Connor Gewirtz '17

ARTIST STATEMENT

Every family has stories told over generations that blur the line between truth and fiction. In my personal history, even the idea of a family tree is something murky. Both my grandfather and I were adopted and raised by fathers unrelated by blood. In my current series of paintings, I bring together the family members I know only from memories, second-hand tales and photographs. These compositions allow me to connect with these people despite never having met them. My paintings all contain fictional scenes where disparate people from across history all coexist in one moment. To explore my place in my complicated family narrative, my work is centered on figurative paintings that collage memories, reality, and fictions.

What art classes did you take while at Crossroads? CAS art, art history, studio art, after-school figure drawing.

How did Crossroads help to shape or influence you as an artist? My three art teachers in high school, Vernon Salyers, Jesse Robinson and Peter Melville, all had a fantastic impact on me as an artist. Peter reinforced the idea that even though art is a creative field, you need both discipline and focus to create your best work. Vern hosted after-school figure drawing which he let me join in, kicking off my obsession with figurative art. Observational drawing has always been a parallel focus and influence on my personal work.