Tag: gallery

Featured Artist… Kevin Beers! New show opens TODAY!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“Fitzgerald’s Dory” by Kevin Beers

Image: Gleason Fine Art

I normally post the artists I feature on Monday, Wednesday and Friday… Occasionally I need to rearrange my schedule so I can let you know about an upcoming event… this would be one of those times. Kevin Beers… a cool guy that Fred and I met on our first visit to Monhegan Island, Maine. There he was set up with his big easel, painting on this huge canvas. What artist does Kevin’s paintings remind you of? If you said Edward Hopper we’re on the same wavelength. Amazing work. His love for Monhegan truly shows through in his paintings! Kevin shows his work at Gleason Fine Art Gallery in Boothbay Harbor  – if you’re in the area stop in!

KEVIN BEERS

JUNE 28 – JULY 28, 2012

RECEPTION: SATURDAY, JUNE 30, FROM 5 TO 7PM

I’ve included a few of his new paintings… let me tell you how difficult it was to choose only two! If you aren’t in Boothbay Harbor, check out the gallery website! Hey, if you make it to the show please tell him (and his wife Amy!) that Fred and I said HELLO!

“Night Shed” by Kevin Beers

Image: Gleason Fine Art

Here’s a blip about Kevin from the Gleason Fine Art website:

Kevin Beers

Each summer Brooklyn resident Kevin Beers returns to his beloved Monhegan Island to paint for 4 months, mining a fresh treasure trove of subject matter from this tiny island off the coast of Maine. Beginning in 2009, Beers has also been making annual trips to Monhegan in winter in order to capture the islands special light in snow.

“Monhegan is a dazzling place with incredible, beautiful light. It is such a remote and untouched island. I love to paint the buildings on the island–the color and structure of weathered buildings, the patterns of sunlight and shadow, and the sharp contrast between a red roof, white clapboards, and bright blue sky,” says Beers.

Kevin Beers has received increasing attention for his work, including features in Maine Home + Design, DownEast, American Art Collector, and American Artist. Avid collector, actor Remak Ramsay, says of Beers: “Unlike so many contemporary artists, Kevin Beers is well trained in the basics. Combine that with a genuine affection for the people and places he paints and his love of slanting light, and you get a rare magic that, eschewing trendy gimmicks, is as honest and sincere as it is beautiful.”

Daniel Kany, arts reviewer for the Portland Newspapers, writes of Beers: “Kevin Beers respect for Hopper is apparent, but he quickly takes his quiet volumes and glowing tonality away from Hoppers slow, cooled lines. Beers brushwork flows at a strong pace that never hurries or abandons thoughtfulness. The masterful bow to Hopper is worth applauding–especially when a closer inspection reveals Beers flowing brushwork is nothing like Hoppers.”

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Wonderful art… great cause… this is the perfect time to buy!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

Update 4.18.2014:  (from the YouCaring.com website) Please keep Leigh and their daughter Ellen (and all of Seph’s family and friends) in your thoughts and prayers:

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Seph Limehouse Memorial Fund*, an education fund for Seph’s daughter Ellen. The Limehouse family is deeply grateful for your love and support during Seph’s long battle with cancer. *All donations made through this site will go directly to the Seph Limehouse Memorial Fund.

ORIGINAL POST…

I wanted to share with you an email that I received from the owners of Smith Killian Gallery in Charleston, SC. This is a fundraiser for a good cause. If you love art as much as I do maybe you’ll consider bidding on one of these pieces? I will let the email speak for itself… think about it…

In support of our gallery director Leigh Limehouse and her husband, Seph, we have put together a fundraiser featuring artwork by each of our Smith Killian artists.

Leigh and Seph, who is 36, recently found out that his cancer has returned and metastasized to his abdominal lymph nodes.  Seph was first diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer in the fall of 2009, while Leigh was pregnant with their daughter, Ellen.  After extensive surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments at MUSC Seph was declared cancer free in 2011.The return of this cancer is devastating news for all of us, and we want to try and help with medical, travel, childcare and other expenses.

