Category: Featured Artist

Featured Artist… Scott Christensen!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Life” by Scott Christensen

Image: M Gallery of Fine Art, Charleston, SC

LIFE. What a great title for this painting! It’s an impressive 70 x 70 ( 80 x 80 with the gorgeous frame included) let me tell you, it makes a statement.  Scott Christensen is an amazing artist. That goes without saying. Fred and I popped in M Gallery in Charleston, SC last weekend and saw the latest arrival entitled “Life”. I’m not kidding you when I say we walked into the room and stopped in our tracks. This painting is a stunner. If there is a chance that you can find your way downtown Charleston, SC you must stop in and check it out… there are so many great artists in one gallery it will blow your mind, including (but not limited to)… Frank Gardner, Tom Balderas, Robert Spooner, Gene Costanza, and the list goes on…

There is great video of this painting you must check it out! This was on the M Gallery blog… click HERE…

Here’s a blip about Scott from an article in Artist Daily website. Click on the bolded Q+A link to read in it’s entirety!

Idaho artist Scott Christensen is one of the most well-respected landscape painters in the country, and his understanding of light, ability to achieve pure color, and reverence for nature also make him a highly sought-after instructor. In this Q+A section, we list Christensen’s responses to 10 questions on landscape painting to give readers a glimpse into the artist’s mind, process, and teaching style.

Then… what I’m always interested in… (from the same link in Artist Daily):

AA: Who are some of your heroes in the landscape-painting genre, both past and present?

SC: Past: Isaac Levitan, Emil Carlsen, Alphonse Mucha, Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida, Nicolai Fechin, Anders Zorn, Arthur Mathews, Edward Steichen, and Ilya Repin. Present: Clyde Aspevig, Carolyn Anderson, Tim Lawson, Susan Lyon, Scott Burdick, Dan Gerhartz, and Sherrie McGraw.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Jamie Wyeth, Rockwell Kent and Monhegan – at the Farnsworth Museum through December 30, 2012!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“Jenny Whibley Sings” by Jamie Wyeth

Let me start by saying. Ahhhhmaaazzzzzing! I love how dramatic this piece is! The glow of the house against the deep dark surroundings, and of course, Jenny Whibley singing… The tumultuous sky with the few brightly lit stars. Love it!

I sure didn’t want anyone to miss hearing about this exhibit! I am looking so forward to seeing this collection of fine paintings! If you’re in the Rockland, ME area, don’t miss it! Afterwards pop across the street to the bakery for a chocolate croissant or to Rustica for some heavenly pasta!

“Late Afternoon” by Rockwell Kent – Image: Farnsworth Museum

On to the details… from the Farnsworth Museum:

JAMIE WYETH, ROCKWELL KENT AND MONHEGAN

May 12, 2012 – December 30, 2012
Wyeth Center

Jamie Wyeth’s connection to Monhegan dates to the late 1950s, when he first went there with his father, and he has continued to paint there ever since. His connection to fellow artist Rockwell Kent goes back nearly as far. Early in his career Wyeth bought several pen and ink drawings by Kent used as the sources for his illustrations to Moby Dick, one of Kent’s most renowned book illustration projects. Subsequently, Wyeth acquired what was Kent’s last home and studio on Monehgan, and then bought several of Kent’s paintings from his first period on the island around 1907. This exhibition will focus on works by the two artists done on Monhegan, and how the scenic island has inspired their work.

This exhibition is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of: Anonymous, The Crosby Kemper Foundations, Mr. Richard Gilder and Ms. Lois Chiles, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Pyne, John and Anne Surovek, and Mr. and Mrs. George Twigg III.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Peter Poskas!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist3 Comments

“Evening, Rockwell Kent House” by Peter Poskas – Image: Haynes Gallery

This certainly is a nice little painting of the Rockwell Kent House, at Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island, Maine…. Lovely rendition for sure. The warm light, the water and sky how they so closely come together… Peter has some wonderful paintings, many of Monhegan for those of you for an affinity for the island… hard to choose just one! Take a peek!

