Upcoming Exhibit "Raices Femeninas" Honors Artist's Feminine Roots

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Feb. 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Artist John Gascot is hard at work in his studio putting the final touches on the paintings that will comprise Raices Femeninas (Feminine Roots), his upcoming solo exhibit at Feathered Serpent Gallery in Saint Petersburg. Raices Femeninas will feature a collection of bold and colorful works. The female form dominates a vast majority of John’s canvases. The figures he paints are large and curvaceous, but their mass speaks more about strength and presence than physical size. At times, the subjects represent his mother and the women who raised him, whose larger-than-life personas taught him the importance of self-expression. "Often they illustrate my own connection to femininity and attempt to defy the gender roles and machismo that are often dictated by my Latino heritage.” says Gascot.

John was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, where he spent the first twelve years of his life.  His Italian American mother moved there from Rockaway Beach, New York after falling in love with the island, its people and its culture. She went there not knowing a word of Spanish and made a life for herself. There she met John’s father. Unfortunately, he was not present in his upbringing, but his mother took on the roles of mother and father as best she could. He grew up surrounded and supported by a group of strong and outspoken women, the main source of inspiration for his paintings. Island life and the Latino experience also are of great inspiration.

A mostly self-taught painter, John’s formal education is in playwriting and acting, and in his youth he worked as a makeup artist. He first started creating as a child through drawings, but came to consider himself a visual artist approximately fifteen years ago. He and his partner of 16 years, Ron co-owned a gallery in quaint Milford, PA. John would paint to pass the time while gallery sitting, and eventually visitors noticed the works on his easel. They began to make their way onto the gallery walls and subsequently into people’s homes.

In between his Latin Pop paintings, John likes to experiment with abstracts, a great way to shake things up and get new ideas going in his head. Music, popular culture and current events are also always good jumping off points. Among his favorite artists are Picasso, Fernand Leger, Stuart Davis, Botero, Keith Haring, Max Beckmann, …too many to list, really. But also artists that often go without much recognition, such as Aboriginal, Haitian, African and Mexican Folk Art. John strives to create art that is accessible and promotes diversity. The artist is currently working on two new upcoming series; Transcend, which honors the journeys of trans individuals and Mucho Macho, which explores gender roles in the Latino community.

An Opening Reception for Raices Femeninas will be held at Feathered Serpent Gallery (1018 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg) on Friday, March 28th 6-8pm. The exhibit will run through April 9th.