Stan Moeller Workshop – Island Inn, Monhegan

As many of you know, Monhegan Island is full of artists. Easels set up everywhere, paintings being created left and right. It’s amazing the talent on one small island.

Stan Moeller was giving a workshop and in the photo above they were painting on the lawn. This was a tricky week with a lot of fog, should make for some cool paintings!

Stan Moeller was the featured artist this year in the Island Inn dining room – very nice. Check out the Lupine Gallery for more work (click HERE to view paintings).

📸 IMAGES ARE MY OWN UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF INTERESTED…

Photos this week – Have a great day and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artists Kevin Beers and Amy Williams (Beers)!

Monhegan Dock Sunset by Kevin Beers 16x20 Oil

Monhegan Dock Sunset by Kevin Beers  16×20″  Oil

Amy Williams (Beers) and husband, Kevin Beers, are having a show (now – through June 26, 2017) at Legacy Properties in Damariscotta, Maine. If you’re in the area STOP BY! You won’t want to miss this show! It’s the last week of the show and you KNOW it will be good!

Many of you will recognize the painting above by Kevin. He has a way of capturing the essence of Monhegan. Every detail meticulously captured.

SPECIAL TREAT:

There is a reception at Legacy TODAY from 4-7PM – if you’re in the area, it’s the perfect time to meet the artists AND see their work! Here’s the address:

Legacy Properties Sotheby’s International Realty

170 Maine Street, Damariscotta, Maine  04543

 

Also note Kevin has a show coming up in July (actually opens June 29th!) at Gleason Fine Art  in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

“The Beers show will be from June 29 through July 25, 2017.  The opening reception is Friday, July 7 from 5-7 pm.

Forsythia by Amy Williams Beers

Forsythia by Amy Williams Beers 12×12″  Oil

I love this forsythia painting of Amy’s! I remember a forsythia painting she did last year, it was different, but equally amazing… I also remember a fabulous painting of clouds – that one has stuck in my head! She has a cool perspective on things.

Read a bit about Amy, from her website (link no longer operable):

Amy Williams has drawn and painted her whole life but she began taking formal art classes at the School of the Museum of Fine Art in 2000 after moving to Boston to take a position as Trustee Professor in Computer Science and Accounting at Bentley University. Over the next few years, in addition to taking SMFA and other museum school classes, she studied with Dennis Sheehan, Diane Rath and Casey Baugh and took workshops with Charles Sovek and Colin Page. In 2009, Amy gave up tenure and negotiated a contract to work half a year for three years so she could study intensively at the Art Student’s League of NY. She studied with Nelson Shanks, Burt Silverman, Ray Kinstler, Dan Thompson, Costa Vavagiakis, and Tom Torak and was invited to be Burt Silverman’s assistant in three workshops. She also frequently went to life drawing classes at Spring Street Studio in Soho. Upon leaving Bentley in December 2012, the university gave her a solo show in the McGladrey Gallery. In January 2013 she became a full time New Yorker. accepting an offer to serve as Director of Cyber Initiatives for the NY Citizens Crime Commission while taking classes and painting when she could. For years Amy really enjoyed helping others with their cyber security issues and painting in the evenings and on weekends but it became clearer with each day that all she wanted to do was paint.  So for that reason plus a few others, in September 2014 she and her husband Kevin Beers sold their apartment in Brooklyn NY and moved to Maine. Amy and Kevin initially met in Maine and spent summers painting together on Monhegan so this move was inevitable. Today they are both currently, happily, working as fine art painters from the renovated barn attached to their beautiful old Greek Revival house in Thomaston. Continue reading HERE

Read a bit about Kevin, from the Gleason Fine Art website:

In the Fall of 2014, Kevin Beers did something he had long dreamed of doing—he packed up his Park Slope, Brooklyn, apartment and moved to Maine to become a full-time resident. Beers and his wife Amy rented the Rockland home of a Monhegan friend and spent the winter of 2014-2015 hunting for their dream house. They found it on a Thomaston side street—an antique white farmhouse with a barn big enough for two studios.

For his 2015 summer show, Beers has given the gallery not only his typical Monhegan Island  panoramas and landscapes but also a half dozen sparkling winter paintings done on site in Rockland as well as several dazzling sunset views of Pemaquid. For Beers’ many fans of his truck and car paintings, this year’s show contains a special treat—“Stars and Stripes,” a majestic rendition of a familiar Rte. 90 sight, an old truck painted with red, white, and blue stars and stripes.

In mid-July, Beers heads out to his beloved Monhegan Island once again, but come fall, instead of facing the 7-hour drive back to Brooklyn, he will step off the ferry, drive less than half an hour, and be home—Maine at last! 

Amy and Kevin are about as nice as they come and their art… well, let’s just say that you will thank me 😉

Catch you back here tomorrow!

All images via AmyWilliamsArt.com and gleasonfineart.com, used with permission…
Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artists.

Featured Artist: Patrick Lee!

Cruisers by Patrick Lee 24×30″ Oil SOLD  – Best in Show at Wayne Plein air 2017

Patrick Lee. His paintings are captivating. What grabs me are the abstract qualities. Cruisers is a striking painting that won BEST IN SHOW recently at Wayne Plein Air, in Pennsylvania, well deserved! Just look at the scale of those ships – the colors in this painting are stunning.

