Description: Highwaymen style painting by George J. Horak, titled "Bahia Sonora," created in 1996. The painting depicts a nighttime scene with water, clouds, and a small structure.

About the artist: 
Born in Prague, Czech Republic, Argentinean citizen, established in the United States of America, he lived in different countries and places. After some time in the Caribbean, he decided to settle down in the city of Miami, Florida.
He studied architecture and design in New Jersey, USA, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, fine arts under such masters as Hector Basaldúa and José María Lanus.
George Horak, an expert sailor, passionate competitor in ocean races and currently the Commodore of the Miami Sailing Club, survived two hurricanes on the ocean, one of them intentionally and alone in an effort to save from a certain destruction an antique yacht. Thus he became one of the very few who survived on the ocean the tremendous forces of hurricane Andrew in 1992, the greatest natural disaster in the history of USA, with winds exceeding 160 knots.
This violent experience produced a decisive reaction. It made him to examine his life and review his objectives. And so in 1995 he could not resist the growing necessity to return to painting. He entered the Florida International University, where he continues to work to date with the Director of Visual Arts and renowned American painter James M. Couper. He transferred his intense dedication to his architectural career to an equally passionate concentration in visual arts. After an experimental period with different media, Horak concentrated on oils as the element of his preference.
In this new “tack” of his life, he picked up where he left off years ago and almost instantaneously became an attraction of the resurrection of the marine themes. He began an uninterrupted series of exhibitions showing his work.
Horak is a contemporary phenomenon. He refuses to be subject to certain customs or conventionalisms. His posture often generates a challenge, showing simultaneously a clear ability of persuasion. One thing is certain. The public cannot stay passive in front of his works, which demand an almost instantaneous decision. A declaration of criticism or admiration. There seems to be no middle way about evaluating his creations. He admits he rather likes this clearly defined sensation, since the grays do not seem to describe him, or his works.
The next June 8, 1999 at 7:00 pm the artist, George J. Horak, shall exhibit his works at the Galería Roberto Martín – Arte Contemporáneo, located at Defensa 1344, (1143) Buenos Aires, Argentina; the exhibit shall continue until June 30th. The dynamic director of the gallery ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO of San Telmo, Mr. Roberto Martín traveled to the United States to insure an exposition of the exceptional works of somebody who used to sail during many years on the Rio de la Plata, today a renowned painter of marinas on international level.
GEORGE J. HORAK transmits with a great power not only intense emotions and impacting images, but also achieves to attach to his works exceptional suggestions of subliminal sounds. “Personally I think Mr. George J. Horak is a great artist and an extraordinary human being”.

(Analia Lucero, LA OPINIÓN, 1999)

A vying question that has generated much debate from times distant until today is “what is art?” Clearly, there is no simple answer to such a complex issue, but among the many definitions describing what art is is that it is the aesthetic form given to experience. I can think of no better example to illustrate this explanation than the work of George J. Horak.
George Horak is a sailor, a deep-water, ocean going, true yachtsman. Not a casual weekend, fair weather coast-hugger. This man is a true mariner – a real sea dog. He has sailed over a large expanse of oceans, in every kind of weather, in a variety of vessels and has accumulated knowledge of the sea that few will ever know. His experience is unique and of great dimension. One need not read this to understand George’s work. The perceptive viewer, upon looking at his paintings will readily understand that George is extremely successful in giving form and meaning to his experience by using his brush.
His recent solo exhibition at the Museum of the Americas in Miami reflects an intimacy with the sea that is as intense as it is extensive. He shows bays, coasts and oceans in an astonishing variety of moods, everything from idyllic, calm waters to dark treacherous storms. He uses all of the painter’s tools such as light, color, texture, scale and space to involve us, the viewers, in his intensely felt experience.
George seduces us into feeling that we are actually there, no longer mere viewers, rather we are participants. We need to experience extreme caution on deck during this storm. How do we navigate this huge wave looming off of our starboard bow ? Ahh, this is better. Surely we should anchor in this gentle expanse of glittering, azure water. Oh oh, now we are shrouded in a dense fog. Do we heave to or proceed slowly with all senses on full alert ? Wait !
They are “just” paintings. But they are special paintings. We can enjoy them for their beauty and for their skill of execution, but we cannot escape sharing the experience that they mirror. This is our good fortune and George’s success. His works synthesizes his experiences with his subject and his skill as a painter. Years of work, both at the helm and before an easel come together in a body of work that informs us.
It tells of a life richly lived. It reveals intimate glimpses of a world known only by a relatively few people. Most importantly, it affords us the opportunity to step outside of our routine existence and enjoy a time the artist Robert Henri describes thusly, “at such times there is a song going on within us, a song to which we listen. It fills us with surprise. We marvel at it.”
George J. Horak’s work gives us something to marvel at. This is a marvelous accomplishment.

(James M. Couper, III, Professor, Department of Visual Arts, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, 2005)

Medium: Oil on canvas

Dimensions: Framed. H:28in W:52in