Gerald Swenson is a native of Connecticut, where he graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1969. He recieved an MFA in 1970. He has lived in Maine since 1972. Swenson, whose early paintings were abstract expressionist, soon included landscape, realism, and social and political concerns in his body of work. In the early 90's, Swenson produced a series of Art Furniture pieces (the Shrines) which were exhibited and sold at the Stein Glass Gallery in Portland. He has exhibited with the UMVA since the 70's.