GELTNER Gail
“At some point there’s a surprise – and the surprise is what you wait for… The moment I recognize the hidden pattern I know what the solution is and I can make it visible for everyone else …” A quote taken from What You See which cited it from Extension, 1-2, Fall 1991: “Gail Geltner: The Human Condition.” Writ., Penelope Glasser: 13.
Born 1944.
She attended the Ontario College of Art in the 1960’s after which she did odd jobs to support her art. In the 1970’s she attended George Brown College to learn offset printing and platemaking which gave her an occupation as a printer and a teacher of her skills to women’s groups. Over this time she developed her skills as an illustrator. During the 1980’s and 1990’s she broadened her work to include collage and photography and she returned to painting.
Her work which is principally editorial through a feminist perspective has appeared in major Canadian and American magazines and books.. In addition she created the satirical cartoon strip “Byrd’s Eye” later called “Tragicomics” which appeared in This Magazine.
WORK:
ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Cover book front & back & Content drawings:
What You See. Second Story Press, 1992.
BOOK TEXT:
Cover:
Book front:
The Cow Jumped Over The Moon. Writ., Earle Birney. Holt, Rinehart & Winston of Canada Ltd., 1972.
Dust jacket front:
The Handmaiden’s Tale. Writ., Margaret Atwood. McClelland & Stewart Ltd., 1985.
PERIODICAL TEXT ANTHOLOGY:
Content cartoon:
The Canadian Forum, December 1985: 5.
Content essay:
The Canadian Forum, Sept. 1975: “Rape A Normal Act”. Writ., R.B. Kasinsky:19, 22. “Women in The Forum”. Writ., Hilda Kirkwood: 29, 30.
The Canadian Forum, June/July 1976: “A Grand-dame’s Wide Angle Vision”. Writ., K. Govier: 50.
The Canadian Forum, February 1984: Letters to Editor: 5.
Toronto Life, January 1981: “Reggae to riches”. Writ., Norman Richmond: 24.
Weekend, 28-43, 28 Oct. 1978: “The Art of Playing It Safe.” Writ., Tom Hendry: 16-18.
Content poetry:
The Canadian Forum, February 1977: “Cabbages and Pianos: Impromptu”. Writ., unknown: 40.
Content story:
Toronto Life, 23-12, August 1989: “Celeste’s Heart”. Writ., Aida Bortnik: F11.
SOURCE:
Article book:
What You See. Second Story Press, 1992: “Introduction: ” Writ., Linda Hutcheon: 7-14. “Afterword.” Writ., Gail Geltner: 177-181.
GALLERY:
Weekend, 28-43, 28 Oct. 1978: 17.
From What You See, 1992: Front cover.