Lost in the marsh… Whatcha lookin’ at? James Richards featured artist!

On January 13, 2014January 27, 2025 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist3 Comments

James Richards - Lost in the Marsh — *Lost in the Marsh* by James Richards

I know I’ve featured James Richards a few times already, but his work never ceases to amaze me. Oh how I adore Lost in the Marsh! It’s an impressive 36×48″ oil painting that has the perfect amount of looseness, and I just think it’s incredible! James has the uncanny ability to be able to paint an everyday scene with a twist, and I love that!

James Richards is one of the most sought after landscape instructors around, his workshops fill up quickly and there is good reason for that. He’s as nice as he is talented. Truly. If you get a chance to check out his work in person, I highly suggest it. Locally, in Charleston, SC you can see his work at Galerie on Broad*. He’s got some amazing pieces… come see for yourself!

*Galerie on Broad is no longer in business, but you can see his work at the Meyer Vogl Gallery in Charleston, SC!

James Richards - Whatcha Lookin' At? — *Whatcha Lookin’ At?* by James Richards

This painting stops people in their tracks. It’s mesmerizing. No, cows aren’t normally purple, but they sure are pretty darn cool when they are! Very striking indeed!

Read a bit about James from Galerie on Broad’s website:

James Richards: Nationally-known landscape painter and instructor is driven by a passionate connection with nature and a deep sense of obligation to relay his vision in the most truthful manner possible. This ethic, manifested in his work, is giving Richards’ painting their own place in the world of today’s art.

James has spent years studying the nuances of painting with world famous instructors, which has given him a keen sense of understanding and control over the medium. James is an advocate of painting from life and spends his time traveling the world teaching workshops and searching for inspiration.

He has won multiple national awards and is regarded as one of the top landscape painting instructors in the country. James Richards paintings are collected by discriminating collectors both nationally and abroad.

F L A S H B A C K

O n e Y e a r A g o: Warm temps! Time to hit the beach with the beast!

T w o Y e a r s A g o: Featured Artist… Stephan Pastahov!

T h r e e Y e a r s A g o: The year of the staycation!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Images via GalerieOnBroad.com

Gardens and Gates – Sandra Baggette

On January 10, 2014January 10, 2014 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

Gardens and Gates - image: Sandra Baggette's Garden Studio Gallery FB — Gardens and Gates – image: Sandra Baggette’s Garden Studio Gallery FB

Sandra Baggette… wonderful artist, dear friend and nicest person in the world. We have been fans of Sandra for many years now, matter of fact, we bought our first “original” from Sandra back in 1991…! Sandra and her husband Jack are fabulous people, and are so much fun to visit. If you’re ever in the Port Royal, SC area, give her studio a call and see if she’s in. It’s a treat!!

Sandra’s opening is this evening! So if you’re in the area this is something you’ll definitely want to put on your list!! The show runs from January 3 – March 31, 2014. The opening reception is tonight from 5-7PM. To see a preview of the work check out sandrabaggette.com and gloriadalvini.com!

From Sandra Baggette’s Garden Studio Gallery Facebook page:

Opening for Gardens and Gates at the University of South Carolina Beaufort Center for the Arts – January 10, 2014. It was a great time painting in my garden after the tour. Check out my paintings at www.sandrabaggette.com and www.gloriadalvini.com. Our thanks to Jerry Stocks for setting this up.

Read a blip about Sandra from her website… such a cool lady!

A “painterly colorist” working in oils, Sandra blends what she sees and feels to share a lifelong enthusiasm for color and flowers Her passion for nature and vibrant colors is clearly demonstrated in her first book,
Sandra Baggette: Painting What I Love , a collection of recent works published in 2011.

In 1988, Sandra established the Garden Studio Gallery in Port Royal, SC to pursue her passions for painting and gardening. This peaceful environment, rich with colorful patterns created by flowers and sunshine, is a constant source of inspiration for her paintings.

Studies throughout the United States and abroad have played an important role in Sandra’s artistic development. Her travels in Italy and France, where she enjoyed the privilege of painting in Monet’s gardens and studied a variety of Impressionist masters, and the stirring sights of Hong Kong, Bermuda, Hawaii, and other locales have helped her grow as an artist and fueled her desire to move in new directions. Sandra continues to paint primarily in oils and to learn from nationally recognized instructors at the Scottsdale Artist School in Arizona and workshops throughout the United States. In 2010, she had the rare opportunity to take an oil painting class with acclaimed artist and instructor, Charles Reid. S. Burkett Kaiser, Ovanes Beberian, and Gay Faulkenberry, all students of Sergei Bongart, a Russian Impressionist whom Sandra admires, have also been some of her favorite instructors.

Recent participation in the Clemson University Master Gardeners and Lowcountry Institute at Spring Island programs has deepened Sandra’s knowledge and appreciation of nature and gardening in ways that will enhance her work. Membership in the Lowcountry Plein Air Society affords her excellent opportunities to paint and learn with fellow artists in picturesque outdoor locations. She has also benefitted from participating in the Plein Air Painters of America Paint Outs in Bennington, VT and Old Lyme, CT.

