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PHILOSOPHY
Ever since I could hold a crayon I’ve been creating art. Whether
it’s illustrative, animated, sculptural or panel mosaics, the inspiration to create is an integral part of my life.
After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts as a Walt Disney Fellowship Scholar in 1980, I
worked in animation production for various studios such as Hanna-Barbera Productions and Walt Disney Pictures. Eventually
I started my own studio producing animation for television commercials and interactive educational products such as Microsoft
Explorapedia, The Learning Company's Reader Rabbit series as well as Peter Rabbit’s Math Garden. In 2003 I worked
with the Children’s Dog Bite Prevention Task Force to produce a safety video "Bow Wow 'Ow!" teaching children ways to be safe around dogs that was funded by the Nevada Department of Agriculture and State Farm Insurance
Companies. Distribution to all Nevada elementary schools for use in educational programs and sale to at least 27 other
areas including the Galapagos Islands and the U. S. Military for use in Iraq show results of a successful ongoing distribution
program.
Always exploring new horizons and challenges, in 2002 I began to turn my artistic energies to create concrete
sculptural and panel mosaic works. In 2008 my sculptural mosaic park installation ‘Call of the Panther’
was chosen for a Juror’s Choice Award in the Society of American Mosaic Artists – Mosaic Arts International show.
As a mosaic artist and a concrete sculptor, I seek not only artistic excitement but also new angles of problem solving to
tackle with every sculpture or mosaic. Public art in particular has been the focus for my creative energies. Funding
from Nevada Arts Council, Sierra Arts Foundation, Nevada Community Foundation, a Ward One Neighborhood Advisory Board Grant
and a City of Reno Challenge Grant have all supported my explorations and funded the creation of commissioned works.
My work in sustainable mediums of concrete, stone, glass and glazed materials is designed to accentuate and celebrate the
sense of place in each site. I love public artwork - coming across it in every day life is like finding a jewel wherever
the work is installed. One can be going along and be stopped in their tracks by these inspiring finds. As an artist,
the opportunity to create these jewels for discovery is a delight.
I enjoy the organic flow of letting the
materials inform my initial vision with new directions to discover along the way. Sometimes colors offer new insights, or
shapes can reveal new dimensions I need to explore. When I’m sure I’ve reached my creative destination, I then
move the completed sculpture / mosaics to the site for final installation. This method allows me to meet the goal of as little
disruption of public access to the site as possible.
Each piece I create is unique and specifically designed with
relevance to its site. The materials I work in - concrete, stone, tile and glass - are wonderful mediums for most any
site. Bright, durable and touchable, they retain their new look for many years to come. The general maintenance
for my mosaic materials are much the same as for any tile surface. A simple wipe down will do. Installed public
art should be a joy to behold, not a headache to maintain.
Over the past 34 years my artistry includes numerous
mediums that required teamwork, planning, staying within a budget and meeting deadlines. To me, the focus of creating
public art offers the wonderful opportunity to create artwork that is totally selfish and selfless at the same time.
I get to enjoy creating and my audience gets to enjoy the results. The challenges, constraints and requirements for
public art projects add an additional positive growth experience for me as an artist and problem solver. It’s
one of the most win/win situations I’ve ever experienced as an artist. More!
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Gay – Public Artist
CURRICULUM VITAE
My professional work history and background includes projects in the medium
of concrete sculpture and tile mosaics as well as illustration, design, video and animation production. All of these
mediums involve creativity and teamwork along with problem solving skills and budget management. My professional responsibilities
have included project management while also answering creative challenges and meeting specifications and deadlines.
I have successfully been responsible for managing budgets of up to $260,000 and overseeing teams of up to 7 artists on working
on projects either of my design or on those of designs provided by my clients.
