Drew Gentle

All my imagery, be it in a drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, clay, or wax springs from a desire to connect to the humanity in all of us; to reach thought the feelings of isolation, loneliness, and to make contact with that which makes us human.
They are fleeting, always illusive images of the inner psychic make-up… of people turned inside out, with their internal mix on display, and somewhat less of what we physically look like on the outside.
For me, the challenge of finding the visual vocabulary to express this is my goal. To display the multiple emotions - good, bad or otherwise. With the full array of fears, foibles, joys, And vanities as well as the self-deceits, passions, and strengths in an individual persona. Then, to be able to reproduce it in a non-judgmental but truly empathetic way is what I strive to do.

Drew Gentle was born in Los Angeles, California in 1947. His parents, both artists in the animation industry, provided a rich and nurturing environment for their artistically precocious son.

In 1965, after graduating from high school, Drew went to work as his fathers artist assistant at Hannah-Barbera studios. For the next 4 years he worked summers in animation and the rest of the year attending college at the Chouinard Art Institute (Now Cal Fine Arts), often called the “best art school in the country.. West of the Mississippi.” Drew received his Bachelor of Fine arts degree in 1969.
Early on Drew aspired to a career in fine arts, but at 21 years of age ,
with a budding career in animation, marriage, and children he stayed with animation in order to support his family.
Over the course of the next 40 years he developed a remarkable career as a multi-skilled animation artist working continually at one stupid while freelance working at 2 or 3 other studios as well. Drew became known as a top echelon conceptual designer, working from a script to create the “look” of new shows, and was in constant demand for theatrical animated movies, direct to video features, and television shows. A short list of credits range from The Flintstones, Batman, Scooby-Doo, Bugs Bunny, The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, Johnny Quest, The Land Before Time, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and many others as well as animated feature versions of King Kong, The King And I, and the Care Bears feature.
During this time, Drew’s desire and passion to do fine are only for stronger and passion to do fine art only got stronger and found frequent expression for his own pleasure and sanity. While working for animation studios, Drew did his personal work of abstracted figurative personas, and kept hundreds of these drawings in note books. Years later this troe of drawings would form the basis for his long and large print series. He also produces painting and sculptures. He occasionally sold some pieces and did several gallery shows.
After a 44 year career in animation that officially ended in the Spring of 2009, he has been able to return to his original passion and creative impulse of creating fine art. Drew says, “I had a full and wonderfully rewarding career in in animation, something I can feel very good about. But by the time it ended I was more than ready to do so.. And I has a serious itch to do my own art.”
Drew and his wife Sara moved happily to Eureka Springs, Arkansas in the summer of 2007 and are now enjoying the beauty of the Ozark Mountains, while Drew paints, and sculpts to his hearts content.

Image Catchers Group Show
Jacqueline Anhalt Galley Los Angeles

Red Herrings Group Show
Biola College Los Angeles

New Drawings Group Show
Ventura College Ventura California

Downtown Gallery
New vision Group Show Los Angeles