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 Gary Stewart - Born October 25, 1962 the youngest of ten children, my journey into life had very humble beginnings. I suppose my earliest influence was my beloved grandmother, Henrietta Stewart. At an early age my religious foundation was established by her. We attended a small church only a few blocks away from the crowded house that was very briefly to be called my home. Nothing significant about this place other than its location sticks with me to this day. Perhaps someday I shall discover why these early childhood memories escape me, but that’s another story.
Like many other families of less than adequate means, we began to splinter; brothers living here, sisters living elsewhere, a single-parent mother struggling to make ends meet and keep it all together. In 1964 the next great influences came into my life in the form of my aunt, Ethel Belle and her dear husband, Joseph Sharp. Granny and I moved into their home along with two of my other siblings. Joseph, otherwise known as Joe Daddy by my sisters, was a man of many talents. I was left-handed like he, but after experiencing so much difficulty with this in his childhood, he taught me to depend on my right hand which I still use to this day. He was a coal miner and Baptist minister and further fostered my religious underpinnings. Soon I was heavily involved in all aspects of the church; choir member, Sunday school teacher, bass singer in a small group aptly named “The Gospel Brothers” and church treasurer. The awe-inspiring works of accomplished gospel choir director, James Cleveland, are still favorites.
The ability to capture images on paper was a gift discovered early in my childhood which I’ve continued to develop over the years. Placing my left hand on my desk, I would practice sketching it in various positions. From there the progression to anatomical rendering seemed quite natural. Although pets were never allowed to be a part of my childhood experience, animals of all sorts always fascinated me. Recognizing my apparent skills, dad gave me countless paint-by-number sets which taught me invaluable blending techniques which I still utilize in my oil and acrylic paintings to this day.
As a young adult with limited financial resources, I enlisted in the WV Air National Guard as a way to both serve my country and afford myself the opportunity to continue my education. Little did I know I would later become one of the youngest commissioned officers ever to serve in the unit. At age 21 my commission as a Second Lieutenant was earned soon to be followed by the beginning of a 20 year career as a C-130 navigator. This career was invaluable, as I was exposed to people and places that most can only imagine. Everything from exotic Thai dancers, open-air Korean fish markets, gold souks on the streets of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and the unforgettable sights and sounds of the medina in downtown Marrakech, Morocco, are now vivid memories.
My artistic works are intended to convey all my emotions and memories in a play of splendiferous color that, hopefully, will be invocative and inspirational to others.
About The Studio - In Your Space Studio is a working studio featuring artistic works by studio artists, Gary Stewart and Chad Miller. The Studio represents an exciting and fresh artistic collaboration in digital photography & multi-media (oil and acrylic paintings, charcoal pencil sketches and video production). Ours is a unified and shared vision of creating decidedly dramatic works of art that are both inspiring and provocative whose ultimate purpose is to create “outside the cube” - to see all things in a new perspective…up close and “In Your Space”. Through our collaborative partnership, we hope to share our singular portrayal of life and the beauty inherent in all that surrounds us while creating value for the serious art collector.
1590 Dixie Street
Charleston, WV 25311
304.545.3257
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