Category: Featured Artist

Artist to watch… Daniel Corey!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist5 Comments
Ocean Point Snow by Daniel Corey

Artist Daniel Corey… whoa! Extremely talented… an artist from Maine with a keen eye for painting everything… I know I have already featured Dan this year (back in May) but he is posting some fantastic work at a very cheap price for a fundraiser in Maine (details below). I am in love with his snow scenes… I miss living in a cold and snowy climate (well, most of the time, I can’t complain about a Charleston winter, that’s for sure) and his paintings make me so happy! For the past several weeks he has been posting paintings on his oh-so-fabulous blog and facebook page, prices are to die for…  (AND the guy has a sense of humor, so his blog is as entertaining as it is informative!)… It’s all for a fundraiser for Boothbay Regional Art Foundation, see a description from his website below… the $100 price is a FRACTION of his normal price, and believe me when I tell you that I hesitate to tell ANYONE ELSE about this… I hate for a good painting to get away, hee hee, but fair is fair, and I think everyone needs to know about Dan!

17 Degrees by Daniel Corey

Ok, here’s the deal this month the local Boothbay Regional Art Foundation holds its Art in the Square show. This show donates $25. of every sale to a local Art Scholarship fund. The best part of this sale is all the pieces in this show must be priced at $100. !! So that means the art foundation takes nothing and is just servicing the art community.. Just Great! So no matter who you are or what level of commercial success you have had you are priced like all the rest.. Because of the non money hungry style of this non-profit group and June Rose (a true asset to the BRAF and general sweetheart)  I try to go out of my way to help them out. I have put alot of effort into teaching and participating here and hope you may want to help out by buying one of these pieces. Now I plan on donating the same ratio to them and they have no idea I’m doing this til they read this.. surprise! I plan on posting at least one painting a day for sale and the buy it now button should let you pay in many ways so don’t make excuses to not be part of this. The price is so low for these that im guessing they will sell quick and I am not saving the best pieces for last.. so dont wait. The only addition I am making is a one size fits all shipping price of $15. this will help pay for packaging, a little effort, shipping and paypal fees.

OK, now I feel better, I let everyone know about it… but be quick with the PayPal button or I just might beat you ;)

Another great one!

Lil Frosty by Dan Corey

Catch you back here tomorrow!

All images from the artist…

Artist to watch… Daniel Merriam!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
"On the Go" by Daniel Merriam / Image: ChloeFineArts.com

When I first saw Daniel Merriam’s work, I thought it was amazing. Very different. Each one like it’s own fairytale. As I looked at his pieces I thought to myself… “I could write a story for each and every painting he has”. Then I read his bio. His paintings have been used for books, and rightfully so. They are absolutely amazing! Daniel has an amazing website (click HERE) so check it out, the story about him is fabulous!

Here’s a blip about Daniel from Chloe Fine Arts Gallery, where he shows his work:

Born in 1963 in York, Maine, Daniel Merriam grew up in Naples, a rural town within the vast, quiet spaces of Central Maine. One of seven children in a creative, artistic family, he taught himself to paint at a very young age and used his art as a method of reflective play throughout his childhood. He studied mechanical and architectural design at the Central Maine Vocational Technical Institute. While still in school, he applied his dimensional skills and passion for architecture in the family’s design and construction business.

He then turned his talents to the commercial art field, working as an architectural and commercial illustrator for a number of multi-national corporations. Merriam’s illustrations received numerous awards including several first-place Broderson Awards (the annual Maine advertising industry award) and the first-place New England Scholastics Press Association Award (for editorial cartooning.)

Yet Merriam’s true passion remained painting the expression of his own vision. In 1987 he shifted his focus solely to fine art and had his first solo exhibition at Abacus Gallery in Maine. In the same year, the artist received an Honorary Masters of Humane Letters from the University of New England in recognition of the potential social contribution of his work. Since that time, Merriam has had over one hundred exhibitions throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East.