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Fine Arts
- California Institute of the Arts
HONORS:
Walt Disney Fellowship Scholar (four years)
ADDITIONAL
EDUCATION:
“Hard Hat Workshop” – Professional Installation Techniques and Materials Training –
By: Eric Rattan
“Concrete Sculpture for Mosaic Artists” – By: Diana Durand
“A Lighter Base
for 3-D Mosaics” – By: Sherri Warner Hunter
“Large-Scale Outdoor Mosaic Workshop” – By:
Kim Emerson
“Tempered Glass Mosaics” – By: Ellen Blakeley
SELECTED INSTALLATIONS / COMMISSIONS:
2001 North Valleys High School – Biology Classroom Mural “Tropical Horizons”,
Medium:
Acrylic painting (6 walls)
2003 Verdi Community Library and Nature Center – Donor Wall “Verdi
Mule Deer”,
Medium: Stone tile mosaic and oak surround design
2004 Gunn Residence
– Driveway apron and patio concrete insets “Compass Sun” and “Blue Fish”, Medium: Glass
and glazed porcelain, granite
2005 City of Reno, Idlewild Park, Reno Municipal Rose Garden planter
facing “Rose Waterfall”, Medium: Glazed porcelain mosaic
2006 City of Reno, Downtown
RETRAC Project – Sculptural Seating Project “In The Chips”
Medium: Concrete
sculpture, glazed porcelain mosaics
2006 City of Reno, Panther Valley Park concrete/mosaic sculpture
“Call of the Panther”
Medium: Concrete sculpture, glazed porcelain and stone tile mosaic
2007
Washoe County Library, Main Branch – Sculpture Installation “Let Your Mind Soar – READ”
Medium: Concrete sculpture, glazed and stone tile, acrylic paint and glass.
2008 Veterans Guest
House, Reno Nevada – Mosaic Memorial Installation “American Eagle”
Medium:
Marble and granite tile. Funded in part by Sierra Arts Foundation Fellowship Grant
2008 Kuyima
Whale Site, San Ignacio Lagoon Baja California – Mosaic Installation “Baby Gray Whale”
Medium: Marble and granite tile. Funded in part by Sierra Arts Foundation Fellowship Grant
2009
State of Colorado - 9 Design Series of 36 Panels for Colorado Mental Health Institute Pueblo
Medium:
Glazed ceramic, porcelain, stone tile and glass.
2009 City of Reno, Idlewild Park Pond –
Mosaic Sculpture Recycled Art – “Rainbow Trout Tree”
EXHIBITIONS:
2002
Annual Art Slaves Show – Group exhibition, Part of Reno’s Artown
2003 - 2007 Art Slaves
Show – Group exhibition, Part of Reno’s Artown
2007 Sierra Arts Grant Artists Showcase
2008 Society of American Mosaic Artists – Mosaic Arts International Exhibit, Bakehouse Arts Complex
in Miami, Florida
GRANTS:
2003 Nevada Community Foundation – Children’s Dog
Bite Prevention Charitable Fund
Bow Wow “Ow!” – Video / Animation Production
2004 State Farm Companies Foundation – Children’s Online Activity Pages
2004
Nevada Arts Council – Jackpot Grant to attend “Concrete Sculpture for Mosaic Artists” workshop
2007
Nevada Arts Council – Jackpot Grant to attend Society of American Mosaic Artists Conference including
Concrete Sculpture and Large Art Installations Workshops
2007 Sierra Arts Foundation Fellowship Grant
2008 Neighborhood Advisory Board Community Pride Grant (Ward 1, Reno)
2009 Public
Art Challenge Grant (City of Reno)
AWARDS:
2008 Society of American Mosaic Artists – Mosaic
Arts International: Juror's Choice Award
“Call of the Panther” sculpture in Panther
Valley Park, Reno Nevada
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Society of American Mosaic Artists
Advertising Association
of Northern Nevada (Past President)
Reno Advertising Club (Past President)
Reno Women in Advertising
Reno High
Sierra 99s (Past Chairman)
Reno Pen Women
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (Charter Member)
COMPLIMENTARY
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:
ANIMATION PRODUCTION:
The Learning Company - Lead Animator, Producer
“Reader Rabbit”, “Oregon Trail”, “Starflyers
Adventures” CDROMs
MTV – Lead Animator, Producer
“Rude Cowz” Bumper
Mindscape - Lead Animator, Producer
“Peter Rabbit’s Math Garden” CD-ROM
CBS News - Lead Animator, Producer
“Space Squids” - ‘CBS This Morning’
Microsoft Corporation - Lead
Animator, Producer
“Explorapedia” CD-ROM Interactive
1105 Multi-Media Solutions - Producer
Government Technology Conference “1992 Interactive Floor Directory
“ Laser Disk
Phillips Sidewalk Studio - Animator
“The Crayon Factory” CDI Interactive
Walt Disney Studios – In-Betweener
“The Black Cauldron”
Filmation Studios – Assistant
Animator
“He-Man”,
“Top Cat”
Hanna Barbera Productions – Assistant Animator
“Scooby Doo”, “Casper”
ILLUSTRATION: Jimmy Buffett
Backstage Pass, Continental Airlines, Nissan, Westin Kauai Resorts, First Hawaiian Bank, others upon request.
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