Stay tuned for a future post about Jamie Wyeth, Rockwell Kent and Monhegan… Jamie Wyeth was an admirer of Rockwell Kent’s paintings, he purchased his house at Lobster Cove as well as a few paintings. Can you imagine? The house is a beauty!

Here’s a blip about the artist from the Haynes Gallery website:

Peter Poskas

American, Born 1939

Prominent 21th Century American landscape artist Peter Poskas has been painting New England farms for more than three decades. While his earliest pieces were reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s style, inspiration for his current work evolved when he move to Washington, Connecticut, where he began painting the farm of his elderly neighbor, Emily Uranus. While the farms depicted in his paintings have changed over the years, his thoughtful studies of light and perspective that reflect the subtle nuances of seasonal change remain a constant subject of his work.

Poskas has enjoyed a successful career as an artist and continues to exhibit his work throughout the United States. His much sought-after paintings have been collected both privately and publicly, including such important institutions as the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, the Mattatuck Museum in Connecticut, the Mint Museum in North Carolina, and the Rahr West Museum in Wisconsin.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Louis Escobedo!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Alley Way” by Louis Escobedo

This is the sweetest painting… I love it when the underpainting shows through. The times I’ve tried it I’ve completely painted over, ugh. I really like the character it adds to a painting! Don’t you just love the pop of that red roof? And the hints of purple off to the left? As well as the sun and shadows on the porch of the house on the right… This is done by an artist who knows how to paint. Get the paint down and move on…

Here’s a blip about the artist from his website:

ABOUT

Louis Escobedo uses high-intensity colors to energize all of his subjects, landscape, still life and figurative.

” COLOR is a person’s signature, a personal form of expressionism. It is another sense in life we communicate with.”   –  Louis Escobedo

As a master colorist, Louis’ oil paintings excel with their dramatic lighting effects and tremendous depth. He looks beyond the usual physical make-up of the painting subject, to the relationships of its forms and colors, creating a compelling visual map in each painting.

“I’ve never seen anybody else with my colors. I’ve seen people who are colorful, but in a different way.” – Louis Escobedo

Influenced by many 19th century European artists, Louis is most influenced by Spanish artist Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida. It is the famous artist’s bravado and use of color that most impresses Louis. Texas-born, Louis Escobedo has been painting since he was six. He won a small art award in school, and has been pursuing his life¹s calling ever since. With a BFA from Sam Houston University, now many years later, the role of painting in his life has not diminished.

“The most important thing for me, is to paint and observe life .” – Louis Escobedo

His pursuit has not been without numerous successes. Louis’ paintings have received numerous awards, including “Best of Show” and the “Landscape Award” from The Oil Painters of America, a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators in New York and the Top 100 in the National Arts for the Parks. His works have been exhibited at the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, the Colorado History Museum, the Denver Art Museum, and the Phippen Museum among others.

Louis Escobedo’s work has been published in Best of Portrait Painting, North Light Books – 1988, The Artist’s Magazine, Art Talk, and “Honoring The Inner Voice” in Southwest Art Magazine.

Catch you back here tomorrow!


Featured Artist… Paul Kratter!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Rugged Coast” by Paul Kratter – Image: Nancy Dodds Gallery

Paul Kratter… he’s another artist on my “to meet one day” list. His work is amazing. The warm colors draw me right in like a magnet. The solitude of the water is amazing. That golden light… ahhhh, golden light, nothing like it. It’s that magic warm color that makes even the palest person look fabulous. All dressing rooms should come equipped with lightbulbs that emulate this fabulous light! I adore the looseness of the rocks, where the light plays with the shadows. Brilliant!

If you get a chance check out Paul’s website, and read about him, he’s sounds like a fascinating guy!

Here’s a blip about Paul from Nancy Dodd’s website (I just automatically like any artist who mentions other artists who they admire, living or deceased, and a mention of their pets… a good guy indeed!):

BIO

Paul Kratter was born in San Francisco and raised on the city’s southern Peninsula. He holds a degree is graphic arts from College of San Mateo and a BA in Illustration from the Art Center College of Design. 

ARTIST STATEMENT

I spent my youth either outdoors playing tennis or indoors drawing my favorite athletes and wild animals. My two great passions have always been sports and wildlife. I was fortunate to make a living mainly in advertising, which included a long relationship with the National Football League and various Major League Baseball Clubs.

