Gayle Mandell was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and spent summers at a family home on the Chesapeake Bay. Her love of the water and surrounding areas resulted from this experience and from trips to Urbanna, Virginia, to visit relatives. Her work reflects her love for the beauty of the Chesapeake Bay region, particularly in the area of Tidewater where she lives with her husband.

Gayle studied at the Old Dominion University in Norfolk. She has attended numerous workshops and is a founding member and former board member of the d’Art Center. She as also served on the board of the Tidewater Artists Association.

During the 1970s Gayle’s first acrylic painting was accepted in the prestigious Irene Leache Memorial Exhibition at the Chrysler Museum. Since that time her work has won numerous awards in competitions throughout the Southeastern United States.

Technique: Gayle uses a combination of acrylic paint, conte’ crayon (a form of pastel), and colored pencil to create her impressionist-style landscapes. Working from photographs her art captures the lush colors of nature and is “at home” in any décor. She gladly accepts commissions and will create site-specific artwork in any size to decpict a client’s home, garden or favorite view.