BIOGRAPHY
Ocean-minded artist Nathan Paul Gibbs was born in Washington State on the Kitsap Peninsula, and raised from 13 on, in North East Florida where he picked up surfing. The water has always been a strong influence in his life, and therefore transfers into his art. Since 1999 he lives and works on his art career in South Orange County and abroad. Nathan has created art work internationally in Fiji, Bora Bora, Moorea, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, Hawaii and Australia. Self taught, he is influenced by Pollock, Van Gough, Cezanne, and others.
In addition, Nathan wrote and illustrated the acclaimed environmentally conscious story and art book, The Betrayal of Man. He recently released Define Art and Surf Vol. 1 which contains over 80 pieces of his favorite works and descriptions. He also founded and designs the line for the underground surf clothing company Define Surf. Nathan was awarded the 2007 1st Annual Earth Day “GAIA” Environmental Award for his constant efforts in providing philanthropic support to water related charities. “I can’t be at every beach clean up so this is the way I can give back to protect our number one resource.” His work has exhibited all over the US and Internationally. He has been featured in magazines such as Longboard, Alma Surf, Water, and others. Nathan’s work is featured in the permanent collection of the California Surf Museum and private collections all over the world.
He takes his paintings to a deeper level that invokes participation from the viewer with a visual, emotional, and cognitive experience that centers around the environment and water. Nathan begins the creative process at the resource gathering point. He specifically looks for the ideal wood grain in the panels he reclaims or gets new.
ARTIST STATEMENT
My art revolves around, transcends, and invokes a sense of wonder within an ocean-nurtured lifestyle. Through the exploration of water landscapes, peoples faces and rural images, I free the boundaries of their realistic attributes. I open the dream-like qualities of moments revisited, thoughts recognized, and landscapes explored. Much of my work reveals the relationships between energy, water, life and emotion. I take my paintings to a deep level that invokes participation from the viewer with a visual, emotional, and cognitive experience.
