Art Chowder September | October Issue No. 29 | Page 23

M.J.: You’ve worked with many types of media. What
was the first medium you worked in, and how did you
branch out?
Greg: My first medium was acrylic painting. Over
the years, I developed skills in a variety of art media.
Networking started to pay off for me when I made
presentations of my work and talked about my design
process. I developed the work style of starting with a single
design, and then creating it in different media based on
what the client wanted and what made sense for the space.
One by one, commissions came, and as I got older and
more experienced new and complex larger projects came
my way — wood carvings, stained glass, bronze sculptures,
tile mosaics, murals, or canvas paintings.
M.J.: Do you have a favorite?
Greg: Since I do art and design commission work, I
have two favorites right now. The first is designing and
producing large abstract paintings in acrylic for selected
spaces. Also, I love designing and fabricating custom
stained-glass windows for churches, hospital chapels, and
private patrons. Stained glass is one of the things I really
enjoy. Nobody bothers you. You just kind of keep your head
down and work on the glass.
M.J.: Which medium is the most difficult to work
with?
Greg: *Heh heh* Pretty much all of it. You know, you’re
three weeks into a big project, and you think, “Oh my
gosh, how did I ever get into this? I’ve got to get this thing
done!”
There was one piece, however...
I was asked by a Catholic church to pitch an idea for a
Stations of the Cross installation. I thought they wanted
the typical small plaques with reliefs or paintings in them
that depict Christ carrying the cross to His crucifixion.
The architect, the late Dave Richen, AIA, said, “No, the
committee wants a mural frieze.” Then he showed me the
soffit that went all the way around the inside of the church.
It was over 200 feet! Dave asked me if I could do 14
panels, and I said yes. The church accepted my pitch, and
it took me a year and a half to do. During that time, 9/11
happened.
I was in my studio when Dave called and told me to turn
on my TV. Just as I did, the second plane hit the towers.
Beyond the heartsick disbelief and shock I felt, I also
realized that the grant applications I’d put out to help pay
for this installation would dry up, and we’d have to raise
the money to finish it ourselves.
September | October 2020 23