Jerry Kirk is an Expressionist Painter who has won numerous awards, most notable being an Emerging Artist Grant from the Arts and Science Council of Charlotte/Mecklenburg. His work has been exhibited his paintings in dozens of galleries throughout the east coast, including Ward-Nasse Gallery in NYC, Waterworks Gallery in Salisbury, NC, R.J. Reynolds Gallery in Winston-Salem, NC, Center of the Earth in Charlotte, NC, and The Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh, NC. His work is included in private collections around the world.
"...Jerry began his Fine Art career after moving to Charlotte, NC over 18 years ago and has won acclaim for work that addresses political and social concerns as well as his expressionist landscapes of the Carolina coast and mountains. Jerry is also one of the founding fathers of NoDa; Charlotte’s Historic North Davidson Street Art District.
Kirk began his art career as an editorial cartoonist before moving on to work as a graphic designer and illustrator then art director for various advertising agencies, all the while exhibiting and selling his painting in galleries and festivals. He was also the owner of his own gallery, the short-lived but award winning, ‘Sanctuary Art’. His work has been exhibited in galleries and venues throughout the east coast, including New York City and is included in private collections throughout the world, as well as several corporate collections.
Working out of his home studio in South Charlotte, Kirk produces paintings of various themes in a unified and unique style of bold colors and hard lines that shows the influence of both German Expressionism and Picasso. For the past 2 years Kirk has turned his attention towards landscapes in an attempt to bring a different perspective to a somewhat tired genre and the result has been some of his most dynamic and successful paintings to date. Using the mountains and coastline of North Carolina as inspiration, Kirk creates meticulously detailed renderings that are alive with vibrant light and deep shadows. The success of these paintings was recognized immediately by the owner of Blowing Rock Gallery and Frameworks in Western NC, which began representing Kirk’s landscapes after only a quick glimpse of an online image. For his own purposes, Kirk relies heavily on the internet to attract most of his business, which includes commissions and the direct sale of art. To accomplish this he uses both a personal website that he designed and maintains; www.jerrykirk.com, which also serves as an online gallery, and his FaceBook Fan Page, titled ‘The Art of Jerry Lee Kirk’ "
- excerpt from the article 'Jerry Kirk: The Man Behind the Cover',
originally published in Rocks Entertainment Magazine, issue 11, 2010
To view KIrk's Career Biography and milestones click here
To read KIrk's interview with 'NoDa News' click here
To read Kirk's online Q&A with 'WeirdCharlotte.com, click here
ARTIST'S STATEMENT
"Expressionist in style, my art is an attempt to depict both the natural world and the human condition at their most intimate level. As an acute observer of life in all its aspects, my art is influenced not only by nature but all forms of pop culture, from books to movies to cartoon animation. The themes and ideas of the great Norwegian painter Edvard Munch have also been a major influence, his exploration of the human psyche laying the groundwork for the kinds of ideas that I seek to pursue. These influences are then filtered through my own unconventional life experiences to produce the unique styles in which I work.Each individual piece of art that I create takes off from a narrative perspective or an idea that often stems from my own photography or writing. My tendency is to paint in a series of related pieces until the idea that I am pursuing is fully explored. There are instances, however, when a statement can be made with one strong piece.My primary medium is acrylic paint, although occasionally I will use oil. I mostly like acrylic for the quick drying time because I paint in layers and don’t want the process interrupted by having to wait for paint to dry. I turn to oil when working on a piece that requires a more intricate use of color blends. I paint on both canvas and wood panels; with my preference often leaning towards wood because I like that the surface doesn’t bend or ‘give’ against my brush. I tend to work in many different visual styles, as reflected in my broad range of influences. Also, the subject matter that I delve into varies, from social-political commentary to landscapes to figurative. No matter what the subject matter, the work remains recognizable as a part of me because of the thematic and expressionistic aspects that I bring. Ultimately my art is about conveying personal concerns and ideas in regards to the world around me, most specifically the spirituality and beauty that I find in nature, political intrigue, social observances and the complexity of human emotions. It is important for me that my art connect with the viewer through shared understanding and experiences. I desire for my art to be meaningful, accessible and relevant without reliance on the facile or merely decorative."
- Jerry Lee Kirk, 2010
"Because I'm such a Pop Culture Junkie and because it influences much of my work, here are links to my own personal top ten lists":
FAVORITE MUSIC • FAVORITE MOVIES • FAVORITE BOOKS • FAVORITE ART
KIRK'S BLOG: 'SANCTUARY ART'