Another one of my favorites (also sold) is The Blue Side – a stunning side of a house in the shadows. WOW! (Check Patrick’s Facebook or Instagram to see what I mean, links below).

Beautiful paintings!

Patrick Lee

Website  |  Facebook  |  Instagram

Read a bit about Patrick, (from his website):

I grew up in Western Pennsylvania and attended Edinboro University, where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Painting with an Art History minor. I’m the youngest of seven children raised by a single mom. My mother, who was an artist herself, gave me my first drawing book at the age of 10. It was an original copy of Figure Drawing for All It’s Worth by Andrew Loomis.  The bulk, and greatest part, of my artistic education has come from interacting with and learning from fellow artists and from studying works of art of all kinds.  I work primarily in oils, charcoal, and watercolor (gouache). My chosen subject matter generally ranges from figurative works and landscapes, to still-life and interiors.

I’ve participated in many group and solo exhibitions, including Plein Air painting events like Plein Air Easton and Wayne Plein Air and have been an adjunct professor of art at Allegheny Community College for the past several years. I like to look for the design and form possibilities in art which sometimes leads to strong elements of abstraction and suggestion in my work, rather than explicit detail. I love plein air painting because of its immediacy and freshness. Because you must work quickly in most cases, intuition and feeling take over and force you to simplify and look for the essence of what it is that you’re trying to accomplish. There is no better way to develop real skill in painting.

All images via PatrickLeeFineArt.com, used with permission…
Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Stan Moeller!

Uncle Henry’s by Stan Moeller 11×14 Oil

The Lupine Gallery and the Island Inn will be presenting a fabulous show of Stan Moeller‘s paintings of Monhegan Island and France! What a show it’s going to be. I cannot wait to see it! If you’re fortunate enough to be on the island on June 28, 2017 – there is an opening reception from 2:00-4:00 PM. What a good time!

Here is a bit about the show, from the Lupine Gallery website:

STAN MOELLER: FROM MONTMARTRE TO MONHEGAN

The Lupine Gallery and the Island Inn will be showcasing Stan Moeller’s paintings of Monhegan Island and Paris, France in the 2017 Island Inn Show, “Stan Moeller: from Montmartre to Monhegan.”  The exhibit will be on view from Friday, May 26 through Sunday, October 8. The public is invited to a reception for the artist at the Island Inn on Wednesday, June 28 from 2-4 pm.                        

To view the paintings, click here.

Stan Moeller has been painting and teaching oil painting workshops on Monhegan since the 1990’s. He describes his style as “Modern Impressionism with a little Contemporary Realism and a smidge of the Ashcan school.” The works on display reflect his passion for painting on site and his ability to capture the energy of a moment—whether the power of an ocean wave or the gesture of a figure in a café.

There has been a strong thread of connection between Monhegan and Paris for over 100 years, as American artists who were drawn here to paint the rugged and rustic life of the island were also drawn to the Paris art scene. In the late 19th and early 20th century, the hill of Montmartre was a mecca for painters, and many of Monhegan’s most prominent artists lived and studied in Paris, bringing the latest movements in European art back with them.

Stan travels annually between Maine and Europe to paint two of his favorite muses: Monhegan and Paris. This show brings together, for the first time, his paintings of these two iconic places. The owners of the Island Inn, Jaye Morency and Michael Brassard, split their time between Monhegan and Paris each year, and were inspired to bring their love of their two favorite places together in this exhibition.

All images via stanmoeller.com and lupinegallerymonhegan.com, used with permission…
Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Tom Balderas! [workshop alert]

Study by Tom Balderas

Isn’t this painting striking? Everything about it makes me smile. I especially love the imperfection, the fact that the fruit is not exactly round, which can be so boring. To be able to paint like this would be a dream! Loving those subtle shadows and light, the background, the composition, the brush strokes, absolutely everything! The little touches that Tom makes can change a painting and take it from nice to stunning at the speed of light. Those little bits of orange make my heart sing! Brilliant!

I have always loved Tom’s paintings. He has his own distinct style, his paintings stand out to me. Are you an artist who needs a nudge in the right direction or just wants to see what you may pick up from someone who’s paintings have such a unique quality? If so, you may be in luck! Tom has a 3 day workshop beginning Friday, May 19, 2017 at Del Mar Art Academy and it’s going to be fabulous! From their website:

Tom will be teaching painting in what is called the “gestural color method,” emphasizing the idea of trusting the first impression you receive when observing the subject you wish to paint – whether still life, landscape, figurative or from reference material. If practiced with regularity this approach to painting can take a painter far and help to instill the attitude that “all great painting can be found in the honest and humble study.” Click HERE to read more about the workshop! 

Tom also has an ongoing Thursday workshop in Newport, if interested, contact Tom: tombalderas@gmail(dot)com

Read a bit about Tom, from his website. This is one of my all time favorite bio’s. Not only is Tom creative with paint, he is so creative with words!

