About Me
“My love of color inspires me to take on one of the greatest of challenges: painting from life. I am driven to capture the excitement and subtle nuances of nature . Each of these encounters demands that I see the world with a fresh eye, which is what I hope to convey to viewers.”
Gay Faulkenberry has been a force on the American art scene for more than two decades. Known for her impressionistic approach to color and light, she is renowned for plein-air paintings of urban and rural landscapes and for studio paintings of intimate still lifes, florals, and interiors.
A native Oklahoman, where she continues to live, Faulkenberry was raised throughout the West and has traveled extensively in Europe. Luminous color made an imprint on Faulkenberry, who worked in watercolors from childhood through her studies at Southwestern State and Oklahoma State universities. Focused on detailed dry-brush renderings of homes with architectural ornamentation, she first encountered alla prima paintings on several trips to Taos in the late 1970s. Her transition to oils was facilitated by independent studies with Russian master Sergei Bongart.
A native Oklahoman, where she continues to live, Faulkenberry was raised throughout the West and has traveled extensively in Europe. Luminous color made an imprint on Faulkenberry, who worked in watercolors from childhood through her studies at Southwestern State and Oklahoma State universities. Focused on detailed dry-brush renderings of homes with architectural ornamentation, she first encountered alla prima paintings on several trips to Taos in the late 1970s. Her transition to oils was facilitated by independent studies with Russian master Sergei Bongart.
“I remain a student of art, always reaching for higher levels of excellence,” she says. “However, it is the artist’s job to discover his or her personal voice in creating a language that communicates beyond words.”
For the past decade, Faulkenberry has been a popular instructor herself, conducting workshops throughout the United States and abroad. As a mentor, she shares her insights and technical expertise in using the eyes, heart, head, and hand in translating the joy of life onto canvas. She also encourages her students to see and study art by past masters, including artists who have influenced her: the bravura brushwork of Nicolai Fechin and John Singer Sargent, William Merritt Chase’s attention to textures and colors indoors and out.
Faulkenberry’s work has been featured in leading art publications, and she is frequently asked to jury art shows. Her work is represented in corporate, private, and museum collections across the country. A Signature Member of the prestigious Plein-Air Painters of America since 1996, she served as PAPA president and spokesperson in 2008-2009. She is a Master Member of American Women Artists
“Taking my pochade box outdoors into nature excites me as much as designing a still life arrangement or re-creating the ambience of a room setting. Whatever the subject, I’m inspired by the way light reveals form and essence.”
affiliations
Signature Member and past president of the Plein-Air Painters of America (PAPA)
Master Signature Member of American Women Artists
Founding Member, Oklahoma Society of Impressionists
workshops
L’atelier aux Couleurs, Petaluma, CA
Plein-Air Painters of America throughout the country
Plein Air Painting in France, Italy, and Belgium
Scottsdale Artists School, AZ
Valdes Art Workshops, Santa Fe, NM
Willow Wisp Farms, Fairview, NC
Open Air Italy/France
selected bibliography
Southwest Art, Feb 2005
Plein Air Magazine, Nov 2004
American Artist, Nov 2004 & Nov 2001
Wildlife Art, May-June 2001
Art of the West, Mar-Apr 1999
Focus/Santa Fe, Aug 1998, 1992, & 1987
Art Talk, Aug-Sep 1996
Santa Fean, May 1993