 

At the recommendation of his doctors at MUSC and MD Anderson in Houston, they will begin chemotherapy at Hollings Cancer Center in Charleston and will then return to Texas for surgery to remove the affected nodes.

Each gallery artist has generously donated a piece of their artwork for a Sealed Bid Auction.  Bids may be placed by email or by filling out a form and placing it in the sealed box in the gallery. Minimum bid is $300 and each bid will be kept secret until July 31st when the bids will be read. The highest bidder will receive the artwork.

100% of the proceeds will help Leigh and Seph.
We thank you for your continued support and your kind thoughts and prayers.

To keep updated on Seph’s progress you can click on the link below.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/SephLimehouse/guestbook

Many thanks,

Betty and Hume

To place a bid via email (note: email the gallery at info@smithkillian.com ) please include

Title, artist, name, phone and bid.

Donated pieces:

Betty Anglin Smith
Island Lagoon
30 x 30
$5700
Kim English
Taos
15 x 17 framed
$2500
Shannon Smith
Pink Boat on Folly
29 x 35 framed
$4600
Darrell David
Three Deep
Bronze
13″ tall
$1100
Jennifer Smith Rogers
Out on Folly
31 x 37 framed
$5100
Carl Plansky
Donated by Larry Elder of Elder Gallery
Ira Sitting
30 x 22
$4300
Felice Killian
Fire Bead Tulip Necklace
$196
Minimum bid ($50)
Hope a piece of this art “speaks” to you! Remember, it’s for a great cause! Catch you back here tomorrow!
All images via Smith Killian Gallery

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… 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… West Fraser!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist, HOME2 Comments

Image: HelenaFoxFineArt.com

West Fraser is a fabulous artist that can paint the light in trees until it takes your breath away… the man can paint anything. Frequently seen in magazines his work is spectacular to say the least. In Charleston, SC his work is shown at Helena Fox Fine Art (106-A Church Street), a worthy stop if you’re in town, many magnificent artists all in one location!

West is in a solo exhibition at the Telfair Academy in Savannah, GA. The show is called A NATIVE SON, Paintings by West Fraser. West was born in Savannah and has painted low country scenes and coastal Georgia with amazing success. Click HERE for more info! The exhibition is on view until May 6, 2012, so if you’re in the Savannah, GA area…

 I love this painting… to me it looks like an illustration for a magnificent book. Ohhh, the stories I could come up with just by looking at this image. Imagine being out in the woods and stumbling across this oh-so-cool cabin?! My imagination gets away from me, ha ha.

“The Hunter’s Cabin” by West Fraser

Image: HelenaFoxFineArt.com

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Charles Movalli!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist6 Comments

“Looking Toward Fish Beach, Monhegan” by Charles Movalli

Image: BayviewGallery.com

I admire artist Charles Movalli. I would truly like to meet him one day. He seems to be a nice guy with a sense of humor. I love that. His paintings are spectacular. My husband and I first spotted his paintings at Bayview Gallery in Camden, ME back in 2006. I can still see that painting hanging up high, it was the hull of a boat with the American flag. I was captivated. It was a large painting and it was spectacular! Since that time I’ve seen plenty of his paintings that I just fall in love with! “Looking Toward Fish Beach, Monhegan” is one… another that was on the Walls Gallery website (so I’m not sure where the painting is now or if it has sold), it was called “Just Another Workday”. Did you read the other day where I mentioned that little pop of an orange or red in a painting can make all the difference… so can a larger pop… love this one!