In 1998, Monarch Editions, Inc. published The Art of Daniel Merriam: The Impetus of Dreams – selections from a decade of the artist’s work. The book’s second edition was published in 2002. Merriam’s most recent catalogue reisonné The Eye of a Dreamer was released in October 2007. Both catalogues reisonné were inducted into the permanent archives of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the National Museum of American Illustration, and the Peninsular Museum of Art.

The artist’s work appears in Dreamscape: The Best of Imaginary Realism, Volume I and II, published by SALBRU PUBLISH (the Netherlands) in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Merriam has produced paintings for the covers of books by Paula Volsky and Neal Barrett Jr. published by Bantam Books, as well as for an international literary journal, Mid-American Review. Merriam’s work was used for the playbill of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare produced by the Tony® Award-winning McCarter Theatre in New Jersey.

Daniel Merriam has been interviewed on WCSH (Portland, ME); KEYT (Santa Barbara, CA); KUSI News (San Diego, CA); Sedona Now (Sedona, AZ); 7days News (Dubai, UAE); France 3 Quercy-Rouergue (Rodez, France). He has been the subject of feature articles in numerous national and international publications, such as Art & Antiques, Gulf Connoisseur, IN New York, New Art International, Realms of Fantasy, The World & I, U.S. Art, Watercolor Magic. Merriam’s work is included in the public collections of The Riverside Museum of Art, CA; Merrill Lynch, CA; The Gesundheit! Institute, VA; the Manhattan Club, NY, among others.

Great work Daniel! What an imagination… love it!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Image: ChloeFineArt.com

Artist to watch… Walt Pasko!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments
Winter Path by Walt Pasko
Winter Path by Walt Pasko / Image: PaskoFineArt.com

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! WordPress offers falling snow on their blogs until January… So enjoy the little blizzard, I know I will…!

I. LOVE. THIS. PAINTING! This is done by artist Walter Pasko and it is fabulous! Winter scenes are a favorite. I love the colors in the snow. From this painting you can feel how cold it is when you look at the deep greens. You can also feel the warm sun on your back when you look at the light in the snow.

My husband and I met Walter years ago on Monhegan. For several years we happened to be on the island at the same time, along with another artist friend of ours, Tim Bell. It was fascinating to listen to Tim and Walter talk about the more technical side of painting, it was all I could do to try to take it all in.

This is a magnificent painting done by an artist that is not only very talented, but a very, very nice and brilliant man. Here is a blip about Walt from his WEBSITE:

Walter J. Pasko has devoted his creative energy, for the past forty years, to the painting of landscapes directly from nature.  His broad oil painting style has evolved from a need to capture the fleeting play of light and shadow patterns on the landscape, essential to the design of his paintings.He has been living for most of his adult life in the Berkshire Hills of northwestern Massachusetts where he regularly scouts the back country looking for saw mills, sugar houses, streams, and small villages as subject matter for his paintings.Primarily self-taught, he studied and painted with the late Maurice Kennedy, friend and former student of Lester Stevens (N.A.).  He has a Ph.D. of M.E. degree from the University of Massachusetts.

Artist to watch… Jonathan McPhillips!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
The Boat Ramp by Jonathan McPhillips /Image: AddisonArt.com

Ok, so I couldn’t choose. Ahhh, the magical combination of shadow and light, sun and dark clouds… wow, this makes for one fabulous painting! This painting, entitled “The Boat Ramp” was done by Jonathan McPhillips, and appears in the Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, MA.

But then how this one captures the magical light, that special golden light that makes EVERYTHING look so good (why don’t they make light bulbs that reflect this golden shade?? Hmmmm!). “Before the Bustle” was awarded Honorable Mention at Gallery 297. Fabulous! Congratulations Jonathan!

Before the Bustle by Jonathan McPhillips /Image: JonathanMcPhillips.com

Jonathan is in many galleries, so check out his website (VERY nice). Here is a short blip about Jonathan from his website, (but there is more, so check it out)! He seems like an interesting guy, he’s from Rhode Island, so if you’re in the area, check him out. I look forward to seeing his work in person one day!

