We are so excited to be showcasing the work of a young, local artist on this year’s Farmers’ Market Poster. Galen created the beautiful sheep especially for us to use, and it has since gone on to win her theSilver Key Award from Maine Region Scholastic Art Awards.
Galen Gaze is a young artist living and working in Brunswick, Maine. Born in Jiaozhuo, China, she emigrated to the United States at the age of 11months. She received a sketchbook and markers for her first birthday, began drawing and never stopped. Excited by the act of mark making, she was inspired by the visual details of the natural world around her. Galen grew up on a farm, instilling in her a deep respect and love for nature and all living and growing things.
She has participated in art classes at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York, Bowdoin College Art Camp, Museum of Fine Art, Boston, and Maine College of Art. Summer 2016, Galen has been accepted to attend Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. She will also serve as a junior counselor for the DaVinci Experience in Brunswick for a third year. Galen has been honored to have her work included in the book Love.Read.Learn!, by Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and also to receive Gold Key and Silver Key awards from Scholastic Art Awards.
Galen plans to continue her artistic studies at Brunswick High School and
beyond. She is a member of the class of 2018.
“Memories and feelings inspire me to create and art allows me to express how I feel. My work tends to be autobiographical. I strive to create art that evokes wonder, and that can be understood and appreciated by all ages.
“I often mix several traditional drawing materials in a piece and also enjoy exploring other mediums. Cross hatching and stippling are two techniques I use when working with ink. When I incorporate patterns into my pieces, as I often do, I will use zentangling. emphasizing a focal point by using color pencils, or ink wash adds some subtle color to a black ink drawing, this color draws emphasis to a particular area.
“I tend to approach my work in a very detailed oriented manner. Often spending many hours on small details, it’s very rewarding when I see people really studying my work. Beginning with realism, then proceeding with an illustrative look and feel, I usually incorporate nature and narrative elements.
“I want viewers to be able to enjoy the work, to look past what is on the page, hopefully finding a deeper meaning in my drawing. It’s important to me that my work has an emotive quality. I strive to make sure that in every piece there is a little bit of me.”
~ Galen Gaze