TOM BALDERAS CALIFORNIA, USA

Third son of four. painter. writer. musician. photographer. thinker. creator. listener. observer. human. social. loner. understanding. misunderstanding. giver. taker. wanter. perfectionist. imperfect. mess. father. Found himself dwelling upon an emotional and artistic precipice since birth.

Growing up in Torrance, California, Tom Balderas lived only a few miles from the ocean, which has made nature, along with his family, the main inspiration of his paintings. Balderas attended Loyola Marymount University, where he studied film production and art. After graduating, he worked several years for NBC Productions and made many made-for-television movies. He then began studying under the tutelage of his photographer father, as well as Joseph Mendez, master painter and teacher. Balderas considers the time spent studying with Mendez to be the cornerstone of his growth as a painter.

Also, studied with charles, anne, jennifer, daniel, sophia, lynne, joseph, harold, zen, elliott, starbuck, dan, andrew, dr. block, zinaida, david, e. charlton, michael, rose, ken, walter, selden, chris, armin, joaquin, edward, bejar, valentin, george, edward, jesus, pierre, rachel, mort, marileigh to name but a few of so many.

Works towards progress.

I love it! Works towards progress… Something we all need to be doing. I also love all the people Tom has studied with, told you… creative!

Be on the lookout for Tom’s new website, coming soon… You can check back here for the link (use the Search on the Home page)…

All images via TomBalderasFineArt.Blogspot.com, used with permission…

New Website Coming Soon – Will add link here once it’s complete! 

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Robert Strickland!

Dahlia Arrangement by Robert Strickland 24″X18″ Oil

Robert Strickland is an artist from Toronto, Canada – and whoa, can he ever paint! I think the Dahlia Arrangement painting is perfection. The backdrop and surface leave your imagination to fill in, yet the jars and flowers are out of this world realistic. The varying beautiful colors are a joy!

If you’re in the Toronto, Canada area and looking for a workshop, check out Robert’s website for more info, while you’re there just look at the beautiful paintings!

Read a bit about Robert, from his website:

Robert Strickland is a professional artist from Toronto, Canada. Robert was first inspired by nature and his surroundings. He recalls having a deep connection and appreciation for nature from a young age. It wasn’t until he was in his twenties that he was exposed to art however. He took a fundamental art program at Sheridan College to learn some basics and meet other artists. At this point he was more interested in illustration. After the program ended, he learnt in a more autodidactic way. He went to life drawing consistently and at one point just jumped into oil painting. With an intense dedication and a rational way of solving problems, he learn’t quickly. After making great progress he was awarded the Chalmers Professional Development Grant. This allowed him to study abroad from contemporary masters in representational art. After he felt the need to go back to his roots in Canadian culture to form as a mature artist. Painting “en plein air” connected him with nature once again, his voice in art became louder and more distinct. Through Roberts art we can see an appreciation of nature and an intimate way of looking at it. Robert believes the appreciation of art teaches values and connects us with a universal language. Continue reading, here

All images via RobertStricklandArt.com, used with permission…
Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Judy Joy Nocifora! [Workshop Alert!]

Charlie by Judy Joy Nocifora   12 x 12″   Oil

Judy Joy Nocifora. A wonderful artist that has quite the following when it comes to workshops. From her blog, it looks like her students really have fun and learn at the same time, is there a better way? I think not!

Judy did a demo of Charlie, our Jack Russell. From an image she was able to capture his essence so well. Not an easy task to paint this dog, he’s got hair going every which way, and for it to really look like Charlie it takes some doing! It’s a beautiful painting – she’s even got his funny sit that he does. This is Charlie – lover of the sun, sits in the sun and follows it throughout the house all day. He sits and his eyes get heavy until he can’t take it anymore.

Judy is teaching an oil painting workshop specifically for animal lovers – it begins April 4 (2017)! Interested? Here’s the information, but be quick, I’m sure her workshops fill up quickly! Be sure to check out her website and blog as well!

Oil Painting Workshop for Animal Lovers  
with Judy Nocifora
Tuesdays & Fridays, April 4, 7, 11 & 14, 2017
9:00-12:30 pm at Memphis Botanic Garden

Professional oil paint and medium is provided. There is much to be learned in this workshop that will apply to all that you paint: i.e, brushwork, color mixing, etc.
There will be demos each day and a lot of personal instruction.
Registration and payment due by Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

Call Laurie at 901-6364128.

Read a bit about Judy, from her website:

Artist Statement: I awake each day to the gift of life and the unending beauty that surrounds me. I thrill to the challenges and surprises that develop in each painting. The privilege of sensing life and letting it flow through my fingers and onto canvas is joyful!

The artwork of Judy Joy Nocifora has unfolded through many years of an insatiable desire to create. In her teens, she began studying formal oil painting with a highly regarded local instructor and she continued a keen interest in the arts and in the creative process through years of teaching in a program for gifted students. 

Upon retirement, Judy embarked on a serious commitment to study intently and diligently with artist whose work she admired in order to become a professional artist. She has had the great pleasure to study with master artists, Jeff Legg, Dawn Whitelaw, Jennifer McChristian, Peggi Kroll Roberts, John Pototschnik, Roger Dale Brown, and Camille Przewodek, and Lori Putnam, to name a few. One of her great joys is to share what she has learned with others as an oil painting instructor for Creative Aging of the Mid-South and at the Memphis Botanic Gardens. 