“Collectors, fellow artists, and friends often comment on my work as having distinct and engaging “atmosphere”. I am so very appreciative of this recurring compliment. It is the air surrounding the landscape that I hope to depict in my paintings. The air is an unseen filter that guides how we visualize the “things” in front of us. In coastal New England, the atmosphere is always changing, therefore I am very fortunate to live and paint in such a visually engaging area.

Chasing the available light and air in our surroundings is what drives me to paint. I hope to achieve atmospheric effects with an impressionistic style, tempered by a touch of realism and draftsmanship. Painting large and small, indoors and out, I find that a multifaceted approach to studying and practicing allows me to achieve a unique quality in my work”.

JM 

Jonathan graduated from Connecticut College in 1993 with a Cum Laude Distinction in Fine Art. Now residing in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, Jonathan’s artwork has evolved into a celebration of coastal New England. Working equally in the studio and on location, his work includes the harbors, beaches, vessels, and architecture of our coastal marine environment.

Recent accomplishments include a juried acceptance into The Oil Painters of America Eastern Exhibition in October, 2010.  In addition, Jonathan was invited to participate in The Carmel Plein Air Art Festival in Carmel, California, and the Modern Marine Masters Exhibition at the Mystic Seaport Museum Gallery, both in May of 2011.

Awards and exhibitions span McPhillips’ career. Of note would be his 2004 First Place “Best of Fleet” Award at the New York Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island for “Courageous Convictions”, his 12 meter yacht replica.  Jonathan is also honored to have been invited by the U.S. Department of State to participate in the “Art in Embassies” program in 2006, which expanded his work to an international audience.

Jonathan has recently rediscovered the joy and personal fulfillment that teaching brings to an artist’s life. He periodically arranges workshops and courses in oil painting.  His artistic journey can easily be followed through social media and e-newsletters, as well as his blog and website. Video samples of selected works in progress are also available, and have been especially popular among his collectors and fans.

Catch you back here tomorrow!


Artist to watch… John Austin Hanna!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
It Never Gets Old by John Austin Hanna

This painting reminds me of my dad… doing what he loves, fly fishing. You can feel the movement of the water, hear the rushing water around the rocks, FEEL the coldness of the water. Fabulous! This painting is at the Sylvan Gallery in Charleston, SC. If you get a chance pop in, say Hi, and check it out!

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

Impressionist painter, John Austin Hanna, is a native Texan who lives and works in the quaint art and antique oriented community of Fredericksburg.  His work encompasses a broad range of subject matter from still-lifes, to portraits, to landscapes and images of rural and country life captured in a moment of time.  His artistic discipline was finely tuned while working as a commercial illustrator in New York and Dallas until tired of the hectic life of big city living he moved to the smaller community of Fredericksburg to concentrate on his painting career. Hanna says, “Throughout my childhood, I was always drawing and dreaming of becoming a ‘real’ artist.  I finally decided that I had to pursue that dream.”

John’s canvases are saturated with light and color, some depicting a large-scale scene while others focus on such images as a small section of a fence or wildflowers on the bank of a stream. He is constantly searching for “all things great or small” to portray in his work.

Articles about this talented young artist have appeared in publications such as Southwest Art and Art Talk.

Great job John!
Catch you back here tomorrow!

Painting by Geer Morton… one of my favorites!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment
Bay and House by Geer Morton

Isn’t this fresh and fabulous? I absolutely LOVE Geer Morton’s paintings. He’s got the most unique style, you can spot his painting a mile away. I love that! Take a peak at his work… on top of being so talented he’s a super nice guy! I know that I’ve feature this artist before, but it’s so hard not to show you other great paintings… I’m going to have to think of a catchy title, so I can start doing this with more artists I admire, maybe starting the new year!

