Artist Gail Robertson - aka LIAG

For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved the arts. Since childhood I was always creating something artistic. I always had the gift of creativity and could work colors like you wouldn’t believe. The love of colors and style patterns always excited me. After attending some of the most prestigious art schools in the country, such as, the Marchutz School in Aix en Provence, France and the Art Students League, New York, many of my instructors said that my talent was already there and there was no real need for formal training. I was happy to ablige the detour of all of the formalities.

I decided to travel the world and get a feel for the many cultural contributions this country had to offer through a vision of colors and shapes. After observing the different cultures, it gave me a sense of deep rooted influence of my African culture. Immediately, without thought, the colors of the ivory coast kept popping up in every painting style I chose. I could not get away from the constant draw of ancestral colors. These deep violets, golds, maroon, olives, and oranges stayed on my color pallette. I could not pull myself away from the inner desire to express the cultural heritage that lied within me.

After my travels and studies abroad, in the search to discover my cultural quest, I decided to return to Atlanta and open a Gallery. The Art Gailery was opened in May of 2002 in Southwest Atlanta. After a short stint in the Gallery business I decided to work from my home based studio and Gallery, creating colorful expressive pieces from memories of my travels. While doing research of the Middle Passage and Slave Trade and obtaining the data of events of the Passage, I decided to indulge in abstract collage. Joining all the data and research and applying it to tell a story of my discovery. The collage series that was done was exhibited at the NBAF summer of 2004. The Amistead experience of the travel from the Africas to the Americas was captured in the collage collection of the Middle Passage.. Thanks to the Fulton County Arts Council of Atlanta, the exhibition can be seen locally in one of the Fulton County Government Buildings.

After returning to Atlanta I took an interest in doing local shows and exhibits in the city. Shows I have exhibited in are Inman Park, Urban Market, Virginia Highlands, NBAF, and numerous commisssioned jobs and Gallery displays throughout Atlanta. The Concerned Black Clergy and the YMCA Atlanta dedication ceremony to Maya Angelou was most inspiring. My work with the Fulton Country Arts Council has given me the opportunity to teach art at its very exciting Summer Arts Camp Program.

Being a full-time professional artist has given me the pleasure of freedom and unlimited creativity.

My gallery on the web will help customers browse, while I travel the world developing new techniques through residencies and workshops.

In doing this God-given talent I am happy to say that I took a chance to answer a passion and make every opportunity to share and express the gift that has been bestowed upon me.