An award-winning artist, Sandra has exhibited in over 100 juried shows in the United States.Juan Logan awarded a Merit award to Sandra’s Seasonal Inspirations Series at Piccolo Spoleto Arts Festival 2011. .Zinnias and Melonswas accepted into the Hilton Head Art League 2009 National Juried Show, judged by Craig Srebnik. Among the Flowers won First Place in the Lowcountry Plein Air Society Competition judged by Jack Morris. Roses and Sweetgrass Baskets and The Arrangement were chosen for the 2009 South Carolina State Fair Fine Art Exhibit. In 2008, her oil paintings received two awards from Tom Lynch at the 48th Annual Beaufort Art Association’s Spring Exhibit and an Award of Merit from Jonathan Green at the Piccolo Spoleto Arts Festival.
Affiliations
Lowcountry Plein Air Society; Oil Painters of America Associate; American Impressionist Society; Women Painters of the Southeast; Beaufort Art Association and South Carolina Watermedia Society

Galleries
Garden Studio Gallery Port Royal, SC
Indigo Gallery Beaufort, SC
Peacock Alley Chapel Hill, NC

I just previewed Sandra’s book and it is FABULOUS! Check it out if you get a chance!

F L A S H B A C K

O n e Y e a r A g o: The simple way to organize and clean a closet!

T w o Y e a r s A g o: Sharp men’s slippers – Ascot by Ugg!

T h r e e Y e a r s A g o: Best down comforter!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Joseph McGurl!

On January 8, 2014January 8, 2014 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

Sunlit Pines, Sierras by Joseph McGurl — *Sunlit Pines, Sierras* by Joseph McGurl [via]

Does this painting look familiar? When I was cruising through Joseph’s plein air paintings this one caught my eye… when I clicked to make the image larger, I KNEW I had seen this before… on the cover of Plein Air magazine last year! Not only was it on the cover but it won an award… The way the sun hits the tree and the shadows that go with that are just breathtaking. When I look at this, I feel that I have burned one heck of a lot of calories to have hiked out to this perfect location unspoiled by everyday living. The peace, beauty and quiet exuded from this painting is amazing!

From ArtRenewal.org website:

Joseph McGurl Plein Air Magazine Award

The 2012/2013 ARC Salon Plein Air Magazine Award featuring Joseph McGurl was published in their November issue. The six page article is a full artist profile and McGurl was also given the honor of being featured on the cover.
	About his work McGurl said “I’m interested in human reality, and how to express in my paintings our relationship to what we experience. That is, I want to understand how people relate to the natural world, how we perceive reality, whether we have a spiritual response to nature, and how the physics and topography of the natural world influence them. To me, the way to express all that in a painting is by selecting the materials and techniques that will bring my pictures as close as possible to that human reality. That objective makes it essential that I paint directly from the landscape and study the physical aspects of light, geography, and topography. Other artists might have different goals and ways of conveying their understanding of reality, and there is no right or wrong about one’s approach, only a measurement of how well an artist expresses his or her ideas.”
The Plein Air Magazine Award is being given out again in the 2013/2014 ARC Salon which we are accepting entries for now. To read the full prospectus, click here.
	In addition, John Pence Gallery, located at 750 Post Street in San Francisco near Union Square, will open an exhibition of recent oil paintings, field studies and sketches by Joseph McGurl tonight. This will be his first show in seven years on the West Coast. This large and robust show will remain on view to the public through January 18, 2014.

Sooo, if you are in the San Fran area, I would high tail it over to the John Pence Gallery and check out the exhibition!

Read a blip about Joseph from his website:

Joseph McGurl has been referred to as one of the acknowledged leaders in the current American landscape school. M. Stephen Dougherty, Editor, American Artist considers him “one of the most gifted of contemporary artists.” This has been confirmed by his exhibitions in several important museum shows, a successful relationship with some of the country’s leading galleries, and inclusion in numerous magazine articles and books.

Joseph McGurl was born in Massachusetts in 1958. He grew up working with his father, James McGurl, who was a muralist and his most influential teacher. Through him, he was exposed to a wide variety of materials and learned an appreciation of the craft of painting. Another early influence was Ralph Rosenthal, a teacher at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He subsequently graduated from Massachusetts College of Art with a dual major in painting and education. He also studied in England and Italy. After college, he worked for a period of time as a yacht captain, sailing throughout the east coast from Maine to the Caribbean. After a few years he realized that in order to improve, he must devote himself solely to painting. In search of a more solid training in drawing, he sought out Robert Cormier, a devotee of the French Academy methods and he studied figure drawing under him.

Mr. McGurl’s paintings have been included in several museum exhibitions in Massachusetts, New York, California, and Rhode Island as well as being exhibited in several group museum exhibitions which travelled throughout the country. He had retrospective solo shows at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, The Cahoon Museum of American Art, and the Saint Botolph Club of Boston. Representing Representation, a survey of the most significant realist work being done today, included his work in the exhibition at the Arnot Art Museum. McGurl has been designated a Living Master by the Art Renewal Center in New York. He has been elected to the Guild of Boston Artists and is a Copley Master with the Copley Society of Boston, a fellow with the American Society of Marine Artists, and a signature member of the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America. His awards include the Guild of Boston Artists Gold Medallion and the John Singleton Copley Award for Artistic Achievement.

Joseph’s paintings are often seen in relationship to the great 19th century luminist painters but with a thoroughly modern approach to style and subject. For him, the process, rather than the product is the most important part of a painting. For this reason, his large studio paintings are developed from sketches painted on location. Rather than relying on photography, this method gives him the freedom to create paintings based on his imagination, memory, and his sketches. Although the objects depicted in the paintings are elements of the landscape and have a deep personal meaning to him, an equally important subject is an exploration of light, form, space, and color interpreted through paint.

