"It Happens at Midnight" Harrison Gilman Contemporary Abstract Mixed Media Painting

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I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. In 2018, I graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with … Read more I was born and raised in Santa Barbara. In 2018, I graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Filmmaking. My sophomore year, I took LSD and ran the New York Marathon. I began painting after that. I was soon accepted into my first group show and received my first commission request. I committed to becoming a painter.

My work was first displayed in the 2018 We Rise Art Fair in Los Angeles. The show was put on by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder earlier that year, I decided to apply. I was accepted and my work was shown alongside Shepard Fairey and a group of prominent LA Artists. My first solo show was in 2019 at Galerie Tangerine in Nashville, TN. Since then, I have had two solo shows and various group shows, as well as a series of live painting events.

My paintings are conjured from my subconcious. They begin with a trance-like state of gestural abstraction. Some paintings remain in this stage, while for others, it is a foundation from which I can extract a composition. I pull out these shapes, symbols, and characters that I believe to be representations of myself and my psyche . Often combining the abstract and the real, my style lends itself to street art, cubism, mythology, primitive art, and cartoons.

Painting is the means in which I document and analyze my thoughts, emotions, and memories. It’s my life force. I hope my work allows you to have a similarly introspective yet life-affirming experience. See less