My husband and I first saw Geer’s work at  Wiscasset Bay Gallery where we fell in love with his paintings (you will too, trust me on this)!  If you get a chance, stop in Wiscasset Bay Gallery and check out his work, or visit his website! (Image: WiscassetBayGallery.com) 

Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend… catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Richard Oversmith!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
"The way it used to be" by Richard Oversmith (via artists website)

I found this intriguing painting under the PLEIN AIR section of Richard Oversmith’s website. I love paintings of interiors, especially something different… this is a peak into the past. Richard’s description of this painting:

This painting is of the interior of Old Fort, NC train depot.  The depot build in the 1890s probably looked a lot like this inside.  It is a museum now and house some old southern railroad memorabilia.  I was invited into the depot to paint but, I actually painted this outside looking through a window at this scene.  That’s why it’s in the plein air section.

How interesting to paint the interior from outside. LOVE IT! Check out Richard’s website, it’s a good one! He’s in many galleries, so check him out! I just noticed he’s right here in Charleston, SC!

Here’s a blip from the artists website, there is more, so check him out!

Richard Oversmith - Biography

Richard received formal training in Fine Art and Illustration at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. While at Kendall he was invited to study at the Royal College of Art in London, England. There he gained experience in plein air painting and found direction in his work as an oil painter. He graduated from Kendall College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1995 and moved back to his home state of North Carolina to pursue his dream of becoming a professional artist.

The natural beauty of Western North Carolina has proven to offer infinite inspiration for Richard’s impressionistic landscapes. From rolling mountains to abundant waterfalls, the majestic Biltmore Estate to a simple farm scene, this region evokes the artist’s muse. Richard finds inspiration not only at home but in his many travels. He has painted all over the USA and has recently spent six months living and painting in Brittany, France. Whether at home or abroad, Richard surrounds himself in the elements of the scene while painting, in true “en plein air” fashion. In the studio, his sense of vision and mood guide him to produce still lifes ranging from the classic to the imaginative.

Richard’s purpose in painting is to provoke the viewer to interact with his pieces. His paintings are his voice, and stroke by stroke, he composes a whole that relates his vision. Richard works in oil on linen, a medium compatible with the passion he puts into his creation. He strives to achieve a mood in every painting through the use of such visual stimuli as color, edges, value and drawing. He has derived his style from the lifelong study of past masters, the influence of contemporary painters he admires, and elements that have evolved from deep within himself. He allows the setting to speak to him, creating only as many brushstrokes as are needed for the viewer’s eyes to understand and connect.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Larry Moore!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
"Four Corners" by Larry Moore / Image: HortonHayes.com

Larry Moore is a cool guy. I don’t know him personally. I just met him briefly, along with a lot of other people, a few weekends ago when he was in town and painting in Charleston. Larry is a joy to watch paint. Matter-of-fact we watched him paint a similar scene to this one… fabulous! After reading Larry’s blog and hearing more about him, you learn that he’s a nice guy with a great sense of humor. I happen to treasure people with a sense of humor. If you are interested in art (and I assume you are if you’re reading this blog?) you will be quite entertained by Larry’s blog. Very insightful AND entertaining. Just like his paintings. My husband and I both really enjoy his paintings. They’re loose, and they’re fresh… you know exactly what it is without having every detail displayed. If you get a chance, check out his work! In Charleston, SC his paintings can be seen at the Horton Hayes Gallery. For those of you not in Charleston, check out his website, he’s in other galleries as well AND he’s got a great website and you will love his blog!

Here’s a blip about the artist from Horton Hayes website:

Larry Moore is a painter with a message. He has committed his life to documenting the natural world. In his words:

“Today, our beautiful planet is taking a beating through overdevelopment and abuse. I try to capture the grandeur of nature. To create reminders of peace and beauty. It’s my way of making a statement against destruction.”

Larry was born in 1957 and raised in Cocoa Beach, Florida. When his family first began to recognize his talent, he was a tender nine. First drawing, then painting, then surfing. At age 14, Larry had already combined his passion for nature and surfing with his gift. He began airbrushing surfboards, vans and wall murals.

