Overcash & Russell

9 AM

to 5 PM

Fort Worth Community Arts Center

1300 Gendy Street, Fort Worth

Age Limit

All ages

Free

Start date: Monday, June 4, 2007
Event is ongoing: Until Friday, June 29, 2007

Artists Statement: "In today’s society the term 'art' covers such a vast assortment of subjective pursuits as to nearly defy specific definition. With that in mind whether my paintings can be considered art or not is a moot point and a matter which I leave entirely to the discretion of the observer. On the other hand, I do hope said observer derives as much pleasure out of viewing the works on display as I had in producing them.

I began my long sortie into the world of art and painting when as a casual visitor to the Amon Carter Museum in the early 60’s I was literally blown away by the works of Fredric Remington and Charles Marion Russell. Awed and inspired, I determined that day that I wanted to make a living as an artist and almost immediately I set about to obtain that goal. I began with beginners lessons at a local community center and as soon as possible returned to college where I changed my major from Journalism to Art.

Unfortunately, after a few semesters I realized the college art curriculum didn’t include what I wanted to learn, so I dropped out and went in search elsewhere. Eventually I concluded that the only way to learn what I wanted was to teach myself so I bought every “how to paint” book I could get my hands on and began to try and learn on my own. I also joined several art association/guilds.

During the 70’s and 80’s I participated in numerous “starving artist” shows, won or placed at a couple of competitions, got several commissions for wall murals in local businesses and even managed to get some of my work into a gallery or two. It was fun, it was exciting, but not particularly profitable. I never quite made enough to convert art into a fruitful occupation and so, when a business opportunity promising substantial financial rewards was presented to me in the mid-eighties, I took it. It was indeed a good opportunity, but it definitely handicapped the time I had for my real love, painting.

The 90’s were a period of tumultuous upheaval and more and more my business demanded my time. Naturally that meant I had less and less time to paint. However, the end of the decade saw the demise of both my business endeavors and my 2nd marriage and suddenly I had the time and freedom I needed to get back into it. I did so with gusto. After all these years whether painting ever proves to be monetarily successful is no longer an issue. It is the one thread of consistency that has run through the many years since that memorable day back in the early 60’s and probably will be the one constant which endures through the rest of my so called life."

-Gary Overcash Artists statement: "I make 'art' out of a driven nature to do so. it can't be helped and it can't be stopped. i percieve hints of the seemingly random connections, binds & ties of the world around me and i am compelled to organize and make sense of these things. even simply for my own peace of mind. much of my work involves "found object", "mixed media" and "collage" because these various items will come together to create a story told in my head. a bedtime story perhaps. and then i may sleep soundly.

This series is a selection of my printmaking work: copper-plate etchings and lino-cuts. they are framed "found object/ assemblage" style to add more elements or 'voices' to the 'tale'."