Today, Judy travels extensively to paint and she loves to share the beauty that she finds everywhere through her oil paintings. Her artwork has been juried into local and regional exhibitions. When at home, you will find Judy painting in her studio or plein air painting in her hometown of Germantown, Tennessee. 

Judy is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, American Women Artist, Memphis/Germantown Art League, and Artists’Link of Memphis. She currently serves on the Board of Memphis/Germantown Art League as Publicity Chair. 

All images via Judy Nocifora, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Colin Page!

lobster-blues-by-colin-page-48x36-oil

Lobster Blues by Colin Page  48×36″  Oil

Wow! Colin’s still life’s have always amazed me. Well, I guess that’s true of all his work. Colin can literally paint absolutely anything! This lobster dinner looks quite tasty. Just look at the light in that blue glass. The intricacies of the tablecloth. The LOBSTER that looks, well, good enough to eat! I love the addition of the notecard and pen!

cozy-harbor-by-colin-page-36x36-oil

Cozy Harbor by Colin Page  36×36″  Oil

This painting just grabs me. I love the stillness of the water and that red outbuilding (oh! that red!) – also love the magnificent white house looking so majestic in height compared to surrounding buildings. Colin can paint a dock with such style. Love it!

Are you interested in taking a workshop in 2017? Colin has several workshops, and good news, some still have openings, but be quick, the spots usually fill up quickly. Everyone loves Colin, has fun and learns a lot from his workshops – His next workshop is a CALIFORNIA PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP in Balboa Island, CA through Debra Huse Gallery FEBRUARY 1 – 4, 2017 (and a solo show that runs from Feb. 3-28)!

Next is a MARYLAND PLEIN AIR WORKSHOP that runs from MARCH 23 – 26, 2017, hosted by Chesapeake Fine Art Studio, Kent Island, MD.

Be sure to check out all of Colin’s Workshops and Upcoming Shows, as well as his new and improved (if possible) website!

All images via ColinPagePaintings.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Eric Bowman!

trespass-by-eric-bowman-30x22-oil

Trespass by Eric Bowman  29 5/8 x 22″ Oil

Eric Bowman. I love his style. From Eucalyptus trees with so much character to his figure paintings, each evokes such feeling. Eric is brilliant when it comes to marketing as well, he’s got a great sense of humor, and his paintings show that he loves what he does. Eric’s work is stunning, to say the least!

Trespass is a very symbolic painting… it caught my attention when Eric sent out a Christmas/holiday newsletter entitled PEACE. Nice! Very nice! You can feel the passion in this painting – and that light in the distance, wow!

Eric has several shows coming up in 2017 – don’t miss them if you’re in the area! Click HERE to see more of Eric’s upcoming shows.

L A ART SHOW 2017

Eric will be showing with the Maxwell Alexander Gallery at this venue- the opening is tomorrow evening, Thursday, Jan 12th 11am – 7pm, 2017, the show runs from 1/12-1/15/2017.

Click HERE for a link to the exhibit!

night-brings-good-counsel-by-eric-bowman

Night Brings Good Counsel by Eric Bowman 16×20″ Oil

I happen to love Eric’s trees. They make me smile. They have so much character! I always love a road with trees, a stunning sky, especially a nocturne and oh! That moon! I swear it’s real!

Mockingbird Gallery 2017

Event Dates: 2/3/2017 – 3/2/2017
Reception: 2/3/2017  5-9pm
Location: Mockingbird Gallery
Phone Number: (541) 388-2107
Address: 869 NW Wall St, Suite 100, Bend, Oregon 97703

Eric will be showing with the Mockingbird Gallery in a three person show including Julee Hutchison and Bart Walker.

Mark your calendar! Click HERE for a link to the exhibit!

Read a bit about Eric, from his website:

“Eric Bowman was born in Pasadena and grew up in Orange County, CA (back when it actually had orange groves). Essentially a self-taught artist, Eric had a knack for drawing as far back as he can remember, always the class artist throughout his elementary and high school years. Various art-related jobs such as silk screen T-shirt printer or surfboard airbrush technician led to a lengthy and successful career as a commercial artist, eventually transitioning to fine art painting. As a painter, Eric has garnered many awards in national & regional exhibitions in some of the country’s most prestigious galleries and museums.  His paintings are in collections around the world, including England, China, Australia, Canada and Mexico. 

 Eric Bowman is a Signature Member of both the American Impressionist Society and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, and an Out-of-State Member of the California Art Club. When not traveling to various plein air shows or visiting his beloved home state of California, Eric resides in northwest Oregon with his wife and daughter, and their dog, Mucha.” Read more HERE

All info & images via EricBowman.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Scott Boyle (and workshop – October 2016)!

