The studio's rooms are filled with thousands of yards of antique fabrics, trims and buttons. Add in old toys, picture frames and other sundries on the shelves throughout the rooms and contemporary folk artist Paul doesn't have to go to antique stores for the go-withs and accessories for his figures -- he just shops around his studio.
In his previous life (in Washington, DC) Paul was involved in wedding designs, including both wedding and evening dresses. He was also involved with restoration of textiles, which helps explain the passion he continues to have for vintage textiles and the way they are incorporated into his designs.
Along the way he started making folk art pieces -- "I started creating them because of the lack of funds to buy -- so I made them."
After making a baby gift, he showed it to a friend who owned a gift shop, the friend wanted to buy it. And that was just the beginning of the his journey as an artist.
Although Paul worked out of his home for several years, he wanted to have a place where he could invite customers in, a place where folks could visit, that's when he decided on the studio place in the downtown area of Martinsburg. Once a year the studio is opened to the public at the annual Friends and Christmas Open House, in which several other artist friends also take part.
It's now been over twenty-five years that Gordon has been a full-time artist and delighting collectors with his whimsical wares. And he best sums up his life as artist in this telling statement "I never thought I would be able to build a life around playing all day".
The joy that Paul finds in his art is evident in the figures, designs and craftsmanship. The works are highly sought after, can command premium prices and are well-worth the investment for the collector wanting to collect or add to a folk art or holiday collection.
