Rick Gentile, Artist ~ Painter, Sculptor, Wood Carver, Fine Furniture Creator ~

During the 1970's and 1980's I concentrated on designing and building fine furniture and wood and stone carving. I showed my work in galleries New York City, East Hampton and in Orange County, N.Y. Much of my time was spent on creating commissioned pieces. My carved mahogany bed, "The Heavenly Attendants", was featured in Fine Woodworking's annual design  book and also used by Richard Butz in his book, "How To Carve Wood", as an example of asymmetrical design. From 1990 to the present I have studied and painted mainly with oils on canvas. I have explored many different "styles", techniques and subject matter, honing my skills in landscapes, portraits and still lifes, both realistic and abstract. For me, the act of creating art is the closest thing to true meditation. I feel that I can become one with the work, concentrating on nothing else, being fully involved. Moving the paint around when blending and applying colors to the canvas is a true expression of emotion. The act of painting remains a joyful experience.