I’m going to tell you the story of my birth... It might be silly but this story makes me feel special.
I was born with serological conflict. It’s caused by my parents different type of blood. Straight after I was born I had to have the blood transfusion. It was year 1976 in a communist Poland and one had to have a really good connection to organize this type of treatment. If I was left untreated I could die or be left with brain damage. The blood transfusion was only possible because my mum was a high rank nurse and that meant some power.
I was saved because God had a plan for me and gave me this mission: to brighten up the world with my paintings and in this way bring people cheer and joy and happiness. I really believe in this mission. It makes me feel fulfilled when I see people being happy when looking at or receiving my pictures.
I also believe that my synesthesia might have been caused by my birth incident. This is another proof of God’s plan for me.
I have studied fine arts and graphics arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, Poland. The curriculum of my faculty comprised of printmaking, photography, animation, illustration and graphic design. We also had painting and life drawing classes.
My parents wanted me to have some useful skill which would allow me to survive in this world. They didn’t believe I can make a living being just a painter so I also learned graphic design as my useful skill. They were right, I would always find work in graphic design in Wroclaw while still being a student. These skills are useful even now to design websites, graphics, logos, leaflets etc. I love designing and making books.
But I always and only want to paint. The feeling of having paints and a brush in my hand is the most exhilarating. Only then I feel in peace with myself, happy, as if in love!
If you're visiting Clitheroe England, stop by Gosha's gallery in person. GOSH Art Gallery & Studio 20 Castlegate, Clitheroe, BB7 1AZ
Gosha gave me some written answers that touch on things we didn't talk about during the interview so I'm including them here for additional context and color to our conversation.
Do you have any special projects or exhibitions right now that you want to tell us about and where to find out more about them.
I am lucky to be running a little gallery in Clitheroe, called “GOSH GALLERY’. The space features my paintings of the town and the Ribble Valley, also my cycling and sports pieces. It is a place where I also create.
The gallery mission is to present the citizens and visitors to Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England; with paintings of the town and surrounding area. It is important for me to paint scenes people find a connection with; any place in the world really, which would depict this world in colourful way and help to keep vivid memories. So I am asking my followers on Facebook or visitors to the gallery to tell me exactly which of the places in England or anywhere in the world, they would like to see captured in my painting.
Some background on you and what you create visually
I am a painter. However, not a traditional one. I love experimenting with paints and different media. I really care about texture and line - sometimes I would stick pieces of a string to accentuate the line and bring texture at the same time. My special technique which I have developed is dripping a non-drip gloss paint from palette knife. I do it completely freehand because I believe that if I allow the line to take its own life, only then the painting will be free and surprising.
Is there any particular style, subject matter, methods, etc that you just don’t care for? If so...can you still appreciate it?
Although I am not a big fan of conceptual art, I do appreciate it when there is a good idea behind the art which forces us to reflect.
A few years ago I attended a very good exhibition at Tate Gallery in London. It was an art installation by Colombian artist Doris Salcedo. The turbine hall was divided by a huge crack in the concrete floor... People would get stuck on one or the other side of the crack. It was kind of strange experience; an amazing metaphor of humanity.
Salcedo said of the work: It represents borders, the experience of immigrants, the experience of segregation, the experience of racial hatred. It is the experience of a Third World person coming into the heart of Europe. For example, the space which illegal immigrants occupy is a negative space. And so this piece is a negative space.
It really worked as myself felt part of this segregation, people from the other side of the crack would look at the opposite site with some kind of careful expression on their faces - as if already feeling divided, segregated, distrusting, fearful. Mind; that they were people from all over the world so of different races and culture. It was really powerful!
Are there any styles that intrigue you that you personally want to practice more or understand more about?
I would like to be able to make animations. My pictures tell me stories. I would like to illustrate these stories in moving images that allow people to be transformed and taken to a different world; to show how colourful and how dynamic is my world really. My world is constant movement: when clouds are sliding across the sky, when the sun is rising or setting, the light changes all the time and with it colours, shapes, shadows, temperature. It’s a secret world.
I have been playing with stop motion animation when studying. It is a perfect combination of technology and art. I am making a little animation using Adobe Photoshop and iMotion to capture speed painting, and iMovie app to put the film together and add music and sounds. I would love to learn Adobe Premiere; which I was using in the past, but that was over 20 years ago and it has changed a lot since then. Now, I am trying to get my head around the software but usually end up with frustration. Maybe I just need a little patience.
Episode Timeline
- 1:09 About Gosha Gibek and artist statement
- 9:15 Gosha's special condition - Synesthesia
- 16:09 Gosha's unique painting style
- 20:45 Color theory in her painting
- 24:36 Commercializing her painting - art commissions
- 29:15 Gosha's visualization process
- 34:10 Current special projects or exhibitions
- 42:10 Are there any styles or disciplines you have tried that you really didn't care for?
- 48:25 Are there any styles or disciplines that you want to practice more or understand better:
- 53:10 Is it important to know the history and the masters that shaped your chosen artform?
- 58:50 Do you have any guiding principles when you are creating or that you look for in the outcome?
- 1:01:33 Where can you find and follow work from Gosha Gibek?
- 1:02:35 Wrap up thoughts and takeaways
Comments 2
Beautiful gallery. Thank you so much for this and for having me on your podcast and for the opportunity!
Author
My pleasure Gosha. Thank you for helping me to get things kicked off. I’ll be resharing past episodes occasionally and maybe we’ll get a chance to catch up over some of your new work again in the not too distant future.