The Spencer Gallery in Charleston, SC is loaded with all kinds of painting treasures. If you’re ever in the area I recommend taking a peak around! Bridget Jennings is new to the Spencer Gallery, and very excited to be a part of it!
She’s got a great website, so check it out! Here are a few paintings from her Charleston/Spencer Gallery collection:
“Stewart Fine Art” by Bridget Jennings [bridgetjenningsartist.com]I love this little painting! It’s so indicative of Charleston’s old buildings… it’s a new gallery in town…
“Cathedral of St. John the Baptist” by Bridget Jennings [bridgetjenningsartist.com]If you’re ever in Charleston, you must pop in to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist church, it’s a beauty with so much history! She did a great job with this painting!
On another note… I wanted to wish Bridget a very Happy Birthday… Nifty, nifty, someone’s almost – ugh,never mind, hee hee! Bridget and I have had good times over the years, you may have read about the Orange Julius and popcorn days… It would be great if we lived closer… the South Carolina to Michigan drive is misery, especially if you do it non stop, by Ohio I’m ready to jump out of a moving car… don’t laugh, i’m serious!
Bridget capturing inspiration from Shem Creek – Mount Pleasant, SC
Happy Birthday little sister… Catch you back here tomorrow!
Lisa Mitchell is a fabulous plein air artist who shows her work at South Street Art Gallery. “Golden Fields” is part of the People/Places/Things exhibit that runs from 8/3 – 9/1/2013. If you’re in the Easton, Maryland area be sure to stop in to see it!
I am loving the warm colors of the foreground and that wonderful light hitting the barn… to me, those two elements make this a fabulous painting!
Lisa has a wonderful blog that shows her art as well as all kinds of painting tips – a good one to check out! Read a bit about the artist from her website, I see she’s taken workshops from some pretty fine artists:
Lisa Mitchell received her formal art education at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, concentrating her studies in Illustration and Graphic Design. Lisa found employment as an Illustrator creating storyboards and comprehensive illustrations for several leading advertising agencies in the Mid-Atlantic region. She then began a twenty year career painting children’s portraits in her home based studio and has expanded her focus to include landscapes, figures and still life subjects.
“The Cape Lunch” by Sue Gilkey [image] I really enjoy Sue Gilkey’s style. One of the many subjects she paints are interiors. I love paintings of interiors, you don’t see a lot of them, so when you do it makes them extra special. I love how the green in this painting captures my eye (but does not hold it)… your eye is taken ever so slightly around the painting, mine goes first to the green booth with people having lunch, then up to the waitress, to the lit display on the wall, down to the empty table and back again. Nice. There is a nice air about this painting… This image is from the Waterhouse Gallery website, a nice gallery located in Santa Barbara, CA
The complexities of working in oil infinitely challenge and delight Sue Gilkey. Her work is observational, expressive, and intuitive. “The painting process for me, is a meditation on the aesthetics of the subject I’m observing. I am always interested in developing a painting that will connect to the viewer and possibly evoke a sense of shared experience.”
Growing up in New Jersey, Gilkey studied with a well-known local artist. She completed her BFA in Painting at The University of New Hampshire, followed by post-graduate work at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She has studied Tonalism with contemporary master, Dennis Sheehan. Gilkey pursues a traditional approach to painting, striving to combine the emotional power of tonalism with direct observation.
Gilkey has exhibited in major shows, receiving awards at Greenhouse Gallery Salon International, American Artist Professional league, and The Guild of Boston Artists. She is represented by Gallery Antonia, Chatham, MA,Waterhouse Gallery, Santa Barbara,CA, Edward Montgomery Fine Art, Carmel-by-the-Sea,CA and Cleo,in Kenmare, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Gilkey is an artist member of The Salmagundi Club in NYC and The Copley Society of Art in Boston, MA.
Gilkey divides her time between her home on the Charles River in Massachusetts and her cottage in Ireland.
