Photography by Xavier Proctor and Cindy Donnelly
“Although being an artist is often considered a vocation, to me, it is a passion.” —Errol Gordon
PV Magazine is pleased to highlight Errol Gordon of Rolling Hills, an artist specializing in painting and sculpture. He will be participating in the upcoming Tour d’Art, a fundraising event for the Palos Verdes Art Center (PVAC) which will feature 30 artists exhibiting in four private studios as well as at the PVAC. Errol’s studio will be one of the stops along the tour. The event takes place on October 15 and 16, 2022. Visitors will enjoy meeting local artists, nibbling scrumptious treats, and driving between studios on the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula.
When did you move to the Peninsula?
“I moved to PV in the mid 1970’s from Manhattan Beach.” Errol shared that he was born in Los Angeles and has been a lifelong resident. He is an attorney, and his law office has always been in downtown Los Angeles. Prior to the pandemic, he regularly made the commute into the office. He says people often thought Palos Verdes was too far. Even with the drive he says, “I never regretted moving here.”
At what age did you realize you had artistic abilities?
“In grammar school I fell in love with art as the result of a teacher. I developed an interest and had a knack, always drawing and painting.” Errol recalls this was in about the 4th or 5th grade and said, “the teacher taught me to see things differently, and that inspired me.” After graduating law school, Errol decided to nurture his artistic abilities. He started painting on his own, then in the 1980’s he started taking lessons and courses at Scottsdale Artists’ School. He took classes in painting and sculpture and still returns to Scottsdale to collaborate with other artists.
How did you get into 3D art and sculpture?
“I was primarily a painter, and I would go with a friend to Scottsdale Artist’s School. One time we saw a class of sculpture, and it looked so great.” The next time Errol and his friend went to Scottsdale they took a course in sculpting. Errol recalls, “the friend did not catch the bug, but I did.” He went on to train with highly proficient sculptors at the school and in studio. He explained that the art of sculpture is learned in the studio with other sculptors rather than in a classroom setting.
Errol uses a lost wax process. He creates a model in clay of what the finished piece will look like. When complete, the clay model is taken to the foundry. Errol explained the people at the foundry are also artists. After a series of steps involving plaster, wax, silica, and bronze, the figure of Errol’s clay model is transformed into a bronze sculpture. The foundry artists and Errol work to add a patina to finish the sculpture. It is a complex process and there is a fascinating and surprisingly moving video about it on Errol’s website.
Do you have a favorite piece?
Eddie is a work inspired by a real-life horse. “Horses make great subjects because they will stand still.” He first spotted Eddie in a pasture while accompanying his wife to a horse show. The next time he saw Eddie, the Clydesdale was wearing an elaborate harness, pulling a Cinderella style carriage. This inspired Errol to create the sculpture of Eddie. PV Magazine had a chance to visit Errol in his studio and see two of his works in progress. He is currently working on a commissioned piece for a man in Northern California. The piece will be a sculpture of a horse and rider. During our visit he was working on the horse. He also is painting a portrait of a classic Palos Verdes home for another client.
What drew you to the Palos Verdes Art Center?
“I have been on the board at PVAC for 7 years. I am involved because there are a bunch of talented artists in Palos Verdes of all different types and genres. PVAC pulls them together: painting, 3D, photography, ceramics, and others. It is a natural place to gravitate to for non-artists wanting to support art and patrons wanting to keep art alive.” He believes PVAC is an asset that people do not always take advantage of, pointing out that his grandchildren have taken classes at PVAC from wonderful supportive people.
For more information about the Tour d’Art and for tickets visit www.taspv.com.
For more information about Palos Verdes Art Center visit www.pvartcenter.org.
To learn more about Errol Gordon and his exciting work, visit his website at www.errolgordon-art.com.