During the summer months he cruises the coast of New England with his wife and children aboard their classic Alden designed ketch, “Atelier,” which he uses as a floating studio; many of his sketches are executed from her decks.

After living for several years in Rhode Island, Joseph, his wife Patricia, and sons Max and Sean moved to Cape Cod in 1994. Their home and studio is a restored 19th century carriage house on the shore of Amrita Island.

F L A S H B A C K

O n e Y e a r A g o: Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Onions!

T w o Y e a r s A g o: Island Inn, Monhegan… Incentive?

T h r e e Y e a r s A g o: How do YOU stay focused?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Bill Farnsworth!

On January 6, 2014December 31, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist5 Comments

Rhythm by Bill Farnsworth — *Rhythm* by Bill Farnsworth – Image: BillFarnsworth.com

What a great painting this is by Bill Farnsworth! I love how he has you looking down on the subject. Everything about this painting is wonderful. Bill has this image on his website with a blip under it that reads:

“Moments in life pass us by all the time and if we can capture the great ones honestly in paint and canvas then maybe it will make our lives better.”

– Bill Farnsworth

I believe it! Having a great moment captured on canvas is something that you can look at and have fond memories of. How great is that?

Bill was in Charleston this past year painting with PAPSE (Plein Air Painters of the Southeast), a group of plein air artists who gather in Charleston (among other locations throughout the year) and paint plein air (“in the fresh air”). This was a painting of his from Bowens Island. For those of you who haven’t been to Bowens Island Restaurant… FABULOUS!!! Type in the word Bowens in the search on my blog and you will read all kinds of good things! Hey, I think it’s time to go back soon! This painting is available at Edward Dare Gallery on Broad Street in Charleston, SC.

Read a blip about Bill from his website:

As a 1980 graduate of The Ringling School of Art and Design, Bill Farnsworth has spent the last thirty years creating paintings for magazines, advertisements, children’s books, and fine art commissions of portraits and landscapes.

Born in Norwalk Connecticut in 1958, Bill spent most of his life in New Milford Connecticut painting landscapes of the rural area, while supporting himself and family with his growing illustration career.

A Signature member of The Oil Painters of America,The American Society of Marine Artists and The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, Farnsworth’s paintings have appeared in many national shows and private collections throughout the United States.

A nationally known illustrator, Bill has illustrated more than fifty books for Children, and many have won awards as well as starred reviews in Publishers Weekly.

A prolific Gallery painter, Bill has seamlessly moved into the Fine Art field where he has garnered awards of excellence from the Oil Painters of America 2006, 2007, 2011 Eastern Regional shows and the 2007 National show.

He won first place in the Fifth Biennial National Show in Punta Gorda, and won two awards for Narrative Excellence from The National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society.

Bill won Best in Show in the 2010 Cashiers paint out.

In 2010 Bill was awarded Signature Status from The American Society of Marine Artists. In 2011 he was awarded Signature Status from The Oil Painters of America.“My goal with my work is to paint what I love and convey that honestly so the viewer can feel that as well”.

Bill currently lives with his wife Debbie in Venice, Florida.

F L A S H B A C K

O n e Y e a r A g o: Hilarious… do you ever feel that you can’t get in the swing of things?<

T w o Y e a r s A g o: Artist to watch… Brian Kliewer!

T h r e e Y e a r s A g o: Have you tried Aveda’s Comforting Tea?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… John Michael Carter! ART WALK TONIGHT!

On January 3, 2014January 3, 2014 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment

Through the Window by John Michael Carter — *Through the Window* by John Michael Carter

John Michael Carter. His portraits are so realistic yet warm and fabulous. Listening to people react to his work has been amazing. I only have heard positive comments. People who aren’t “in to” portraits are amazed by them. I thought one man described it quite well. He said John’s work is quite like John Singer Sargent, he said he could easily hang a Sargent piece in his home, because the portraits become people who almost tell a story rather than just being “someone you don’t know” hanging on your wall. I thought that was a great way to describe it. Fred and I don’t collect any portraits, but I could easily see that change with John’s work. The eyes… they draw you in. The hands… amazing and life like. Stunning in every way. There are a few portraits at Galerie on Broad that are breath-takers. Seriously! Reminder: Tonight is the art walk in Charleston, SC – hope to see you there!

Fishing Boat by John Michael Carter — *Fishing Boat* by John Michael Carter

John is not limited to portraits. The scope of his work reaches far. Fishing Boat is a great example… this is a painting of Martha’s Vineyard, and it’s a great one! He captures that wonderful New England charm so well.

Read a blip about John from the Galerie on Broad website:

John Michael Carter was born in Chicago, Illinois and began his first studies in drawing at the age sixteen with his father, a commerical artist. He attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago, University of Louisville, and Los Angeles Art Center College of Design. There he studied the classical schools of painting and received a B.F.A.

