Deandrea
18 x 24 in.
Oil on Panel
Available through the artist

Deandrea is a painting of one of my models, posed lounging on a Victorian sofa in my studio. Deandrea and I had just started working together and I typically want to do a couple of paintings of new models so we get used to each other and so I can get a sense of their personality and the ways they carry themselves. These are usually 2-3 hour quick paintings that often lead up to a larger gallery piece. However, with Deandrea, I found that her pose and costume with her sideways glance told a wonderful story and decided to use this for a larger painting. I was drawn to the replicated curves of her figure juxtaposed against the curves of the sofa. The original background had a round mirror and drapery in sweeping curves behind her as well as a curved arrangement of lilies – too many curves! In order to give importance to the relationship of Deandrea to the sofa, I imagined and created a room using various horizontals and verticals. I created the nocturne landscape out the window using the same palette used on the painting of the floor. All of the colors in the background are greyed versions of the colors in Deandrea and the sofa, giving a beautiful sense of air and light to the composition. Deandrea is currently available directly from the artist.

Education
Palette and Chisel Academy of Art, Chicago
American Academy of Art, Chicago
Northern Illinois University, BSed
William Rainey Harper College

Recent Workshops
Alyssa Monks
Casey Baugh
Roger Dale Brown
Vincent Desiderio
Steven Assael
Quang Ho
Bernardo Siciliano

Recent Shows
NOAPS Best pf America 2018 3rd Place Award for “The Gift”
NOAPS Small Works 2018
OPA Eastern Regional 2017 Award of “Excellence” for ‘Model Break’
NOAPS Best of America 2017 Award “Best Figurative Work” for ‘Allure’
Unlocking The Bible Fundraiser: Painting “The Sower” completed live and auctioned at the event
American Impressionist Society Small Works 2017
Portrait Society Award of NOAPS Signature Artist Group Show 2016 Honorable Mention “Out of the Box” category for ‘Free Bird’
“Thief on the Cross” one act play by Stephen Baldwin, Painting “Redemption” featured in the performance.
“Grasshopper” movie, commissioned painting “It’s Over”
NOAPS Online International 2014 Award of Excellence
NOAPS Best of America 2013 Award of Excellence
American Impressionist Society 2013
OPA Salon 2013
American Impressionist Society 2012
NOAPS Best of America 2012
OPA Eastern Regional 2011
OK Art, Oklahoma Best of Show Award for ‘Longing’
23rd Annual Conservatory Art Classic, Bosque TX
22nd Annual Conservatory Art Classic, Bosque TX 1st Place Gold for “Contemplation”
Barns & Farms National Juried Competition 2007
OPA Eastern Regional Miniature 2007
OPA Eastern Regional 2005

Professional Memberships
OPA Oil Painters of America
Portrait Society of America
ARC Art Renewal CenterAmerican Impressionist Society
NOAPS National Oil and AcrylicPainters Society, Signature Status

Galleries
R. S. Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, TX
Castle Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN

Web: www.jrussellwells.com

Instagram: @jrussellwells

Email: [email protected]

In addition to his studio painting J. Russell Wells is nearing completion on a book about contemporary artists describing their artistic epiphanies which have impacted their careers.