“Just Another Workday” by Charles Movalli , Image from Walls Gallery 

Here’s a blip about Charles from the Walls Gallery website (the Walls Gallery closed the Wilmington, NC locationDecember 2011, which I was sad to hear… Walls was a nice gallery with some fabulous artists, to mention a few: Ken DeWaard, Tim Bell, Larry Moore, Cindy Baron) click HERE for more info… I see they mention that the Walls Gallery may be opening at the Greenbrier resort some time this year)…

Charles Movalli

Charles is a great ambassador for the Cape Ann School.   Cape Ann is the longest active artist colony in the United States.  No surprise. The place is one painting after another, just waiting to be painted. After all this time, you’d think the nay-sayers of art, the It’s-all-been-done crowd, might have a point, but Motif #1 still draws painters, who are still doing something that’s never been done before. Charles’ lecture on the Cape Ann School is not to be missed. Winslow Homer, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, John Sloan,Emile Gruppe are a few of the regulars going back nearly 200 years. Gloucester and Rockport are plagued by picturesqueness.  It’s catching.  Trash bins may even be lovely.

The focus of the artists Charles admired and learned from as a young painter (Emile Gruppe, Carl Peters, Aldro Hibbard) was composition, and his paintings have a solid structure even amid dinghies bobbing at the dock and buildings listing under their years.

Charles has a PhD in English and has written books and articles galore.  The books, though pricey if you can find one, are fantastic reads for any student of painting covering not only many laudable artists, but also composition, color, and the wielding of the brush.  We are still waiting for the book on Charles himself, but he has let us know that some things will melt and others freeze over before we’ll see that book.  We’ll enjoy his paintings while we wait.

I told you… he’s got a sense of humor… love that! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Adele Earnshaw!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART9 Comments

“One Mile To Go” by Adele Earnshaw / Image: HortonHayes.com

I absolutely love it when I run across a painting that just takes my breath away… this is one sweet painting. Fred and I were at the art walk in Charleston, SC a few weeks ago and we went in the Horton Hayes Gallery (if you haven’t been you MUST go, so many fabulous artists in one space!). Lovely work, I’m telling you, Mark Horton, Chris Groves, Nancy Hoerter, Shannon Runquist, Larry Moore, (and more) all so very talented. Then we went upstairs (if you don’t normally go upstairs it’s quite the treat, there are a treasure of beautiful paintings upstairs as well) we saw this painting “One Mile To Go” on an easel. The way the light hits the foliage, the light in the trees and WHOA that tiny red bird across from the bright sun on the bushes… brilliant! Adele Earnshaw is a very impressive artist… here is a blip from the Horton Hayes website:

A sixth generation New Zealander, Adele Earnshaw was born in Hastings and lived in Warkworth before immigrating with her family to the U.S. Her childhood in New Zealand has been a major influence on her work and choice of subject matter.

Adele’s paintings have been exhibited at the Natural History Museum in New York and have toured Japan and Sweden with museum exhibitions. The artist was selected to design the first three stamps for the New Zealand Game Bird Habitat Stamp Program. In 2000 she was invited to participate in the Ecoart Conference and Exhibition in Taiwan where her work was exhibited at the Museum of Natural History in Taipei. In 2003, Adele was selected as a judge for the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp Competition held at the Department of Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service in Washington D.C.

Adele is represented by galleries across the U.S. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Her book, ‘Painting the Things You Love in Watercolor’ was released by North Light Publications in 2002.

Several years ago, Adele started to paint exclusively in oil after many years as a watercolorist. Although her subject matter still includes wildlife, primarily birds, she also enjoys painting on location and landscapes have become a major focus.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

So… you want to be an art critic? AND the Camden Snow Bowl Benefit, great paintings, great prices!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART2 Comments

“Last Light” by Daniel Corey / Image: Maine Art

We are all art critics at heart, some of us are better than others, but we all like what we like, right? Now’s the chance for your voice to be heard, your votes count… Maine Art is having a “Choice Art Show“, where all online participants have a choice… click on the “Choice Art Show” link and it will take you to the page where you vote. You select which piece of each artists work you like the most, then after you vote it shows how other people voted. I highly recommend this from other art communities, this is B R I L L I A N T ! It’s a lot of fun as well. Here’s the info from Maine Art, you have until May 31st to vote!