In his paintings, Cater recreates memories of family and friends, landscapes and street scenes from his travels, and images of people he admires. “I choose subjects that are part of my everyday experience.” The artist captures his immediate feelings about a subject and paints “from the heart.” Carter has traveled throughout the United States, and considers Italy, southern France and Spain among his favorite places. He prefers to paint on location, but works from sketches in the studio when limited by time or weather. Carter works with oil paint because it allows him to “create most of the characteristics of other mediums.” He considers himself a “painter of the moment,” using the technique of alla prima.

Carter has taught drawing and painting through the University of Kentucky, and has been a frequent guest instructor at art workshops across the country. He has had over 38 one-man shows and participated in numerous group exhibitions.

If you get a chance, stop in the gallery and check out his work!

Info on the Gallery Row Art Walk (from CharlestonGalleryRow.com)

Located along Historic Broad Street, Gallery Row opens its doors for “First Fridays on Broad” and a variety of other events hosted by the 15 galleries, restaurants, shops, and boutiques on the Row.

GALLERIES ON THE ROW…

Ellis-Nicholson Gallery

Martin Gallery

COCO VIVO Fine Art | Interior Design

Galerie on Broad

Edward Dare Gallery

Spencer Galleries I & II

Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art

Mary Martin Gallery

F L A S H B A C K

O n e Y e a r A g o: White cheddar, kale and tomato omelet!

T w o Y e a r s A g o: A monthly/weekly planner to die for!

T h r e e Y e a r s A g o: For the irreverent and Slightly Jaded!

Images via GalerieOnBroad.com

Featured Artist… Joseph Loganbill

On December 18, 2013December 17, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Oak Street Tracks by Joseph Loganbill Image: Strecker-NelsonGallery.com — *Oak Street Tracks* by Joseph Loganbill
Image: Strecker-NelsonGallery.com

Anyone who has lived where there is snow admires a snowy painting. The dark tracks in this painting against the pinky glow in the snow is just incredible to me. It makes me think of Michigan. And after just visiting there, as beautiful as the snow is… I’m kind of glad the snow is there and not here ;) – I do love to visit it though! There is just nothing like snow!

Prairie Sunset by Joseph Loganbill Image: Joseph Loganbill — *Prairie Sunset* by Joseph Loganbill
Image: Joseph Loganbill

What a fabulous sunset painting! Every element works so nicely together…

If you’re in the Newton, KS area… you might want to check this out, this looks like a great show by Carriage Factory Art Gallery (in cooperation with Strecker-Nelson Gallery)!

Read a blip about Joseph from his website, and check out his paintings – his subject is diverse, and I think you will really enjoy his work!

“Some of my earliest memories have to do with the joy of drawing. Sketching became a natural friend and outlet for my ideas in the imaginary and tangible world of my youth. Pulled to draw and depict things – I took every art class I could in high school and spent time with my sketchpad trying out new ideas. After majoring in art studies at Bethel College, I spent evenings taking classes in multiple media at the Wichita Center for the Arts.

When I realized that painting would become my passion, I pursued artist’s workshops whose work I greatly admired. To Ray Roberts, Joseph Lorusso, Sherrie McGraw, David Leffel, Jeff Legg, and Kim Casebeer; I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for their generosity of spirit and keen insights.

Over the past ten years I have dedicated myself to oil painting. In addition to the teachers I mentioned above, countless trials of plein air (outdoor painting) experience have been my other best ‘teacher’. I love painting outdoors; being in nature and trying to capture the fleeting light/beauty of a unique space. Continuing to find challenge and beauty in depicting a variety of subjects is important to me in my development as an artist. I hope to share with you the dignity and grandeur of both the noble and the ‘forgotten’ people and places I have been so blessed to witness.”

F L A S H B A C K

O N E Y E A R A G O… New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall – Times Square (2012)

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artists painting on Monhegan Island!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist: Connie Hayes!

On December 16, 2013December 13, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist8 Comments

Mullions in June by Connie Hayes — Connie Hayes, Mullions in June, Oil on canvas, 36″ x 36″

Stunning! Connie Hayes is an all time favorite of mine. Her use of color is intriguing and draws the viewer in. She’s versatile in her subjects, but one of my favorites are her interiors, they just blow me away! Her paintings make me want to be right there… in that sun filled room, looking out at the water. This painting is still available… I can’t imagine it will be for long! If you’re interested, contact Dowling Walsh at 207.596.0084 or email info@dowlingwalsh.com!

I received her book, Painting Maine: The Borrowed Views of Connie Hayes, as a gift one year. I treasure that book. It is full of amazing paintings. It’s now out of print, but you can still get it online at a few places (Amazon being one)… More about the Borrowed Views concept below…

Here is a review about Connie from the Dowling Walsh Gallery website, written by Stephen May:

Review

“In all respects, Connie Hayes is a fearless, intuitive painter. Her highly colorful, strongly stroked canvases look like the result of an orderly process of sketches, underdrawing and application of paint. In reality, although she sometimes uses such aids before she approaches the easel in her capacious studio, most of the time she starts work on a blank canvas, wielding a 3 to 4-inch wide brush to get going. Then, as she says, she “dives in,” composing the rest of the picture, much of which she may have thought out in her head, balancing images and colors to achieve a satisfactorily aesthetic final result. On some occasions, she says, “the paint speaks to me and I go off in unexpected directions. I like surprises.” This is an extremely intense exercise; Hayes says she gets into a “zone” until the work is finished or set aside for future amendments.

Her subjects range from boats and water to communities viewed from ships or roads, to backyards, house interiors and floral still lifes. “I like not being pigeon-holed, Hayes says.

