Edward Minoff, “Gale,” 2016, oil on linen, 16 x 26 inches

An acclaimed New York state gallery is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2017 with a striking exhibition of works by the great artists that have helped propel it to success. We can’t wait to see what the next two decades look like either!

It’s been 20 years since Laura Grenning’s artistic destiny was set in motion through the friendship and guidance of Nelson H. White, who introduced her to art history, plein air painting, and the Florence Academy of Art in Italy. Since she left her career in the world of finance in Hong Kong and befriended White after a chance encounter, Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York, has grown into one of the preeminent exhibition spaces in the United States, representing many of the leading representational artists working today.

Jacob Collins, “Banjo with Drawings,” 2015, oil, 52 x 30 inches
Stephen Bauman and Steven Forster, “Brooklyn Bridge,” 2017, oil on linen, 24 x 24 inches

To celebrate the gallery’s 20th anniversary in 2017, Grenning is mounting an attractive exhibition featuring many of its most cherished artists that have helped established its founder’s renowned reputation. Opening August 19 and on view through September 10, the show will feature works by — among others — Ramiro, Ben Fenske, Paul Rafferty, Beth Rundquist, Ted Minoff, Maryann Lucas, Edwina Lucas, Jacob Collins, Marc Dalessio, Sarah Lamb, Melissa Franklin Sanchez, John Morfis, Anthony Ackrill, Nelson H. White, George Morton, and Stephen Bauman.

Sarah Lamb, “Strawberries,” 2017, oil

“In Florence, Grenning’s passion [for art] deepened,” says the gallery’s press release. “She took the view that the blossoming of atelier education in the US and abroad would represent this generation’s art movement, differing distinctly from the 20th century’s in philosophy and practice. These new artists heralded a return to discipline, to the canons of beauty and to the celebration of direct observation of nature. They adhere to the traditions and painterly standards found in all the great works from the Old Masters through the end of the 20th century.

Ramiro, “With My Eyes on Your Horizon,” 2017, oil, 57 x 33 1/2 inches

“Philosophically, these artists believe that the world is in harmony, and that the artist’s job is to focus on technical skill so that they may best represent the beauty and peace they see in nature. The purpose of this is to recreate, on canvas or in clay, their truth and to share this with the viewer. This is harmonious with the 21st century’s other cultural movements of environmentalism and holistic health. The individual sees himself or herself as a small part of a bigger whole, and believes it’s their job to get their egos out of the way so that we can tune into the entire picture. The nihilism of the 20th century doesn’t hold their attention.”

Amen.

To learn more, visit Grenning Gallery.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.


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Andrew Webster
Andrew Webster is the former Editor of Fine Art Today and worked as an editorial and creative marketing assistant for Streamline Publishing. Andrew graduated from The University of North Carolina at Asheville with a B.A. in Art History and Ceramics. He then moved on to the University of Oregon, where he completed an M.A. in Art History. Studying under scholar Kathleen Nicholson, he completed a thesis project that investigated the peculiar practice of embedded self-portraiture within Christian imagery during the 15th and early 16th centuries in Italy.

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