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Life and death were at the heart of the artwork Wayne Gilbert created. That’s because the longtime Houston artist used the cremated ashes of real people in his paintings.
Now, Gilbert himself has passed away at age 76.
Gilbert would take cremated remains that had gone unclaimed for years and incorporate them into his paints. The hues he created often took on an interesting range of earth tones, and from them he crafted images that ranged from familiar symbols (such as the McDonald’s logo or the American flag) to still life, to abstract images.
In 2017, Houston filmmaker Wayne Slaten made a documentary about Gilbert’s work called Ash: The Art of Wayne Gilbert. In the audio above, Gilbert and Slaten talk with Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty about Gilbert’s work and Slaten’s film about it, which was being screened at that year’s Houston Cinema Arts Festival.
Also, the festival’s creative director Richard Herskowitz talks about why the festival chose to include the film.
- Wayne Gilbert is seen with his dog and some of his artwork in the documentary about his work, "Ash: The Art of Wayne Gilbert." (Photo Credit: Courtesy - Wayne Slaten)
- Wayne Gilbert is interviewed in the documentary about his work, "Ash: The Art of Wayne Gilbert," an in-depth look at the Houston-based artist whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Courtesy - Wayne Slaten)
- Wayne Gilbert at work in the documentary about his paintings, "Ash: The Art of Wayne Gilbert." The film is an in-depth look at the Houston-based artist whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Courtesy - Wayne Slaten)
- Filmmaker Wayne Slaten (left) made a documentary about the artwork of Wayne Gilbert (center). Gilbert incorporates cremated human ashes in his paintings. The film is featured in the 2017 Houston Cinema Arts Festival, of which Richard Herskowitz (right) is the artistic director. (Photo Credit: Michael Hagerty)
- A painting by Houston-based artist Wayne Gilbert, whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Wayne Gilbert)
- A painting by Houston-based artist Wayne Gilbert, whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Wayne Gilbert)
- A painting by Houston-based artist Wayne Gilbert, whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Wayne Gilbert)
- A painting by Houston-based artist Wayne Gilbert, whose work is created with cremated human remains. (Photo Credit: Wayne Gilbert)