Roan Mountain Clouds by Scott Boyle 20x24 Oil

Roan Mountain Clouds by Scott Boyle 20×24 Oil

Scott Boyle. Beautiful paintings. Just look at these clouds! Puffy and light – I am a cloud connoisseur, ha ha… they fascinate me! The road leading up to the trees is wonderful and really shows distance, doesn’t it? Beautiful light and shadows in the grass! I think if I were here I would be on the grass gazing up at the sky – watching those clouds roll by…

“Roan Mt. Round Bald – Appalachian Trail” is Scott’s description. I love when artists give you a little blip about a painting. The who, what, when or where makes it that much more interesting.

Scott’s website shows his plein air and studio paintings. This painting happens to be a studio painting, it’s amazing how he has kept it so fresh, as if he were standing in that very spot. Usually I can tell a big difference between an artist’s studio paintings versus plein air paintings, but not with Scott’s. Truly, it’s like he was right there!

Hoyle Homestead by Scott Boyle 12x16 Oil

Hoyle Homestead by Scott Boyle 12×16 Oil

Just look at this home that Scott painted, the Hoyle Homestead, “The oldest known standing structure in Gaston County – Dallas, NC.”

This is such a fabulous house, I love the warm sun on the front of the house and THOSE TREES! What character! A really beautiful painting! Be sure to check out Scott’s website – you can tell that he loves where he lives – the areas that he paints are breathtaking!

Are you looking to take a workshop? Well, you may be in luck! 

Scott will be teaching a 3 Day Plein Air Painting Workshop in Dallas, North Carolina October 11 – 13, 2016 – click HERE for more info!

Read a bit about Scott, from his website:

“North Carolina landscape artist Scott Boyle is a visual explorer, a promoter of plein air painting, and the founder of the North Carolina Plein Air Painters, which organizes numerous outdoor painting events around the state each year.  Additionally, he teaches workshops and frequently speaks on subjects relating to outdoor painting.

While growing up in Indiana Scott was recognized to have unusual artistic abilities from a young age. He was fortunate to have parents who immersed him with opportunities to develop his talent with private lessons and years of study with traditional Brown County Artists in Indiana during his earlier years.

Scott moved to North Carolina in 1987, where his senses were awakened to the rich and subtle beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  He soon discovered that painting small sketches outdoors was the best way to explore the landscape.  He continues in the tradition, commonly known today as plein air painting, following after the tradition of the great 19th Century painters who used this outdoor process as an indispensable tool to produce more meaningful studio works.

Since 2006, Scott has made dozens of trips to the Roan Highlands Region, which encompasses numerous high country grassy balds along the NC/TN border.  He backpacks with his painting gear to capture the visual drama at high elevations.  During the winter, he produces large paintings in his studio from these experiences.

In 2010, Scott was included in the historical Blue Ridge Realists artist group whose work focuses on Western North Carolina scenes. 

Scott currently lives in rural Gaston County, North Carolina with his wife, Esther.” Check out Scott’s Artist Statement as well as the rest of his Bio – good stuff!

Image via ScottBoyleArt.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Frank Gardner | Marc Hanson – Stunning Work! – Show at Addison Art Gallery TOMORROW!

TWO FABULOUS ARTISTS, Frank Gardner and Marc Hanson – ONE FABULOUS SHOW Opens Tomorrow at Addison Art Gallery!

The opening is Friday, July 30, 2016 from 5-7PM – if you are anywhere near Orleans, MA – you won’t want to miss it! These are two artists I admire so much, they both push themselves and the results are breathtaking!

Read a bit about the show, from Addison Art Gallery – then check out a sample of the paintings in the show – oh, how I wish I was close by:

Orleans MA — On Saturday, July 30 from 5 to 7, the Addison Art Gallery will host an opening reception for Marc Hanson of Mississippi and Frank Gardner of Mexico. Long time friends, Hanson and Gardner have often traveled together to paint, and have exhibited together in Addison Art Gallery and museum shows on Cape Cod. This past winter, they decided to join talents again. 

 

 frank gardner

Peaceful Harmony by Frank Gardner 24x30 Oil

Peaceful Harmony by Frank Gardner 24×30 Oil

Just look at the reflections in the water! The light on the ladder, the colors and textures in the pilings. WOW! I have always loved Frank’s paintings, they have something about them that are definitely all his, but this latest group of paintings is different and I love every one!

Snorkel by Frank Gardner 30x24 Oil

Snorkel by Frank Gardner 30×24 Oil

SNORKEL jumped out to me – I could look at it forever. There is a quiet innocence to it. That wonderful feeling of being a kid of vacation, remember the days when the family would be packed into a car and head for some place wonderful like Cape Cod? Frank’s paintings pull at your memories of those times. I love the kid in this painting, as well as the water behind him, with all the wonderful colors, this is stunning.

Frank’s comments on this show:

“My earliest memories of Cape Cod take me back to summer vacations with my family in the late 60’s and 70’s. We would load into the Chevy Impala for the much anticipated road trip every July. ‘Summer on Cape Cod’ is the theme for the new work I am painting for this season at Addison Art Gallery. My inspiration for this series is drawn from old memories and photos from my earliest trips to the Cape as well as from my most recent summer trips. Subjects range from fun on the beach, to classic Cape Cod scenes and some things in between.” — Frank Gardner 

Read a bit about Frank, from his website:

My paintings are interpretations of my experiences. They come from the desire to share the beauty that I see every day by arranging bits of color and ideas to tell a story. Drawn to the colors of fleeting light effects on the landscape I try and accurately represent color I see. However, I also interpret and push color if it is useful to convey how the scene makes me feel. Color combinations and juxtapositions are a lot of what make a subject appealing to me. I look for situations that are unique to a particular place at a certain time, depending on lighting conditions, but also filtered through my mood at the time a piece is painted.

