Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Paul Lorenz of Gailwood

We recently had the chance to connect with Paul Lorenz and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I am definitely walking a path. Two paths, actually, that are interwoven. One path is my creative practice: workjng in the studio and exploring where my ideas, chemistry and gestures take me. The second path involves my health. I have been dealing with colorectal cancer for the past fifteen months which directly impacts my studio life. At this point, they both work together to guide me through life.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Paul Lorenz. I have been an artist all my life, but professionally for the past forty years. I have ridden the highs and lows of the Art world and have found a satisfying place in that world at the moment.

My work is interdisciplinary. Though I have called myself a painter for many many years, my education denies that. My first degree was a Bachelor of Architecture from IIT in Chicago. Architecture is the basis for all of my work, whether overtly ot covertly. My MFA is in Music Composition from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Music evolved from architecture and geometry. Painting plays in between and creates objects that are more friendly for galleries and museums.

I am currently working on three projects for 2026. I have been invited to three important group exhibitions in Europe (two in Belgium, one in Austria). All are pushing my boundaries, which is great for me.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
In 1990 I went to Italy to study at the International School of Art in Umbria. Nicolas Carone was the director and teacher and his balance of life and work influenced me the most.

Art is the reflection of life. The more you experience, the more you bring to the creative table. Life gets messy and that gets reflected in your work. The most profound work is the most personal.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
Art has to be fluid. As I continue my journey with cancer, I had to change my mind about what the studio is. Chemotherapy leaves me fatigued. I may not get to the studio for many days. This is alright. This life. Life is Art. I cannot put a time table on completing work, or even expecting what the creative process will be. If I am too tired to paint, I keep my cameras handy and explore the world around me through the lens. All means of expression are valid, so I work as I have to.

The covid pandemic made me turn to my camera and computer more. Cancer is doing that, too. I have to be flexible with painting and let it take the backseat as my energy dictates. My aesthetic and point of view remains the same, it is the media that has to expand.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
This idea of public and private selves has been on my mind for a few years. For decades, the public knew me only as a painter. The covid pandemic and my current health has changed that. My private life is needs to be explored in my work because it is guiding the work, especially in photography.

I am working on an ongoing series called ‘Public/Private’. Depending upon the exhibition or gallery, more private work is becoming public. I am finding that the more personal work is the strongest. I am not sure how that will always manifest, but with some introspection and time, answers are found.

As I look at the paintings I created in 2025, I find that they had to be small and intimate, due to my energy levels with the chemotherapy. What I first thought were color and gesture studies, have evolved into something much more personal and honest.

I enjoy working on 6″x6″ squares. I can easily finish a small painting at that size without completely exhausting myself. I started putting two squares together to create a finished idea. I first thought these Abstractions were complete and beautiful. After living with cancer and cancer treatments, these paintings are much more. They are intimate example of my relationship with my partner, Louis Lovera. He has stood by my side through the treatments with complete love and strength. By pairing the two square paintings together, a bigger picture of our relationship is revealed. Though not conceived as a reflection of our relationship, they have become that with further thought.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people understand that my work is my autobiography. I hope they let the work tell my story, whether it feels scattered or direct. I hope their interpretation is acknowledged as being one facet of my reality and history. Art does not have one definition, but by looking at everything cumulatively, my story shows life, enthusiasm, mystery and completeness. No regrets!

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Portrait photo by Paul Berg, Chicago.

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