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As one of America's most well known Impressionists and as an artist for 40+ years, L. Gordon has been painting in watercolors, oils, acrylics, and pastels creating wonderful images of a variety of subjects: children, historical sites, Civil War scenes, animals, romantic places, just to name a few. Gordon became hooked on art in grade school when he drew a picture on the cover of a geography report and was awarded a better grade. His interest continued in high school and later in college where, in his art studies, he began a lifetime of exploration and work in many styles of artistic creation. During his service in the military in Germany, Gordon had his first opportunity to see Europe and its art treasures; it was love at first sight. The World offered a priceless education, and a career was born on a solid foundation. L. Gordon has enjoyed a life rich in art; he has lived in picturesque locales such as the French Quarter, which was a continuous source of inspiration, to the rugged, western landscape of New Mexico. The artist has traveled throughout the United States and also has spent extensive time in Europe visiting the great museums and sketching the many places that become part of his paintings.He is never without his sketch pad anywhere the artist visits offers an opportunity to create a new canvas. Gordon's worldwide travels in France, Italy, and Spain have inspired many of his images; however, the artist's work rarely depicts any specific place. "Anywhere, anyplace, anytime my paintings are from my imagination, inspired by experience," says Gordon. Classically trained and oriented, Gordon acknowledges the influence of impressionist masters such as Manet, Monet, Pisarro, and Sisley. "They made wonderful, new discoveries that have helped me make my own. I love to believe I'm part of a long line of traditional painters, says the artist." Gordon supported his craft in the early years as an illustrator and refined his skills at the Munich Academy in Germany and under the tutelage of New Orleans portrait artist Violet Moulin. When the artist opened his own studio, he illustrated children's and teenagers' books and specialized in travel illustrations for advertising. The artist's style that evolved a fast, loose look with strong emphasis on color is the hallmark of his work. From an extensive library of reference photos and sketches gathered from his many years of travel, Gordon chooses a thought in the form of a single image, then builds an imaginary environment around it. On his canvas, he paints in broad areas in soft colors. Next, he selects stronger colors, much like Monet, and applies them in many layers. He then begins to overpaint selected areas, allowing the underpainting to show through. Finally, Gordon adds more color in quick, expressionistic brushstrokes, giving his composition momentum and producing a suggestion of movement, which enhances the compelling vibrancy of his art. The artist and his wife, Jill, travel extensively, but have settled in the beautiful hills of Tennessee outside of Nashville. He spends quite a few weekends painting the many, outstanding landscapes with the Chesnut Group, a plain air organization that raises money for various conservation efforts. Gordon has won many awards for his fine art and also his commercial work. The artist also paints for major galleries, and many of his original paintings are in private and corporate collections. As a popular teacher of many workshops, L. Gordon has a devoted following of students and admirers. He receives many responses from his collectors and students via e-mail and enjoys the ability to mutually share feelings regarding his work. |
