Bill Van Siclen, Providence Journal Critic
Since leaving the Art Institute of Boston, the task of striving to develop an authentic artistic voice was thrust upon me as I found myself given the unlikely opportunity of illustrating a number of Limited Edition horror novels by the likes of Stephen King, Peter Straub, F. Paul Wilson, David Morrell, Dean Koontz and others. So I felt a great need to rise to these occasions by providing effectively realistic portrayals of scenes selected by me from the manuscripts I received from various publishers down through the years.
Although I’ve been asked to produce paintings for more recent projects, I’m more known for my pencil work. Style wise, I feel that given the nature of a genre that often involves the supernatural, a highly representational style seems most appropriate, allowing for a more effective suspension of disbelief. This way the integrity of the story (the idea) remains intact while the artwork helps enhance the impact of that captured moment within the narrative.
As to the medium, I have found that the blending of graphite (which possesses an inherent softness) with a disturbing narrative often makes for an eerily striking, unusually beautiful aesthetic.
My other interest has been music. I have enjoying playing single-string lead guitar with a number of local musicians and look forward to pursuing music in general more seriously.
Yours furtively,
Steve Gervais
You can contact me by e-mail: sgervais53@gmail.com
