American
Lives and works in Hutchinson, Minnesota and Texas
curtisgander.com

Curtis Gander is recognized for his en plein air oil paintings of outdoor scenes. Paintings by Gander are usually normal in size and constructed of loose, economical brushstrokes that are intended to stimulate the viewer’s emotional impressions of a scene. 

A unique series of miniature oil paintings depict people viewing works of art at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. The subject matter is engaging for two reasons. It is natural to imagine what Gander’s painted viewer is thinking, but there is also a symbiotic relationship of Gander’s live viewer looking at a painting of a person looking at a painting. In many of these works there is a reciprocal theme whereby the figure viewing a painting relates to that painting in a particular way, perhaps in clothing, or mood or character.

As an artist, Curtis Gander continually experiments with various techniques, styles and subject matter. He states, Painting miniatures was a new endeavor – I felt the small scale lent itself to the intimate nature of this series. Dimensions of each painting in the series are less than twelve inches.

I enjoy creating oil paintings that capture the inherent authenticity and quiet character in the non-idealized, familiar scenes that we encounter every day. My method often employs loose brushwork that results in fresh and lively representations. I have had several solo and guest exhibits in the Upper Midwest where I resided until my recent move to Texas. I was recently asked by the city of Denison Texas to display a body of my work at the City Hall. My paintings are owned by individuals and dealers across the country. My "Viewing the Viewer" miniatures are represented at Douglas Flanders & Associates gallery in Edina Minnesota and my works are also represented at the new Denison Art Gallery in Texas. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in art from Gustavus Adolphus College and did Masters study at the University of Wisconsin.