Where Angels Fear To Tread

 " I believe we are all fighting something. Some folks just fight to get out of bed every morning."

- Gary Dobry

Interview by B

I literally stumbled across Gary Dobry's art after conducting a search for boxing related imagery.  I was trying to find an angle on a follow-up to the boxing article I featured on my old Hub City page.  The first piece that I discovered of his was Where Angels Fear to Tread.  The colors and details of his art were inspiring and provided me with a starting point in envisioning an article that would showcase the vivid imagery that boxing inspired.  It soon became apparent to me that Gary's work stood head-and-shoulders above all else that I could find.  The idea of featuring his art work became obvious to me at that point.

Naturally, I wanted an even deeper visual fix and refined my search in order to pull together some sense of his work.  I found that Gary's pieces had been featured in several art galleries and garnered acclaim that heralded his unique and powerful style.  After visiting his web site, www.onthecanvas.com, I found out that Gary is a man that posses a "true" creative soul.  His interests are many and his "mind's eye" is complex, engaging and one-of-a-kind.  Gary is also the author of the books In Good Faith and Kingdom Come. 

Gary agreed to be interviewed for the inaugural version of this web site.  Read on and enjoy!!

B - Gary, in a prior interview, it was mentioned that you moved to the north suburbs of Chicago and were labeled,  "..a bad influence on the other kids, being from the city, being a boxer." Can you tell me how and why you became interested in boxing prior to that?

GD - My buddy, Billy Wilson's, mother's boyfriend was a fighter. He'd give me & Billy boxing lessons in the tiny living room of their apartment. I liked it.

B - By being labeled by the parents of the neighborhood, did you find yourself rebelling against this perception or were you even aware of the power you had to provoke people based on your perceived background? How did this shape you?

GD - Actually I was a geek & only labeled as a "bad influence" because I was a city kid. I dressed different than the kids at school, etc.. I not only boxed, I competed in numerous bodybuilding contests as well. I guess, being an outsider I gravitated towards endeavors that were solo ventures, like art, music, bodybuilding, boxing. All of this, I guess, was by default. Its not unusual. Guys with few friends throw themselves into things for self-esteem. Usually the pay off comes in later years.

B - When did you first become interested in art and did boxing and art compete with each other in terms of time spent on each?

GD -  both my mother, and father, are artists. My father served in Vietnam. He did a cartoon strip for a Navy newspaper. There was always art around my house & I evolved into it via my folks.

B - I've recounted the story of how I came across Where Angels Fear to Tread and then found out about your other works. The detail and fantastic colors totally captivated me. Though the color choices being so vibrant, so many people perceive boxing as just being "gritty."  Do you agree with this perception? Did you plan this perceived dichotomy or do you not see it as being as such?

GD - Pro Boxing, like Art, is a 'commercial' venture. I didn't box for years. I went to school, I lived in France. I actually had two stints boxing, one as a child and one as an adult. My "comeback" wasn't a very impressive record, but I fought mainly because I wanted to live the imagery I was painting at the time, boxing. Most of the guys I fought at the time were young and hungry, as I was, and am, as an artist. I hope that hunger shows in my art. My canvas is stretched. Though I own a boxing gym and train fighters, like John Venesanakos, who just won the Lt. Heavyweight Division title at the Chicago Golden Gloves for me and goes to Nationals in Vegas in May, my sweat & blood is in my work. Though, the blood I spilled in the ring, I hope, tinges my art. Boxing, to me, is the greatest metaphor. We're all fighting something, aren't we? Me? No one ever beat me, but me. My fight, like I said, is on stretched canvas. I see the world as an artist. I duke it out with whatever demons that are haunting me everytime I sit down before the canvas. I hope my work evokes that. Like the painting, Where Angels Fear to Tread!

B - Sacred Hearts, Vers Le Ciel, Angelique, Heaven Above and Where Angels Fear to Tread are images of the boxer in the middle of the conflict. Can you give details on each and how they came to be?

Vers Le Ciel,

GD - I believe we are all fighting something. Some folks just fight to get out of bed every morning. These paintings you cite are all indicative of that. - our own demons, our own hells. Yet, we all, hopefully, rise above it all. For every 'no', there is a 'yes', for every "down", an "up."  So, for every demon, there is an angel. Like I said in my first novel, "thy kingdom come".

B - Are you influenced by boxing images from the 1960's? For some reason, the fighters in some of the artwork remind me of throwbacks to that era? If so, can you explain why?

GD -  Well, more so the 70's. But my favorite fighters are the George Chuvalos, and the Mexican fighters with 4 aliases, 4 records and 4 social security numbers - guys who come into the states illegally with Mexican handlers from the toughest gyms south of the border to pad records for rising American stars.  They may earn car fare before making their way back south of the border via the mountains of Juarez. My cut-man was Lorenzo Meyer. He worked the corner of some greats like Joe Frazier, even James 'Lightsout' Toney. Emmanuel Stuart bestowed upon him a red & gold KRONK GYM jacket, which he gave to me as a gift right before he died, along with a photo of him working Frazier's corner in his last fight against Jumbo Cummings. I dedicated 'Kingdom Come' to Lorenzo. Miss the old guy.

B - I've always gravitated towards an interest in boxing because of the idea of a man taking his knowledge into the ring and matching skills with a singular opponent physically and mentally. The idea of standing alone when you are in the center of the conflict appealed to me.  What metaphors are you hoping to convey with your boxing paintings?

GD - Like I said, we're all fighting something aren't we. I guess if you read
Kingdom Come, you'll learn the answer to that question. ;0)

B - Your interests and paintings are immense. Outside of the boxing paintings, what are some of your favorite works (if you can pick from your "children") and why?

GD - My favorite work is ALWAYS the one I'm working on. My relationship with the Judy Saslow Gallery ended a few months ago & Aron Packer invited me to exhibit at the Aron Packer Gallery in July. THAT is my "favorite" work at the moment.

B - What are the titles and subjects of your most recent paintings? 

GD -   They are at www.onthecanvas.com ,  click the link "selected works" link to the left, some of the ones showing will probably be "global securities", "not my brother's keeper", "banque du liban" and some others.

B - Is there a specific link to the section of the Aron Packer site?

GD - That's up to Mr. Packer exclusively. I'm just very happy he thought enough of me & my work to invite me to exhibit in the group showing in July. The show is of political work, so....since most of my work is topical, I guess I was in the right place at the right time and, when invited, I jumped on the opportunity. 

B - Gary, is your work available for purchase in poster, cards or any other formats?

GD - No - just the works themselves.  But, I am getting some boxing paintings made into t-shirts that will be for sale at:

 Pug's Boxing Gym

1522 W Algonquin Rd.

Palatine, Il, 60067

 847 359 PUGS

Kingdom Come

Lil' Devil