As time went on, I concentrated solely on wildlife illustration and worked for a variety of zoos and the Nature Company. I illustrated a number of children’s books, including “The Living Rainforest,” which won awards in 2002 Communication Arts Annual. 

Around that time, I became interested in the immediacy and spontaneity of the plein air approach and started painting in the East Bay hills near my home. My style changed almost overnight, although my approach remained intact, and I utilize my solid drawing skills and portray strong graphic shapes. Soon, I had a collection of work and began to show in galleries and join various plein air events.

Painting outdoors has become a passion. I continue to participate in a number of plein air events annually in California. Each has its own unique topography, light and challenges, which forces me to keep my work fresh and loose.

In 2005, I joined a group of fellow artists to paint in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. We packed in our supplies, hiked to nearly 10,000 feet, and painted the majestic peaks. This has become an annual event.

Painting outdoors is physical. We have to deal with various weather conditions from cold winter mornings to summer heat and glare. Windy days can challenge the best of scenery, but these variables are often exhilarating and force the artist to make decisive brushwork.

The first impression I try to capture is a strong composition. I look to simplify the scene by making bold, graphic shapes. The light and atmosphere are ever changing, and I want to quickly establish a color script. One of the first things I determine is what is going to change the quickest. This is the key area to capture and determine the feel of the painting.

To keep the fresh spontaneous, I usually finish my paintings on location. At times, these works are used as a study for a larger piece, but they can stand on their own as a finished painting.

The bold work of Edgar Payne, Carl Runguis, and William Wendt, along with the atmosphere of Sam Hyde Harris, are huge inspirations to me as I continue to grow in this ever-challenging medium.

My wife Tia, whom I met at Art Center, is an Art Director at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, CA. We have two grown boys, Joel and Marshall, both artistic and athletic. Orbit is our ever-faithful dog.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Leah Bell!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Still Life With Monarch and Blueberry Crate” by Leah Bell

Years ago we met this cool artist on Monhegan Island (Maine)… he had this huge easel set up outside of the Island Inn and was painting Uncle Henry’s, and it was amazing! His name was Tim Bell and he turned out to be a neat guy that we’ve kept in touch with over the years. His paintings are fabulous and he is a larger than life character. Those of you who know him know what I mean… he makes you laugh. About everything. He’s a good guy, he often talked about his wife Leah, who we have yet to meet, but have emailed with. Another very nice person and very talented. Between the still life paintings and the portraits, wow! I love how she leaves bits of white showing through on the canvas, and big loose strokes.

A blip about Leah from the Bell Art Studio website:

Leah Bell (nee Torney) graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Painting from Towson University in Towson, Maryland. She studied Northern Italian Renaissance Art in Florence her Junior year. Following her graduation she returned to Florence, Italy to attend the Charles Cecil Studio and subsequently the Florence Academy of Art. At the Academy she further developed her drawing skills, learned classical materials and techniques and studied the history of Renaissance Art. She had the unique experience of copying master drawings from the Gabinetto del Disegno in the Uffizi Galleries. Leah has been a long time member of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis, Maryland and has studied pastel portrait painting with Bonnie Roth Anderson. Leah also studied at the Corcoran School of Art. She studied watercolor with Frank Webb and Erika Walsh. She has studied portraiture with the well-known artists Cedric and Joanette Egeli since 1993.Leah is an active member at the Rehoboth Art League in Delaware. She is a Certified Member of the Maryland Society of Portrait Painters, the Maryland Federation of Art and the Muddy Creek Artist Guild. Leah exhibits in a variety of shows and exhibitions throughout Delmarva. She paints portraits of any type by commission. Her paintings are inspired by her home by the Chesapeake Bay. Flowers from her garden, still life objects and her children and their friends are gathered as subjects for her paintings. When she travels the landscapes, towns and countryside become the subject matter of her work. Her paintings hang in private collections throughout the United States, Italy and Great Britain.