Monhegan, ME. Artists everywhere. I. Mean. Everywhere! Everyone is busy painting away, doing their thing, and let me tell you , there are some incredibly talented artists who’s work just blows you away! We met artist, Tim Bell (pictured) on the island years ago (I’m thinking 2006?!) and have remained friends with him through the years, and have made new friends through him. He’s such a talented, brilliant artist. Tim had so much information to share that I had to go get a pen and paper. Great, useful information. One year we watched him paint this painting… and as he walked away with it… we had to have it. So it’s pretty cool that we have this painting… good memories. We love every one of our paintings, they’re all special to us in one way or another. This is a perfect example!
Have a great Sunday! Catch you back here tomorrow!
Shawn Fields, artist that paints the childhood imagination… Is this not a fascinating painting? Does it not conjure up wonderful childhood memories? The kinds of memories made from using your imagination (nothing in the world beats that, there is no video game that can beat a childhood imagination. Not. Ever). Do you recall the art of building a fort, riding a bike and make believe that seemed so utterly real it was hard to believe that it wasn’t! I truly think Shawn’s paintings bring us back to that happy childhood… it gives us a feeling of make believe so good and pure. Just honest fun. Fun that wore you out and made you sleep well at night! The way he captured this sweet little boy with his cape and his furry friends is nothing short of spectacular. His paintings make me smile. A big, wonderful, happy smile!
“Jousting” by Shawn Fields
All I can say is… this painting brings back fabulous memories. The longer you look at this it, the more you see… this is a creative kid, who jumped on his bike, with his bed sheet as a cape. Keep looking and your mind will create stories. How wonderful is that?! Shawn’s paintings are so original. Pure amazement is what I feel.
Shawn’s show is at Dowling Walsh Gallery, in Rockland, Maine. There is an opening reception tonight with the artist from 5-8PM. If I could be there I would be! If you’re in the area, stop by the gallery, it’s located across the street from the Farnsworth Museum and it is a gorgeous gallery! Filled with paintings that will tempt you… big time! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Read a blip about Shawn from the Dowling Walsh Gallery website and check out his website:
Upcoming Show: August 2-30, 2013
Shawn Fields is a representational artist, telling stories of childhood with convincing detail. Shawn reminds us of the simplicity of a childhood full of resourceful, economical play. His paintings begin centered on a particular object – a “cabbage patch kid’s” bicycle, a bathing suit, a pillow case – familiar from his own childhood and echoed in his children’s. The object becomes embedded in layers of narrative until the picture is complete.
Using practiced color, composition and anatomy, Shawn amplifies his narratives with make-believe. He has been inspired by Pixar and Spielberg, as much as by Winslow Homer and the Wyeths, in their ability to tell a story. Shawn understands that a painting can seem even more real when it takes liberties with reality. He cleverly invents ways to weigh down the mattress beneath the feet of a feather-light child, allowing it to crease and fold in a way that our mind reads as true. He billows the cape of a young boy jousting on his bike, the ribbons and grasses blowing with vigor, capturing the speed the viewer and the child have imagined. Shawn’s paintings signal to our recollection of reality.
Shawn Fields grew up in a suburb of Baltimore and also in rural Pennsylvania. His early conception of art was formed by a monthly subscription to Mad Magazine, and the Wyeth family’s presence in the Brandywine Valley. Shawn studied drawing and painting at the School of Visual Arts, at the Water Street Atelier in New York, and at the New York Academy of Art. He now lives in the Berkshires, Massachusetts with his wife and three children.
“The Red Hen” by Tim Kelly [image]The Red Hen is Plein Air Easton’s headquarters – what a neat painting! He captured it quite perfectly!
“Rest for the Weary” by Tim Kelly [image]Tim painted this in his car while it was pouring rain, is that dedication or what? I love the light in the trees behind the truck… awesome!
The Grand Prize Winner at the Easels event in Frederick, Maryland, at the end of June was painted in inclement weather — but the artist stayed dry. “It was a rainy day in downtown Frederick at the intersection of East and 3rd Street that paid off,” the winning artist, Russell Jewell, wrote in his blog. “I painted the scene from the front seat of my car as the rain poured down.”
