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Gary Ripley

When I first met Gary it was at a house party a roommate Jennifer brought him, he was a teacher at the Art College where she was attending. I said I can’t draw; I draw stickmen nobody can teach me, he said I can. So he did. To control me.

We smoked a lot of dope it was late 70’s I was driving cab learning guitar, photo, drawing, painting and yoga. Gary and I became best friends then typically of a narcissist since it was really about control we broke up when finally I said ‘I prefer’.

This was a 9 year relationship and I was heartbroken, and this is all I have to say about the trauma and recovery of narcissistic abuse. It was all so textbook.

Recently I met a similar personality type in my building, and then dropped him like a hot potato when the control gizmos of guilt started. From 9 years to 9 weeks. I guess I learned something.

I saw on the net that he had a show last year. Rubber stamp technique art. My work is better; more range, more depth, more refinement and more elegance. More eclectic less stylized.

I can see clearly now.



Jerald is a Canadian visual artist, educator and essayist with a focus on personal history through the lens of REBT, rational emotive behavioural therapy, the work of Dr. Albert Ellis. After a debilitating stroke in 2017, he re-tuned his studio to write and explore creating/editing time based art. He has since published 12 books of personal essays and photo-based artwork, the most recent published title Intimate Writings A Living Autobiography “Warning, confidential matters will be discussed.”was released in the winter 2024. His website is jeraldblackstock.ca

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