User:Shalindajpruitt/sandbox

Jonas Gerard is a self-taught painter. He was born on the African continent in Casablanca, Morocco in 1941, to Jewish parents of French and Brazilian ancestry. Throughout his travels, he has maintained a strong connection to the essence of his birthplace.

He began his artistic career on the streets of New York City and spent many decades in the Miami area. He currently operates two 5,000-sq/ft studio/galleries in the Asheville, North Carolina River Arts District.

Gerard’s style has been a constant evolution, exploring figurative, representational, abstract, and three-dimensional pieces over the course of his career. In addition to his signature works on canvas, Gerard has created wall sculptures, mixed-media assemblages, and sizable outdoor sculptures. He has received numerous notable commissions and his work is held in permanent collections at museums around the world. In 1975, his Bicentennial Portrait of the United States, “We the People,” was presented to President Gerald Ford. Today, the work is housed at The Smithsonian as part of its permanent collection.

"We The People" An 8 feet in diameter. It was accepted at the White House in Washington, DC in 1975 by President Gerald R. Ford on behalf of the American People. This painting, considered our Nation's Bicentennial portrait, is now a Permanent part of the Smithsonian Institute's collection.