The painting above is another fabulous one from Dan Corey, one of the 12 participating artists! ENJOY!

Here’s the blip from Maine Art:

Twelve Artists, One Gallery, and You.A one-of-a-kind Maine art show that makes you a part of the jury, opening June 6 during the Kennebunkport Festival.Voting takes place April 2 – May 31. Click ”Choice” above  to vote.2012 Artists;Daniel Corey
Julie Freund
Philip Frey
Jill Hoy
William B. Hoyt
Anne Ireland
Henry Isaacs
Craig Mooney
Elizabeth Ostrander
Patrick Plourde
Janis Sanders
David Witbeck

And… on another note… LOOK through these paintings… FABULOUS paintings, outstanding prices… and all for a good cause, check it out!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Camden Snow Bowl Benefit Show

Colao, Seaside FarmhouseDowling Walsh Gallery is holding a benefit show for the Camden Snow Bowl. Help us give back to the community.

Artwork has been priced to encourage buying for maximum benefit to the Camden Snow Bowl and Ragged Mountain Recreation Foundation’s redevelopment project.

A selection of the work is on display at Dowling Walsh Gallery until April 28th, 2012. View the full show online now: http://www.dowlingwalsh.com/private-viewing/camden-snow-bowl-benefit-show

Featured artist… Brian Rego!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured ArtistLeave a comment

“Backyard at Woodrow” by Brian Rego {Image: City Art Gallery}

This is such a sweet painting. I love the happy colors, very spring/summer… This painting was done by artist Brian Rego. He’s got a very distinct style and I like it! Almost that cool paint by number look that I adore… not sure how to achieve it, I believe it’s a style, and it’s one I like!

Here’s a blip about Brian from City Art Gallery’s website:

Brian Rego received a Bachelors of Fine Art at the University of South Carolina with a concentration in oil painting in 2004. He displayed his work in the Solo Senior Exhibit in the McMaster School of Fine Art Gallery in 2004. He is the recipient of the Ed Yaghjian Award from the University of South Carolina for distinguished undergraduate work. In 2007, Brian Rego received a Masters of Fine Art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and displayed his work in the 2007 Annual Student Exhibition in the Academy’s Hamilton Museum. Rego has participated in group and solo exhibitions and has shown his work in Australia, New York, Philadelphia, Vermont, Greenville, and Columbia. Brian currently teaches oil painting and drawing classes at City Art and at the University of South Carolina. 

Artist’s Statement

“I paint my subject from life and consider it to be a great joy and an immense struggle. I hope to capture the feeling of these synonymous realities in my paintings. For me, the purpose of painting is to tap into something that is profoundly human, something sensual that lies on the fringe of memory, a reality both strange and familiar. “

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

Featured artist… Stuart Roper!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment

“The Problem Solvers” by Stuart Roper

Stuart Roper, a wonderful artist from Asheville, NC… I love it when an artist can take a mundane scene and make it spectacular! Something like workers on the side of the road… this is fabulous, what does it for me is the ORANGE. I think a painting that has orange really catches the eye… it draws me to it… same with red, it’s probably WHY I like a painting with a flag in it, it’s that pop of red against other colors that are so spectacular! A friend recently explained how someone had told her about putting at least a hint of red or orange to make a painting really stand out, I think that’s so true! Of course in this painting it’s more than a pop of color, but you get my drift… great loose strokes… Check out Stuart’s website for gallery representation… here in Charleston, SC it appears that he has a few pieces at M GALLERY OF FINE ART!

