Brooklyn born, Rocklin resident Gayle Rappaport-Weiland is a master of the arts…and hearts.

She is a free-spirited, optimistic, energetic, multi-talented professional who is passionate about art and helping all living things. She quotes her dad Samual Rappaport by saying, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” And she puts her mind and positive thinking to many varied projects. Along with creating wonderful original pieces of art, she also teaches watercolor, acrylics, and her exceptional class, “The Business of Art.” On her numerous canvases, Rappaport-Weiland paints realistic to impressionistic images and beyond. “My signature work is intuitive abstracts,” she says.

In high school she caught the art bug and dabbled in pottery, oils and drawing. Although she admits to being interested in art long before that time. “There is a little black and white photo of me at six years old,” Rappaport-Weiland says, “and I am holding a paint brush.” After college, she took a watercolor class at a parks and recreation center in Wichita, Kansas and fell in love with the medium.

She also volunteers much of her time and donates her expertise and pieces of art to our local PBS station KVIE. This year, her 20th with KVIE, she served as their on-air expert and her watercolor “Intuitive View” was the first piece to be auctioned off in the 2010 Art Auction.

One of her favorite quotes is by the artist Vincent Van Gogh: “I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.” Rappaport-Weiland is a true believer in all life events happening when they are supposed to. “Things happen for a reason,” Rappaport-Weiland says, “but you can’t just wait around…you need to take action.” Along with art, she is also very passionate about helping others, both humans and animals. She and her supportive husband Joe have two adorable mutts – Lucky and R.J. Both of these cuties were rescued and are now living an incredibly full, happy life. Rappaport-Weiland is so passionate about supporting charities that for a limited time, she is donating 50 percent of the sale price on any artwork she sells from her studio. “At this time in my life,” Rappaport-Weiland admits, “I am paying it forward.”

California Deputy Attorney General Mara Faust loves Rappaport-Weiland’s work and has been an avid collector and friend for 18 years. She has purchased 13 pieces…so many that she has run out of wall space in her Grass Valley home. “Gayle has a wonderful sense of color,” explains Faust, “…she uses her art to evoke a particular mood.”

“I believe art is energy,” Rappaport-Weiland says, “I use my tools and knowledge to bring an image to the canvas so it creates an emotional relationship with the viewer.”

For more information, visit grappaport.com.