About

Gregory Ferrand received a degree in film from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1997 and promptly headed off to Buenos Aires, Argentina to teach English to business people. While living there he kept an illustrated journal in which he experimented with different media and recorded his observations about the culture and people around him. In doing so, he came to understand two things about himself: 1). that he was a painter and 2). that he was fascinated by the subtext of human interactions. He returned to the States in early 2000 and began painting seriously.

Gregory pulls on influences as wide ranging as comics, Mexican muralists, and 1950's fashion to create paintings that reveal the beauty of living. His background in film is evident in the strong use of narrative he employs to tell stories about characters and situations that do, have, and will exist; gently unmasking the psychological or emotional state of the subject, inviting the viewer to share and/or identify.

Gregory is currently represented by the Adah Rose Gallery and Evoke Contemporary.

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Artist Statement

My paintings explore the disconnection and alienation we often feel despite (and sometimes because of) the close proximity in which we live to one and other.  

It is ironic that as innately social animals, we often struggle to feel connected with our friends, family, communities, society, and the greater world. To overcome this, we ignore our instincts and learned biases, hoping to make connections so we can reassure ourselves that we are not alone, that we share the same reality with someone else.

 But what is “reality?" What is “the truth?”

 These questions regarding the human experience have long informed my work. Instead of answering these questions, my paintings invite the viewer to enter the narrative, armed with their own understanding of the world, in order to have an authentic moment to share, identify with, and/or answer these questions themselves.

 In this day and age when it can feel impossible to understand how our neighbor could raise their children as they do, or behave as they do, or vote as they do, it is incumbent upon us to reflect on how the realities we construct make us different and also how, by just being human, we are the same.

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Solo Exhibitions

·        2017 – It IS You (and me too), Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2009 - La Vida Intensa, IA & A at Hillyer, Washington, DC

Group Exhibitions

·        2023 - Carte Blanche, Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2022 - Present, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM

·        2021 - Carte Blanche, Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2021 – Winter Group Exhibition, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM

·        2020 - Carte Blanche, Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2020 – Art Fair 14C, Adah Rose Gallery, Jersey City, NJ

·        2019 – Revelry, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM

·        2019 – Pulse Art Fair, Adah Rose Gallery, Miami Beach, FL

·        2019 – Superfine! (DC) Art Fair, Adah Rose Gallery, Washington, DC

·        2019 – Celestial Spaces, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM

·        2019 – Alley Cat, Brassworks Gallery, Portland OR

·        2019 – Scenic Overlook, Evoke Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM

·        2018 - Entitled, Third Floor, Washington, DC

·        2018 – Superfine! (DC) Art Fair, Adah Rose Gallery, Washington, DC

·        2018 - Beyond the Untold, WOW x WOW, curated by Tim Maclean

·        2018 - Extravagant Visions, Extraordinary Imaginings, Towson University's Center for the Arts Gallery, Towson, MD

·        2018 – Synergy, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, DC

·        2018 - WOW² (Volume II), WOW x WOW, curated by Tim Maclean

·        2018 – Alchemical Vessels: Our Common Thread, Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Center, Washington, DC

·        2018 – Artists Against Gun Violence, Third Floor, Washington, DC

·        2017 – Holiday Starkillers, Washington, DC

·        2017 – Carte Blanche, Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2017 – Artist Fellowship Exhibition, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, DC

·        2017 – Alchemical Vessels: The Night Journey, Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Center, Washington, DC

·        2017 – Emulsion, East City Arts at Pepco Edison Gallery, Washington, DC

·        2016 – Radical Color, Epicure, Fairfax, VA

·        2016 – Carte Blanche, Adah Rose Gallery, Kensington, MD

·        2016 – 1460 Wallmountables, DCAC, Washington, DC

·        2016 – Artist Fellowship Exhibition, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, DC

·        2016 – Cherry Blast, Art Whino, Washington, DC

·        2015 – Holiday Starkillers, Washington, DC

·        2015 – WPA’s Art Night, Washington Project for the Arts at Hickok Cole, Washington, DC

·        2015 – Artist Fellowship Exhibition, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington, DC

·        2015 – Countdown to Yuri’s Night, Artisphere, Arlington, VA

·        2014 – Countdown to Yuri’s Night, Anacostia Art Center, Washington, DC

·        2014 – Art Crimes, The Dunes, Washington, DC

·        2013 – 10th Annual Silent Auction, Transformer Gallery, Washington, DC

·        2013 – G40, Art Whino, Washington, DC

·        2013 – ArtRomp, Anacostia Art Center, Washington, DC

·        2013 - Small Stories, Emerson Gallery, McLean Project for the Arts, McLean, VA

Speaking Engagements

·       2019 – Guest Lecturer, Painting Dept. at East Carolina University

Bibliography and Publications

·       2023 – Tyler, the Creator – CMIYGL: The Estate Sale / Album Cover Review, by Sam Thomas, Glasses, link

·       2021 – The Best Year of Record Sleeves, by Megan Williams, Creative Review,  link

·       2021 – The Story Behind Tyler, the Creator’s “Call Me If You Get Lost” Album Cover, by Lei Takanashi, Compex, link