Here’s a blip about Stuart from his website:

Born in North Carolina in 1953, painter and sculptor Stuart Roper moved to Manhattan in the mid-1970s to attend the Art Students League of New York. There, he studied anatomy and figure drawing with Thomas Fogarty and portraiture with John Howard Sanden. Following New York, Stuart made a brief move to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied color theory under the direction of Gerry Wright. In 1980, he moved to St. Simons Island, Georgia for a year, prior to settling in the state’s capital, Atlanta. Over the next ten years, his work included various commissions, both private and corporate, as well as a number of solo and group exhibitions. In the fall of 1991, Stuart moved to France, west of Paris in the small Normandy village of Pressagny l’Orgueilleux. There, he settled in the guest cottage of the Château de la Madeleine. Only minutes away from the home of Claude Monet in Giverny, the place and its artistic precedent guided Stuart’s own paint handling; through plein-air work, he found the approach of the Impressionists, which has since characterized most of his painting. Normandy offered Stuart myriad tones of gray amidst the often-foggy landscapes, however, the frequent inclement weather made plein-air work difficult. In 1993 Stuart moved to the small hilltop village of Fayence in southern France where he would remain for the next five years working under “a glorious sun.” During this time, his work took him to Italy, Corsica and back to Normandy, all the while enchanted by the light, and concentrating on the development of his limited three-color palette. In 1998, Stuart made the decision to return to the United States, where he settled in Asheville, North Carolina. The Grove Arcade Public Market commissioned Stuart to recreate the original 1920s finials that adorn the top of the building, and the City Parks and Recreation Department also commissioned him on the development of “Grove’s Vision”, a station on the city’s historical Urban Trail. He may be spotted almost anywhere, as he continues his love of capturing the landscape and developing his artistic vocabulary. 

Ran across this on his website… if you’re thinking of coming to Charleston May 30- June 1, 2012 this would be a fabulous time for a visit!

PLEIN AIR PAINTER OF THE SOUTHEAST 
Returns to Charleston for a Four Gallery Show 

Opening Reception: June 1st 2012 6-8pm 
Show Closing Date: June 22nd 2012 

Show Locations:

Galerie on Broad 29 Broad Street, Charleston, SC 29401 

Hagan Fine Art Gallery and Studio 27 1/2 State Street, Charleston SC, 29401 

Horton Hayes Fine Art 30 State Street, Charleston, SC, 29401 

Smith Killian Fine Art 9 Queen Street, Charleston, SC, 29401 

Participating Artists: 

Scott Boyle 
Loryn Brazier 
Anne Blair Brown 
Roger Dale Brown, OPA 
Katie Dobson Cundiff 
Dee Beard Dean 
Beverly Ford Evans (New Member) 
Trey Finney 
Paula Frizbe 
Karen Hewitt Hagan 
L. Diane Johnson 
Andre Lucero (New Member) 
Diane May 
Kevin Menck 
Larry Moore 
Gwen Nagel 
Richard Christian Nelson 
Richard Oversmith 
Lori Putnam 
James Richards 
Stuart Roper 
Junko Ono Rothwell 
Shannon Smith 
Hodges Soileau

Sue Stewart

Brett Weaver

Dawn E. Whitelaw 

Attending artists will paint on location in the vicinity of the gallerys (Queen Street, State Street, and Broad Street) starting Wednesday, May 30, 2012 through Friday, June 1, 2012. 

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Gene Costanza!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART2 Comments

Gene Costanza, artist at M Gallery of Fine Art {image}

Isn’t this a fabulous Charleston scene? I remember many years ago it seemed like so many of the paintings were the same… most of the Charleston paintings were pastel in color and all the same in subject matter… things have been changing for years now. The paintings are more modern even though they’re not contemporary… I think it’s the influence of working plein air for many artists. There is nothing like that quick loose style, it’s fabulous. This painting was done by artist Gene Costanza. Happened to see on Facebook that he’s in town painting right now…  (as I write this)… that’s one thing about our city. You can be walking around downtown and run into artists set up on the street painting. I still marvel at that. I love to watch someone paint. Everyone approaches it so differently. There are truly SO MANY GREAT ARTISTS it blows my mind. We are very fortunate to have such a strong art community. We support the arts and all the different events… our galleries work hard here in Charleston to keep the public involved in the art… art walks, receptions, they get very creative, and we are very lucky indeed!

