Nathan Paul Gibbs was born in Washington State on the Kitsap Peninsula, and raised from 13 on, in North East Florida. Since 1999 he lives and works on his art career in South Orange County and abroad. Nathan Paul has created work in Fiji, Bora Bora, Moorea, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Self taught, he is influenced by Pollock, Van Gough, Cezanne, and others. He takes his paintings to a deeper level that invokes participation from the viewer with a visual, emotional, and cognitive experience. His work has exhibited in Florida, Washington, South America and the Southern California Area and has clients from all over the world. In addition Nathan Paul wrote and illustrated the acclaimed environmental conscious story and art book, The Betrayal of Man.
Surf Art, Defines his Art
There are many ways that Nathan Paul portrays a subject, he uses muted themes, political sarcasm, and disguised messages, developed through the application of painting, chemical, and textual techniques. Through the use of acrylic on panel he loosely applies the paint trying only to control the content leaving the nature created waves of wood grain often exposed. The found object sculptures he creates openly reinvents the energy of ocean waves and the way they move, form and break. Nathan Paul takes an optimistic point of view trying to imagine surf everywhere and paying respect to the idea that wood gave us surfing. “Using an alternate idea or view was always a gift of mine, Sometimes".
Nathan has just been awarded the 2007 1st Annual Earth Day "GAIA" Environmental Award for his constant efforts in providing philanthropic support to water related charities. The award was given for the Literature Division.
Nathan's Shows and Events:
May 2008 Paddle Out Fundraiser, Carlsbad, CA
April 2008 Christofer Krajek Fundraiser Event, Laguna Beach, CA
March 2008 Newport Coast Foundation 80's Night Gala, Newport Beach, CA
March 2008 Bud Browne San Luis Obispo Film Festival, San Luis Obispo, CA
November 2007 Alma Surf Festival Sao Paulo, Rio, and Florianopolis, Brazil
August 2007 SIMA Waterman's Ball, Dana Point, CA
June 2007 Song Check Live Benefit and Show 7 Degrees Gallery Laguna Beach, CA
May 2007 Gallery eVocal Costa Mesa, Ca
April 2007 Helpbluewater.com Art Event Newport Dunes Resort, Newport Beach, CA
May 2006 - September 2006 West Edge Gallery – San Clemente, CA
Sept – Oct 2005 II Mostra Internacional de Arte e Cultura Surf I Festival Internacional de Cinema Surf São Paulo, Brazil
September 2005 Blue Water Art Show– with Musical Guest "Common Sense" Moss Point – Laguna Beach, CA * Book Signing – Exibit of Mixed Media
August 2005 Beachfire Gallery– Ongoing Exhibit San Clemente, CA and ladera Ranch, CA
June 2005 Blue Water Awareness Art Show Club-M, Laguna Beach, CA
April 2005 “An Exceptional Event” Laguna Womens Club, Laguna Beach, CA Concert and 1 man show.
March 2005 Nathan Paul Gibbs- "The Betrayal of Man"- Diane Debilzan Gallery-Laguna Beach, CA * Book Signing and Exhibit of Acrylic works
February 2005 Blue Water Festival – (a) Featured Artist Festival of The Arts – Laguna Beach, CA
October 2004 Plein Air Art Show -Various Artists- Crystal Cove, CA
September 2004 CHOC Evening with the artist -Personal Show Benefit for Childrens Hospital of Orange County Newport Coast, CA
September 2004 Crescendo Art Show-Various Artists- Newport Coast, CA *Featured Artist -Painted on Stage During Jazz Concert
October 2003 Plein Air Art Show -Various Artists- Crystal Cove, CA
August 2002 Orange County Art Exposition Various Artists -Costa Mesa,CA *Awarded 2nd Place Professional Division
Ongoing Exhibit at both Beachfire Galleries, Ladera Ranch and San Clemente, CA
Publications Nathan has been featured in:
Location 3 Magazine
Alma Surf Magazine Vol. 7, No. 42
Alma Surf Magazine Vol. 7, No. 41
Water Magazine Vol. 5, No. 2
Alma Surf Magazine Vol. 6, No. 30
Reading Educator's Guild Newsletter Vol. 33/#4/2005
Daily Pilot
Newport Navigator
Too many websites to list...
Commissioned Work and Private Collections:
Gerry Lopez, Pro Surfer Gift 2008
Spearman Collection 1 work 2008
Reyna-Baron Collection 1 work 2008
VanZeebroek Trust 1 work 2007
Lisa Anderson, Pro Surfer Gift 2007
Kalinski Private Collection 2 works 2006
Lloyd Private Collection and Commission, 5 works 2006
McCarthy Private Collection, 3 works 2002,2003,2006
Nunimaker West Coast Collection, 2 works 2001,2006
McMackin Family Collection 4 works 2006, 2008
Honest Kitchen Dog Food Company, 4 works 2006
McNulty Private Collection, 2 works 2003,2006
Luebke Collection 1 work 2005
Young Family Trust, 2 works 2002, 2006
Wright Estate Commission, 2 works 2001
Mike Smith/Kai Roots CD cover 1 piece, 2006
Hodges Estate Commission, 1 work, 1999
Philanthropic Work and Donations:
California Surf Museum
Surfrider Foundation
C.H.O.C. Children's Hospital of Orange County
Save Trestles
Help Blue Water.com
Wildfire Relief Fund
Tsunami Victims Relief Effort
Newport Coast Elementary Foundation
Christofer Krajek Fund
San Luis Obispo Film Society
Surf Heritage Foundation
SIMA World Fund
San Luis Obispo FIlm Society