Full Name: Henry Von Genk, III
Always great to sit with a great friend and learn more about your story! Kick us off and tell us in what part of the First Coast you reside now and how long have you lived there.
I have lived in Isle of Palms now for 4 years. As a small kid going to St. Paul’s Catholic, we would pick up kids on the bus from this neighborhood. I thought to myself this is where I want to live and dreams came true. I never thought I would meet my wife and find out she grew up in Isle of Palms. It was destiny.
How long have you been doing your craft or trade?
I started 38 years ago doing faux finishes and trompe l’oeil murals. After doing Pat SummeralI’s house, I got involved with Smith Archectectual in Palm Beach and was brought in for at least one project a year. These were huge projects in 20,000-30,000 sq ft homes all over the world. I did them on stage set canvas in my studio and it would take 6 months to finish. I would then install them along with my friend Rick Syler since I got good at wallpaper when I was younger.
One day I was in Amelia Island at a condo building adjoining the Ritz Carlton, where I had done a lot of work in, and a lady walked in the elevator with me. She asked, “What are you doing here”? As we traveled up the elevator door opened and there was one of my murals. She looked at it and said, “I have real artwork in mine”. Snarky as it was, That comment moved me to contact Stellers Gallery and into being a fine art artist. It was the best thing to have happened to me and I have found my happiness.
What brings out your creativity?
My memories of the beach were the way it was as a teenager. Most of my paintings of the beach are spurred by my parking on A1A and climbing over those massive dunes to see if there were waves. The paths are gone but last in my memory. My love for the ever-changing marsh also keeps me yearning to see them every day and the challenge to paint them.
What does your work aim to say? Are you trying to bring a smile to someone’s face or add to someone’s home decor?
My most asked question is, “Why do people who live on the marsh or Beach want a painting of it hanging in their houses too”? I tell them these natural treasures, are why they have chosen to live there and their love for the ocean and marsh needs to be surrounding them. Consciously or not, it makes them happy and complete in their homes.
Are there any spaces or designers that have influenced you?
I have tried to channel the Hudson River Painters and their “Romantic Landscapes”. The works by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran keep my fascination going still to this day.
What is your favorite artistic accomplishment?
I was told by a gallery director, “If you ask an artist what their favorite painting is, they will say, the last one they painted.” Being self-taught, this journey has shown me paths I had never dreamed of doing. I keep learning new things every day and the satisfaction that it wasn’t taught to me makes it even more fun. I never thought I would ever get some of my work in a museum but life is filled with unexpected surprises. The joy I get from my clients being so happy to take one of my paintings home is my accomplishment.
Do you have a specific piece you would love to talk about or promote?
I have been working on Nocturnal paintings which isn’t a common genre these days. It started with “Moonlight Romance” which was inspired by me and my wife going down to the 19th Street access in Atlantic Bch and enjoying the moonrise. I brought that painting to an Art Show in Charleston. Crowds would gather around it and I knew I was on to something. I made it part of my Embellished Giclee Edition and it sold out in months. My mission is to paint the next Moonlight Romance and tackle the colors of the night landscape.
What is the best way for artists to network?
I have found Instagram to be a good place to find other artists and vice versa.
If you had a question you would like to ask another artist what would it be?
I am always interested in other artists’ palettes. I am not a minimalist and have 18 colors in my pallet. Some like to make their greens with Black and yellow and some alter the greens from the tube. Some only keep three primary colors and white. It is amazing to see a painting made with only three colors to work with.
What’s the best thing for you about living on the First Coast?
Well, it’s home for me and everything I enjoy doing is right here. When I was a pilot, I used to take off from Craig Airfield and cruise the coast looking for whales. Now it’s boats that give me joy and the Isle of Palms works perfectly for keeping my boat in the lift and going out to enjoy the Intracoastal.
How can we see your work?
My work locally is at Stellers Gallery in San Marco and at The Bohemian Gallery in St. Augustine. Other Galleries include Reinert Fine Art Gallery in Charleston SC and Palm Avenue in Sarasota. My website is: www.Henryvongenk.com
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Glenn is the founder and publisher of First Coast Life. He is also a wonderful storyteller. Born on the 4th of July, he spends his spare time taking his camera and exploring everything beautiful this region offers with his rescue dog Callie by his side. He loves meeting new people and capturing the many beautiful moments and amazing local stories that showcase the true spirit of the area.