Her brightly hued colors, which often have nothing to do with the actual look of the original building or boat, are chosen with deliberation, depending on what role she wants the painted object to play in the overall composition. Her radiant blues, blazing reds, and sunny yellows make ordinary scenes come alive and help draw viewers into the painting. Often of late she has utilized more muted colors to achieve the results she seeks.

After a long stint as a teacher and administrator at the Maine College of Art, Hayes has worked at the top of her game since moving from Portland to Rockland in 2005, about half the period covered by this exhibition. Much of her art results from her “Borrowed Views” project, in which she spends up to a week painting in and around the homes of friends all over Maine.

Ever trying new approaches to her art, mindful of art historical precedents and armed with a spirit of adventure, Connie Hayes has many interesting paintings ahead of her. Whether borrowing views or moving about on her own, it will be interesting to see what this thoughtful, gifted painter achieves in the years ahead.”

– written by Stephen May for “A Decade of Views” exhibition, Dowling Walsh Gallery, September 2009

Images via DowlingWalsh.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E Y E A R A G O… Whoa! This looks like a Marc Hanson painting!

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Holiday Hint: Edy’s Peppermint Ice Cream!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Barbara Jaenicke!

On December 4, 2013November 26, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Aspen Road at Sunset by Barbara Jaenicke

Just look at those colors! So very nice, you can just feel that wonderful warm light… this is a pastel done by artist Barbara Jaenicke, this painting is already sold, but I did want to show it to you because it’s amazing! This was the award winner in the 2010 Pastel Society of America Exhibit in NY, New York.

This is an oil painting by Barbara… nice shadows… they make a painting, don’t they? They add life. Very nice! Barbara is represented by several galleries, be sure to check her out!

Read a blip about Barbara from her website:

Born in 1964 and raised in New Jersey, Barbara Courtney Jaenicke loved to draw and paint as a child and decided at an early age to pursue a career in art in one form or another. As an art major in college, Barbara took as many fine art courses as she could, while also taking painting classes outside of her college studies, but in order to have a steady income right after college, she geared her education toward the commercial side and spent a little over a decade of her early career in advertising as an art director, then later worked in marketing communications in the corporate world. In 2002, she was able to turn her focus to her fine art career.

Currently residing in Roswell, GA with her husband and son, Barbara paints landscapes and still life in pastel and oil. When creating her paintings, she rarely copies her subject matter exactly as it appears, but instead adapts the colors and composition into her own interpretation.

Barbara is a Signature Member of the Pastel Society of America, a member of the IAPS Master Circle, a Member of Excellence in the Southeastern Pastel Society, and a member of Oil Painters of America and the American Impressionist Society. She teaches weekly pastel classes locally in the metro Atlanta area and also teaches workshops throughout the US.

Images via BarbaraJaenicke.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E Y E A R A G O… Grandmas Goulash… so easy and so good!

T W O Y E A R S A G O… The beauty of Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Alice Mumford!

On December 2, 2013November 26, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Painting from the Silver Light Collection by Alice Mumford

Alice Mumford, an artist living and teaching in Cornwall, UK. Alice’s paintings have depth and character. She has a keen eye for color and light. Her work is divided into categories (on her website) First Light, Silver Light, and Colour Blast. The image above is from the Silver Light collection. It’s a wonderful painting… love the layers, and the colors… fabulous! Alice describes each of her collections, here are her words for the Silver Light Collection:

Sometimes when the sun is at a certain angle or there are particular clouds the sea acts like a giant silver platter up-lighting the coastal area where we live in Cornwall. This light effect has a sort of liquid feel reminding me of silver when it has been melted. Anne Redpath painted some wonderful pictures using different greys, some warm, some cool but they always have a vitality unexpected with greys. Maybe is the stronger colours which she has under-painted with.

My mother, also a painter, suggested to me when I was quite young that Bonnard made silver shadows and that that is what you see when in the South of France. I’m not sure I understood but it has intrigued me ever since. Maybe it’s the way Bonnard places splodges of a lighter tone on top of a darker area, then another splodge of darker tone on top of that, which gives a shimmer to the shadows.

Perhaps up-lighting intensifies the colours in shadows whether in sunshine in the bay of Nice where Bonnard lived and worked, or on a grey day in Cornwall by the coast, and this is what appeals. Winifred Nicholson writes so well about how light and colours bounce around. “Thus all the most brilliant things of nature are composed of tiny facets or mirrors which reflect – and reflect each other: kingfisher’s breast, jay’s feather, butterfly’s wing, fish’s scales, flower petals in all their transparency. Each may appear one hue, but in reality under the microscope are made up of many varied hues in true harmony, heightening each other’s true brilliance.”

I love the dark colors in this painting, it really makes the rest of it stand out… The brush work… wild and wonderful!

Read a blip about Alice from her website, to read more, click HERE…

‘Sometimes I ask myself what would I lose or miss if I didn’t paint directly from life? I am excited by and wonder at what is revealed by the simple act of looking. The shapes between things and beats of tone seem to affect me. Painting is a way of thinking through what you are looking at. Then the looking becomes more than a naming of objects. It gives you a chance to look at the world without words through interacting shapes, subtle tonal differences and rhythms, warm darks, cool lights. It can involve the abstract, your senses, memory.