If you’re around the South Street Art Gallery (Easton, MD) pop in and say hello, see Leah’s work in person – catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… James Richards!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Downtown Shadows” by James Richards – Image: Galerie on Broad

My husband and I were downtown Charleston, SC one day, going through the galleries, we stopped in Galerie on Broad, Dee Beard Dean’s gallery, and we noticed James Richard’s work. My husband loved this piece. I like the looseness, the brush strokes, very nice!

Here’s a blip about the artist from his website… click HERE to read more…

James Richards 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 paintings their own 
place in the world of art today.

A self taught artist, James has spent years 
studying the nuances of paint 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 in search of new inspiration.

If you get a chance check out his work! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Marc Hanson!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“Dusk” by Marc Hanson

Facebook is a great thing for many reasons… one reason I enjoy it so much is that I can see when artists post new work or comment on another artist that I may not have heard of which opens up new doors big time! Marc Hanson is an amazingly talented artist, and when he posted this image on Facebook, he got a lot of feedback… all positive… when I say a lot, I mean A LOT… over 500 so far (between likes, shares and comments). Without a doubt I would say it’s a hit.

Those clouds. AMAZING. I love the light peaking through near the top, and that warm light deep under the clouds off to the left… and the orange light on the horizon line. BRILLIANT. It seems tumultious yet inviting and even serene to me. I was trying to think of a way to eloquently put into words what I felt about this painting… drama, peacefulness, calm but almost stormy, yet the marsh is so relaxing at the same time. It’s nice when a painting makes you stop and say WHOA!

Then one note… I have to say painting PLEIN AIR IS NO EASY TASK. If you’re not used to it it presents challenges that will give you brain freeze, oh… is that just me? Hmmm. Yet, there are so many of you artists out there that are so darn good at it. I know, practice. (Thanks Ken, hee). For now I will practice and APPRECIATE what the rest of you do!!

Here’s a blip about Marc from his website:

Marc Hanson – About the Artist

A viewer of my paintings wrote to me recently and had this to say, “Your  landscapes are so evocative, for me so emotional. You have a gift for portraying more  than realism in your landscapes-not something fantastical, but something  simultaneously approachable and not. Not everyone will do what you do, but so many of  us are deluded or ambitious enough to aspire to.”  This very generous and kind  statement describes exactly how I would hope that my art is received by those who view  it.  I try to live up to this ideal with each painting.     One of the reasons that I’m a visual artist is that it has always been more  effective for me to share my excitement about the natural world through visual means,  painting or drawing, than it has been through writing or speaking about it.  My love of  the land, the Midwest in particular, and my desire to communicate that deep seeded  love is what drives my work.  Painting is the vehicle for my expression of that love.  My  purpose is not to replicate the specific or dwell on the spectacular, as much as it is to  observe the specific and to discover the beauty in the seemingly unspectacular.  My  goal is to paint a sense of place and what that means to me as an artist.     Typically my work is painted on location during all seasons of the year.  The  paintings created on location are painted on a smaller scale in oils.  The smaller scale of  these paintings allows me to capture those fleeting moods, and quickly changing light or  weather effects.  I’ve painted this way, en plein air, for many years now, and have  completed many, many hundreds of these studies.  Most of these small paintings are  painted either on linen or primed board and are completed in one to one and half hours.  The studies represent my immediate reaction to the subject matter and are a record of  that short period in time. Just as importantly, they build an enormous library of visually  recallable information that is indispensable to me in the studio.  When working on larger paintings in  the studio, studies and the memory of the time and place are  invaluable to me and form the basis for much of my studio work.  My most recent work has been to create large landscape paintings, as large in  scale as those painted in the studio, entirely on location.  Some of these paintings are  completed in one session, others are completed over a longer period of time lasting  several sessions.  The challenge that working from life in this way presents is  overridden by the benefit to my understanding of light and color on the landscape, and  the authenticity that it brings to my paintings.  I foresee my art continuing to move in this  direction, major works mostly completed on site.

 Mark is in several galleries, click HERE to see the list… One is the RS Hanna Gallery, which is high on my list to visit one day! Lots of great artists in one location (Frank Gardner, Gene Costanza…) Catch you back here tomorrow!

To contact Marc about this piece, you can email him at marchansonart@gmail.com.