Here’s a blip about Tim from his website (a good one), click HERE to read in its entirety:
In recent years I’ve taken to direct painting. This work can be seen on the FIELD STUDIES page. All of the work you’ll see here was painted on site and completed in a single session. Also in this page are interior studies. The medium is oil, usually on a masonite panel. The dimensions range from 6″ to 28″, average size is 16″ x 12″. Each painting takes 1 to 3 hours to complete. This type of painting can be a challenge for an artist. Gotta be quick, gotta get it right.
I swear, this woman can paint ANYTHING! There were so many paintings that I fell in love with it was difficult to choose! I love the light in this landscape! How the colors compliment each other so nicely… I am drawn to that light in the sky, absolutely beautiful!
Mary won the People’s Choice Award at the Easels in Frederick plein air event in June 2013 – fabulous painting!
Mary Pettis is a classically trained artist who works mostly from life, using the Alla Prima or Direct Method of oil painting. Her lifetime in art is a journey reflected in hundreds of originals and thousands of reproductions and etchings collected in nearly every state and several countries. She currently lives in the beautiful St. Croix National Scenic Riverway along the Wisconsin/Minnesota border. She shares her life with her husband, Randy, and grown children, Matt, Nathaniel, Zach and Amanda Catherine.
Mary Pettis was born in 1953 on a farm in southern Minnesota. Growing up in the country, she followed the rhythm of the seasons: barefoot before the ground was dry in Spring, baling hay, feeding chickens, tromping through the sloughs and ravines and helping “put up” food for the large farm family. At fifteen, Mary discovered that painting seemed a natural means by which she could express her enjoyment and love of nature.
While receiving a BFA in Art and in Humanities from the College of St. Benedict, Mary studied with Hungarian artist Bela Petheo at nearby St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. She excelled in advanced courses in Modern Composition and in Abstract Art at Mankato State University during the summer. She also did extensive research abroad in art museums from Amsterdam to Rome.
Mary’s love for the traditional style emerged in 1975 when she was accepted to a three year full-time student apprenticeship in Classical Realism at Atelier Lack in Minneapolis, Minnesota. During that period, she also studied copperplate etching with C. Daniel Graves (founder and director of the Florence Academy of the Arts – Florence, Italy). Working daily from antique plaster casts and from the figure gave her a solid foundation and disciplined approach which would never leave her.
Through the years, while continuing to read and study the Masters, she opened a studio gallery, taught classes and led workshops on various topics. She spent many years painting commissions, portraits, and highly illustrative wildlife and genre pictures to the commercial specifications of various publishers. While this was a sidetrack from “following her muse”, she recognized it as an important part of her artistic journey. As she says, “There is something to be learned from every subject, every challenge, and every failed attempt. Just when I would begin despairing over my artistic growth, I would see a tiny touch of true beauty in what had come from my hands. I would recognize an edge, a square inch, a color combination that was truthful… and the passion to forge ahead would possess me all over again.”
In the mid 1990s Mary met Jim Wilcox, who introduced her to the “wet-in-wet” plein air approach. “I spent years laboring over details using layers and glazes, taking weeks or months to complete a picture. This method was totally different. It was sheer fright and utter joy to paint directly, to strive towards putting the right color in the right place in one fell swoop!” With more input and encouragement from Robert Duncan, and Zhang Wen Xin, whose tradition stems from the Russian Realist and Impressionist schools, Mary moved her studio outdoors.
Melding the experiences in her life with her artistic influences have now resulted in an authentic and powerfully lyrical style. “As I paint I get swept away by the symphony of artistic elements in front of me. It is an honor to be able to share through my work those impulses which, more often than not, feel like expressions of private worship.” Today, as she melds technical proficiency with insight and sensitivity towards her subjects, Mary’s art resonates with her deep connection to nature and her love of life.
