A Rare Eight-Sider
Pastel on Paper
Framed 28 x 23
Collection of Williams County Library History and Genealogy Department
Giclee available
This unique eight sided barn has stood along the road side at the south end of town, and has acted as a majestic sentinel, either welcoming or bidding a farewell to residents and visitors of Bryan, all the many days of its existence.
As bright and sturdy looking today as it must have looked in its early years, the owners of this proud barn have lovingly kept it strong and standing tall — a testimonial to the keen interest most residents of the area have in keeping the heritage of their hometown an important part of their lives.
Another Man’s Treasure
Pastel on mat board
Framed 20 x 22
Collection of William Co, Community Hospitals, Bryan, Ohio
Giclee available
When driving away from the big city, I like to study the unencumbered open sky and tranquility of flat farmland. When I hit the turnpike toward Bryan, I feel calmed and freshened. For me it’s the landscape and the open sky. It’s all a thing of pleasure. I often hear ….”What DO you see in all those old farms and barns, anyway?” … my answer is “Everything”.
~ One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Bumma's Sheep Shed
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
Framed 26 x 21
300.
The SUBJECT: a sheep shed that sits near a red barn, west of town.
The MEDIUM: soft pastel on suede paper, which when used, results in a blurry, soft focus effect that forces one to be less tight while they work with the medium. Compare Bumma’s Sheep Shed with the next piece, Grazing at the Sheep Shed, which was done with same medium but different surface – sanded paper.
Same subject. Different result
Fields of the Cherry Orchard
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
Matted and framed 23 x 35
Collection of the artist
What would happen if a single subject was depicted exactly the same way in a number of works, while the only element that was actually different in the pictures was the color ?
I experimented with that project and these three pastels on suaded paper resulted. Each has its own flavor and expresses a different season, weather, and activity in the piece, all caused by the abstracting the colors, using color psychology.
~
The field exists one mile from the Wauseon exit on the turnpike. I check it out every time I drive the route. Interestingly, the actual scene never looks the same, proving to me that abstraction is closer to the truth than I realize.
Grazing at the Sheep Shed
Pastel on sand paper
Matted and framed 20 x 17
225.
Giclee available
The same subject and same depiction as the previous pastel is rendered here, but with very different results, simply because of the paper. What fun to be the audience while the medium and the papers helped create the final outcome.
Cupola on Beech
Pastel on paper
16 x 13
Collection of Williams Co. Community Hospital, Bryan
Giclee available
As a child, my mother lived across the street from the barn on which this cupola sits. From her story, it is estimated the home and barn were built in approximately 1910 by the Wallack family of Bryan. Williams County Community Hospital of Bryan purchased the pastel as part of their collection of artwork created by artists with a local connection.
Lighting A Bryan Night
Pastel on Strathmore 500 series charcoal paper
Framed 34 x 26
Collection of Chamber of Commerce, Bryan, Ohio
Giclees Available
At Christmas time, the courthouse square of Bryan, Ohio turns into a place full of lights, decorations and magic.
Lights are strung from the courthouse and reach out from the tower to eight sections of the historic old buildings on the square. The lights make it appear that there is a mulit-colored canopy pulling the entire downtown together.
I am particularly proud of all this. Back in 1947, my dad John Gorny joined with several other businessmen and women to plan the original lighting of the square, and ever since that very first lighting I have been able to say “My Dad DID that!” … Thanks, Dad!
The pastel is owned by The Chamber of Commerce, Bryan, Ohio.
Toby’s Dance Hall
Pastel
Matted and framed 12 x 9.5
150.
A tiny pastel that honors one of the venerable old buildings surrounding the downtown square, who’s ground floor housed Long’s Drug Store and the glorious third floor was reported to have served as a dance hall back in the day.
Watching the Wake
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
22 x 35
Sold, private collection
had not been to CLEAR LAKE since I graduated high school! I recently took a slow drive around the lake to retouch with the grand old days when it seemed that ALL of Bryan congregated at Clear Lake. At the end of our evening, with high school pals at my side, we took a pontoon ride while the sun set. I sat in the back, watching the wake behind us, as we floated on and on. It was a very special night and resulted in an equally special artwork.
Thanksgiving - A Light Dusting
Pastel on paper
Matted and framed 19.5 x 21.5
200
This farm close to the turnpike exit at Wauseon is a favorite subject. Its fields, surrounded by corn rows accentuated by a light dusting of snow, served as model for an oil painting a few years ago.
Thanksgiving, A Light Dusting is a pastel that celebrates the feeling one might have during the afternoon of Thanksgiving, while taking a walk as the turkey roasts and makes the house smell grand, kids in the house tear the place apart, and whistles and cheers and talk of football games on TV add constant background noise to the day.
Escaping all that hustle and bustle, this is the late autumn scene I would like to see while taking a time-out, in the fresh country air.
The House that Roger Saw
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
Framed 24×30
Sold, private collection
Giclee available
When a school classmate, showed me the scene, captured by his camera, the vision of blazing orange foliage against the blue green of tall spruce and pines compelled me to render in pastel the wonderful natural fall colors. I wanted to dramatically intensify the complementary color scheme, telling the story my way. The end result was The House that Roger Saw.
