Artist Biography / Artist Statement / Links
Greggbrandt ( not Rembrandt ) JUST JOKING!!!
Artist Gregg Hangebrauck was born in Waukegan Il in the late 50's. He became interested in art at a very early age. His dad sketched a drawing of Gregg's siblings which inspired Gregg to draw well before he started grade school. Frequent fishing trips with his dad and brothers, and lake life growing up and around a Lake in rural Lake County Illinois exposed Gregg to nature and all its wonders. While out in the field, Gregg learned to pay close attention to his wildlife subjects - their detail, habits and surroundings. Most of Gregg's early drawings were of local wildlife. Later, he was interested in drawing mostly people. This proved to be the subject he chose for his future artwork.
Although he initially began early on drawing wildlife, much of Gregg's grade school & high school works were cartoons and pen & ink drawings of people. Many of his subjects were his teachers and school friends ( being fed to the lions ) in the Roman coliseum or with other similar fates. He would enjoy capturing the expression of his subjects from careful study of their faces so there would be no question of the identity of the "victim".
Gregg is entirely self-taught. His entire artistic training consists of three art classes, his first in seventh grade, his second as a senior in high school and third, an oil painting class at the local community college. By that point in time, Gregg could paint almost anything, but he found accurately depicting people and their expression to be the most challenging and rewarding.
Gregg concurrently began entering art competitions and retouching covers for magazines in 1989. He was a natural at retouching imagery, and has worked on hundreds of high profile magazines such as Vanity Fair, Vogue, Mademoiselle, Gourmet, Glamour, Allure, Conde'Nast Traveller, and Outside . Gregg personally retouched and color corrected the famous Demi Moore Vanity Fair covers in the 80's. Meanwhile Gregg was earning top honors from judges in several artistic competitions, and began to paint and sell portraits.
After exploring many different mediums, Gregg now works almost exclusively in Oils. His favorite subject matter is the human face, and the figure respectively. What drives Gregg as an artist is the process and exploration of painting, and the love of color.
Artist Statement
Painting to me is about the personal connections I make with all of creation, a language that corresponds directly with how I see and interpret the world around me.
The world seems to slow down during the act of painting. The careful study of color and value and form slowly give way to my artist’s voice. It is during this act of creation that I am entirely focused.
I take great satisfaction from being self taught. I have influences, but my artist’s voice is entirely my own. Each new painting is a renewed learning experience. A new adventure.
Links ( my favorite artists )
http://www.gregorypackard.com/
http://danielgerhartz.com/index.htm
http://www.morganweistling.com/index.html
http://www.lipking.com/gallery.htm
http://www.pencilportraitcards.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maryneelyart/
