Winter '97 Newsletter

	Greg Manchess: Riveting Imagery Creation "The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time." F. Scott Fitzgerald
Society of Illustrators San Diego Society of Illustrators San Diego Art Illustrators	You know the expression, "Do what you love and success will follow." How many people do you know that have made a lot of money doing what they love and live life with joy and wonderment? I know one person... Greg Manchess. Meeting Greg Manchess in person and seeing him create works of art was a rare treat and SISD members had the opportunity to do both at the recent Greg Manchess lecture and demo. Aside from the fact that Greg has succeeded in attracting assignments from top notch clients like National Geographic, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Disney, Federal Express, Bantam Books and Nike (to name only a few) and has won an excessive number of illustration awards, Greg has somehow been able to position himself in the middle of the commercial and fine art worlds and has fun doing it. His painterly style and riveting imagery attracts art buyers from both markets. Greg says he does not feel a difference between the two and amazingly approaches each assignment with enthusiasm only Paul Gauguin could rival. How did Greg do it?
Commercial art Society Artists Illustration	Courage Could be Called the Companion of Wisdom It takes wisdom and courage to pursue your dreams and goals without compromise. Wisdom comes from mistakes and learning ... courage comes from having faith in one's self and the future. Greg graduated with a BFA from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in the 1970s. At that time, conceptual art was popular. The mode of the decade was revolutionary as a result of the civil rights movement and the post Vietnam fall-out. Illustration was in decline. Amazingly, Greg did what he felt was right in his heart rather than lose his perspective during this turbulent period. Self-taught and determined to use a rainbow of colors and his signature brush work, Greg experimented with various pastels, colored pencils and watercolor, but decided oil paint was his favorite. Initially he worked with illustration board but later switched to using canvas most of the time. Quickly he developed an outstanding portfolio. "The portfolio is everything," he explained to the audience. Not all assignments and clients are easy. For instance, there is a great deal of research for accurate reference material which goes into a painting for National Geographic.Greg was even assigned to a researcher and would spend a year preparing and painting from information gathered (such as wind direction, sun angle, explosion dynamics, naval guns and the length of splinters from shell ricochettes). Other clients had tight deadlines and some even complained about his style... like, his brush strokes weren't smooth enough! Fortunately, Greg didn't change his style or question his talent.
	Finding Balance Comes From Within Greg believes the process of creating art can be metaphorically compared to the practice of ancient Ninjutfu.This ancient form of martial arts emphasizes inner balance and the warriors path to that of combat. This view maintains that everything is connected in a circle rather than a line. Control and personal freedom are in balance and what one learns in life is what helps one decide what to do at that time. Balance is everything. So when painting, Greg becomes involved and not involved at the same time and doesn't take his work too seriously. He stays flexible by having fun with colors and varying his brush stroke from detailed to loosed depending on the context of the illustration assignment. Sometimes he works freely without models or reference; sometimes by choice and often because he can't find or get the necessary reference materials from his clients. (Although, his wife has been an angel more than once... lucky Greg!) Love is the Ultimate Wisdom Recently, Greg completed his first children's book, To Capture the Wind. He is currently working on another children's book, Nanuk of the North which features Polar Bears... an animal he has loved drawing since he was a kid. It seems the circle is complete and Greg has found that place where painting is a joy, because it comes from that part of oneself where being a kid, having fun, and doing what you love are rewards that no amount of success or money can buy. Pamela Wells Next PageHome