CODA GALLERY PRESENTS
DARYL GORTNER
EXHIBITION: JAN 4 - 25
OPENING RECEPTION: JAN 4, 5 - 8 PM

PALM DESERT, CA — CODA Gallery presents a new exhibition of oil paintings by Daryl Gortner, who will attend the opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 4 in conjunction with El Paseo Art Walk/Palm Desert First Weekend. The exhibition runs through Jan. 25.

“I like to paint objects that are whimsical,” says the artist from Fullerton, Calif. “And I like to paint them bigger than life so people can see abstract shapes and detail.”

Among Daryl’s signature motifs are brightly hued candy, glossy high heels, colorful coffee cups, and other tabletop items.

The vividly rendered objects pop against a backdrop of gray (she uses an undercoating of red to unify the painting) or on a creaseless surface of checks (often black and white, but occasionally red and white). She loves to bend and skew perspectives, which is why her subjects typically represent shiny materials such as glass, silver, cellophane, ceramic, and patent leather.

“I like how reflection distorts things,” she explains. “People say, ‘Your paintings look so realistic — better than a photograph.’ But if you look up close, you will see they are not hyper-realistic. They’re abstract.”

While listening to classical music, Daryl paints mostly from photographs she takes of still-life setups, sometimes combining elements of multiple images, editing out objects and changing their colors.

“I enjoy painting things that put a smile on people’s faces,” she says. “I’ve had clients say that looking at my work makes them happy, which inspires me to continue. There’s so much negativity in the world. I want to paint things that make people feel good.”