| "Revealing
The Soul - Painting From The Inside Out" When I moved to North
Central Florida in 1997, I never imagined how much I would fall in
love with the landscape here. I began painting it almost immediately.
I have good horses, so I am fortunate enough that I can go into areas
that most people cannot reach, especially in summer when the water
levels are high. Riding through swamps that four wheel ATV's cannot
navigate, what I have seen is so stunning it forces you to think about
Florida's past and future while you are in its midst. I take pictures
from the saddle and work in my studio to bring out the real expressionism
in the Florida landscape. Some of my scenes are also taken on trips
with my motorcycle to Cedar Key and Ozello Keys, as well as other
familiar vistas throughout the state. There is an underlying warmth
and mystery in the landscape of Florida. If we don't clean up the
litter and debris from dumping, as well as stopping it altogether,
and we allow the bulldozer to ravage the state for development, we
will watch this all disappear in our lifetime. More of the state needs
to be protected and it needs to be done now before it is too late.
I have painted many styles and am influenced by many artists throughout
the history of modern art as well as the ancient cultures that have
come before us. As of lately, I cannot think of anything I want to
paint more than the soul of the Florida landscape. If I can convey
this phenomenon to others, then my life will have had meaning. -
Gary Borse |