Gene Costanza is an exceptional artist, and I’m thrilled to know that he’s being shown here locally at M Gallery! Check out his work, or his website (or both!)… catch you back here tomorrow!

Image and blip from the artists website:

GENE COSTANZA
American, b.1954 
 
Gene Costanza is a contemporary realist painter of traditional subject matter, focusing primarily on landscape and man’s interaction with it and nature. Equally at home painting “en plein air’ as well as in the studio, Costanza orchestrates paintings that engage the viewer to enter the subject with him by capturing the light and atmosphere.
 
Over twenty-five years of his life was spent in Law Enforcement in such specialties as SWAT, K9 Handler, K9 Supervisor, Patrol Supervisor and Detective.  About mid career, the desire to return to artistic endeavors surfaced after having been abandoned in his early twenties.  Though dormant, there was a constant underlying desire to again delve into the mysteries of paint, light, and subject matter.  Costanza believes it took a decade and a half of discipline to mold his personal tendencies so that he could study and work as hard as one needs to in the very difficult endeavor of making a good painting.  Costanza retired from law enforcement to become a full-time painter.  
 
Primarily “self-taught,” he has studied with a number of great contemporary artist/teachers including; Kevin McPherson, Matt Smith, Jeffery Watt, and has a long standing close personal as well as professional friendship with Scott L. Christensen.  It is Christensen whom Costanza credits with most of his growth.  Frequently these two can be found painting, fishing, hunting or just enjoying the fellowship of intimate friendship.
 
His work is in collections from coast to coast and is included in the permanent collection of the Academy Museum in Easton, Maryland.
 
Costanza is married and has two grown sons and makes his home in Eugene, OR.

Featured Artist… Robert Spooner!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist1 Comment

“Gloucester Morning” by Robert Spooner

I really enjoy Robert Spooner’s work. The golden light in this painting is pure magic! It reminds me of Mackinac Island, MI… so many great paintings to choose from, I couldn’t select only one, sigh…

Robert’s plein air pieces are amazing. In many ways they remind me of the way our friend Tim Bell paints. Fast and loose and with such incredible style. Of course I love the ICE CREAM HOUSE! Matter of fact I would love to pop in that little ice cream house right now… His work has ‘air’, you can feel it. If you get a chance, check out Robert’s website. I look forward to seeing some of his pieces in person at M Gallery in Charleston, SC!

A blip about Robert from his WEBSITE :

Robert Spooner was born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1956. He received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1978 and pursued a career in graphic design. It was not until 1998 that he developed an interest in oil painting after having taken it up as a creative antidote to the structured advertising world where he was working as a designer and illustrator. He became further motivated to continue on this path of expression when he enrolled in painting classes at the Denver Art Students League and studied with noted painters Kim English and Quang Ho.

 The dimensions of his canvas are determined by the story needing to be told. Robert works from large shapes in a scene to the small, all the time keeping his values in check. Arriving at the focal point, which in many cases may be a face, he slows down to spend more time on what he considers to be the heart of the painting or story.

 Robert explains that his art is not about any one approach but it is about developing as an artist by exploring various visual approaches. The discoveries he makes along the way are what fuel his desire to be an artist. He also finds inspiration from a number of artists and their works including Quang Ho, Alex Kanevsky, Dan McCaw, Dennis Miller Bunker, Morgan Weistling, Matt Smith, Anders Zorn and Valentin Serov.

 Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Kim English!

On By Barbara StroudIn ARTLeave a comment

Kim English… a master of light… his paintings are striking. He is a versatile artist, the man can paint anything and it’s fabulous! Kim is in many galleries, he gives workshops (he’s giving one in Switzerland in August of this year!). The man is talented. And from artist friends I’ve heard nothing but good things about Kim, he’s a super nice guy who is talented beyond belief, he paints, he sings, good grief…! His paintings are a joy, if you aren’t familiar with Kim’s work I highly suggest you check him out, he’s in galleries all over the country! In Charleston, he’s at the Wells Gallery. I love this painting, “Conifer Sunset” (above). The one thing I love is the light on in the house with the sky getting dark, the sun setting, the day winding down… it’s magical. Oh, and those trees… L O V E  T H O S E  T R E E S !

