Two artists cope and create in solitude
TROY, N.Y. » Solitude has been an obstacle for every segment of the public. It even influences visual artists who work in what is thought of as non-collaborative circumstances.
In recent telephone interviews with two visual artists who have studios in Troy, it became apparent that even when working and solitude is desired it can have a negative impact.
Bob Gullie, a popular local artist who is best-known for his playfully surreal collages described himself as “a person who loves life and loves people.” He says this instinct for social contact influences his art.
“When I see my work exciting people, it is so fulfilling. I don’t create to sell my art; I create because my work makes people happy. Being an artist permits me a place where I can create my dream world.”
Virginia Bryant is, on the other hand, a painter who loves solitude.
“I couldn’t create any other way. All my resources as a human being go into the process of the creation of my art.”
About her concentration, Bryant who describes her work as lyrical-abstractexpressionist, says, “Painting is the only thing that permits me to stand for 6-7-even 8 hours at a time. I can’t stand for two hours when I cook, and I love to cook.
“For me, painting is all about concentration and toil.’’
Even though Bryant is less communal than is Gullie, she has a group of fellow artists who support each other. “I enjoy solitude,” she says, adding, “but I don’t seek a monastic lifestyle. It’s about balance.”
Both artists agree that creating art is only a part of the process. An artist must interact with the entire community to either sell their creations or at the least to be in shows where their work can be appreciated.
“No artist can exist in a bubble,” says Bryant.
They both agree that COVID has made them more dependent of the internet and social media to get exposure. But pre-pandemic, each was successful enough to develop impressive resumes.
Gullie, who was raised in and is still a resident of Cohoes, has had more than 80 exhibitions of his work, 25 being solo. He’s received numerous awards including the NYFA Arts Residency Grant and the Gilliand-Weinheimer Oakroom Artist Award. His work is sought after by private collectors and is in the permanent collection of many museums including U-Albany Art Museum, Kinsey Institute and Albany Art Museum.
Bryant has only been a Troy resident for the past five years. She most recently lived and worked in San Francisco and New Orleans. She says she is weary of the nomadic life, having lived in seven states over the past twenty years. She loves upstate New York because of its “light and inspirational scenery.”
Her work has appeared in more than 60 exhibits, many being solo. Indeed, she currently has a solo exhibit at the RPI Chapel and Cultural Center on Burdette Street in Troy, that has been extended through Jan. 31.
Gullie refused to consider himself a full-time artist until he retired from his job working for New York State. Despite spending countless hours creating his mixedmedia collages, he depreciates his elevated position within the local arts community. He admits to being successful but quickly adds, “I don’t know why. I work by instinct.
“I have no innate knowledge of the artistic progress.”
However, Gullie is very serious about his art and though his work is fun, he is adamant that “it’s more than whimsey. I cannot let a piece go until I am satisfied that it is what I want.” He laughs, after uttering the comment explaining the joke by saying, “When I start a piece, I never know the end result.”
It pleases him that young people appreciate his sometime puzzling work. “Kids always get it,” he says happily.
This appeal to younger audiences has resulted in a collaboration with his daughter and her boyfriend. They wrote a children’s book, “Zelda Lou Always Knew People Come and Go” and the senior Gullie has illustrated it. Throughout the book he has incorporated his granddaughter’s face on images of the title character.
Appearing a polar opposite to the steadfast Gullie, Bryant has dedicated her life to being an artist in one form or another. She took classes in life drawing for 17 years and danced ballet for 8 years. She was also an actress for a time. The attractive Bryant indicated her preference for solitude by explaining she left dance and theater “Because I didn’t like being looked at.”
Actually, the performing arts was her entry into painting. She started working backstage designing costumes and some of her earlier work started by her painting on fabric. The design of the tree in a production of “Waiting for Godot” encouraged work as a set designer.
Indeed, her earlier work as a performing artist was not wasted. “My work as a dancer and actor still informs my work lyrically and structurally.” Indeed, her swirling fluid and colorful canvases seem to suggest a sense of constant but soothing motion.
The nonthreatening beauty of her work sometimes has it described as decorative. It’s a term that does not disturb the artist. “I don’t care why people love my art. It pleases me that people find beauty in my paintings. I paint for the world I live in; the world I want to live in. I’m not concerned about labels.”
Gullie shares that attitude. “I am compulsive about creating my art. People sometimes have difficulty describing my work. But I’ve reached a point where if someone sees my work they know it’s my work. That’s better than any restrictive definition.”
To learn more about each artist go to their websites: RobertGullie.com or Virbry.com