‘Different combinations of colour for the palette or a new pigment can help express that perception and give it form. In particular, Gamboge Yellow Lake, which has a golden quality of warmth and light. It is quite translucent, unlike Naples or yellow ochre, and not as acid as cadmium or lemon. It has edginess and energy.”

Alice Mumford
September 2008

F L A S H B A C K

O N E Y E A R A G O… Christmas Tree… Fresh or Fake?

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to Watch… Jonathan McPhillips!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Dee Beard Dean!

On November 29, 2013November 25, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn Featured Artist3 Comments

Early Snowfall by Dee Beard Dean — *Early Snowfall* by Dee Beard Dean

A stunning painting, right? Dee Beard Dean is well know nationwide and has quite a following. Dee’s work is nothing short of amazing, she paints both plein air (outdoors) and does studio paintings. I thought I would feature a few of her winter scenes. I love snow scenes (especially in the heat of the summer!), there is something that feels like home about them. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in Michigan? Dee’s paintings make you feel as if you are there! She has quite a way with light and shadow, wouldn’t you say? I love that little splash of red in this painting…

After the Snowfall by Dee Beard Dean — *After the Snowfall* by Dee Beard Dean

Yet another fabulous winter scene, where you can feel the cold from the snow but also the warmth from the sun. Again, amazing light and shadows. I love the dark branches with the highlights of white… She’s got great color and brushstrokes in the snow and it’s nice how you can feel perspective in this painting – simply fabulous!

The holiday season officially kicks off and is in full swing. Many of you are out and about today on “Black Friday” trying to find just the right gift… Have you considered the gift of art? It’s the gift that keeps on giving, year after year!

These paintings are available (as I write this a few days ahead) at Galerie on Broad – located at 29 Broad Street, Charleston, SC – you can contact them at 843.410.6332 or email them at galerieonbroad@me.com. Better yet, if you’re in the area stop in and say hello!

In case you aren’t familiar with Dee…

Dee Beard Dean - Biography

Dee Beard Dean has been painting all her life. She was raised in the Amish countryside of rural Indiana and studied at Grand Rapids College, Kendall College of Art, and the New York Academy of Art. After marriage, she moved to the Florida Keys where she became a professional painter and passed the gift of painting to her two children, Terry Sargent and John Beard, both of whom are now successful artists. Before gaining recognition as a portrait and landscape painter, Dee pursued a career in fashion, designing and manufacturing her own clothing line with a national label.

Dee is a passionate and prolific artist who has studied with many renowned artists and is nationally recognized for her painterly landscapes and her expertise in many media including pastels, watercolors, and oils. Her greatest inspirations have come from painting en plein air where her eye for color and composition, and her elevated senses guide her hand in creating paintings filled with evocative light and dramatic shadows.

Dee founded the Plein Air Painters of the Southeast (PAP-SE), a professional organization of acclaimed plein air artists living and working in the southeastern US. Her workshops are in great demand, offering instruction in this country and in beautiful locales around the world. She is also well known for her portraits and has done many noteworthy commissions. Dee has received many awards at juried art competitions and has been published in regional and national journals. Her artworks can currently be seen at fine art galleries around the country. Dee resides in Charleston, SC with her husband, Dr. Nicolai Chalfa. Her first book, A Painter by Providence, is in publication.

Images and bio via DEEBEARDDEAN.COM

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O N E Y E A R A G O… The Flatbread Company, Portland, Maine – Pizza with a View!

T W O Y E A R S A G O… The most awesome saute pan ever!

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Featured Artist… Dan Gerhartz!

On November 27, 2013November 22, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Wrapped in Winter by Dan Gerhartz — *Wrapped in Winter* by Dan Gerhartz

Dan Gerhartz. Whoa. Just look at this painting Wrapped in Winter… how can someone create something so beautiful? The winter scene in the background is stunning, but when you place a beautiful girl and a horse it is just stunning… you can feel the cold from the snow and the warmth from the girl and horse… Gorgeous!

Dan has a fabulous website, be sure to check out his paintings, they are simply incredible! He also writes one heck of a blog, so be sure to give that a peek if you’re an art lover!

Dan also has a book and a few instructional videos for purchase via his website that are amazing. Watch the trailer for the latest “The Beginning of Autumn”!

Evening on the Riverwalk is another striking painting (when you look at them all you’ll see they are all striking!) – I love nocturnes, especially with that great warm light, the beautiful color of the snow that looks so real you could actually walk right into this scene. Lovely!

Read a blip about Dan from InSight Gallery’s website, he sounds like one cool guy:

Born in 1965 in Kewaskum, Wisconsin, where he now lives with his wife Jennifer, and their young children, Dan’s interest in art emerged as a teenager. Studies at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illinois and his voracious appetite for museums and the modern masters such as John Singer Sargent, Alphonse Mucha, Nicolai Fechin, Joaquin Sorolla, Carl von Marr as well as a host of other French and American impressionists have inspired him.

Dan has a particular interest and appreciation for modern Russian art and the sumptuous canvases of the painters Nicolai Fechin, Isaac Levitan and Ilya Repin. As Dan says, their paintings are “completely loose yet deliberate and faithful, not at all flashy.”

