Gary Nass

In High School I majored in art, but my interest in art goes back to my fourth-grade art teacher, who always encouraged me to draw. After high school I was accepted to the Cleveland Institute of Art. I double majored in Drawing and Printmaking and studied under such great artists as Edwin Mieczkowski, Carroll Cassell, Jose Cintron and Paulo Pelosini. Of those instructors, I was most influenced by the late Ed Mieczkowski. Ed taught me how to work in series, and the importance of developing an idea and seeing it through to its conclusion. At the time I was under his tutelage, he was busy making his own art, which was primarily painted wood constructions. He hired me as an apprentice and I was able to help him with things such as cutting the wood on a band saw, and basic construction. Much of the work I do today is directly related to my time spent with Ed.