About Us
By Gayle
Early in my life, focusing on drawing pictures or doing craft projects was very relaxing and satisfying. The concentration I needed to do the work would act like a meditation of sorts and take me away from the world around me to that special creative place in my head and heart. At a very young age the pictures would appear to look back from the paper. Through the years I would always find myself doodling. As a youngster at school all of my book covers were major works of art, cartoons or horses. My high school senior English teacher would challenge each student looking for the key to unlock their writing and speaking abilities. He would call me "Gayle (gale) force winds". He wanted me to be more verbal and expressive in my writing. Gale force winds has become By Gayle as my business name. The horse at the left with his head down and strong wind blowing are my image of gale force winds and are the business logo. I entered college intent on getting some sort of a degree in art but unfortunately was never able to attend an art class. My last name put me at the end of the class sign up lists. Just when I would have had been at the beginning of the list, I married. The new last name was again at the end of the list for class registration.
Later when our autistic daughter was born, most of my creative side was put on hold for the next twenty years. With four children I created quilts, flower gardens and decorated my home. I designed several items that I manufactured at home and sold, and did custom sewing for others. My children were the ones with doodled book covers and blue jeans with ink designs drawn on them. I encouraged the expression and creative sides hoping it would help them find the creative peace. Morgan Tartakoff now works with pastels, wood burning, pottery, fabric clothing and toys and forged metal and has reduction wood prints available on Etsy.com. Alex Glinski works in print making, charcoal, and copper jewelry and wood burning. She also works in metal sculpting and different paint mediums.. All three of us work with henna body art. In 2000 my handicapped daughter moved into a group home and I found again the time needed for that creative expression.
I am self-taught with special interest in textures and color, and light and dark contrast. The emotions and expressions showing individual personality of the people and animals are of special interest to me. Since our autistic daughter has no speech there was a need to really learn to read her facial expressions to understand what her needs were. My husband's father had strokes before I knew him and he, too, lacked the ability to communicate verbally. He was a master of facial expressions.
I create my pictures from photos and from real life. I am constantly seeing the world from "art" eyes taking note of texture and color and balance. The world even on the grayest of days has a very magnificent beauty. I find nature awe inspiring. I find sunsets breathtaking. I find all of life very wonderful, and an experience for the senses. I enjoy capturing portions of that to share with others. Just an expression or texture is so worthy of saving and experiencing over and over in art.
Through the years I have lived with many animals and have seen animated expressions that can speak for themselves, as most animal owners will verify. I feel a close connection to animals and really enjoy putting their personalities on canvas.
In our society with so many things available at the push of a button and with photography in an instant, it would be easy to ignore this type of art. I feel that the meditative quality, the peace and calm achieved through the concentration are truly side benefits that I receive. Others can enjoy my art while I enjoy the peace that the creative process brings to me.