Indeed, the powerful and evocative beauty of Gerhartz’s paintings are also due in large measure to looseness, honesty and faithfulness of his style. Dan’s paintings embrace a range of subjects, most prominently the female figure in either a pastoral setting or an intimate interior. He is at his best with subjects from everyday life, genre subjects, sacred-idyllic landscapes or figures in quiet repose, meditation or contemplative isolation.

His mastery of the female figure, the clothed figure especially, is brilliant. He has drawn inspiration from the very old tradition of romanticism and symbolism. His absolutely lavish surfaces, color and lighting are in harmony with his expressionistic brushstroke, application and modeling of light and shade.

His paintings are sensitive yet evocative creations, which dramatize his bold and ambitious technique. He is at his very best when he allows himself to explore the surface in a free and painterly manner, while retaining his sense of other worldliness.

His subjects evoke a timelessness and idealism, yet for the most part Dan has drawn upon his home and community in Wisconsin, including family and friends. His sense of intimacy and honesty with regard to his subjests are a direct result of his closeness and proximity to them. A projection of tranquillity, repose and rich introspection result from his knowledge of the content of his art.

In Gerhartz’s pictures the ordinary or commonplace is transformed into a higher reality and consequently a sense of greater importance. Emotions are a vital part of his express design, while his mastery of anatomy, the human form and complex surfaces combine to make his canvases very powerful visual experiences.

About his work Dan has said, “My desire as an artist is that the images I paint would point to the Creator, and not to me, the conveyor. J.S. Bach said it well as he signed his work, ‘Soli DeoGloria,’ To God alone be the glory.”

ALL IMAGES VIA DANIELGERHARTZ.COM

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O N E Y E A R A G O… How to make a great pot of chili!

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Lobster boat LEGACY of Monhegan, ME!

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Featured Artist… Terry Miura!

On November 25, 2013November 25, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Private Lives by Terry Miura — *Private Lives* by Terry Miura

This painting is so striking… it jumped right out at me, and I absolutely love it! The undertones and layers of paint really make this stand out. The fabulous light hitting the building with the shadows not far away… then that fabulous green… especially where the light hits, like on the ladder… STUNNING! I urge you to check out Terry’s work, it really is worth taking a look… if you aren’t familiar with him, I promise you will see some amazing paintings!

Arcangelo No. 3 by Terry Miura — *Arcangelo No. 3* by Terry Miura

Fabulous, right? This looks like something that was created centuries ago… there is just enough detail… and again, those wonderful layers and gorgeous background! Terry’s website is so good… full of information! Check out the 2014 Workshop Schedule as well as his blog!

Read a blip about Terry from his website:

After graduating from Art Center College of Design in 1990, Terry Miura headed out to New York City to pay his dues. He began his career as a freelance illustrator, creating imagery for such clients as Time, Newsweek, Rollingstone, and Sports Illustrated, to name a few.

In between illustration assignments he painted and exhibited cityscapes, and continued his transition to becoming a full time painter after returning to the West Coast in 1996.

Miura’s evocative tonalist landscapes explore the relationship between memory, emotions, and identity. “Although they’re still very much representational,” says Miura, “they’re not about specific locations. Well, actually they are, but the locations are found in my and the viewer’s memories. Not out there in the physical world. “

With atmosphere, mood, and abstraction as driving characteristics of his work, Miura has, more recently been revis- iting the complexities of the cityscape as a major part of his repertoire. Urban Aria, his latest solo exhibition at Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco, illustrates his mastery in this genre.

Emotion and abstraction carries over to his figurative works. It is in this genre that Miura finds most personal expression; “In painting the figure, I allow myself to get lost in the process and take more risks. Only by deconstructing the representational and the objective, am I able to tap into the more subconscious, intuitive voice which for me, is at once mysterious and authentic.”

His works are represented by Sloane Merrill Gallery in Boston, Thomas Reynolds Gallery in San Francisco, Anne Irwin Gallery in Atlanta, Sekula’s in Sacramento, and Holton Studio in Emeryville, Ca.

ALL IMAGES VIA TERRYMIURA.com

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O N E Y E A R A G O… Holiday Shopping with the Beast!

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… Richard Oversmith!

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Featured Artist… Elaine Lisle!

On November 22, 2013November 20, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

Red Corner on Main by Elaine Lisle — *Red Corner on Main* by Elaine Lisle (*image*)

I think Elaine’s use of color is amazing! She’s definitely not afraid of it! Elaine has some spectacular paintings and a variety of subject matter.The color in the building (Red Corner on Main) is fabulous as are the shadows that play against the light… this looks like a place you could walk right up to and have a lovely lunch sitting in the sunshine…

Lobsters and Crabs by Elaine Lisle (image) — Lobsters and Crabs by Elaine Lisle (*image*)

After enjoying a nice lunch basking in the warmth of the sun you could meander over to Lobsters and Crabs and pick up something to throw together for dinner… Elaine’s paintings are fabulous and make you wish you were there!

Read a blip about Elaine from her website (there is more, so be sure to check it out)!

My paintings express the feeling of awe I have with the landscape. They are more likely to be joyous, energetic, vibrant, complex works as opposed to gentle, pastel or brooding canvasses. I look for the surprise in the composition, whether it be a statement made by a lone figure, a spot of orange found in an otherwise green wood, or an unusual lavender reflection in a river at dusk. It is exciting for me to take an ordinary scene and make it extraordinary.

