Artist Statement and Biography
Gary Bergel resides with his family near
Washington
,
DC
in
Loudoun County
,
VA
– a thriving community of visual artists, musicians, performing artists, poets and writers. Bergel, a multi-disciplinary artist, has been a member of various Loudoun Arts Cooperatives, is part of the Dreamers Poetry Group of
Frederick
,
MD
, and has exhibited in regional and national competitions for over 40 years. On occasion he has received Ford Foundation and other grants to assemble installations or environmental “repositories” of his work. The artist has works in private, university and regional museum collections.
Born in the lakeshore area of
Manitowoc County
,
WI
, Bergel completed a BS Degree in Biology, Secondary Education and Art and a MA Degree in Visual Art at the
University
of
Wisconsin
,
Madison
. He also did post-graduate study in printmaking and mixed-media under Professor Curtis Rhodes at
Western
Michigan
University
.
The artist has taught at the university level and in private art schools.
Working primarily in mixed-media collage and assemblage, the artist often combines original film, digital and Polaroid transfer photography, Xerox and other copy processes, letterpress, serigraphy and other print processes, acrylic and other pigments, gold and silver leaf. His works include found objects, often move into “low relief” and two-sided hanging pieces, and sometimes incorporate the molded clear plastic packaging common as waste in our environment.
Photographic, mixed-media series and poems explore themes related to the changing seasons (both in nature and in our lives). Images reflect his contemplative spirituality, faith and non-faith, the flux of ideas and world events, human condition, injustice and the suffering of various ethnic groups; the “lint” of everyday life. Works are also built around experiences, images and impressions gleaned during foreign travels and community development and justice projects in the Middle East, West Africa and
Haiti.
The artist operates Bergel Arts and Media (BAM). He can be contacted via his Web gallery, his home/studio phone 540-668-6043, or via email at GaryBergel@bamgallery.com. A listing of selected exhibitions is available at BAMgallery.com The artist welcomes your responses and comments to his work.
