Currently living and painting in the beautiful Yarra Valley, Melbourne, Australia, the artist Gary Marshall was born and raised in rural South Africa. He qualified and was employed as an architectural and civil engineering draughtsman while nurturing the infancy of an art career, part time.
Selling his first pastel landscape to an art dealer in Pretoria, at age 20, was a pivotal moment, a validation that he could produce desirable art.
During his early 20’s , he studied portrait and landscape art under the direction of South African artist Christoff Naudé.
On becoming more adventurous, and developing a love of contemporary art, he studied the art of, and was tutored by the renowned contemporary artist Frans Claerhout.
At that time, he was supplying art to a single art dealer, but decided it was an opportune time to paint, frame and sell independently.
At age 27 he did a course in custom framing, subsequently setting up his own professional art studio, gallery and framing studio, in Virginia, South Africa, which operated very successfully, until immigrating to Australia.
He has continued pursuing his interests in painting. His style changes as his curiosity leads him, but usually lands on contemporary art, acrylic on canvas. Subject matter shifts between portraits, landscapes, architecture, and abstract, often overlapping different styles.
His motto is simple: If your art grabs the attention of a stranger and evokes a reaction, it was worth the effort.