Artist Jesse Addison Gayer is a California native. He uses the artistic signature J. Addison Gayer to sign his works at the suggestion  and in appreciation of his long ago deceased father who thought it a distinctive monogram. Although Jesse has taken art classes and workshops over his lifetime, he is mainly a self taught artist who has learned much from his observations of earlier artist's works, and his observation of nature.

Born to Jesse O. and Frances Gayer in 1950, he was raised in the LA Harbor area suburban community of Wilmington, CA. He was raised along with many a baby boomer in the 1950s and 1960s with his sister Annie, and his brother Jobie. The Gayer family enjoyed many travels in the western and midwestern United States mainly in an old blue and white 1955 Chevy station wagon affectionately known as "Betsy". During these travels, Jesse grew to appreciate the beauty of nature as the scenery either whizzed by, or on long summer family camping trips to the Sierra Nevada mountains, elevation 8800 ft, in a place called Quaking Aspen Campground. Having lived near the Pacific Ocean, it's beaches, surf, coves, and cliffs, all his life, has also given him an affintity for the moods of the sea.

His interest in art formed early. His family visited many museums in their travels and their life in the Los Angeles area. He gravitated to art electives in public school, and after that in college, from which he earned a BA in History and American Studies in 1972 from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Art courses were his favorites, whether they were studio or art history. The late Dr. Norman Nuerberg, of CSUDH was among  his favorite professors, bringing art to life for Jesse in his remarkable lectures, which led to a life long passion for art.

Beyond college, his first adult interest in serious art history, during the 1970s, made him an admirer and student of  the French Impressionists and Post Impressionists,  artists like Renoir, Monet, Cassatt, Sisley, Pissarro, Degas, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin among others. The influence of these masters is still with him to this day.

In recent years, Jesse has discovered, along with many others, the rich heritage of the California Impressionists, that had been nearly forgotten, and are now seeing a revival of appreciation. It is also his wish, in some respects, to carry on in that tradition of artists such as Edgar Payne, William Wendt, Maurice Braun, Franz Bischoff, Anna A. Hills, Carl Sammons, Percy Gray, Sam Hyde Harris, and Darwin Duncan,  among many others. 

Along with Impressionism, the 'California Style' Regional Scene Painter watercolorists like, Phil Dike, Milford Zornes, Millard Sheets, Rex Brandt, Emile Kosa Jr.,Bob Doughty, Ritchie Benson, Thelma Speed Houston, Jake Lee, and others have caught Jesse's recent attention, as well. Their often playful, quick stroke, style used in capturing the California scene is very appealing.

This latter style of art expression, and an admiration of The Society of Six artists like Seldon Gile, and other artists such as Franicis Todhunter, Justin Faivre, William Gaw, Alfred Mitchell, William Ritschel, Clarence Hinkle, and Donna Schuster, at times leads Jesse into his "tangents of figurative abstraction". Appreciation for working in abstraction drawing was taught to Jesse by noted artist and professor Dr. John Cassone. Even in his abstractions though, Jesse uses figurative reference to represent strong emotional subjects.

With all of these influences, it is his wish, like Alfred Mitchell, to never be shackled in any one style. Exploration and freedom of expression, are paramount in his view.

These artists, along with art classes and workshops, as with artist Ken Auster, over the years, have had a major influence in Mr. Gayer's eclectic artistic style. Like them, he seeks to also meld and capture the beauty and drama of  his native California in it's lifestyles, landscapes, seascapes, citys, people, and scenes of everyday life, with his own line, touch, and emotional expression.

Along with his interest in art, Jesse is amateur poet of almost 40 years, having penned more than 1000 unpublished poems.  He keeps these works privately 'squirreled away', following the path and tradition of Emily Dickinson, one of his favorite poets ...... (There is a new poetry section in the Journal page, if interested.) 

With his art and poetry, Jesse seeks to express the inner struggles, emotions, and fitful joy that he has encountered in his life ....... In a final thought Jesse states  .....  

"Though life has not always been easy for me, art and poetry has always been my refuge to get through the tough times. If my art can touch or inspire others in some small way, it is all worth the effort."