Featured Artist… Ignat Ignatov!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Portrait of Alexy Steele”  by Ignat Ignatov

Ignat Ignatov can capture a persons soul in a painting. I go back to this painting every time… it’s captivating. He painted Alexy Steele, a Russian artist living in Los Angeles, CA. I love how the background is very loose, busy and calm all at the same time, there is a sense of urgency to it, and then the face, it looks as if he could step out of your computer screen and walk right into the room. Amazing!

You know how you hear of some people just being born with the talent to do certain things like sing… I believe Ignat has that talent with his painting… without a doubt! Here’s a blip about Ignat Ignatov from his WEBSITE:

Ignat Ignatov – (b. 1978) is a young artist with exemplary talent. His interpretation of the spirit of fine art saturates his paintings with a unique expressive richness. Although each new subject seems to dictate the style and approach, his paintings are always alive with color, light, texture, atmosphere, energy and emotion.

Ignatov was born in Veliko Tarnovo and grew up in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. At age thirteen, his promising talent in drawing, painting and sculpting gained him one of only thirty positions to the renowned School of Arts in Tryavna, Bulgaria. In the 5 years there, he established the foundation of his academic Art training. Following graduation in 1996, Ignatov was accepted into the University of Arts in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria where he studied under the demanding atelier approach to fine art. In 1997, using proceeds from the sale of his art, Ignatov financed his move to the United States and is now a U.S. citizen living in southern California. He then studied at the prestigious California Art Institute in Westlake Village, Associates in Art in Sherman Oaks and the American Animation Institute in North Hollywood. In 2005 Ignatov began teaching painting classes at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art.

In the course of establishing for his own “artistic roots”, Ignatov was influenced by Nicolai Fechin, John Singer Sargent, Anders Zorn and Joaquin Sorolla. Ignatov’s work includes figures, portraits, still lifes, and landscapes. His goal is to continue to develop his ability to express the anatomy and form as well as color and composition in terms of the artistic disciplines employed by the Old Masters.

Ignat Ignatov is a Signature Member of the California Art Club.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Laurie Meyer!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

“And On It Goes” by Laurie Meyer

We have the most beautiful old oak trees here in Charleston, SC… boy, if only trees could talk, the stories they could tell! I think Laurie captured this one nicely!

Here’s more about Laurie from the  Wells Gallery website:

Laurie Meyer has lived and painted in Charleston, SC for over twenty-five years. Following careers in education and corporate sales, Laurie devoted her life to her first love – painting – in 1997. Life in Charleston has provided Laurie with countless subjects and rich inspiration for her award winning paintings. Her frequent travels have also given Laurie varied and interesting ideas for many of her works. She paints with rich color and broad “brushy” strokes and palette knife to express the unique and recognizable softness in her work. Art has also played a role in community involvement for Laurie. She is the past president of the Mt. Pleasant Artists Guild, serving two terms. Laurie also served eight years on the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association and originated the Art of Alzheimer’s exhibit, now under the auspices of the Charleston Artist Guild. Laurie is past Program Director and past Director of Artistic Growth for the Charleston Artist Guild.  She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, Charleston Outdoor Painters Association, the SC Watercolor Association, and the Portrait Society of America. Laurie resides on Daniel Island, SC with her creative and supportive husband.  Her three daughters, on their own or in college, are also creative with art and writing. “I am thankful to be blessed with the opportunity to do something I love. Painting has been part of me since I was a child and I still live for the artistic journey. I love rich color and textural strokes painted with gesture and spontaneity. I seek interesting designs with playful shadow structures in my street scenes and rich natural colors in my landscapes. Capturing light is a challenge and a thrill. Painting “en plein air,” nature’s studio, is a luxury and a great teacher, but weather and time constraints mean I also paint in the indoor studio. Either way, my challenge is to interpret what I see and express it in my unique style.”

