Jonas Gerard (Casablanca, Morocco, 1941-2020)

Jonas Gerard was a self-taught painter with a lifelong career as an artist. He grew up in Casablanca, Morocco, where from an early age he was influenced by the vibrant cultures of his birthplace and his French and Brazilian ancestry. At age 13, Jonas immigrated from Morocco with his mother and sister and arrived at Ellis Island by boat. He began his artistic career on the streets of New York City and spent many decades in the Miami area. In his later years, he operated two 5,000 square foot galleries which both included their own working studio in the Asheville, NC River Arts District. 

Known for his energetic spirit, Jonas invited crowds of friends, visitors, and art enthusiasts alike into his studio every day to watch him create his paintings. After quietly fighting a years-long battle with cancer, Jonas Gerard passed away peacefully in March of 2020. Dedicated to his craft with an unending flow of inspiration, he painted as long as he could until his last few days on earth.

Jonas’ playful use of high quality acrylic paints guided by the rhythmic influence of music created a very large, vibrant body of work. With thousands of collectors from every continent across the globe, his remaining artworks are still being acquired and cherished by many.

Jonas Gerard's last studio in Asheville, located at 144 Lyman Street along the French Broad River in the River Arts District, was taken over by his daughter, Mira Gerard, after his passing. Mira and Jonas had a special connection through art, as she became a painter just like her father. The two of them had many conversations about her dream to open a gallery of her own. Jonas lovingly supported Mira's vision to one day transform his studio into her own curated world of contemporary art. She named it Tyger Tyger Gallery, after William Blake's poem The Tyger.

In the summer of 2024, Mira decided to include her father's work in her gallery. During that time, she was so pleased to reconnect with visitors who owned and loved Jonas Gerard's artwork. That special time came to an abrupt end when the gallery was unfortunately destroyed in the historic Hurricane Helene flood. During the days and weeks that followed, Mira tirelessly worked with friends and volunteers to rescue as many artworks as she could. 

Mira was able to save over 150 of her father's paintings, along with many other artworks and artifacts from his archive, which she is working on restoring and selling from a new private studio location in Biltmore Village. The studio is open by appointment and it's a wonderful place to visit during your next stay in Asheville. 

For all inquiries or to schedule a studio visit, please contact us.