The plein air event in Door County (Wisconsin) is an quite the opportunity to meet some amazing artists and see some incredible work that they put out over the next week. Here are a few of the artists who are participating this year (I hesitate to do this because they are all so darn good, but here is a glimpse at what you could be missing…) Frank Gardner, Anne Blair Brown, Marc Hanson, Larry Moore, James Richards, Jason Sacran, Dawn Whitelaw, and… and… and… check out the list, it also gives a link to their websites!
Isn’t this the sweetest painting? I love these pink flowers, the composition, the pretty light in the background… very nice! If you haven’t had a chance to see Thien-Kim’s work now’s your chance!!
Read a blip about Thien-Kim Pham from her website:
Thien-Kim Pham is an artist currently resides in Silver Spring, Maryland. She first studied music at the Saigon Conservatory of Music in VN at young age but at the same time had a passion for art. In 1995, Kim began studying art when attending the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. In 2004, she became a full-time artist and went on to study with various local and nationally known artists. Kim won many awards in Maryland and Virginia in the past few years, including three Caruso Awards at the Maryland Federation of Arts and Best in Show at the Art League, Torpedo Factory in Va. Her work was also published in 2004 by International Artist Publishing in a book titled “How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint People”. Kim finds her inspirations in the colors of nature and the beauty in human figures.
Thien-Kim lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with her husband Peter, daughter Lisa and their maltese Jessie.
Every time we hear Nora Jones sing, we think of the Island Inn on Monhegan Island, Maine. Every. Single. Time. One of us will say “the dining room is open”. One year, they played the same Nora Roberts CD, over and over. Not complaining. We rather enjoyed it. Matter-of-fact we looked forward to it the following year, and I’m guessing someone who worked each night couldn’t take it anymore! This dining room holds lots of special memories for us. We’ve met some wonderful people over the years. We’ve had wonderful breakfasts with some and long dinner’s with others. You know that comfortable interesting conversation that lasts long into the night? It’s rare to run into cool people like that. Monhegan, ME allows you to spend time with others because there isn’t a lot to distract you… no TV, radio, spotty cell coverage. All are blessings.
Special memories indeed! This photo was taken in 2008. The paintings in the dining room that year were by Alison Hill…
Here’s a little blip about the painting from the artist…
This painting was executed inside 40 minutes one evening late last August after driving around on the East side of Mt Hood, frantically watching the light fade. I didn’t have much hope for a strong finish when I set up but then the sun dropped behind the trees and dappled the roof in a lovely way. You never know what your subject will do, or even be until you actually start working. Which is why each painting starts off as a mystery to me.
The Tin Roof is a personal favorite of mine from last year so I am pleased to see it recognized in this way.
If you aren’t familiar with this artist’s work… his website is a treat! He also has a Facebook page “Thomas Jefferson Kitts – Impressionism + Realism” that you can “Like”.
Thomas lives in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1984, after which he returned home to paint en plein air in the Pacific Northwest and California. (Picture of him left shows Thomas painting the Californian coastline somewhere south of Carmel.) Thomas is an active member of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, the California Art Club, the Oil Painters of America, and the American Impressionist Society. He travels extensively and maintains an active and distinguished exhibition history – one which includes the Laguna Art Museum, the Maritime Museum of Curacao, the Academy Museum of Easton, Oil Painters of America National & Regional Exhibitions, Arts for the Parks Top 100, and three New York Art Expos. Thomas has been commissioned by such prestigious entities as the Publix Corporation, the Mariott Corporation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and the Kaiser-Permanente Collection. His work is collected throughout North America. For more information on Thomas Kitts, read his bio.
Isn’t this a happy painting? The fabulous greens, the luscious yellow’s, the pops of red, very nice. If you aren’t aware of Michael’s work I urge you to check it out!
