R. J. Haney Heritage Park ~ Exhibits ~ Gesell, Herman

Herman Gesell, Landscape Artist Over a hundred years ago Herman Gesell came to this area with a vision. Not only did he intend to clear land and farm his portion of section 17 township 22 range 8, but he had another mission: to capture the essence of the land, its beauty and potential. He painted nature and its creatures with little money for materials or supplies. Some describe his work as that of a folk artist, whose images are caught crudely on a variety of media: cereal boxes, cardboard, cedar shakes, rocks and fungi. Others see the charm of his simple landscapes and the country he explored. Born in Austria in 1863, the self-taught artist emigrated to the USA at the age of 19, making his way to British Columbia in 1886 with the construction of the CPR. Ten years later Gesell applied for a homestead on property across the water and 8 kilometres northwest of Sicamous. Gesell received his patent in 1912.		1996.0006.0025	1996.0006.0026
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1996.0006.0006	1996.0006.0002	The pioneer cleared forty of the 160 acres, built a home and cultivated land, meeting the requirements of the Dominion Land Act. The home was uniquely designed for expansion and a source of amusement to other homesteaders. Gesell had a simple plan: when his one room home got too small, he knocked a hole in a wall, created a doorway, and added another room. With time, his home became a long series of rectangular rooms, each with its own fireplace. Gesell continued to use his acreage as a base, but took time to travel and record landscapes in his sketchbooks. Where journalists and writers record trips with pen and paper, Gesell recorded his journeys in oils, poster and tempura paints. Images tell of his travels to the Badlands of North Dakota, a visit with the people of the First Nation at Lake Pend D’Orielle, and to see his brother, social activist Sylvio Gesell, in Argentina. Interviewed by Marg Shand in 2002, Mary-Lou Tapson-Jones (nee Woods) remembers her old neighbour and friend. He lived on his own, welcoming visitors, but was more comfortable in the company of his own gender. "He didn’t know what to talk about with women," says Tapson-Jones. Gesell is also described as a recluse by some, but the reputation may have had more to do with where he chose to live, rather than his quiet nature.
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Herman Gesell and his art Self-taught artist Herman Gesell exhibits a skillful use of colours and materials, according to local artist Joyce Dorey. Growing up in Austria, he was likely aware of European art and influenced by the masters. Sources who were close to Gesell knew him as an educated man with a flare for languages. Gesell’s paintings are an honest approach to the landscape, showing his strong relationship with the land, Dorey notes. He was a colourist, not afraid to use a wide palate. Where other artists rely on the browns and greens to paint landscapes, he used all colours. Dorey also suggests that Herman Gesell was not a naive artist. His mixed media paintings started with tempera paint, water based pigments bound with eggwhites.		Then he used a white conte crayon, also known as French chalk, to enhance features like snow peaked mountains. Each one, Dorey says, is a little jewel. Neighbours often fed the artist, knowing that he would rather purchase painting materials than groceries. When Herman Gesell ran out of canvas, he painted on any surface he could. Shingles, cardboard boxes, and rocks were an opportunity to record a landscape. The artist was consumed by his need to record his surroundings. --------------------------------------------------------- Joyce Dorey is a well-known Salmon Arm artist who graduated from the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in 1981. She works primarily in watercolours and acrylics and has lived in Salmon Arm for 30 years.