Friday Focus: Will Gabaldón
Will Gabaldón was born in Belen, NM. He received a B.F.A. from the University of New Mexico and M.F.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Will lives and works outside Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
Can you tell me about your practice? How do you get started on a piece of work?
I am primarily an oil painter. My paintings are typically small, under 20 inches. I have always been drawn to smaller paintings and easel size works in general. I love the intimacy and I grew up drawing comics and cartoons which were always on small sheets of paper.
I have a few ways I start paintings. Sometimes it is from sketches I have made from photos or life. Once the painting is started, I usually change things from the source image. I often do different versions of paintings. I like to see what happens when I change aspects of a painting. Anything to keep me busy in the studio. I often do versions when I don’t have a new idea or image to work from.
Who or what are your biggest influences?
My biggest painting influences are probably Èdouard Manet, Willem de Kooning, Albert York, Philip Guston and Wayne Thiebaud. These are all painterly painters that took their paintings as far as they could. Their commitment to painting is something I aspire to.
Solitary nature is a constant focus for your work, could you talk more about its appeal and why you chose to retain a limited colour palette throughout your work to convey this?
The area I live in is very green. I grew up in the desert in New Mexico so I am very conscious of how different the landscape is in Chicago. If you grow up in the desert, green spaces are very fascinating. I remember the first time I went to the East Coast for graduate school and was amazed at all the trees and grass. As for my palette I think of color as light. Limiting a palette creates a specific type of light in a painting.
How important is the choice of material in relation to realizing the concept of your work?
Material can be very important in so far as it gives you what you want. Sometimes that doesn’t matter, or you may not know what you want so it’s less important. I used to be very particular about my supports, but I don’t care as much about that anymore. If the surface is rigid, I am ok with it. The rigid support helps with my paint handling.
What is your most important tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
My brushes are very important. You must find the tools that feel right. I often buy brushes that don’t handle correctly so I get rid of them. I also have a couple of palette knives that I am very used to. They wear down as you use them, so they fit your hand well after a while.
Can you give us a book recommendation that has been important in your practice? And tell us why it’s important.
Finally, is there anything new coming up that you would like to tell us about?
I have an upcoming show at Various Small Fires in Los Angeles opening February 15th titled “This must be the place”.