Since then, Larry’s success has been rapid. The mass of awards listed below gives clear witness to his position among the country’s leading artists. Larry has been awarded the highest national and international honors. To date, over 30 pieces of art have been accepted into the Society of Illustrators in New York and Los Angeles. Recently, he was awarded the Society’s most prestigious honor, a gold award. Without pretension, Larry attributes his success to passion, hard work and problem solving; a technique he learned as an illustrator.

Since 1993, Larry has taught illustrating, drawing, creative thinking and oil and pastel workshops. In front of the classroom, he is known as an instructor, role model and mentor. Time and time again, Larry has helped promote young artists to heights they never dreamed of reaching so soon. Perhaps this ability to nurture came from the support of his family. Growing up surrounded by talent, Larry’s mother, grandmother, brother and stepmother were all artists.

Larry remembers clearly the day he discovered plein air painting. From that moment, he knew exactly what he wanted to do: Combine his experience, his passion for nature and his life-long goal of becoming a better painter. “It’s all about the learning journey.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Michael Chamberlain!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Sea Swings – Mike Chamberlain (Image: chamberlainpaintings.blogspot.com)

The artist painted this painting from a photo taken at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in California. Can’t you feel the movement? It’s fabulous! I love it when an artist paints a painting that’s loose enough for your mind to create the details. This guy is good. If you’re in California, check him out… if not, he’s got a fabulous WEBSITE and BLOG! Kudos to those who can paint, keep up their website AND blog! Woohoo! I thoroughly enjoy reading an artists blog, especially when they can inject a little humor into the mix. Great job Mike!

Here’s a blip about Mike (as well as a photo) via his website… check it out! Catch you back here tomorrow!

My desire is to capture the essence of a subject while maintaining the look and feel of paint. I’m motivated by the beauty surrounding us in simple, everyday objects and scenes. I paint exclusively in oils and enjoy the challenge of working alla prima, both in the studio and outdoors, usually finishing a piece in a single session.

Though primarily self-taught, I’ve had the privilege of studying with some outstanding painters including Jim Promessi, Noah Buchanan, Randall Sexton and Timothy Horn.

Artist to watch… Elizabeth Pollie!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Image: ElizabethPollie.com

I try my best to select a painting that is for sale instead of one that is already sold, but I just think this is the sweetest painting. This is done by artist Elizabeth Pollie of Harbor Springs, MI. After reading about her, and the different locations that she paints, I was so pleased to see that she paints scenes of Mackinac Island, Michigan! I had vacationed on Mackinac Island this year, and this painting is reminiscent of that trip… This looks like the horses on Mackinac Island. I love the flag in the distance, the light in the horses mane. Excellent. Not typical at all. I often wonder why there aren’t more galleries on Mackinac Island. Why aren’t there artists with easels set up everywhere like on Monhegan Island, Maine? It baffles me. I think it would be an awesome adventure (once my husband retires) to pack up, buy a place on the island and open a gallery. Invite our artist friends to paint on the island and show their work… whoa! Who could pass that up!? I love to dream!

Here’s a blip about Elizabeth from her WEBSITE:

Elizabeth Pollie’s exposure to the arts came at an early age. Taken to museums, enrolled in classes by her parents and influenced by her father’s love and practice of art and architecture, she was always clear about her path in life. “Working within the field of visual arts never seemed like a choice, but rather a place of true belonging”. She enrolled in college art classes while still in high school and went on to receive an education at a formal Art School. She earned her B.F.A. at The College For Creative Studies where she later taught.

Harboring a deep love of travel and art history, Elizabeth has combined her travels with her painting practice. The images that she creates are imbued with a sense of poetry, mood and depth.

The artist paints full time and teaches from her studio, West Wind Atelier in Harbor Springs, Mi.  Her paintings reside in both public and private collections here and abroad and have received much national recognition.

