<p><strong>Gary Edward Blum</strong> was born in Montara, California, a coastal town 30 minutes south of San Francisco. For the better part of two decades, he has explored duality and dependent opposition through his paintings and, more recently, photography.</p><p>The grandson of both Italian and Swiss immigrants, Blum grew up surrounded by stories of exploration and independence. In 2000, he traveled to India, where he was introduced to Eastern philosophy and religion. Upon returning, he began incorporating themes of dependent opposition and meditation into his work—elements that remain evident today.</p><p>Blum earned his M.F.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. in Graphic Design from California State University, Chico. More recently, he was an affiliate artist at Headlands Center for the Arts from 2015 to 2017. His work has been exhibited across the United States and is part of the permanent collections of the Crocker Art Museum and the Monterey Museum of Art. He has also been featured in publications such as the <em>Los Angeles Times</em>, <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em>, and <em>Art in America</em>.</p>