108 http://www.AmericanArtCollector.com
P
hiladelphia-based artist Gregory
Prestegord captures the raw energy of
the urban cityscape, translating not a literal
image of a city street onto the canvas, but
rather, a reflection of it, with elements from
his own imagination molding and shaping
the piece. His abstract impressionist
pieces, grounded in a sense of realism, are
expressions of how the artist was feeling
during that particular moment, whether
taking a photograph as a reference for his
painting, or simply committing the scene
to memory.
“You’re seeing the motion of the city.
You’re seeing the energy of the piece,”
says Prestegord, explaining that he utilizes
multiple layers of paint to achieve deeper
emotion. “They’re not just cityscapes—
I want to create a feeling inside of the
painting, which is why I use layers...When
you see these paintings in photos, it really
doesn’t do them justice.” He explains that
viewers are able to take in the full experi-
ence of his works when they can observe
for themselves the thick layers of paint andGREGORY PRESTEGORDHustle and Bustle
UPCOMING SHOW PREVIEW / GEORGE BILLIS GALLERY
8/27-9/28 New York, NY12
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