Painting in a representational style, and influenced by the impressionists, I am drawn to fleeting light effects and color while sometimes sacrificing detail. A controlled chaos or loose spontaneity is my favored look, although each color and stroke is well thought out and carefully placed. My goal is to convey to the viewer my feelings about the scene through my use of color and brushwork. I’ll let the subject and my mood determine how much detail is required to complete each painting.

Paint application is important to me. It is a very personal facet of my work. An artists brushwork and paint handling is what sets their work apart from another artist’s interpretation of the same view. It is as unique as a fingerprint. I not only brush paint on, but lift it off, or smear it with a finger or paint rag. It is often the lifting off of the paint or moving it around after it is on the canvas that gives the look I am after. Continue reading HERE

marc hanson

A Little Cedar by Marc Hanson 11x14 Acrylic

A Little Cedar by Marc Hanson 11×14 Acrylic

Marc knows how to make a painting really stand out – I think the lavender in A LITTLE CEDAR adds so much, it makes the rest of the painting stand out. Marc is a master when it comes to landscapes, his paintings will blow you away – His skill has been acquired from years of hard work creating MANY paintings – just look at the light! A that bit of unexpected blue on the horizon… really nice! Everything about this painting is first class!

Brilliance by Marc Hanson 8x10 Oil

Brilliance by Marc Hanson 8×10 Oil

Utter perfection! Some of you may have heard about my affinity for orange. I can feel the warmth from this painting! It’s stunningly beautiful in every way! Marc has a way of portraying a scene without overdoing. I love the simplicity of this painting. Sounds easy, but it’s not.

Marc’s comments on this show: “In my work for this show, I have concentrated on the quieter side of the Cape. That’s the side that I enjoy the most. Although the harbors and towns are all part of the experience there, I prefer to spend most of my time exploring those areas that see less traffic. In particular the Fort Hill area is a favorite. The marshes and lowland areas draw me in and have me thinking about the history of the area pre-settlement. In the end, it’s the light on the Cape that is the real subject of all of the work I’ve done there.”— Marc R. Hanson

Read a bit about Marc, from his website:

Having grown up in a military family, Marc’s youth was spent on the move. He was born in Oxnard, California and spent some of his early school years there. But his geographical resume soon included Alaska, Florida, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Norway. After his father’s retirement from the Air Force, Marc’s family settled in the small northern California community of Loomis. Marc began college as a biology major, but soon applied to and was accepted into Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, majoring in illustration. After Art Center and a brief stint as a staff illustrator in Sacramento, California, Marc moved to Minnesota where he lived for 33 years while raising a family and pursuing his art. Marc relocated to Colorado in the Fall of 2012.

“I have pursued a career as a painter for many years now. Along the way my methods, materials and focus have evolved. A naturalist at heart, the landscape is the perfect vehicle for expressing the joy I have for the world that surrounds me. My real interest and challenge as a painter is how to best manipulate the core principles of painting into effective visual statements. I’m most successful when I’m able to communicate that joy to the viewers of my paintings.”

Marc teaches landscape painting workshops in many locations nationally. “ I love working with other painters in their pursuit to better their craft. My goal is not to have them assimilate my style and technique, but to teach them how to more closely exam- ine the subject and apply the principles that representational painters must follow to become effective visual communicators.”

He has shown his work in galleries and museums nationally and internationally since the early 1980’s. He is a Signature Member of The Oil Painters of America (O.P.A.)… Continue reading HERE

All images via AddisonArt.com, FrankGardner.com and MarcHansonArt.com used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Colin Page! Show at Dowling Walsh Gallery!

The Apple Tree by Colin Page 36x48 Oil

The Apple Tree by Colin Page 36×48″ Oil

Colin Page. His paintings are recognizable from a distance. He really doesn’t even need a signature, you can look at it and say WOW! COLIN! There are so many fabulous paintings to chose from it boggles the mind. The Apple Tree is so wonderful, I love how the children are playing, the dramatic tree, fabulous sky, tree shadows, and the girl reaching for the cat. Stunning work. As always!

Skull by Colin Page 36x36 Oil

Skull by Colin Page 36×36″ Oil

I love Colin’s tablescapes. I love every one of them. This one is so unexpected. I’ve seen other skull paintings of his and they were remarkable as well, but this skull on top of the table with flowers is stunning.

If you are in the Rockland, Maine area, do not miss his show at Dowling Walsh Gallery!

Opening Reception, First Friday, July 1, 2016 from 5-8pm (TONIGHT!)

Read more about Colin, and see more work from this show HERE.

Colin has a fabulous website as well, be sure to check it out – don’t miss his journal, it’s full of great information!