Michael Clark is a plein air landscape painter from originally from Traverse City Michigan. Michael’s paintings capture the light, color, and beauty that are found in the Michigan landscape. Working on location Michael must work fast and direct to capture the light before it changes. This way of working results in unique works that combines both impressionism and realism. Michael also draws inspiration by studying the work of both contemporary masters like Skip Whitcomb, Clyde Aspvig, and Ted Goerschner along with masters such as John Singer Sargent and Joaquin Sorolla. Michael Clark grew up on the old mission peninsula in Traverse City, Michigan. Living in Northern Michigan he developed a love for nature and being outdoors. Painting allows Michael to combine these two loves. Michael works on site to create small paintings and does larger works in his studio based on the smaller sketches. “Painting from life is the most honest way to capture a scene. Photos don’t show the true colors and values or give me the true feeling of a scene.” Michael holds a BFA in painting from Kendall College of Art and Design and has also supplemented his training with workshops and classes with several nationally known artists. In 2006 Michael received second place award at Grand Valley Artists Spring Competition and had a painting accepted into the national Barns and Farms annual show in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Michael was also juried into the prestigious KRASIL outdoor art fair in St Joe MI. In 2010 and 2011 Michael was the back to back winner of the “Paint the Town” plein air show in Marble Falls Texas. Michael is currently represented by Grand Gallery in Grand Rapids MI, Crooked Tree Art Center Sales Gallery in Petoskey MI. and Treeline Gallery in Suttons Bay, MI.
If you are anywhere near Easton, MD you might want to take the time to check out Plein Air Easton. This is an event filled with some of the best artists… all busily painting away… Just to name a few… Ken DeWaard, Tim Bell, Eric Bowman, Cindy Baron, the list is long, check out the LIST OF ARTISTS PARTICIPATING this year (and read a little blip about each one)!
Also find out the details, times, locations of where artists are painting by clicking HERE…
Watch as nearly 200 artists, competition painters, professionals, amateurs, and simply the adventurous compete and have fun as they paint out for 2 hours in Downtown, Easton.
The Quick Draw Competition is a plein air painting competition, exhibit and sale that is open to any one registered who wishes to participate. More than 160 artists, competition painters, professionals, amateurs and the simply adventurous compete and have fun. These artists have only six blocks and two hours to complete their works. During this short time, all registered Quick Draw participants will set up their supplies and paint or draw en plein air in downtown Easton.
This is one of the most compelling experiences of the week. Together, artists and spectators are immersed in the creative process. See the scenes and how the artists interpret them. Smell the wet paint and get caught up in the excitement of watching 100’s of painting come to life before your eyes!
After the paint out, an exhibit is held on Harrison Street and paintings are exhibited on the easels on which they were created. The paintings will be judeged by Plein Air-Easton! Competition Judge, Don Demers, and awards will be presented at 1:30pm. The exhibit and all of its paintings will be removed at 2pm. Winning Quick Draw paintings will be on display at the Academy Art Museum until 4pm on Sunday. Everything about the Quick Draw is quick…so do not miss out!
Click HERE for the calendar to find out what’s going on each day…
Isn’t this an incredible painting? I urge you to take a look at this artist’s website. His work is amazing. Warning… much of it is sold. I can see why! I love the warm palette. The texture is amazing in these paintings, as is the light, the shadows… wow. Venetian Facade is sold, but I had to share it with you anyway!
Charles Thomas Cox developed a passionate interest in art while in high school in Chattanooga, Tennessee. During this time he was very active in the school’s art club and won a number of local and regional art awards.
Determining on a career in art, he pursued his education at David Lipscomb, Ringling School of Art, Watkins Institute, and U. T. Nashville Extension, acquiring a B. A. in art from Lipscomb. He taught painting at Lipscomb and had among his students, Dawn Whitelaw, a well known painter and portraitist. Also during this time he had two one man shows at the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, which received high praise from local critic, Clara Hieronymous, and was well-received by the public.
Cox then embarked on a long career as an llustrator, working for ad agencies and publishing houses in Nashville, Minneapolis, and St. Louis, and winning awards given by judges such as Bernie Fuchs and Bob Peak. Illustrations he did during these years are in the
permanent collection of The Baptist Board.
Fifteen years ago Cox retired from illustrating in order to paint fulltime, and has since sold virtually everything he has painted.
