A New Take on an Old Tradition: Hyperrealist Floral Paintings

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January 28, 2022

California Art - Steve Brown, "While Jeff Surfs Third Point," acrylic on cradled birch panel, 9 x 12 in., available — Steve Brown, "While Jeff Surfs Third Point," acrylic on cradled birch panel, 9 x 12 in., available

The California Art Club and Santa Paula Art Museum present “En Plein Air: An Exploration of Malibu and Ventura County,” featuring 32 artist members of the famed, century-old art club. As one of the oldest, largest and most active art organizations in the country, the California Art Club (founded in Los Angeles in 1909) is a community of artists dedicated to contemporary-traditional fine art and its time-honored skills.

Admission to the premiere is free for everyone. All of the artworks featured in the exhibit are for sale. “En Plein Air” will be on view at the Santa Paula Art Museum through May 8, 2022.

Today the California Art Club consists of thirteen chapters with members throughout the world. “En Plein Air” showcases artists from the Club’s Malibu/Ventura and Los Angeles Chapters, who were encouraged to paint en plein air (the French term for outdoors) in Malibu and Ventura County.

Featured artists include Jannene Behl, Christine Beirne, Steve Brown, Jim Darin, Karl Dempwolf, Jessica Falcone, Don Fay, Marian Fortunati, Gary Friedman, Kevin Gleason, Joel Heger, Laurie Hendricks, Fatemeh Kian, Nora Koerber, Chuck Kovacic, Beverly Lazor, Yolande McAlevey, Vickie Pellouchoud, Corey Peters, Anette Power, Daniel Raminfard, Gay Summer Rick, Rodolfo Rivademar, Junn Roca, Stephen Schendel, Dan Schultz, Robert Scopinich, Dilmit Singh, Jules Smith, Helle Urban, Julie Watson, and Sharon Weaver.

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Friday Virtual Gallery Walk for January 28, 2022

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January 28, 2022

As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this week’s “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the artwork below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery or the artist.

Oil painting of clouds over the ocean — Drifting Blue by Rani Garner, Oil, 36 x 24 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery

Oil painting of people walking through a portal from a city into the country — Bleed II by David Pollot, Oil on found art, 46.25 x 58.25 in., Signed; Rehs Contemporary

Oil painting of people walking down a street in Paris — Sacre Coeur, Montmartre by Elisee Maclet (1881 – 1962), Oil on canvas, 18.25 x 21.25 in., Signed; Rehs Galleries, Inc.

Want to see your artwork featured in an upcoming Virtual Gallery Walk? Contact us at [email protected] to advertise today. Don’t delay, as spaces are first come, first served, and availability is limited.

The Comfort of Trees

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January 21, 2022

View “The Comfort of Trees” through February 19, 2022 at Valley House Gallery and online here.

Watercolor paintings of trees — Bob Stuth-Wade, "Trees, Proctor Lake," 2021, watercolor on paper, 26 1/8 x 34 inches paper size

Almost every day during quarantine Bob Stuth-Wade went to Proctor Lake and painted. “For years I saw nothing beautiful there until I began to see that seeing itself is beauty,” he said. “Proctor then became a place of practice, like the cushion I sit on to meditate each morning and night. The trees there have become companions and objects of devotion.

“Standing, rooted down, reaching up, stable and engaged with air and earth, they are my teachers. Standing, seeing, rooted in this moment, I am present because the intensity of painting outside demands it. The voice that says, ‘You can’t,’ surrenders to the doing. Experience inevitably, unpredictably, completes itself. Passing through insecurity to completion in fragile confidence is the joy of painting. This silent verity is my ever-present work.”

Bob Stuth-Wade’s work has been written about by Eleanor Jones Harvey of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Frederick Turner in American Arts Quarterly, Judy Deaton for The Grace Museum, and Rebecca Lawton for his recent Valley House catalogue.

Museum exhibitions include Jesuit Dallas Museum, The Grace Museum, and San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts.

Oil paintings of trees — Bob Stuth-Wade, “Birthday Tree,” 2021, oil on canvas panel, 11 x 14 inches

Mixed media paintings of trees — Bob Stuth-Wade, “Among Brambles,” 2021, charcoal, acrylic, and pastel on paper, 55 11/16 x 43 7/8 inches paper size

His self-directed art education began under his mentor, Dallas artist Perry Nichols, when he was a student at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. His first solo exhibition was at Fairmount Gallery in Dallas in 1972 at age 18. “The Comfort of Trees” is Bob Stuth-Wade’s 11th solo exhibition since 1991 at Valley House Gallery (Dallas, Texas).

> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.

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> Subscribe to Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, so you never miss an issue

Scenes of New York City

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January 21, 2022

Paintings of New York City — David Hockney (b. 1937), "View from the Mayflower Hotel, New York City (Evening)," 2002, watercolor and white crayon on paper, 23 1/4 x 18 in. © David Hockney

On View: Scenes of New York City
New York City
nyhistory.org
through February 27, 2022

The New York Historical Society is presenting the exhibition “Scenes of New York City,” which features the 130 paintings, works on paper, and sculpture that Elie and Sarah Hirschfeld have promised to it from their extraordinary collection of New York City scenes.