Are you an experienced artist looking to take a workshop? I see that Colin has a workshop coming up in September – it looks AMAZING! Check out the details HERE!

All images via DowlingWalsh.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Karen Blackwood (& UPCOMING WORKSHOP)!

Closed For Winter by Karen Blackwood

Closed for Winter by Karen Blackwood 24×30″  Oil (Available at Haynes Galleries)

Karen Blackwood has wonderful work. This winter scene has such a wonderful feel to it. The subtle colors, the shapes of the trees, the grasses that break up the snow – nice!

Are you interested in taking a workshop with Karen? She has a one day workshop with a few openings… next month! Karen would be a great artist to take a workshop from, especially if you are interested in seascapes!

Karen Blackwood Workshop

Sounds like a fabulous workshop, doesn’t it? Contact Karen if interested!

Sun and Surf by Karen Blackwood

Sun and Surf by Karen Blackwood  18×36″  Oil (Available at Trees Place Gallery)

Karen’s seascapes are well known, they have such lively movement, fabulous colors, light and those waves! Wow!

Read a bit about Karen, from her website:

Karen Blackwood was born in N.H. and received her BA in the Studio Art program at the University of N.H. studying under Conley Harris and Sigmund Abeles, with continued studies at the  Art Students League in N.Y. and the Institute of Art in CA. After spending the earlier part of her professional life as an Art Director for a major New York City ad Agency, she moved to California, picked up her brushes and dedicated herself to painting. Trained in the classical tradition, Karen painted portraits and figurative work before focusing on landscapes. As a member of the California Art Club, Karen’s new passion for landscapes bloomed among a group of plein-air painters inspired by the rich tradition in California Impressionism. The clubs renowned members include Granville Redmond and Edgar Payne. They, as well as American Masters like John Singer Sargent, James Abbott McNeil Whistler, Winslow Homer and the Hudson River School Artists are influential to Karen.

Like the California Impressionists, Karen feels light is a defining factor, and it is the atmospheric quality of the light that she captures in her paintings. Her work is a desire to convey an emotional response to the landscape and to attain that perfect state of being that sometimes comes from painting it. Now living in Newburyport, Massachusetts, the coastal scenery is providing her with endless inspiration for her marine work, garnering her an award as a Finalist in the International Artist Magazine Competition, Honorable Mention in a recent OPA online showcase and numerous selections as the Favorite Top 15% in the Bold Brush Competitions. Read more HERE

All images via KarenBlackwoodFineArt.com, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

The Lost Art of the Painted Photograph with Corlis Caroll!

Corlis Carrol Lost art of the painted photograph ccfb

Corlis Carroll. What a dynamic soul! She has such a big heart, and she is as full of life as she can be! Corlis has mastered the art of the painted photograph. Be sure to stop by her show, it’s sure to be a treat!

Location: 1855 Western Avenue, (1 mile west of of Crossgates Mall), Albany, New York – Look for the colored bee boxes.

Corlis Carroll - Monhegan, Maine

One thing about Corlis, she is enthusiastic about her art. Her enthusiasm is contagious. She brings a smile to your face, and so do her paintings. She has a joie de vivre that cannot be denied!

There was a wonderful article in Spotlightnews.com about Corlis, to read, click HERE.

Read about the process, from her Facebook page:

In 1990, at the University at Albany, Corlis Carroll took a class in “Alternative Methods in Photography”. Upon graduation from UAlbany, (Phi Beta Kappa, 1994, major in art), Corlis soon moved to a remote island off the coast of Maine and lived there summers, first working as a house keeper for lodging and wages. In her “off” hours, Corlis could be seen in the village, on the cliffs or in the forest with paints and easel. Beginning in 1981 with a camera, she later turned to painting in oil and gouache for the study of light, composition and color. In 2013, she returned to her earlier love of the painted photograph and found a new world and a treasure trove of beautiful possibilities.

The painted photograph is an art form that has only been seen minimally since middle-class women found a hobby in it during the early to mid-twentieth century, and portrait photographers used it to color the hair, cheeks and lips of their subjects.

It is how color was commonly achieved in Photography.

There are only two methods in painting that begin with the gray scale: Grisaille, a paint medium and the Painted Photograph.
Covering gray with color creates a palette that is oddly familiar and visually pleasing though slightly confusing. 

Corlis is often asked: “what am I looking at? Is it a painting? Is it a photograph?”

It is both.

A blip about the show, from Corlis Caroll’s Facebook page:

Stickley Furniture delivers 9 thousand dollars in gorgeous Furniture for the show TODAY. They have been so supportive, so generous. Thank you John Hanson, 10 year designer for Stickley. Your guidance and expertise is so appreciated. You and Stickley have been so supportive. See you tomorrow.

I was paid the highest compliment of my life yesterday by a gentleman and business owner who has been active in the arts for over 30 years in the Albany area.

He said: “You are a great artist.” 

Be still my heart. I wanted to cry. It was 1980 when I first picked up the camera. 35 years later and these are, without a doubt, the most wonderfully affirming words that I have ever heard.

Thank you Gary Weitzman, owner, Artforms, Guilderland, NY. You are too kind. 