I have been painting my whole life, and professionally since 1994. I work only in oil. I love painting en plein air (outdoors from life), as well as completing larger works in the studio from on-site studies, reference sketches, and photographs. With commissioned works I generally complete more than one on-site sketch and often use reference photographs as well.

I live and work in the Philadelphia area and love to travel, bringing my painting equipment wherever I go. I enjoy capturing bright warm colors, the long shadows of late afternoon, and creating complex compositions so the viewer has much to contemplate. Paintings can be found in the most unlikely places, as well as the likely ones. I know I have been successful in my work when the viewer feels as though he or she has been there. People often say, “It feels like you could walk right into it!”.

Painting is part of my life’s journey. Producing art is a journey in itself, as I never know when I begin a painting where it will take me.

Elaine is represented by the Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia, PA.

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O N E Y E A R A G O… Thanksgiving! Thank YOU! I am grateful…

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Bowens Island Seafood Restaurant Menu!

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Featured Artist… Judith Carducci!

On November 20, 2013November 20, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

Tessa's Hearth by Judith Carducci — *Tessa’s Hearth* by Judith Carducci

Judith Carducci is an amazing pastel artist – I adore how she did this interior above. The golden glow of the fireplace and the portions left somewhat unfinished but so very cool!

Monhegan from the Cemetery by Judith Carducci — *Monhegan from the Cemetery* by Judith Carducci

For those of you who have been to Monhegan, ME, you will instantly recognize this view – spectacular, right? Pastels are a medium I’m not really familiar with, I just know when I see something I like, and I like this… be sure to check out more of Judith’s work, as well as her upcoming workshops!

Read a blip about Judith from her website:

Critique - a self portrait by Judith Carducci — Critique – a self portrait by Judith Carducci

When I was a child, my art teacher had me copy “Holbein Heads” – drawings by the great Hans Holbein, portraitist to the court of England’s King Henry VIII. That was the beginning of my lifelong fascination with portraiture and my enduring respect for Holbein’s genius. Even now, my teacher’s voice, as she showed me the fine points of his skill, echoes in my ear: “Look for the lost and found!”

This self portrait of the artist on a coffee break, in intense concentration assessing the work in progress (values? edges? gesture? composition…?), is also my homage to Holbein, his strength of characterization and his use of color (especially in the simple rich green background). And it is nostalgic for me – a reminder of my love and gratitude for my teacher.

ALL IMAGES via JudithCarducci.com

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O N E Y E A R A G O… Thanksgiving… Thank YOU! I am grateful…

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Bowens Island Seafood Restaurant Menu!

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Featured Artist… Walt Gonske!

On November 18, 2013November 26, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist, THOUGHTS1 Comment

Sea of Cortez by Walt Gonske — *Sea of Cortez* by Walt Gonske

Walt Gonske, an artist from Taos, New Mexico, has some wonderful work and I am thrilled to have run across it! Ahhh, the beauty of the Internet! I have found so many wonderful artists and Walt is no exception! He’s got some nice shapes going on, some fabulous color, nice brush strokes and he kept it loose enough to leave it to your imagination… I like that a lot! Give his website a peek if you get a chance!

Walt’s work reminds me a little of Charles Movalli. Charles Movalli is one amazing painter, and a fabulous person from what I hear. You can spot one of his paintings from a mile away. He has a way of simplifying that is incredible. Matter-of-fact, I just watched a YouTube video on SIMPLICITY by Charles Movalli and it was inspirational! Check it out if you get a chance!

Read a blip about Walt from his website:

“In the past, I would have an idea for a painting and hold to that idea through to the finish. I could pretty much see the end result before I started. There were no surprises. But now my understanding of the process is that the idea is just the first impulse. From that first impulse forward, improvisation takes over. The end result is not about that first idea, but is instead a record of all those impulses along the way. Each stroke of paint carries emotion and power. I work in a loose, painterly style in part because I want the viewer to see the process and not hide it behind ‘finish;’ for the viewer to maybe even feel how a particular piece of paint was put down.

Painting is not about reproducing nature. I like the notion that art should have more to do with the communication of the artist’s emotions to the viewer through the paint itself.

My goal in the work is not to show what I know, but what I feel. The more intensely I can express emotion though paint about the subject, the more likely the viewer will respond. All I can do is make an honest effort and then accept without judgement. To remain neutral about the paintings and to not judge them as good or bad is very important to moving forward.

My best work comes when I’m able to give up control, to trust my impulses. Then the painting takes on a life of its own. When I don’t know what is going to happen next, the process becomes full of surprise and wonder.

We go to art school to learn the rules about drawing and painting. After many years of developing skills and acquiring knowledge, I know what I will get as a finished product if I control the process. What I don’t know is where it would lead and what would happen if I gave up control. This is what interests me now.

It’s a different way of thinking – or not thinking so much. To remain empty of all preconceived ideas about how a piece will turn out. It’s simply a mind-shift away from repeating what I already know and to allow that unknowable, creative spirit to come through.

That’s easier said than done of 40 years of learning how to do this thing called art. But all that stops one from stepping into unknown territory is doubt and fear. If I’m willing to give up control over my skills and ability to do things a certain way, then new forms and techniques will come to me.”

IMAGE: WaltGonske.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E Y E A R A G O… CFADA Fine Art Weekend Photo: Mark Horton

T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… Elizabeth Pollie!

Catch you back here tomorrow!