Gaston Lacombe (Canadian/American), is a Provincetown, MA based artist. After receiving his degree in Professional Photography from the Boston University Center for the Digital Imaging Arts (Washington D.C. campus) in 2010 he undertook a successful photojournalist career with clients such as National Geographic, the Smithsonian Institute, National Parks Magazine, and multiple others. In time, his professional practice evolved from photography to more conceptual art projects. His art currently consists of painting, printing, drawing and mixed-media works. He is known for the explosive colors of his art, bold shapes and clean lines. Since 2018, Gaston Lacombe runs Studio Lacombe in Provincetown, a combination art studio and exhibit space.
Lacombe's work has been exhibited in prestigious venues such as the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, the Museo de Arte Tigre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Latvian National Museum of Decorative Arts, the Provincetown Art Museum, and many other venues on six continents. His work is in private collections worldwide and in the permanent collection of multiple organizations including the Smithsonian Institution and the Provincetown Art Association and Museum.
In his "Sails" series, Lacombe depicts harbors filled with boats, of all shapes and sizes, colors and origins, with their sails fully, proudly on display. The artist plays on the idea of harbors as a safe place. A place where all can belong, where all can find safety, and where all can express themselves without reserve. The harbors become a metaphor for an ideal society, which the artist imagines in order to soothe the discomfort of living in a country where hate and division too often win over inclusivity and acceptance.
His "Trees" series took shape after a meditation on trees, and the qualities they embody and display. These paintings are a reflection on what we as humans can learn from trees: strength combined with flexibility, staying grounded while still reaching for the stars, participating in a community, providing safety and shelter to others, and also resilience through adversity.