Although he has not emphasized entering contests he has won a Best of Show in the 2008 Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional, an “Award of Excellence” in the 2012 OPA Eastern Regional, First in Oil and a Best of Show at the Central South Show, and a First in Oil at The Tennessee Art League, along with awards at the Motorola Regional and Tennessee State Fair. He was also accepted into the 2009 Oil Painters of America National and Eastern Regional, the 2011 OPA National and Eastern Regionals, the 2012 Eastern Regional, and was awarded a Finalist prize in the May 2010 Fineartviews Painting Competition. He has a juried painting traveling with the “2010 Paint the Parks Contest,” and has won a 3rd place in the January 2011 Boldbrush competition
He counts among colleagues and friends acclaimed portraitist and painter Michael Shane Neal, and New York illustrator and painter Neal McPheeters.
His favorite artists are John Singer Sargent, Velasquez, Degas, and Corot, among others, and his painting style is painterly-realistic, with an emphasis on accurate drawing and tones, entertaining brushwork, good surface quality, enjoyable details, careful choice of subject, and rich color.
With his wife, Joyce, he travels in Europe, especially in France and Italy, searching for subjects. His paintings have been in collections at Vanderbilt University, David Lipscomb University, Cheekwood, and several bank headquarters, as well as in private and corporate collections around the country. His youngest son, Bryan, is an animation artist for Blue Sky Animation Studios, producers of such successful animated films as “Rio” and “Ice Age.”
Cox has appeared in the December 2008 issue of “American Art Collector,” was featured in the January 2011 issue of “Nashville Arts Magazine,” and in the April 2013 “American Art Collector.” In 2012, he was made a Signature Member of Oil Painter’s of America in recognition of his achievements in the field of painting.
I think Mark did a great job capturing that big city feel, don’t you? This is an impressive 60 x 60. Mark has a fabulous loose style that has a uniqueness to it… I love how the light is hitting the taxi and the fabulous colors in the road, especially where the sun hits. Whoa. This one really keeps your eye in the painting doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but mine starts on the taxi, then travels up to the large TV on the building, to the top of the building on the right where the light is hitting… over to the oh-so-very-cool green traffic light, following the arm of the light down to the red on the building to the white parked car and back to the taxi. Where does your eye go? Paintings have so many aspects that are just so interesting… like this ‘keeping your eye in the painting’ deal… but it’s so true! Check out Mark’s website, it’s a nice one… He also has images from Plein Air Richmond 2013!
Mark has developed an international reputation and has won numerous awards, both in his native Canada and in the United States. A dedicated painter, Mark Lague was born in Lachine Quebec in 1964 and he has had a fascination with drawing since childhood, a skill he practices constantly, even to this day. Upon graduation from Montreal’s Concordia University in Design, Mark embarked on a 13-year career in the animation industry, working primarily as a background designer and art director. During this time, despite working full time, he began recieving international acclaim for his watercolour paintings through competitions, juried shows, and solo exhibitions. In 2000, Mark switched to oil as his primary medium, and in 2002 made the jump to full time painter. As an artist he is a realist, who is open to virtually all subject matter. What keeps him excited about painting is his endless quest to simplify and get to the essence of whatever he paints. Mark has been featured in numerous national art magazines, and continues to recieve international recognition for his distinctive style of painting.
!["Stewart Fine Art" by Bridget Jennings [bridgetjenningsartist.com]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/bridget-stewart-fine-art-charleston-sc.jpg)
!["St. John the Baptist" by Bridget Jennings [bridgetjenningsartist.com]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/bridgetcathedral-of-st-john-the-baptist-charleston-sc.jpg)
!["The Cape Lunch" by Sue Gilkey [image]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/suegilkey-capelunch-waterhouse.jpg)
!["The Red Hen" by Tim Kelly [image]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/timkelly-theredhen-tkfb.jpg)
!["Rest For the Weary" by Tim Kelly [image]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/tim-kelly-restfortheweary-outdoorpainter-com.jpg)
!["Monday Morning" by Marc Hanson [Image]](https://artfoodhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/marc-hanson-monday-morning-mh.jpg)
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