One of our friends and earliest supporters of Long Wharf, Kurt Giehl, is an East Hampton resident, avid boater, and incredibly talented artist specializing in Abstract Seascapes. We asked him about his love of the sea and sources of inspiration below.

What inspires you to create abstract seascapes?

KG: Living on the east end, there is so much that inspires me. My husband Jeff and I are avid fisherman and are always exploring waters across the South and North Forks. All of my paintings are inspired from these numerous fishing trips. The horizons are amazing and I love images of water, a slice of land, and vast open sky.

What does your creative process look like? Do you have a specific vision for every piece?

KG: I usually, but not always, start with an image. I take a lot of pictures while on fishing trips, and my husband Jeff is a great photographer as well. I stare at the image for a long time and think about how I want to portray the image in a painting - usually between 3 and 5 am in the morning for some reason. Sadly for me, lots of creative energy happens at that time. Anyway, once I have a sense for how I want to portray the image, it’s all about putting down layers. A painting can go relatively fast, but sometimes takes numerous iterations of layers before I’m happy with it. I’m learning that it’s all about knowing when to stop painting.

How did you start painting?

KG: I spent 23 years at JPMorgan in roles both in the Investment and Private Banks. I painted a little while at JPM, but didn’t really focus on it until I left the bank. In addition to leaving JPM, Jeff and I moved to our East Hampton home full-time almost four years ago. Since moving out east, I’ve discovered an amazing artists community and learned so much about art and my painting through this incredibly supportive arts community.

How do you spend your days when not painting?

KG: I spend a lot of time updating my website kurtgiehl.com and adding images of my paintings to Instagram. Promoting your work is super important and I’ve sold a lot of paintings and commissions that way.

East Hampton is known for its summertime estates and famous residents. What is it like to live in East Hampton?

KG: Yes, East Hampton can be incredibly glamorous with its estates and famous residents. However, the most beautiful part of East Hampton is the exact opposite. There are amazing local farms and farmer’s markets that we frequent every week. Jeff and I spend a lot of time on the water fishing or just exploring new inlets and coves. In my mind, East Hampton is the best of both worlds - maybe not so much in August when all of New York is here.

Did you grow up on the water? When did you form a connection with the sea?

KG: I grew up in Upstate New York very close to Lake Ontario. I don’t think I truly connected with the sea until I started fishing with Jeff and spending time on the water. There is something so incredibly awe inspiring when you see the expanse of ocean and sky. It’s both calming and exhilarating at the same time. Hard to describe, but I try to capture that feeling in my paintings.

What is your favorite maritime tradition?

KG: Just Jeff and me searching for an amazing sunset on the boat with a bottle of rose. A fishing pole is never far away, so Jeff is happy.

What is your most memorable seaworthy adventure?

KG: I think any adventure on the boat where I haven’t tangled fishing line is memorable.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

KG: Don’t eat an unopened clam.

What are some of your other favorite seaports?

KG: I love to fish by Greenlawns on Shelter Island. I know it’s suppose to be about the fishing, but I love looking at these beautiful homes with huge sweeping lawns down to the water. Gardiners Island is also a favorite. I’ve based a number of paintings on the view of Gardiners Island and I like to imagine what it would be like living on the island.

A big thank you to Kurt for chatting with us and see more of his work at kurtgiehl.com