Artist Profile - Jerry Hanzl

You may remember Jerry Hanzl from the Brevard Live article I wrote about him in April 2008. It's time for an update and here it is...

First of all. He is one of two featured artists in the 'Truth or Dare' two artists-two visions exhibit that will open in the Harris Gallery at the King Center for the Performing Arts at 3865 N. Wickham Road in Melbourne. Jerry is the Dare part of the exhibit. He will have 28 pieces of his digital art featured during the month of February 2009. You don't want to miss the opening of this exhibit on February 5, 2009, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Truth portion of the exhibit features Jeanee James, visual poet. She accomplishes through photography what writers hope to do with words. She creates emotional images that make the breath catch in your throat. So, combined with the drama of Hanzl's stirring digital art, this exhibit is a must see.

Jerry has been a professional photographer all his life, working mainly in the corporate world. Just a couple of years ago, he took the leap and gave his creative side full rein. He opened his own business dedicated to creating beautiful digital art and to helping other artists create as well. You can see here and on his website at http://www.digitalartbyjerry.com/ his dramatic creations. Some consist of as few as two layers. Many contain hundreds of layers.

Jerry describes his digital art as “...painting with photography on a digital canvas." Most of his work has a surrealistic slant to it and that is only natural since his heroes are Dali and Escher. Jerry is a master of 2-dimensional fantasy and illusion.

When I wrote about him before, he was just starting out in his freelance business. Since then he has added several new endeavors, and they all have a similar theme: It is my perception that he is dedicated to building a community of artists and through it helping artists achieve their best and receive the recognition they deserve.

When Jerry decided to set out to learn about the artists in Brevard and what the community had to offer artists, he just naturally began facilitating sharing, interaction, and collaboration. His dedication to helping artists began to grow after the Seven Artists exhibit at the BCC Library in Titusville last year. Jerry had put up a website to advertise the exhibit. After the show, instead of taking the website down, he began using it to promote the work of area artists. Now the website (http://www.sevenartists.com/) has information about 29 artists on it (with more to come).

Participation on http://www.sevenartists.com/ is free to participating artists. Through it, Jerry helps artists create a presence on the web. Artists with or without a website are invited to contact Jerry. For an artist who already has a website, he will put up a page with a couple of images that will lead others to their website. For an artist who doesn't have a website, he develops a more detailed spot where more of their work can be viewed as well as a biography. What a wonderful service this is for artists.

In his office, Jerry has concentrated on mostly graphics work for authors, such as the layout work he did for the children's book Lady Flatterley, and he is currently working on a book about gorillas with an author connected with the zoo.

Jerry's most recent endeavor is his collaboration with Beth Carver. They have opened The Artists Warehouse. The goal of The Artists Warehouse is to produce the highest quality giclee prints of their work and of the work of their clients. They offer giclee printing on canvas and on watercolor paper. They also offer digital capture of paintings, sculpture, and 3-D art, print and reproduction image preparation for Zapp and other online application services.

Jerry has helped many artists gain the attention of the community. Now, it's his turn to have his work take center stage. Be sure to mark your calendar for the opening reception of the Truth or Dare Exhibit on Thursday, February 5, 2009 for 4 to 6 at the King Center for the Performing Arts. It is free and open to the public. It's a wonderful opportunity to meet the artists and see their work.

If you'd like more information about Jerry's work or about any of his endeavors, contact him at jerryhanzl@yahoo.com or by phone at 321-633-4075, or at his website at http://www.digitalartbyjerry.com/.