CHRIS GWALTNEY (Suggested for Stage Six: Mastery)
Chris Gwaltney is an expressive painter based in one of his 3 studios, two in Southern California and one in Montana. His full life, with kids and grandkids, makes these multiple locations cater to both his family life and art practice. Family narratives even carry through to his work. He speaks openly about his active practice — how different locations affect his work and the demands of multiple gallerists. Yet his work consistently moves effortlessly from figurative to abstract and back again with an accessible, raw lusciousness.