·       2021 - Gregory Ferrand’s paintings explore disconnection and the human condition: The American artist discusses the inspiration behind his striking work, plus how he ended up creating the album art for Tyler, The Creator’s new LP, by Aimée McLaughlin, Creative Review, link

·       2021 – Miles Away: Painter Gregory Ferrand, by Michael Abatemarco, Pasatiempo, The Santa Fe New Mexican, link

·       2020 -  Not Everyone Makes the Cut…These 10 Caught My Eye!, by F. Lennox Campello, Old Town Crier, link

·       2020 - Gregory Ferrand at Evoke Contemporary, The Santa Fe New Mexican, link

·       2020 – Glamour Affair Magazine, feature, link

·       2020 – Gregory Ferrand, It IS You (and me too), Narrative Painting, link

·       2019 – The Cinematic Paintings of Gregory Ferrand, by Andy Smith, Hi-Fructose: the New Contemporary Art Magazine link

·       2019 – Peintures Par Gregory Ferrand, Cowabungart, link

·       2019 – Gregory Ferrand, #Hashtagartmag, by Didi Menendez, link

·       2018 -  Miroir Magazine, “Passion” issue, link

·       2018 – Confluence: Two Rivers One City – East City Art Anthology

·       2018 -  Gregory Ferrand, Tussle Magazine link

·       2018 - Gregory Ferrand – Authentic Moments – Artist Profile, WOW x WOW  link

·       2018 – Gregory Ferrand, Blisss Magazine Issue No. 126, pg.24, by Liz Rice Mccray 

·       2017 - The past invades the present in paintings by Gregory Ferrand, The Washington Post, by Mark Jenkins link

·       2017 - East City Art Reviews: Gregory Ferrand’s It IS You (and me too), East City Art, by Eric Hope link

·       2017 - Every time you see the paintings of Gregory Ferrand, you discover hidden details, LIFO Magazine, by Vangelis Makris link

·       2017 – Gregory Ferrand’s Paintings that capture our complicated lives, Creative Boom, by Katy Cowan link

·       2017 - Gregory Ferrand’s “IT IS YOU (And Me Too)” at Adah Rose Gallery, Supersonic Art link

·       2017 - Art In The City - Artist Revisit Profile, Hill Rag, by Jim Magner link

·       2017 -  Editor’s Pick, Booooooom link

·       2017 – Evolution, essay about process and color theory in Bourgen online art magazine, by Gregory Ferrand  link

·       2017- Picture Perfect, April 2017 issue of Washington Life Magazine, by Catherine Trifiletti  link

·       2017 -  In the galleries: At Annual Benefit Show, the World Goes Round, The Washington Post, by Mark Jenkins link

·       2016 – In the galleries: From destruction, a call for transformation, The Washington Post, by Mark Jenkins link

·       2016 – El estadounidense que pintó Baires como me gustaría que la pinten los porteños, Culto al Magazine link

·       2016 – In the galleries: This quilter doesn’t use fabric or thread for his patchwork, The Washington Post, by Mark Jenkins link  

·       2015 – In Anacostia, A Small Galaxy Of Cubism, Allegory, Commercialism And 'Star Wars,' WAMU 88.5 by Lauren Landau link

·       2015 –Holiday Starkillers at the Anacostia Arts Center, East City Art Notes, by Eric Hope link

·       2013 – At McLean Project for the Arts, Tales Go Spinning into a World of Strange, the Washington Post, by Mark Jenkins link

·        2013 – MPA Displays Enviornmental Drawings, Quirky Portraits, Lonely Scenes, Golden Abstracts, Sun Gazette, by Brian Trompeter

·        2011 - This is Illustration! American Illustrators, by Eva Minguet Camara

·        2007 - Lowbrow Styles & Fingerprint Traces, the Washington Post, by Julia Beizer link

·        2007 - Far, far away: Painting a story, The Examiner

·        2006 - Art in the City, The Hill Rag

·        2006 - Personal Ads Inspire Eye-Catching Art, The Examiner

·        2004 - Artomatic: Keep Your Eyes Open, Washington Post

Awards

·        2022 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2021 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2020 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2019 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2018 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2017 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2016 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2015 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2013 – Recipient of the  DC Artist Fellowship Grant

·        2012 - Winner of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles’s Silver Award in the Gallery category of annual illustration competition

·        2010 - Winner of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles’s Award of Merit in the Gallery category of annual illustration competition

·        2009 - Winner of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles’s Award of Merit in the Gallery category of illustration competition

·        2008 - Winner of the Silver Lion at the Cannes International Advertising Festival

Clients

·      Tyler, the Creator – in 2021 painted alternative cover for his 7th Grammy award winning studio album “Call Me If You Get Lost” and was also used by Tyler, the Creator for his 2023 album “Call Me If You Get Lost – The Estate Sale,” Saatchi and Saatchi, American Airlines, Cava Mezze Restaurants, The Smithsonian’s American History Museum, The University of Notre Dame, Mosaic Theater Company of Washington, DC, GALA Hispanic Theater, the Washington DC JCC’s Theater J, Speakeasy DC, and Education Week, among others.

Education

·        1993-1997 - Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts

Born

1975 – Born in Washington, DC, raised in Alexandria, Virginia. Currently living in Washington, DC