Artist Bio-
Danella Gerish grew up in Fullerton, California with a passion for art at a young age. In May 2021, she received her Bachelors of Fine Arts with a focus in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Gerish, the surrealist painter, has worked with a number of different mediums, however, her medium of choice is oil on canvas. Gerish’s use of insects in her work is inspired by the way people treat themselves and their environment.
Participating in the Atlanta art community for almost three years, Danella has been grateful for the shows she has been able to participate in. One of the most impactful exhibitions her work was a part of was the RAW artist Arise group show. As an emerging artist this show was a wonderful opportunity to exhibit her work and meet artists who she would have never come across.
In October 2022, she participated in Artist Forum, a visual market place located in Atlanta, GA. As she continues to build her portfolio, Danella Gerish plans to proceed her career through international residencies and exhibitions.
Artist Statement
One of my main goals when creating my work is to change an individual's perspective on their environmental impact. Using traditional artist techniques, my pieces mainly include the use of oil paint on canvas. Often expressing thoughts of disgust in my work through the use of surreal imagery and symbolic insects, I emphasize the duality of disgust and comfort.
A vibrant color palette tends to have a powerful and emotional impact on my subjects. These subjects are typically portraits that discuss the way people treat themselves and the environment around them. Using emotions that are connected to our environmental impact such as ignorance is a common occurrence in my work. The self portrait that incorporates a larvae in my mouth titled Heads or Tails, spotlights ignorance in its meaning. Whether it is by the head or by the tail the human race will still have to taste the sad reality of their impact on the environment they live in.
The imagery in my work focuses on the duality of disgust and comfort. Combining personal everyday challenges to current global issues is the basis of my ideas. Popular surreal artists, human anatomy and the unique forms of insects have all greatly influenced my work visually.
Artist Resume