Snow Rise
Oil pastel on paper
Framed 18 x 20
150.
The morning was just dawning, and snow covered the ground like a cozy down comforter. And, in the midst of all that winter chill, far off on the horizon was a warm, orange sun trying to rise.
Friendly Fields
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
Matted and framed 23 x 35
300.
This piece is one of three works of a special farm field near Wauseon. Though the view of the field in all three pieces is identical, each has its own flavor and expresses a different season and activity, all caused by abstracting the colors. This representation – a day in spring.
Eye Spy
Oil Pastel on paper
Matted and framed 18×20
150.
Here the sun reminds me of mythical mysterious weather gods squinting through clouds and taking a moment to oversee the vast winter snow-cover they created.
Winter is capable of presenting itself as colorful and vibrant. All we have to do is be willing to play a little EYE SPY and hunt for it.
Color Fields, III
Pastel on Hahnemuhle suede paper
Matted and framed 23 x 35
300.
Color Fields III was the third pastel in a series representing a favorite field near Wauseon, Ohio. In each of the three works in the series the colors were rearranged in order to explore color psychology, seeing what happens to our perception of an image when the same scene is depicted with differing colors.
The series was done on suede paper, a surface that disallows tight detail. Pastel spreads a bit under the fibers, making the outcome somewhat soft, ephemeral and a bit out of my control. It makes mark making very fun and a little unpredictable.
Sky of the Amish Quilt
Oil pastel on Mi-Teintes paper
Matted 22 x 30
125.
At times, fields of my hometown seem to unfold in front of me like patches of color and patterns of fabric stitched together by hand of the patient ladies who live in my part of Ohio and Indiana.
At certain times of the seasons, the fields exhibit colors that are easily exaggerated, creating a quilt of crazy colors everywhere I look.
Plenty of Blue Sky
Oil pastel on paper
Matted 17 x 22
110.
Giclee available
Part of the calmness and peace I gather from spending time near the farm land of home, stems from the fact that there are usually vast horizons to contemplate and … plenty of blue sky.
Sweet Treats at Fireside
Oil pastel on textured mat board
32 x 24
Sold, private collection
Giclee available
See the gallery Art for the Holidays for more info
This oil pastel work from the Commemorative Santa Series is inspired by the candy canes that are made in my little home town of Bryan, Ohio.
The town is proud of its connection with the family-owned Spangler Candy Company and its many yummy products, candy canes being only one of them.
Year round, I grew up with the smell of sugar in the air while some of the wonderful treats were being made in the factory, a few blocks away. At Christmas time it was a magical feeling knowing most of the candy canes that Santa delivered really came from right next door.
So, here he is in the glow of the fire light, ready to hang a few candy canes on the tree … or maybe just eat them. Who knows what will happen to those marvelous Sweet Treats at Fireside.
Soldier of the Golden Bear
Oil pastel on textured mat board
32 x 18
Sold, private collection
Giclee available
See the gallery Nutcracker Collection for more information
Soldier of the Golden Bear is a special piece in the whimsical holiday nutcracker collection and is reminiscent of the BHS band uniforms worn in the 60’s. But nobody ever marched with a special hat like THAT one!
Regal King of Bears
Oil pastel on textured mat board
32 x 18
Sold, private collection
Giclee available
See the gallery, Nutcracker Collection, for more information
Regal King of Bears is handsome and stately and honors the school system and town where I grew up. At holidays or any day, Regal King of Bears is definitely regal and venerable.
Twigs Decorating the Square
Oil pastel on textured mat board
24 x 18
Sold, Private collection
Giclee available
See the gallery, Nutcracker Collection, for more information
Here is the snowman character, TWIGS, helping to decorate the courthouse square. ~ Let’s celebrate the glittering colored lights, strung from courthouse tower out toward building and businesses all around the courthouse square, in downtown Bryan. The big lights have adorned the square and turned it into a magical place, during the holidays since the late 1940’s.
More and more exciting light displays have been added, making the town square a place of wonderment and happiness as Christmas time.
Dum Dum Snowboy
Oil pastel on textured mat board
24 x 18
Original available 120.
Giclee available
See the gallery, Nutcracker Collection, for more information
When I was a child, I thought I lived in Disneyland. – We had a candy factory at one end of town, a toy factory at the other and a big castle smack dab in the middle on the courthouse square. Bryan, Ohio was a wonderful place to grow up.
… And in that town, for all those years, there lived a man who when you said the words “Dum Dum”, would magically pull one from his sport coat pocket and immediately present it to you. That was no fairytale.
His name was Ted Spangler, and the memory of his car trunk full of candy and his Dum Dum offerings will never fade. This painting honors him, and his family who have created candy in my hometown, for over 100 years.
Go! Bears!
Oil pastel on textured mat board
24 x 18
The Original is available at Special Occasions in Bryan Ohio
313.636.7100
135.
Giclee available
See the gallery, Nutcracker Collection, for more information
A unique oil pastel work was created to honor the success of the Bryan High School football program and teams of the past several years. GO! BEARS!