Name: Gabe Langholtz
Primary Medium: Acrylic and Mixed Media Paintings on Canvas
Tell us about your upcoming exhibition:
2018 has been a whirlwind year for me. I had my first NYC solo show, Americholia, around mid-April, and immediately thereafter I was part of a large three-person exhibition at the Davis Gallery in Austin, TX. I’m finishing out the year with the East Austin Studio Tour, and the ArtBash show at Native Hostel where I’ll be one of the featured artists. As far as what’s upcoming for 2019, my plan is to spend most of my time in the studio. I’m ready to get back to painting.
What are you working on now?
I have several pieces in progress at the moment, and many more ideas in the mental queue. Most are a continuation on the Americholia theme. That seems to be where my interest still is, currently.
What draws you to your medium?
I prefer working with paint because I enjoy manipulating color. I find the process of creating variations of hue and tone to be quite mesmerizing. I prefer acrylic paints because of their fast-drying properties. My paintings are constructed of layers, and I often use glazing or scraping techniques to reveal what’s underneath. I find acrylics lend themselves nicely to this process.
How long have you been an artist and how has your practice changed over time?
I’ve been painting for about 10-12 years, but it’s only here recently that I’ve grown comfortable with the “Artist” moniker. It’s a rather bold assertion, and one I feel is often tossed around a little too liberally. I’m comfortable with it these days, but that’s a relatively recent thing. I began my visual art career as an Abstract painter. However, about 5 years ago I started doing representational work on a rather consistent basis. In the beginning, my process for rendering these two painterly styles was quite different, but here recently I’ve begun incorporating my hardedge, abstract painting methodology into my representational work. It brings an added element of design to the narrative works that I find aesthetically pleasing.
In your opinion, what does the Austin arts community need as the city continues to grow?
More of everything; more galleries, more museums, more artists, more art critics, more opportunities, more diversity, more culture. I’d like to see a shift form a locally grown to a globally conceived art market. Most collectors keep tabs on their favorite artists and the galleries that represent them. Doing this, they’re often introduced to new artists via those galleries. Cross pollination of Austin area artists with artists from other locales would play a big part in helping local artists grow their audience outside the limited Austin art collector’s market.
Bio:
Gabe Langholtz is a Naïve Modernist and Geometric Abstract painter from Austin, TX. His work, although primarily representational, is seminal to American Color Field painting, focusing on color relations, pattern making, form & line. In the tradition of folk art, Langholtz routinely employs the use of mundane cultural objects and / or activities to establish a contemporary narrative, oftentimes drawing on humor, parody and pastiche as a tool for social commentary. His works were featured in the 2015 HGTV Smart Home and has appeared in multiple galleries, print publications, television, and film.
Social Media:
Website: https://www.gabelangholtz.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabelangholtzart/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/gabelangholtz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabelangholtzart
Tumblr: https://gabelangholtzart.tumblr.com/
