GFE: Your current exhibition,“Untitled,” at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art gives viewers an experience with color. Instead of blending colors, you use layering techniques to produce the color the viewer experiences. How did your path as an artist lead you to learning these techniques? What do you like about this art form?
Photo credit: Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art
Stocking: I do fairly minimal mixing of actual paint. It's actually optical mixing, so your eye sees all of those layers come up to create a color. My path to this style really began at the University of Montana. One project required us to copy a painting from a Renaissance artist – I chose a Caravaggio painting. Those artists used oil paint and thin glazes to build layers, creating the color and texture. It was fascinating to me, and I wanted to bring that technique into contemporary art. I spent six months studying in Italy, which deepened my interest. From there, it just evolved into what you see today.
GFE: Can you share with us a time in your life when you had a memorable experience with color, whether it was an impressionable experience in nature or perhaps a core memory from your childhood?
Stocking: I can’t pinpoint one exact moment, but I have vivid memories from childhood related to color. My bike was this dark blue, and my first car, a ’65 Mustang, had a kind of faded rusty orange. My mom, a shoe collector, also had these maroonish red penny loafers that stand out in my memory. I’m also someone who rushes out to see the sunset or sunrise.
I'm fascinated by the colors that can be produced in nature, you know, the colors that flowers or fruit can have, even animals, it's amazing. Those moments with nature stick with me too.
GFE: How do you see color influencing the way we see the world around us? Can you give a few examples?
Stocking: Everyone experiences color differently. For example, one of my paintings is red and yellow, and it might remind someone of a hot dog, while to me, it made me think of Winnie the Pooh! I think that's one takeaway from my work – that we each see color uniquely. The memories or feelings one person gets from a painting can be entirely different for someone else. It’s about the viewer’s personal associations with the colors they see, and what they evoke.
GFE: How does being the Chief Collections & Exhibitions Officer at the C.M. Russell Museum influence or inspire your work?
Stocking: Seeing art every day definitely inspires me. While Charlie Russell’s work is very different from mine, I’m blown away by his use of color and technique. It influences how I think about color in my own work. Even though my art is contemporary, the use of color is something I draw from when I look at Russell’s paintings.
GFE: What does the perfect day in Great Falls look like for you from waking up to going to sleep?
Stocking: My perfect day would start early, maybe with some fishing on the Missouri River with my son. Great Falls is known for world-class fishing, so we’d spend the morning doing that. Then, I’d come back, have a barbecue with the family, and watch a movie. I’m a night owl, so after everyone goes to bed, I’d head out to my garage studio to paint. That late window between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. is my sweet spot for creativity. It’s the perfect way to end the day.
GFE: What is one place in the world that you would like to visit to collect inspiration for your work back here in Great Falls?
Stocking: San Diego is one of my favorite places. There’s just something about the vibe there – it’s relaxed, and there’s this vibrant Latin American influence, which brings a lot of color. Sitting on the beach, watching the sun drop behind the ocean’s horizon, those colors change every day. That’s incredibly inspiring, and I’d love to bring some of that back into my work.
“Untitled: Works by Geoffrey Stocking” is on display at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art through Sept. 18. What will his rich and vibrant colors evoke in your personal memories or life experiences? Go with a friend and share what you see!
