The Abstract Expressionist Art of Twyla Gettert, “Where Ocean Meets Sky”

South Florida Visual Artist Twyla Gettert has been a professional artist for over 20 years. Her work is in over 65 corporate collections and has shown in galleries and museums internationally including the National Museum of Art; Osaka, Japan. Twyla creates in several styles and mediums- painting, monotypes, photography, digital, and includes large- scale original canvasses over 12 feet in length for corporate, hospitality, and healthcare projects. She graduated from the University of Iowa, B.A., and received a grant from the Enrico Donati Foundation in NYC, NY.

Her striking compositions are created using oils, acrylics, India ink, and monotype on paper or canvas, creating large-scale, abstract paintings in a number of approaches. The Rev. Jorge A. Sardiñas Gallery at St. Thomas University will be presenting a solo exhibition of paintings by South Florida artist Twyla Gettert in ‘Where Ocean Meets Sky‘. The exhibition will officially open with a reception at 2:30pm on Thursday, October 6, 2022 at Rev. Jorge A. Sardiñas Gallery, located on the second floor of St. Thomas University’s Main Library, on view through January 16, 2023.

“The distant horizon on the ocean fascinates me,” explains Gettert. “It seems to quiver and create a magical space. Staring at it for any length of time stirs my soul transporting me to that creative space. My creative process is that dreamy horizon in my soul. My mind’s anchor releases. It opens. Free space. No boundaries. No judgement. Loving to experiment with spontaneous brushstroke, line, and color, I am inspired by the Abstract Expressionist artists and Sumi-E Masters. It’s always my intent that what I put on canvas tells a story or evokes a feeling that touches and guides the viewers into their own inner worlds.”

We recently had the pleasure to chat with Twyla to learn more about her art career, recent work, as well as her current projects and exhibitions:

Q – What is the best part about being an artist, and how did you get started on this path?

A – The beginning of my art journey was with my mother, an amateur painter, who would sit down with me and a tray of watercolor paints with an opening question, “What shall we paint today?” She had only the primary colors in her paint set, so I learned to mix secondary colors at the early age of six years old. I was given these gifts by my mother — I became an artist and a colorist and developed an eye to really look and observe things. The best part of being an artist is the creative release and joy. It is active but yet meditative. After 30 years as a professional artist, the reward also comes with feedback from collectors who are still enjoying my artworks after many years. Also, a great reward are the occasional letters that come from people who have seen my work in hospital settings where the art has helped them through a tough time.

Q – You have such a unique style and keen sense for color and balance, where does your inspiration come from? We love when you have multiple pieces of art comprised of two or more corresponding panels joined together, what is your creative process like?

A – My artist statement for my upcoming solo show best describes my approach and inspiration from nature and color- Where Ocean Meets Sky…the distant horizon on the ocean fascinates me. It seems to quiver and create a magical space. Staring at it for any length of time stirs my soul transporting me to that creative space. My creative process is that dreamy horizon in my soul. My mind’s anchor releases. It opens. Free space. No boundaries. No judgement. My hand flows across the canvas. I am in intuitive flow. After years of practice… I trust. I flow. I create.

Q – Is there an artist (past or present) who you admire most, or who may have influenced your style?

A – Although I initially began my study in portrait and figurative painting, I love the abstract expressionists – with their particular emphasis on the creative spontaneous act. Robert Motherwell, Franz Kline, and others. I also learned a lot from Sumi-e painters and while studying Chinese Brush painting.



Q – How do you navigate the art world, are there any trends you follow?

A – I am watching the progression of NFT’s and I am fascinated with any new technology that is being used and incorporated into the art world.

Q – You’ve worked on so many incredible projects over the years, what was your most enjoyable and why?

A – I really enjoyed creating four large-scale paintings for the atrium lobby of the Brooks Fiber Optics building in St. Louis. It was a new five-story building and I worked with an architect in Memphis who gave me total freedom of color based on two of my painting approaches. My Line Series paintings reminded the owner of “fiber optic wiring”. They wanted bright paintings and I certainly enjoyed giving that to them.



Q – What’s on the horizon for you? We see you continuing to create inspiring abstracts and incredible gallery collections.

A – I have an upcoming solo exhibit, “Where Ocean Meets Sky” that opens October 6th and runs through Jan. 15, 2023 at St. Thomas University, Rev. Jorge A. Sardinas Gallery; Miami Gardens, Florida. I am continuing to create paintings and planning to try a substrate that is has a sculptural, more dimensional quality. I am also exploring NFT’s. My work can be seen at MAC Galleries, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, and Delray Beach.

To learn more about this fascinating artist, for sales information, commissions or general inquires, email twyla.art@gmail.com / and visit www.twylaart.com to browse artworks and learn more.