Nate Geare?

In the wacky circus that has been my life, the tale I have to tell you is an academic high wire act of sheer stubbornness with a hint of naivete. Once a high school linebacker (defensive team captain. No biggie.) I left home to be an “ARTIST!….” Well, what does that mean? How do I make money?? I tried my hand at painting signs for local small businesses, cleaning awnings, I even made smoothings at a smoothy bar for a bit. Nothing worth doing long term. I needed something that made better money. I decided to go to school for massage therapy – a move carefully considered to avoid bartending or waiting tables. Or worse… A desk job. (ugh) I needed something to fund school, but also a job that puts me in front of potential art collectors. People with money $$. We'll put a pin in that. Circle back.

Fast forward through a somewhat blurry six-year epic of good times and higher learning, with pit stops in Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Santa Monica before finding my way to UCLA. The journey was no cakewalk; two rejections from UCLA's Studio Arts program stretched out my city college residency and led me into a quasi-"grad program" at Santa Monica City College. After a few brutal painting critiques from my then-professors explaining to me that my painting chops were not up to par (tears were shed, not gonna lie) combined with a hard breakup with my girlfriend of 4 years, on the brink of quitting, I persevered, sculpting not only new art but my determination. I ditched the girlfriend and went all in on sculptural art as my primary genre for my 3rd and final acceptance portfolio. The bar in sculpture appears far lower than painting at first glance. In other words, you can make bad sculptures and use fancy words to justify the poor craftsmanship. With painting if you aren't a good painter, its much more obvious.  Just a little advice to those who might be on a similar path. 

 That acceptance letter to UC colleges became my lifeline. "UCLA or bust," I declared. The gamble paid off. Sculpture took center stage in my portfolio, and the third time was the charm—I was accepted in ‘06 and graduated in ‘08! 

  Since then, I’ve honed my Illustrative painting skills and my artwork has graced spaces in LA, Palm Springs, and the SF Bay Area. My primary space for all things art is currently the infamous 111 Minna Gallery in downtown San Francisco, with honorable mentions at Mirus Gallery and the Mom and Pop Art Shop, respectively. 

Now in my 40s, the saga continues. The sun rises and sets on the Bay and world leaders  play chess with our fate as they prepare for our imminent demise and still we press forward. Despite the odds, here we are, fueled by caffeine, legal cannabis, and misguided optimism in pursuit of our slice of the American Pie. The next show beckons, and the question lingers, who will be the first to bid on a 'Nate Geare' at auction? And how much are they willing to pay?