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 Gary
Heise has received growing acclaim for his paintings, which are
done almost exclusively in ink and watercolor on Japanese and Chinese
rice papers. His work reflects a more-than-20-year interest in the
painting traditions of Japan and China. "It's a style," he says,
"that can best be called an American-Asian fusion. I'm not interested
in copying another culture's artistic mannerisms. Instead, I try
to learn from their breath of expression."
Heise received
his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting at the Rhode Island
School of Design. Soon afterwards, he studied traditional Chinese
ink painting under the Taiwanese-born artist Liao Shiou-ping. "This
allowed me to focus on the aesthetic concerns that really interested
me, namely an abstraction and simplification of landscape painting,
with an
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emphasis on line,
rhythm, energy and color." Heise also studied Japanese woodblock printing
with noted artist Keiji Shinohara.
Heise's landscapes
are semi-abstract. His imagery ranges from specific scenes near his
home to imaginary vistas and mountain ranges, varying in moods from
tranquil to stormy and ecstatic. "Although it may not always be obvious,"
he says, "the main inspiration for my work is the landscape around
the north-central highlands of New Jersey in all its changeable weather
and lighting throughout the year. As an American artist, it is important
to me that my paintings have a contemporary and personal significance."
Gary Heise lives
with his wife and two children in West Milford, New Jersey. |
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