Gary W. Hinsche

 

Artist Statement

Creativity is an imperative. To say that I understand creativity would be a gross understatement. What I have come to except is that I don't have to understand creativity to be fully engaged in my creative process, I simply have to believe in my creativity and give-up my perceived control over it. The designer in me fights with the creative freedom that also lives with in. Learning to let go of the designer allows my work to come alive in ways that I can't explain...but I can see it. I can feel it. It's visceral and real. It's my truth, not influenced by external forces in my life.

In order for any work to have value beyond decoration it has to be intellectually or spiritually rooted in an idea that transcends the expected. Art needs to expand the way WE view the world or at least it needs to challenge the obvious and engage the viewer. It's the responsibility of an artist to create a visual bridge between reality and perception. In other words, ART has to change or affect the visual narrative. Challenging realty, interpreting reality and presenting reality differently.

I have been blessed with great hand skills and I have spent years perfecting my own hard-edge painting techniques, to the point that I have complete control and confidence in my ability as a hard-edge painter. So, I have nurtured my craft...a skill.

That's all it is.

Bio

I studied art and design at Santa Monica College, Art Center College of Design and the California State University, Long Beach before joining the legendary design firm of Robert Miles Runyan and Associates in 1968. Runyan had a profound influence on my life. He was a mentor, a partner and a dear friend for more than forty years. I purchased his firm in 1986 and set out to expand and build on its reputation. In 1995 I changed the name to Point Zero Design as Runyan’s roll was changing.

I feel fortunate to have worked with some of the world’s most prestigious brands and events, including the 1984 Olympics, the 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Teledyne, Vaurnet France, Beckman Coulter, Sutter Health, Vitas, and the National Holocaust Museum.

 My Design, my art has always been grounded in that conceptual, minimalist space. First influenced by my relationship with Craig Ellwood, one of the celebrated case study architects in the early 50’s/60’s in LA, later working with Jon Jerde, the architect and master mind behind the 1984 Olympics and finally having the opportunity to work with Frank Gehry, who considers himself an artist first, on several projects has had a profound impact on my art.

 My work has been honored with gold medals from the New York and Los Angeles Art Directors Clubs, AIGA, the Mead Annual Report Show, and has been featured in Print magazine, Graphis, and (CA) Communications Arts magazine. I have served as the president of the Los Angeles Art Directors Club, sat on the Advisory Board of AIGA/LA and taught for 7 years at the Art Center College of Design.

 My work has been exhibited in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton.