Kurt Giehl
Giehl was born and raised in Rochester, NY, and attended Drexel University. After 23 years on Wall Street, Giehl decided to leave his financial career behind and pursue his passion for art full time. He and his husband relocated from Manhattan to East Hampton to fully immerse himself into the East End’s vibrant art scene. Largely self-taught, Giehl has developed his practice through collaboration with fellow Hamptons artists.
Giehl’s work is exhibited widely across galleries on the East End and in Los Angeles. He enjoys working with collectors on commissions and his work is included in many private collections in the Northwest and in Europe. He lives and works in East Hampton, New York.
His work falls into two main categories:
Block Series
These works transform static blocks into dynamic compositions of light and motion. Comprised of hundreds of individually painted pieces, the series shifts with changing shadows and perspectives, merging painting and sculpture. Each work balances palette, form, and composition like variables in a mathematical equation.
Seascape Series
Inspired by time spent fishing local waters, Giehl’s seascapes capture the interplay of horizon, atmosphere, and light unique to the East End. Using brayers to layer oil and acrylic, he embraces abstraction and chance, creating ethereal landscapes that evoke calm and transcend traditional seascapes.
“My seascape paintings highlight the subtleness of horizon – where air meets land meets water. I find the horizon fascinating and attempt to capture it using images I’ve taken on numerous fishing trips around East End bodies of water. My intent is that these paintings induce a level of calm and tranquility. Slightly abstracted, the paintings are intended to draw the viewer into a surreal and somewhat otherworldly scene. I intentionally limit my palette to further exaggerate the subtleness of my composition and create a soothing experience.
Different from my seascape paintings, my abstracts are bolder oil paintings and collages that explore the process of creating art. I like to explore an object or shape by replicating it multiple times – finding structure and balance as the creative process evolves. My line paintings are complete play on color and structure. There is something incredibly satisfying about a line – it provides order and balance.
On any given day, I pivot between working on my seascape and abstract paintings. I love switching things up and am constantly exploring new ways to express myself..” — KG
Blue Ice, 2022, Oil on Sintra, 48” x 48”
Brilliance, 2022, Oil on Sintra, 60" x 60"
Chiaroscuro, 2024, Oil on Sintra, 48” x 48”, each panel
Coral Mist, 2020, Oil on Canvas, 48" x 60"
Harmony, 2024, Oil on Sintra, 60” x 60”
Limitless, 2023, Oil on Canvas, 60" x 60"
Night Fog, 2023, Oil on Canvas, 60” x 60”
Shadowplay, 2024, Oil and Pumice Stone on Sintra, 48" x 48"
Silent Sea, 2023, Oil on Canvas, 60” x 60”
Teal Haze, 2023, Oil on Canvas, 60" x 60"