Gerard Bianco Studio

  Below is a short video - a step-by-step journey through my painting process as I bring to life Maine's most treasured tourist attraction, the iconic Portland Head Light. Watch as paper, paint, and imagination come together to create a lasting image that comes alive. Discover more painting videos and artwork, including Giclée prints of the Portland Head Light at https://gerardbianco.com/

Please check out my interview published on the Catholic Artist Connection blog where I answer questions regarding artistic fulfillment, daily artistic practice, and practical resources for Catholic artists living in Maine. The Catholic Artist Connection kindly published my painting, Our Lady of the Lilies (seen here) as the cover-piece for their newsletter, Issue #518. Here's the link: https://catholicartistconnection.com/blog/gerard-bianco After reading the interview, perhaps you can share in the comments section below how would answer the same questions. I'm sure the readers would love to hear from you. Thanks, Gerard

I thought I'd begin a series of blog posts exploring the many ways the act of creating enriches our lives. Along the way, I'll also share some of the pitfalls, frustrations, and unexpected discoveries that are part of every creative journey. Although I'll often write from the perspective of a painter, many of these thoughts apply equally to sculpture, writing, dance, music, and virtually every other creative discipline. In this first installment, On the Journey of Creating , I explore a curious—and for many, perhaps baffling—feeling that often comes over me after I complete a painting. It's an experience I've discovered I'm not alone in having. I'd love to know if you've ever experienced something similar in your own creative work—or even in another area of life. As always, thanks for reading, Gerard Happy creating! ON THE JOURNEY OF CREATING It’s hard to explain, but when I look at one of my paintings the day after I’ve finished it, I often ge...

Welcome! I’d like to tell you a little story behind the rather unusual portrait pictured above. Many years ago, I had the privilege of sitting for a painting demonstration by the celebrated portrait artist Richard Whitney . The event was sponsored by the Metropolitan Portrait Society and held at the historic Salmagundi Club in New York City. Because it was a live demonstration, Richard painted only what time allowed—my head and a suggestion of a collar. And while I was honored to be the model, I was left with a portrait that felt… unfinished. It lingered in that state for years. Eventually, I decided to resolve it myself. At first, I sketched in a traditional suit and tie. Respectable, certainly—but uninspired. Then I thought, why not have a little fun? Why not step beyond the ordinary and paint myself in costume? The question became: which costume? The answer arrived unexpectedly. Just last week, while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art , I came upon a portrait date...

Episode 1 - Mixing Colors I’ve been in the art field for approximately 50 years – painting, illustrating, teaching, lecturing. And in all that time, I’ve watched students make the same mistakes over and over. The mistakes that were made 30 and 40 years ago, are still being made by the students today. And it’s not just beginners who make these mistakes, it’s intermediate painters, and dare I say it, people who have been painting for a long time. In this series, we'll delve into the 30 most common art mistakes people make and how to avoid them. 30 mistakes, 30 episodes. It’ll be fun and instructional with solid time-tested content, and with tips and tricks to help you avoid these mistakes in the future. So, what do you say? Let’s get to it! Here's the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/vowHNDcy5RM

 

  "Best Friends" by Gerard Bianco Rückenfigur is the German word that translates to Back Figure, or figure from the back. An artist has the option of painting people from the front or from the back, which begs the question: why would an artist paint a person from the back? Is it because he has trouble painting features? Are his noses always too long? Are the eyes in his portraits always pointing in opposite directions? No, not typically. The reason an artist paints a person, or people from behind is to create an atmosphere of wonder, both in the person being painted, and in the person gazing at the painting. Having the viewer think about what is going through the mind of the subject in the painting puts them in direct communication with the subject’s thought process. The viewer suddenly becomes one with the subject in the painting, which causes an impactful psychological effect upon the viewer. No longer are you, the viewer, looking at a typical portrait, thinking that this p...