I couldn’t make a decision, so I included two images… “Private Garden” is such a sweet painting, once again with fabulous light, and sigh… that pop of red… brilliant. I love how the shutters and window aren’t perfect, they aren’t perfectly square, they have CHARACTER. Fabulous! Here’s a blip about Kim from the Saks Galleries website (blip and images from Saks Galleries):

Colorado-based painter, Kim English, depicts in his paintings the simple beauty found in daily life. Known for his mastery of chiaroscuro, each piece speaks to the true focus of English’s inspiration the harmony existing between light and shadow. His subject matter, ranging from a street side fruit stand in Mexico to sun filled windows, creates a particular mood, through which the viewer is introduced to charming scenarios that are wrapped in depth and texture, and are entirely about paint. This is the primary force of English’s painting his astonishing manipulation of his medium. He maintains a feeling of spontaneity by completing each painting in one sitting the alla prima method. He says of using this method, Immediacy is important. Not only because it is often the nature of people, but for me it is the most instinctive way to paint.

English was born in 1957 in Omaha, Nebraska and raised in a rural community near Colorado Springs. After graduation from the Rocky Mountain School of Art he joined the faculty and later began teaching at the Art Students League of Denver and the Scottsdale Artists School. He has exhibited at the Allied Artists of America winning the Gold Medal of Honor; the National Academy of Design; the Artists of America-Denver Rotary Club; NAWA 21st Annual Exhibition; Arts for the Parks; the Colorado Governor’s Invitational – Loveland Museum; the A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum of Western Art; The Knickerbocker 42nd Annual Exhibition; the Oil Painters of America and won both the Certificate of Merit and the Joseph Hartley Memorial Award at two Salmagundi Club Exhibitions.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Featured Artist… Janis Sanders!

On By Barbara StroudIn ART, Featured Artist2 Comments

“On an Island” by Janis Sanders

I ran across Janis Sander’s work while checking out the artists at Camden Falls Gallery located in Camden, Maine. Her work is striking. The colors are vibrant, the subject matter is clean-lined and visually appealing. I love how the brights play off the darks. That fabulous green against the darker colors. Great work! Bright grass, dark shadow… I love it! If you’re in the area of Camden, Maine pop in and check out her work!

“Coastline” by Janis Sanders

Here’s a blip about Janis… she is just such a likable person! Blip and images from Camden Falls Gallery:

Expressive Intention

Salt air, salt spray, sweet smell of summer grass, verdant marsh, an old house at the water’s edge, wind in your hair, sun on your face.

These elements draw me outdoors, to the grassy dunes of Truro, the calm marshes of the North Shore, to the rugged cliffs of Maine.

Many of my paintings are done “en plein air”, a method introduced in the mid-1800’s by Boudin and other French artists, and pursued vigorously by the Impressionists, a name coined by an art critic in response to Claude Monet’s work, Impression, Sunrise, 1872.

Each of my works is done as spontaneously as possible, with only minimal blocking in of forms.

I begin each painting with the sky, to me the most important element.

The sky IS light, some days slightly purple, sometimes hazy cream, clear aqua, rosy, peach, celadon; we are immersed in it. Sky is the key to determine the entire atmosphere of the painting, and visually and practically provide the backdrop for the other objects in view.

My self-assigned task for each work, is to convey the ethereal ‘thing’ of light in paint, as the sun casts its breath on the world.

I paint vigorously, expressively, physically, applying paint with a palette knife in blocks/area of color, smoothing/blending minimally to keep the paint fresh and say the essence of the ‘thing’.

I take tremendous joy in the attempt, and the subsequent sharing of the result with you.

Thank you for looking, sharing the experience.

I would say thank Y O U Janis! Thanks for sharing! Catch you back here tomorrow!