Gerald Walker Great Works

 

Gerald Walker was born in Iowa City, IA on October 28, 1951. In 1978, after a tour of duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO with a B.A. in Fine arts. Since then, he has supported himself by accepting personal and institutional painting commissions, including a series of university presidential portraits for both Truman State University and the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as three murals for the city of Kirksville and numerous other portraits and landscape work, some of which are sold in a gallery in Rogers, AK.

Gerald's influences are as eclectic as his body of work. Rembrandt, the Impressionists, and the Brandywyne school of illustration are mainstream influences. Science fantasy artists who influenced his work include Frank Frazetta, Kelly Freas, John Schoenherr, and Michael Whelan. Gerald grew up immersed in DC's Silver Age comics and maintains a large comic collection to this day. As expected, the comic artists of the time stimulated his artistic growth. The chief comic art influences include Alex Toth, Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, Joe Kubert, Jack Kirby, Al Williamson, and Wally Wood. Gerald believes that, while Dick Sprang had an almost folk art approach to his craft, he captured the mystique of Batman as well as anyone. He currently admires Mike Mignola's work.

Gerald states: "My work is literal and, at times, symbolic, conscious of composition and design - yet what I find the most challenging and interesting is conveying the visionary and abstract. Science fiction, fantasy, and comics are rife with these qualities and this imagery fascinates me."

Jim Steranko recently took time out of his busy schedule to view Gerald’s work at the 2004 Royalfest Comic Convention in St. Louis. He was impressed with his confident use of color, knowledge of anatomy, and ability to convey spacial depth despite Gerald’s tendency towards a darker pallet. Bill Tucci, creator of Shi, was visibly thrilled by Gerald’s paintings.

Gerald Walker's paintings are stunning moments in time that effortlessly engage the viewer. When you look at one of his images, you're swept away in a vibrant sea of color which conveys a much larger story and fills you with a sense of anticipation that is rarely found in the work of many contemporary artists.

Click on the images below to enlarge