b. Pacific Northwest

Gregory is an abstract artist based in Omaha and Los Angeles. His work explores the rhythm of movement and space, creating compositions that bring energy and depth to their surroundings.

ARTIST STATEMENT‍ ‍

I make art to transform how a space feels. Ultimately, I want to walk into a room and make it better—more welcoming, more interesting, and a place where people want to linger. The desire to create that kind of environment is the foundation of my work.

I used to think the creative process had to be a struggle. Philip Guston, an artist I frequently revisit, shared a similar view: that frustration drives work forward, and that painting is less about picturing something than taking hold of it. While I still believe in that resistance, I now view it more practically. Constraints matter to me—the size of a wall, the light in a room, or the limits of a material. Instead of obstacles to suffer through, I see them as useful boundaries that give the work a shape to grow into.

What matters most to me is the effect a piece has once it is in a space. Guston described painting as a kind of trick, where what you look at isn't exactly what you see. I believe that applies to a room as well. A painting can quietly change the atmosphere of an entire space without anyone being able to point to exactly why. Whether the process was difficult or whether I can explain it well matters less than the final impact—whether someone walks in and feels it. That is the only true test of the work.

PROCESS

I approach each piece as a dynamic conversation between control and chaos. Texture, movement, and layers emerge through an intuitive process of building and breaking down, adding and erasing. I work with acrylic paint and mixed media, often repurposing canvases and materials to introduce new constraints and challenges. Each painting evolves through a series of deliberate disruptions—scraping away sections, obscuring previous layers, and responding to unexpected shifts in composition.

The tension between intention and spontaneity fuels my creativity, allowing the work to achieve a sense of balance. In the end, it’s the struggle itself that makes the final piece feel whole—where frustration transforms into resolution, and constraint becomes freedom.

Outside the studio, Gregory finds inspiration in travel, the ever-changing world around him, and the craft of perfecting his Detroit-style pizza—a pursuit of balance in both art and life.