Behzad Tabar

Drifters/Flutter

Artist Comments
Artist Gail Ragains portrays two gestural figures clad in swimwear on a hot summer day. The piece pays homage to the Bay Area figurative movement yet retains ...

Artist Comments
"This painting is about three friends or siblings enjoying the sunshine," says artist Gail Ragains. "It bursts with California colors. Minimal on detail but a...

Artist Comments
In artist Gail Ragains' figurative piece, a woman takes a breather on the beach. She reclines comfortably on a green chair, in a mix of gestural marks within a thought-out composition. The muted color combination allows the warm and cool shades to play off each other.

About the Artist
Artist Gail Ragains paints abstract figurative works defined by strong color combinations and intuitive mark-making. "I approach each creative process as an open-ended improvisation," says Gail. "It is an evolving journey without preconceived plans for a predictable outcome. I react to the materials at hand, stripping away the non-essentials to give a loose interpretation of form, movement, and human expression." Inspired by the physical gestures and emotions of people, the human figure dominates Gail's art. As a young person, Gail was active in dance, ice skating, and gymnastics and competed in triathlons in her 20s. While pursuing a career as a massage therapist for 25 years, Gail simultaneously attended art classes through community colleges, the local Art League, and workshops with artists she admires. Having lived in California her entire life, Gail is influenced by the California colors—golden hills, clear blue skies, swimsuits, and swimming pools. Today, her studio is in her backyard just a few steps away from the home she shares with her husband. “In this workspace, I have everything I need. Good light, music, fresh air, and my studio mate, Sadie, the cutest 14 lb. mixed-breed rescue pup.”

Words that describe this painting: figure, figurative, people, Richard Diebenkorn, gestural, expressive, colorful, beach, sand, paper, acrylicpaint, portrait, expressionism, people, acrylic painting, beige

Beach Chair...