Joan Gerigk

I love puzzles, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles. I love all of it and that is one of the reasons I think that I love painting. Painting is a puzzle whereby you must resolve one problem before you can go on and tackle the next. Then there is always the hope that at the end of this struggle there will be a successful conclusion. I find this process of problem solving very challenging and satisfying.
Of course, this is only one reason that I am drawn to painting. I also like the challenge of trying to convey beauty and emotion. The subject matter of my paintings can be quirky or sentimental depending on what has intrigued me about the subject matter. I tend to be more emotionally driven in my approach to painting. I hope that my paintings stimulate the viewer to see life from a different perspective.
I believe my career began with “Paint by Numbers” when I was in grade school. After completing the Last Supper, I thought I was a bona fide artist. However, I only sporadically dabbled in the Arts until much later in life when I began painting. I painted water colors and became a mural artist for a while. In 2010, I took an oil painting class in Petoskey and began to paint in oils. I find that painting is the most relaxing and satisfying thing one can do.