Exhibitions, Galleries, Awards and Collections
o Motifs in Time, Mississippi Artists Invitational, Walter Anderson Museum, Ocean Springs, Mississippi
o ArtWave, Mississippi Gulf Coast
o St. Andrew’s Alumni Art Show, Dorothy Davis Gallery of the Center for Performing Arts on the St. Andrew's North Campus, Ridgeland, Mississippi
o George Ohr Festival of Arts, Juried Area, Biloxi, Mississippi
o Ocean Springs Art Association Juried Compitition, Ocean Springs, Mississippi
o Peter Anderson Festival, Ocean Springs, Mississippi
o For Love of Art Gallery and Studio, Biloxi, Mississippi
o George Orh Museum, Biloxi, Mississippi
o Thirteenth Street Gallery, Gulfport, Mississippi (destroyed 2005)
o Purple Snapper, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (destroyed 2005)
o Biloxi Art Association, Festival of Arts, Best in Show, Fine Craft Winner, 2004
o Traveling Exhibition, American Wind Symphony Orchestra, aboard the Point Counterpoint II
o Hancock bank collection, Mississippi Gulf Coast
o Nelson Collection, Pass Christian, Mississippi (lost in 2005)
o St. Andrew’s Lower School Atrium, Jackson, Mississippi
o Casey Elementary School, Jackson, Mississippi
Professional Affiliations and Projects
- Board of Directors, Biloxi Art Association, 2004 - present
- Demonstrating Cutting technique at festivals
Currently rebuilding studio in wake of Hurricane Katrina; helping fellow artists connect to funding opportunities through the Biloxi Art Association; repair and recover artworks damaged in the storm.
Education
- BS Management Information Systems, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama
- Three years of training in welding and metal working with emphasis upon cutting using various methods and types of metal, Hinds Junior College, Adult Education Program, Raymond, Mississippi
- Various college level art course work
Biography
Gail has been cutting and welding steel sculptures for about 15 years, in spite of earning a business degree from the University of South Alabama. She developed her cutting skills at a local junior college.
“It was the best piece of advice I ever followed,” speaking of her mother’s encouragement.
She creates an eclectic group of characters ranging from whimsical creatures to modern interpretations of primitive art. She fondly refers to her work as contemporary-primitive metal sculpture.
Her work gathers elements from the ancient cultures of the world, including Native American, African, Chinese and Celtic; mix vigorously with a fascination for symbols and a fondness for the sea, and the result is a menagerie of brightly colored and intricately painted pieces. Each one is unique. Gail refers to the steel figures she cuts as a canvas, creating a one of a kind painting upon each. Some develop in to multimedia works with the addition of pottery, gourds, glass, feathers or beads.
Currently, Gail is recovering from damage done to her home and studio by hurricane Katrina, August 29, 2005. While not sustaining as much damage as many, the road to recovery will be a long one. She characterizes her work as kindred to life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, post Katrina. She sees her style and method becoming a more integral part of art on the coast. “While my work is very durable, but it took a hit… a big hit, from Katrina; and, while some pieces were lost forever, those that did survive, though damaged, will be repaired, and repainted, better, and more beautiful than ever. I can’t think of a better forecast for the future on the coast than that”.
Her immediate focus is on repairing and refinishing work that was damaged in her studio or recovered from destroyed galleries, as well as those pieces collectors can return to her. Creating completely new work is on hold until damaged equipment can be replaced. “I’ve got plenty to do”, she says, “I can finally finish some old forgotten friends”.
