The Collection of Paul Gregory and Janet Gaynor. JANET GAYNOR (American, 1906-1984) . Roses in the Sun, circa 1975-7...

Description

The Collection of Paul Gregory and Janet Gaynor

JANET GAYNOR (American, 1906-1984)
Roses in the Sun, circa 1975-77
Oil on canvas
19-3/4 x 15-1/2 inches (50.2 x 39.4 cm)
Signed in full at lower right: Janet Gaynor
Title inscribed verso by the artist on the stretcher bar.

Although Janet Gaynor had painted during the period of her marriage to Adrian (1939-1959), it was not until her marriage to Paul Gregory (1964-1984) that she focused much more of her time and energy on her art. Paul recalls: "She'd come up from the studio at the ranch, and she was so beautiful. You could see the flowers on her face."

In February 1982, American Artist magazine ran an article entitled "Janet Gaynor: A Talent for Making Pictures," celebrating the Hollywood star's decision to take up painting after her screen days were over and became good enough to have had multiple sold out gallery exhibitions. Between 1975 and 1982, Gaynor had had four sold-out shows at Wally Findlay Galleries in New York, a deal which spawned from a successful show at the Beverly Hills gallery of her friend Gregg Juarez. As Paul recalls, "She was more thrilled when her Wally Findlay show sold out in New York than when she won the Academy Award."

By the mid 1970s, Gaynor had come to view herself as "a painter who occasionally acts." When asked by Lori Simmons Zalenko, author of the American Artist story, to compare painting to acting Gaynor replied, "Painting is a private art. Acting is outgoing." She also stressed that whereas movies take a good deal of time to complete, painting offers more immediate satisfaction.


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