We would like to wish Fred’s mom a very H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y ! ! We hope it’s the best! xoxo US

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Jerry Rose!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Dockside Conversation” by Jerry Rose  /  Image: Bayview Gallery

I think Bayview Gallery is full of some pretty fabulous artists. We were in Camden, ME one year and were so excited to visit the gallery, it was the first time we saw Charles Movalli’s work in person. STUNNING. HUGE pieces everywhere. We signed up for their mailing list which notifies you of any new artists, etc. We received an email the other day introducing artist Jerry Rose. Don’t you love this painting? The water looks like glass… I love the brilliant white boat against the oh-so-dark water… and those fabulous reflections… makes for a very nice painting! If you’re in Maine, Bayview Gallery has two locations, one in Camden and one in Brunswick. Stop in, say hello and take a look at all the fabulous art!

A blip about Jerry from the Bayview Gallery website:

Jerry Rose  Sedgwick, Maine painter Jerry Rose uses dynamic brushwork and luscious textures to capture the ever changing landscape of the mid-coast and neighboring islands. He has an affinity for the working waterfronts and vernacular architecture of the small villages that make up his local scene.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… William Wray!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Bannister” by William Wray

Can I just say THANK GOODNESS I FOUND THIS PAINTING! I’ve had this in my mind forever… this painting is just so intriguing… it’s a bannister and a staircase I know, but it’s something mysterious or something that has caught in my brain and I haven’t been able to let it go. I swear I featured this artist already. I went through my entire blog… nothing. I couldn’t remember the artists name for the life of me, and if Fred didn’t also see it I would swear I was losing my mind. We tried to find it last week, searched every gallery, every artist that we could think of and came up with nothing. Then I was on Frank Gardner’s website (you must visit! he is an exceptional artist, he never continues to amaze me with his work!), reading his blog, this post specifically… (click HERE to read!)

“20 Representational Painters to be Inspired by in 2012”  My personal list of paint that inspires me.

When, WHEW… Frank had William Wray on his list as well as the image. YAY! I’m not crazy, whew! I think I’m going to order a cake to celebrate, ha ha… So THANK YOU Frank, for your list, which was SPOT on, I’m so thankful I ran across it again!

Ok, onto the featured artist… William Wray. Look at this painting… this man is not afraid to put some paint down with some color to it! I love that wonderful orange popping through the violet… whoa! I wonder if this was really the color this stairwell was or if this is his interpretation?  Would be interesting to know. Either way the color is amazing. I love how artists can take something mundane and by changing the colors within the image it takes it from drab to WOW! This painting is on his website under “Interiors”. Great website so take a peek! William has a tab on his website “INFLUENCES”, and it’s brilliant! A link to the artists who have had an influence on him. Great information! Thank you William!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Hiu Lai Chong!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“In the Studio” by Hiu Lai Chong

Hiu Lai Chong’s work is absolutely amazing. Her plein air pieces are fabulous, so loose and airy, where you feel as if you’re there. The paintings she does of people captures their very essence. I have not met this artist (yet)! and by the title of this piece “In the Studio” it makes me wonder if this is a self portrait? It’s gorgeous. I bow to those of you who can paint people… I think it’s a talent that not a lot of us were meant to have. To be able to capture that person in a painting is breathtaking! Hiu Lai Chong has a wonderful website, check it out! She participates in a lot of the plein air events, that information is also on her website!

A blip about the artist from her website:

Hiu Lai Chong finds her painting inspiration at local marinas and shorelines along the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. She loves painting from life and enjoys using vivid colors and sensitive brush strokes to express mood and feeling in her work. 

 She received her early art training in Hong Kong at the Jockey Club Ti-I College, and earned her Associate in Applied Science degree from Navarro College and her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with the Fellowship Award. She continued her art education through various workshops and classes at The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia and around the country.

 Today she focuses on landscape, portrait and figure painting, enjoying the beauty that all of nature offers. She is a member of the Portrait Society of America, Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists, a member of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters, Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painter Association,  and the Chinese Culture and Art League. Her paintings have won awards and been shown in museums around the country including the Academy Art Museum (MD), Coos Art Museum (OR), the Biggs Museum of American Art (DE), the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (MD), and the Buffalo Naval Park Museum (NY) and AnHui Museum in China.

Influences: 

 John Singer Sargent, Rembrandt van Rijn, Chao Shao-an, Richard Schmid, David Leffel, and Nelson Shank’s Studio Incamminati. Robert Liberace, Rick Weaver, Danni Dawson, Ted Reed, Sara Poly, Ross Merrill, and Ed Ahlstrom, Sandra Dowd, Tom Sale.

