Jerry Vanderlinde

I was born and raised in the Willamette valley with its lush folage and complex colors that  both sharpened and subdued by the wet embrace of rain, fog, clouds and joyful rays of sun piercing the overhead blanket, forever imprinted my perception with love of nature.  I had no choice but to become an visual artist.

College poured ancient dogmas from Professors who made copies of themselves and if not,  they took my ideas leaving me confused.   For two yeoars after the MFA  I painted 114 pastels purging all that I had been taught and began the seach for my unique and very personol "voice

I knew had would have to reinvent art for myself if I would recover my truth.  From that point I left for four years in Japan, the Middle East and Viet Nam  leaving all but three paintings while abandoned the rest .

Returning to the USA I took the responsibilty  as the Chairman for the department of art at North Dakota State University.  During that time,  my confidence failed for fear I would be like my teachers.  I began a road of discovery filled with doubts,  failures, disappointments, and continous fresh re-starts and I found that while was tryng to find my voice,  I was teaching my students how to find theirs.

Bits and pieces of the tapestry of my voice has been achieved and the series of "earth,wind,water " (the metaphor for the loss of plants and animals) are works that while beautiful,  belong in a natural history museum where the long lost pass can be viewed.

Mandalas and talisman are prayers for nature's preservation.

My work is gentle and  colorful , but with a sense of nostalgia remembering the long lost forever.