Al Gury
“The human face, when painted honestly and directly, tells a story of respect, dignity and even humor. Each of these alla prima paintings reflects both an analysis of the formal elements of color, brushwork and drawings as well as the character of a real individual. Unlike the formal protraits that line our boardrooms and office halls, these intimate paintings can be enjoyed for their personal and aesthetic qualitites as art and as very human documents.”
– Al Gury
Read this artist's biography
Al Gury is Chair of the Painting Department at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. The School was awarded the National Medal of Arts for Distinguished Service to the Arts in America, the only art school to be so honored. Al Gury received his BA in fine arts and humanities from Saint Louis University, a Certificate of Art from PAFA, and an MFA from the University of Delaware. Al Gury is a recipient of the Cresson Traveling Fellowship. Al Gury is also the author of Alla Prima: A Contemporary Guide to Traditional Direct Painting. The book, inspired by his mentor Arthur DaCosta, has become a cornerstone for all students learning the great traditions of Western painting.
Al Gury’s paintings have been exhibited, among other places at the at the National Academy of Design, Philadelphia Museum of Art, National Capitol in Washington D.C., Washington and Lee University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Painted Bride Art Center in Philadelphia.