I love it when artists mention others artist who inspired them! Read more about Hiu Lai Chong here…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image from Hiu Lau Chong’s website!

Featured Artist… Denise Dumont!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist4 Comments

“Federal Street, Middlesburg, VA” by Denise Dumont

Let me tell you how thrilled I am that Facebook exists… I find the most wonderful artists that way, and sometimes they find me, which is always intriguing… When I happened upon Denise Dumont’s work, I stopped in my tracks. She has that innate ability that you hear me mention post after post… LOOSENESS. This painting, “Federal Street, Middlesburg, VA” is a great example of that loose style. This painting won “HFCA Appreciation of Excellence in Plein Air Painting”. It never ceases to amaze me when an artist can depict an everyday scene and make it exciting. The color of the house and roof… POP… the shadows… great painting! Check out Denise’s website for gallery information as well as a chance to check out her paintings. They’re fabulous, and most are sold, but you can take a peek!

Here’s a blip about Denise from her website. I look forward to meeting her in person one day and seeing her work!

Denise Dumont is a representational painter who enjoys capturing the character and beauty of the everyday world around her. She is drawn to the coastal landscapes and cityscapes of the Atlantic region and travels often with her sketchbook and portable easel in hand.

Denise received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design in New York City. She studied further at the School of Visual Arts and frequented the studios of the Art Students League. Her work has been largely influenced by Edward Hopper, Edouard Vuillard and Fairfield Porter.

“My favorite scenes are usually found in the light of early morning or late afternoon when the shadows are deep and dramatic.” Denise often paints outdoors in the plein air tradition and works on larger canvases in her studio.

Born in New York, Denise spent her childhood on Long Island and adult years in New York City where she lived until 2004. She currently divides her time between Delaware and the DC metro area and maintains a warehouse studio in Baltimore. 

Recognized as an accomplished landscape painter in the region, Denise’s credits include: South Street Gallery’s “Best New Artist to Plein Air Easton”, “Best in Show” at the Rehoboth Art League’s Regional Exhibition and the League’s Plein Air Competition and multiple awards from the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association. 

Denise’s paintings are held in private collections across the country and in the public collections of the Academy Art Museum in Easton, Maryland and the Lewes Historical Society Museum in Delaware. Denise exhibits regularly and is represented by fine art galleries in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Craig Mooney!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
 “Drifting Clouds” by Craig Mooney

I ran across another very cool artist… I was on Maine HOME + DESIGN’s Facebook page. They always have the coolest posts. I ran across an image of a painting by artist Craig Mooney. His work is wonderful, and diverse. Landscapes, Cityscapes, Florals, Figures as well as his newest work. Most of Craig’s landscapes appear to me to be very peaceful. This one has bravado.  A bit more dramatic, the darkness in the clouds, it’s almost as if you’re floating (or flying) overhead and catching the view while moving. Very different. I like it!

Here’s a blip about Craig from his website (including image)…

Craig Mooney makes paintings of dramatic moments and heightened emotionality that are known for being expansive and expressive. Though a representational painter, the artist incorporates a myriad of abstract qualities throughout his paintings. In his figurative work, Mooney romanticizes his subjects and presents them in an atmospheric lens that is best described as dreamlike. His paintings appear to be capturing a moment suspended in time. While his work feels familiar, it is not specific. Rather it is , on a very basic level, symbolism of what could have been, has been or will be…

Born and raised in the heart of midtown Manhattan (NY), Mooney’s roots in art go back to his youth. His father, an amateur artist, taught him how to create oil paintings from discarded art supplies found on city streets. To Mooney, the city was an endless source of inspiration at an early age. Though the artist would later take classes in art both in high school and college, he regards this early exposure as the truest form of training he had ever received, After a brief carreer in the film industry, The artist moved out of New York in the mid Ninties to rural Vermont. The open and bucolic settings of the countryside allowed Mooney new sources of inspiration. Today, Mooney devotes himself full time to his art at his studio in Vermont.
Catch you back here tomorrow!