As a native of Laconia, I was lucky enough to have a great art
program in the Laconia school system. My interest in art
developed from middle school through high school. At home,
however, I drew idealized floor plans of my future house and a lot
of drawings of Rolls Royces. Dreams of being an architect or car
designer eluded me due to my unfortunate math skills. When
searching for colleges, I was directed by my art teacher to
consider art schools. This is how I ended up going to the
Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts. I was
admitted in my sophomore year into the Commercial Illustration
Program.
Although trained as in illustrator, I have always preferred
landscape painting. To this day, I dislike painting other peoples’
ideas. As a result, I did not pursue illustration as a career but fell
back on my local hotel experience. However, during college, I
discovered the Hudson River painters and became enamored by
the artists Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran, they painted the
west on an epic scale. Since one of my high school friends had
moved to Arizona, I decided it was a perfect opportunity to move
out there. I got a hotel job at the Grand Canyon and stayed a year
and a half.
During my time at the canyon, I hiked all the trails,
photographing and doing some plein air and mostly painting in
my apartment the beauty of the canyon from the many photos I
had taken. I was most interested in capturing the blue shadow
effects. The canyon has every color in the rainbow and weather
conditions are ever changing. It is a fascinating place to spend
one’s youth and energy. I liked the west and after the Grand
Canyon, I decided to move to Las Vegas and pursue my hotel
career more seriously. I remained out west for over 18 years
working in Las Vegas in hotel management. Although I didn't join
any art groups and shows while in Las Vegas, I continued to paint
and pursue my interest in Bierstadt and Moran. I searched out
the sources of many of their paintings and went to many national
parks and hiked many tall mountains in the Sierras and Rocky
Mountains.
When I returned to NH in the spring after 9/11, in 2002, I was
amazed at the green lushness of NH. It was like a rebirth and
new appreciation of my home state. The Lakes Region Art
Association was still active after all the years since I had been a
member in high school so I chose it as my first NH exhibit in
2002. I made an attempt at having a gallery of my own work from
2003/2004 in my home. It was called 4 CHESTNUT ST
GALLERY. It was fun at the time to have my own gallery. I was
active in politics at the time and had political parties in the
gallery. In an additional attempt to sell art, I participated in street
fairs in Bristol and Tilton. Overall, I decided selling art is very
difficult in NH and when Tilton Artisans opened, I eagerly joined.
The gallery is now just “home”. The desire to paint goes on.
Eventually, it will pay off, just like that lottery ticket I have in my
pocket.
Email: donnygiguere@metrocast.net
program in the Laconia school system. My interest in art
developed from middle school through high school. At home,
however, I drew idealized floor plans of my future house and a lot
of drawings of Rolls Royces. Dreams of being an architect or car
designer eluded me due to my unfortunate math skills. When
searching for colleges, I was directed by my art teacher to
consider art schools. This is how I ended up going to the
Syracuse University School of Visual and Performing Arts. I was
admitted in my sophomore year into the Commercial Illustration
Program.
Although trained as in illustrator, I have always preferred
landscape painting. To this day, I dislike painting other peoples’
ideas. As a result, I did not pursue illustration as a career but fell
back on my local hotel experience. However, during college, I
discovered the Hudson River painters and became enamored by
the artists Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran, they painted the
west on an epic scale. Since one of my high school friends had
moved to Arizona, I decided it was a perfect opportunity to move
out there. I got a hotel job at the Grand Canyon and stayed a year
and a half.
During my time at the canyon, I hiked all the trails,
photographing and doing some plein air and mostly painting in
my apartment the beauty of the canyon from the many photos I
had taken. I was most interested in capturing the blue shadow
effects. The canyon has every color in the rainbow and weather
conditions are ever changing. It is a fascinating place to spend
one’s youth and energy. I liked the west and after the Grand
Canyon, I decided to move to Las Vegas and pursue my hotel
career more seriously. I remained out west for over 18 years
working in Las Vegas in hotel management. Although I didn't join
any art groups and shows while in Las Vegas, I continued to paint
and pursue my interest in Bierstadt and Moran. I searched out
the sources of many of their paintings and went to many national
parks and hiked many tall mountains in the Sierras and Rocky
Mountains.
When I returned to NH in the spring after 9/11, in 2002, I was
amazed at the green lushness of NH. It was like a rebirth and
new appreciation of my home state. The Lakes Region Art
Association was still active after all the years since I had been a
member in high school so I chose it as my first NH exhibit in
2002. I made an attempt at having a gallery of my own work from
2003/2004 in my home. It was called 4 CHESTNUT ST
GALLERY. It was fun at the time to have my own gallery. I was
active in politics at the time and had political parties in the
gallery. In an additional attempt to sell art, I participated in street
fairs in Bristol and Tilton. Overall, I decided selling art is very
difficult in NH and when Tilton Artisans opened, I eagerly joined.
The gallery is now just “home”. The desire to paint goes on.
Eventually, it will pay off, just like that lottery ticket I have in my
pocket.
Email: donnygiguere@metrocast.net
| Don Giguere Artistic Painter |
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