Gila Ponderosas
John Stermer
Created : 1990
Donated : 1993
Medium : Painting/Oil
Dimensions: 38 inx22 in
Located: 3rd Floor,Northeast Hallway
This painting of Gila ponderosas is indicative of the artist’s inspiration to paint the landscape that surrounded him. According to John Stermer, “The subject is an excuse to paint,” and as he explains, “there are excuses everywhere, in the desert and the ocean, in a mountain or a geranium, an adobe hut or the human figure.”
When John Stermer settled in Silver City in 1959, he wanted nothing more than to paint in his studio, located in downtown Silver City. However, he was in great demand as a teacher and for many years taught painting in workshops throughout the Southwest. Stermer also conducted summer workshops for students at New York City’s Art Students League, where he taught for six years before moving to New Mexico. Because he felt so strongly about the arts, from time to time he took on young artists as students and contributed his vast knowledge and experience to arts organizations in the community. He founded the Silver City Arts Council and served on the New Mexico Arts Commission, the New Mexico Symphony board of directors, and the Silver City Museum board of directors. He frequently was invited to jury exhibitions in New Mexico.
Stermer was not interested in promoting his work, but sold steadily from his studio. His work hangs in public and private collections throughout the world, including the Art Students League, the U.S. State Department, Phelps Dodge Corporation, and the Arnot Art Museum in Elmira, New York, where he was born.