Elizabeth has found a deep sense of place within the rekindled practice of representational painting in America.  Of this movement Pollie reflects, “ It is celebration, an homage and in many ways a joyous homecoming. I am pleased to be a part of it.

Check out Elizabeth’s website! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Pam Ingalls!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment
Pam Ingalls – “The Kingdom of Ahhhh” /Image: RSHannaGallery.com

I love paintings of interiors. I especially love the ones that are painted loosely, like this one done by artist Pam Ingalls. This is a great little interior painting entitled “The King of Ahhhhh” and can be located at the RS Hanna Gallery in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Here’s a blip about the artist, this comes from the Meyer Gallery, who also represents Pam, they are located in Santa Fe, New Mexico:

Ingalls’ education in art began early. She first studied with her father, Richard Ingalls, who created the Art Department at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She continued at the Accademia Delle Belle Arte in Florence, Italy in 1977, then returned home to earn her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gonzaga in 1979.
She later worked with Frederick Frank in New York and subsequently studied oil painting under Ron Lukas in Seattle. More recently she has studied with Richard Schmid and Burt Silverman.
Strong color and sound drawing are primary in her paintings. Her choice of simple subject matter is surprising, sometimes humorous, and always full of emotion. Portraits, still lifes and interior scenes populate her studio.
A table with chairs, a diner counter top, rubber boots standing by a kitchen door, even a bowl of cherries – all evoke a sense of humanity and presence, as if someone is either about to enter the frame or has just left it.
Pam has exhibited in over 125 national and international juried art shows, where she’s won more than 60 prizes. Her work has exhibited in 28 states, and is in collections in several countries.
Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Karen Hollingsworth!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
"Sand in the Sheets" - Karen Hollingsworth, Image: Wynne-FalconerGallery.com

I can FEEL the breeze blowing in the window, I can hear the crashing of the ocean waves, the birds chirping… I can smell the salt air, I FEEL AS IF I AM THERE. Ahhh, this is a great painting done by an amazing artist from Atlanta, GA. She is known for her light airy paintings and considers a painting successful if the viewer feels as if they’re there. Here’e a blip from the artists website:

Karen Hollingsworth is known for her unique light, airy “windowscapes”. In the past the artist painted interior spaces, now she includes an open window that acts as a portal into the space beyond. Her large oil paintings often depict subject matter that is fairly minimal, chairs and ordinary interior settings, however what attracts many viewers is the mysticism evoked by the movement of the air and the ocean breeze through the curtains. 

For Karen, a painting is about the feeling it evokes. Although there are no figures present in her windowscapes, it is difficult to deny the implications of vacant chairs in such an empty space. Karen is interested in creating the “impression of looking through that room and seeing the view outside the room.

“I love to create paintings that evoke a sense of the familiar,” says Karen. “To blend the common objects of everyday life, placed within the interior of a room, with a glimpse of the ocean or mountains through an open window. My windowscapes are intended to provide the viewer with a sense of solitude and well being. A comfortable world bathed in sunlight and warm breezes. For me, a painting is successful if “I wish I were there.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Mark Horton!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
The Barbershop - Image via HortonHayes.com

Mark Horton is a fabulous artist (as well as a super nice guy). That’s nothing new, however I’m seeing some work like none I’ve ever seen of his and I like it. A lot!  This painting is one from the workshop he and Chris Groves gave in Italy this year. It’s so unique. I love it!

If you’re in the Charleston, SC area be sure to stop in the Horton Hayes Gallery! Stop by, say hello and check out the wonderful art work! If you aren’t in the area, check out Mark’s work on the gallery website. Here’s a blip from the gallery website, there’s more, so check it out!

Mark Kelvin Horton was born and raised in rural North Carolina. After graduating from East Carolina University School of Art in 1983, Horton moved to New York City to begin a career in advertising and design. He carried with him the dream of someday becoming a painter.

