Station 8 presents Gini Ogle

Gini Ogle
Calligraphic Arts/Watercolor Painting

If a picture paints a thousand words, then Gini Ogle takes that simple truth a step further with her artistry by combining her long time interest in calligraphic arts with her new found interest in watercolor painting. Creative letter arts has been Gini’s focus for thirty plus years. Her evolutionary career in this medium has spanned work in graphic design, teaching, commissions, and gallery ownership. Her newfound interest in watercolor painting has provided the range she needed to fully explore her artistic abilities, dovetailing the written message, alphabet design, and the painting into one seamless artistic expression in many cases. Gini also enjoys each of these disciplines separately. She has many watercolor paintings that speak more clearly than words ever could of the beauty she has been witness to as a fourth generation Montanan.

The most notable aspect of Gini’s watercolors is that they reflect a response that is purely intuitive. One gets the feeling that she utilizes all her senses, opening her heart to the subject and allowing that to influence the painting. In so doing, she makes the invisible parts of her experience visible. Utilizing calligraphy in some of her watercolors puts a voice to that experience. This is her signature.

During the course of her calligraphic career, Gini enjoyed several opportunities to redefine the venues for hand lettering. Collaborating with a photographer, Gini helped design a Lewis and Clark Bicentennial project. Designing and carving custom “phrase doors” was the result of another collaborative effort between Gini and a door artisan.

Recognition of Gini’s contribution as an artist include a national juried acceptance at MIT into a calligraphy class taught by Herman Zapf of Germany, and winning entries in the National Postal Museum contest. In addition, Gini was one of twelve artists selected to study in England with three renowned calligraphy authors and instructors. Publishing credits include entries in “Speedball” Instruction Book, “Letter Arts Review” magazine, and the “Alphabetica” collection.

Gini’s work is currently being shown at the Hockaday Museum of Art. She will be participating in the Plein Air Paint-Out in Glacier National Park later in June. Until then, she can be found at work in her studio at 530 4th Street East in Kalispell.

We invite you to join us, Thursday, June 3rd, 6-9 PM, at Station 8 to meet Gini and talk with her about her work.