The Fishers Arts Council (FAC) artist for the month of January is Jerry Mannell – two-time winner of FAC’s Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists “Best in Show” award. One of the prizes for “Best in Show” is a solo exhibit in the gallery, and Mannell shares his best work with FAC this month.
The exhibit “Free Associations” is on display at the Art Gallery at City Hall located in the Fishers Municipal Center, 1 Municipal Drive, now through Jan. 31, excluding holidays, and can be viewed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at the Second Friday free public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10.
Mannell said he became interested in art because while he was in high school, people recognized that he possessed talent, and that made him pursue art because it pleased him to do so.
That pursuit led to a commitment to being a fine arts major in college. He also had recognition in literature, particularly in college, and his interest in books and ideas gave him insights into questions about life and human nature.
“When I began to look at art in that context … it added more meaning to what otherwise would have been just decorative,” Mannell said.
Photo provided
Here’s how Jerry describes his painting process:
“I do oil on canvas almost exclusively,” he said. “I start with a very small pencil sketch concentrating on composition and contrast. I transfer that sketch to a canvas and possibilities emerge defining content and color … I keep ambiguity alive by suggesting meaning without actually defining it.”
Mannell said he prefers to paint a composition that is primarily abstract, and then he likes to add images that will invite the viewer to add his or her own interpretation to the piece. He says that process “entails creativity … and that’s integral to good art.”
He says the easiest part of his creating art is the initial pencil sketch he does. He has a sketch book full of possibilities. He admits, however, to having a whole collection of paintings that have not worked out for him. He says the most difficult part is trying to pull it all together at the end.
“Sometimes just a change of color or an emphasis on an element will do the trick,” he said. “Getting there can be challenging, but this part of the creative process is also the most fun.”
When asked how he preferred to market and sell his work, Mannell had this to say:
“The Noblesville and Fishers communities have been helpful,” he said. “To the extent my work is a little different, I still sometimes struggle for an audience. Although I’ve been in group shows around Indy and in Muncie and Anderson for many years, I eventually opted to further my craft to the point where I’m personally satisfied with a specific body of work. That body of work is what I’m pushing now, and I’m planning on a digital portfolio to introduce myself to galleries I might fit into.”
Join FAC for its free all-ages monthly celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. on Second Friday, Jan. 10 at the Art Gallery at City Hall in Fishers. Enjoy live music from Elizabeth Lee Music, art that pulls you, refreshments, and the Focus on the Artist programming at 6:45 p.m. Board member Pat Grabill will interview Mannell in the Fishers Municipal Center Theater.
Lee’s performance is funded through a partnership with the City of Fishers.
About the Fishers Arts Council
Fishers Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization whose mission is to support, advocate, and cultivate visual and performing arts opportunities that educate and/or enhance the lives of those who live, work, and visit Fishers. Visit the brand-new gallery space inside Fishers Municipal Center at 1 Municipal Drive. FAC also maintains the FAC Hub Gallery at the Collaboration Hub at Hamilton County Community Foundation, 11810 Technology Drive, Fishers. Check out FishersArtsCouncil.org or call (317) 537-1670 for more information.