THE LOST ART OF THE PAINTED PHOTOGRAPH
12-6 through 12-9, from 3-7. The Irish Coffee, Cookies and Krause’s Chocolates are calling you…and the Art too, of course.

So grateful. Thank you for taking time out of your busy holiday schedule to take a look. Bring the children. They are my favorite people.

All images via Corlis F Caroll Facebook page, used with permission…

Images are not for reproduction, they are property of the artist.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Shawn Fields – Show begins TONIGHT at Dowling Walsh Gallery!

Shawn Fields |Honey's Room (Horses) |artfoodhome.com

Honey’s Room (Horses) by Shawn Fields 27 x 36 Oil/Board

Shawn Fields. Get out! This man has such a fabulous imagination and it shows in his paintings. His kids must have a magical childhood based on the paintings! It’s a childhood like I remember, back when kids played and really used their imagination. Each of these paintings is so heartwarming. They just make you smile!

Honey’s Room has got so much character. Shawn has painted this room in different paintings and each is WOW! I love Honey, with her sweet hair, her horses, the lights in her room, she’s a cool kid for sure!

Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine is having a show for Shawn and it begins TODAY and runs through September 26th. The opening is from 5-8PM (tonight). So if you’re in the area… DON’T MISS IT! This guys work is something special. Here’s a bit about the show from Dowling Walsh:

UPCOMING EXHIBITION: SEPTEMBER 2015 – opening 5-8pm Friday, September 4th, 2015

Shawn Fields’s current group of paintings are visual descriptions of experiences that symbolize what humanity has in common. In order to recreate these experiences in paint, Fields finds the objects unique to him, that will serve as a building blocks for a narrative. A specific TV, an Afghan blanket, a 1981 Grand Marquis, are collected, arranged; figures are introduced to the composition who can interact with these visual cues, magnify them, and bring them to life. Fields’ goal in every painting is to preserve the original inspiration, the idea that sparked the painting. The editing, and honing, of this idea results in the drawing (and redrawing) which supports each finished painting– a result that Fields hopes most clearly communicates the idea. The studio props, sketches, loose and final paintings here, show in detail the source and the process of Shawn’s work.

Shawn Fields’s studio itself reveals the process from object to image. The space, on the top floor of a former Buggy Whip Factory in New Marlborough, Massachussetts, serves as stage and subject. Stacks of drawings mounted on blue board insulation line the walls. Studies paper every surface. Behind each door, shelf and easel, are paintings, busts, textiles, and musical instruments and other props waiting to be incorporated into the work. Below his studio, on the ground floor, is a furniture maker who built the frames for the paintings in this show.

Afghans by Shawn Fields | artfoodhome.com

Afghans by Shawn Fields  33 1/4″ x 37 1/2″  Oil/Board

I know! I know! Precious! Two kids, watching TV (remember those TV’s??), covered with an afghan, having the time of their lives. Cereal bowl or ice cream bowl? Ha ha… This is another perfect example of how Shawn has the ability to not only paint a great painting, but to tell a story as well.

Read a bit about Shawn, from the Dowling Walsh website:

ARTISTS STATEMENT

Gene Wilder turns to the character Veruca Salt in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1969), and says: “We are the music makers, / And we are the dreamers of dreams…”

The children in these drawings and paintings are stand-ins for the universal person. They are celebrating present freedom and possibilities.

“We are the music makers, / And we are the dreamers of dreams, / Wandering by lone sea-breakers, / And sitting by desolate streams;—/ World-losers and world-forsakers, / On whom the pale moon gleams: / Yet we are the movers and shakers / Of the world for ever, it seems.” – Arthur O’Shaunnessy

BIOGRAPHY

Shawn Fields is a representational artist, telling stories of childhood with convincing detail. Shawn reminds us of the simplicity of a childhood full of resourceful, economical play. His paintings begin centered on a particular object – a “cabbage patch kids” bicycle, a bathing suit, a pillowcase – familiar from his own childhood and echoed in his children’s. The object becomes embedded in layers of narrative until the picture is complete.

Using practiced color, composition and anatomy, Shawn amplifies his narratives with make-believe. He has been inspired by Pixar and Spielberg, as much as by Winslow Homer and the Wyeths, in their ability to tell a story. Shawn understands that a painting can seem even more real when it takes liberties with reality. He cleverly invents ways to weigh down the mattress beneath the feet of a feather-light child, allowing it to crease and fold in a way that our mind reads as true. He billows the cape of a young boy jousting on his bike, the ribbons and grasses blowing with vigor, capturing the speed the viewer and the child have imagined. Shawn’s paintings signal to our recollection of reality.

Growing up outside of Baltimore, Maryland, Shawn’s early conception of art was formed by a monthly subscription to Mad Magazine, and exposure to traditional American painting and illustration. Shawn studied drawing and painting at the School of Visual Arts, and at the New York Academy of Art. Shawn lives in the Berkshires with his wife and three children.

Be sure to check out Shawn’s website. There are also prints available for a few of his paintings, and these are some of my favorites!

Images via ShawnFields.com and DowlingWalsh.com, used with permission from the artist…

Catch you back here tomorrow!