Eighteen years of living in New York were spent working as a creative director in various advertising agencies and eventually founding his own design company. Those years also provided an invaluable opportunity for Horton to view and study firsthand the seemingly endless number of masterworks of art in the city’s museums and galleries. Horton became particularly fascinated with the works of George Inness, Herman Herzog, Frederick Church and the tonalist photographer, Edward Steichen. He was also captivated by the realism of John Singer Sargent and Winslow Homer as well as the romantic landscapes of the Hudson River School painters. The experience had a profound effect on his artistic development.

During his years working as an artistic director and designer, Horton continued to nurture his “fine art side”, drawing, sketching and painting whenever he had the opportunity. In early 2001 Horton made the decision to devote himself full-time to painting. He left New York City and returned to his Southern roots, moving to Charleston, South Carolina.

Horton is particularly fascinated with the effects of light and weather upon the landscape. He paints beyond a literal interpretation of a scene to portray nature in a way that reflects his own ideas and sensibilities while capturing the spirit, color and changing light of a place.

Adding this a bit late, but just in time… this past weekend we went to a fabulous demo that Mark Horton and Chris Groves gave at the Horton Hayes Gallery, it was about painting the English countryside and it was AMAZING! To watch these guys paint is fascinating. I took notes like a crazy person and can’t wait to try what they mentioned. They are full of information, and lucky for you they have workshops in your future! There are a few in England that will blow you away. We’ve seen the photos, seen the paintings and whoa! If you have ever thought about taking a workshop, check them out! Besides learning a lot, trust me, you’ll have a good time. They’re fun! Click HERE to go to the Horton Hayes workshop link!

Mark Horton demo at Horton Hayes Gallery

You liked his work, didn’t you? Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Otto Lange!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment
“Milkman” – Image: OttoLange.com

OK, who here remembers the milkman? You know, the man who delivered milk and other dairy products to your house each week. Well now the secret is out, I’m old enough to remember and I kind of miss the concept of the milkman! How nice would it be to answer your door and have your dairy products right there? Or reach inside the milk box that was outside the door in case you weren’t home? Well, I think the milkman era has long been gone, but here is a painting done by a very cool artist entitled “MILKMAN”. I just happened upon this artists website and it’s just so different. Very realistic images. The artist’s name is Otto Lange and he lives in Athens, GA. He has work in several galleries…

He’s been in several publications and has a great BLOG. So if you get a chance, check him out!

Oh… this has me now thinking about the bread man… He. Had. Pastries. I guess I’m glad there is no longer a bread man… I think I’d be in trouble!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Artist to watch… Karen Smidth – a bazaar artist in a very good way!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment
Image: KarenSmidth.com

Aren’t these paintings OUT OF THIS WORLD?? They’re so fresh, so different, colorful yet peaceful, I absolutely love them. The painting above is entitled “BELOW SONORA PASS” and the one below “395, NORTH OF MONO LAKE”. I found this artist in an unexpected place. I was on Serena and Lily’s website (home furnishings, bedding, etc.) and they have something called a BAZAAR, where they collect neat things from around the globe… I clicked on the ART tab, TRULY not expecting to see what I call fabulous art and whoa! There she was… Karen Smidth has paintings on Serena and Lily’s Bazaar (click HERE) that are breathtaking. MANY are sold, you have to act fast! I’m telling you… this girl is good! (See, now you know what I meant when I said Karen was a bazaar artist… Serena and Lily Bazaar)!

Image: KarenSmidth.com

Karen is a graphic designer/artist who was born in Denmark, then moved to the United States. Here is a bit about Karen from her WEBSITE:

EDUCATION

1976-80 journeyman hot metal typesetter, ringkobing, denmark
1980-82 the graphic arts institute of denmark, copenhagen
1985-86 the academy of art, san francisco
2004-07 part time student at college of marin, kentfield, ca

after many years of working as a graphic designer, i am 
now focusing some of my energy on painting and drawing.
my paintings are about seeing, as well as being an attempt 
to understand the world around me. what ends up on the 
surface is a product of a my discoveries.
Well done Karen! I wish you much success you certainly deserve it!
Catch you back here tomorrow!