Ranging in date from the mid-19th through the 21st centuries, the show is a visual love letter to Gotham, replete with its heart-stopping skyscrapers, humming bridges, and pell-mell of global humanity.

The Hirschfelds’ gift includes works by 82 artists not previously represented in the Society’s collections, among them Charles Burchfield, Marc Chagall, Keith Haring, Edward Hopper, Jacob Lawrence, Louise Nevelson, Georgia O’Keeffe, Mark Rothko, and Andy Warhol.

Accompanying the project is a handsome catalogue published by D Giles Limited (London) and edited by Roberta J.M. Olson, the Society’s curator of drawings emerita.

> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.

> Sign up to receive Fine Art Today, our free weekly e-newsletter

> Subscribe to Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, so you never miss an issue

Family Reunion: Portrait Paintings by Timothy J. Clark

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January 21, 2022

TIMOTHY J. CLARK (b. 1951), "Dr. Michael White," 2020, watercolor on paper, 24 1/4 x 18 1/2 in., available through the artist

Portrait Paintings on View >
Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
art.howard.edu/gallery-art
Through March 7, 2022

Portrait paintings art collection - TIMOTHY J. CLARK (b. 1951), "Dr. Michael White," 2020, watercolor on paper, 24 1/4 x 18 1/2 in., available through the artist — TIMOTHY J. CLARK (b. 1951), “Dr. Michael White,” 2020, watercolor on paper, 24 1/4 x 18 1/2 in., available through the artist

Best known for his large-scale watercolor portrait paintings, the American artist Timothy J. Clark (b. 1951) is the subject of a solo exhibition at the Howard University Gallery of Art this season. Titled “Family Reunion: Portraits by Timothy J. Clark,” the show features more than 20 watercolors and drawings that convey Clark’s deep insights into an array of talented musicians, artists, and other sitters of color he has befriended over many years. Most of the portraits were started before the pandemic — some entirely from memory — but were finalized in 2021 in anticipation of this display.

Among Clark’s sitters are such distinguished jazz musicians as Teddy Buckner, Art Davis, Jack McVea, and Michael White, visual artists like Gaye Ellington, Dennis Lewis, James Little, and Faith Ringgold, the entrepreneur Tony Forte, and the designer Jenn Torres Forte. The exhibition has been selected and organized by Howard’s gallery director, Dr. Lisa Farrington, who herself appears in several works, and who chose to include a few superb still lifes as well. (Farrington authored the main essay in Pomegranate Press’s 2008 monograph on Clark.)

Born in Santa Ana, California, Clark was hooked on art from his first class. Luckily, he found teachers who helped him look at art from traditional and modernist perspectives: at 18, he entered Los Angeles’s Art Center College of Design, where he was mentored by Harry Carmean in a department led by the modernist Lorser Feitelson. Here, says Clark, he got solid skills, so he moved on to get concepts from Hal Kramer, Don Graham, and Emerson Woelffer at the nearby Chouinard Art Institute as it was merged into what is now CalArts. Clark capped his education with a Master’s in painting at California State University, Long Beach, where he worked with Joyce Tremain, but the real learning came — as it must — through experience in the studio.

Clark notes that Abstract Expressionism and photography were widely revered during his student years, and his career might well have blossomed more easily had he pursued one of those directions. Yet Clark “believed then, as I believe now, that there is a place for emotional and aesthetic figurative painting in today’s world.”

Time has proved him right, yet it is revealing that Clark prefers the word “figurative” to “realist”: in keeping with his modernist training, he is just as interested in formal effects as in subjects, and wants viewers to apprehend both fully.

The presentation of this show at a major university is all the more appropriate, as Clark has taught regularly since he was 21. He currently divides the year between studios in New York City, West Bath (Maine), and Capistrano Beach (California), and looks forward to traveling abroad again as soon as public health conditions allow.

> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.

> Sign up to receive Fine Art Today, our free weekly e-newsletter

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Fascinating Florals: 17 Paintings of Flowers

By

Kelly Compton

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January 21, 2022

Paintings of flowers - LINDA NEARON (b. 1942), "Burst of Beauty," 2014, oil on canvas, 20 x 16 in., private collection — 12. LINDA NEARON (b. 1942), "Burst of Beauty," oil on canvas, 20 x 16 in., private collection

Paintings of Flowers: Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May

It begins in childhood when toddlers – moving closer to the ground than the rest of us – pick flowers in a garden or park.

Perhaps it’s their pleasing colors, or the fragrant scents, or the likelihood that Mom will be pleased with the resulting bouquet.

Whatever the reason, humans seem to be hardwired to enjoy – even cherish – flowers, so it’s no surprise that visual artists have for centuries expressed their own admiration in diverse ways.

On offer here is a profusion of blooms created in different media, sometimes seen on their own, other times set into architectural or environmental contexts.

Most of these images exult in nature’s beauty, while others are rather symbolist in their layered meanings; there are even a few reminding us that flowers’ beauty, like life itself, does not endure forever.

Enjoy this bouquet, and be sure to appreciate the “real” flowers in our nearest garden or park, too.

Painting of Hollyhocks — 1. KATHY ANDERSON (b. 1945), “Hollyhocks and New Dawn Roses,” oil on canvas, 30 x 20 in., available from the artist

JUDY CROWE (b. 1953), "China and Primroses," 2014, oil on linen panel, 12 x 12 in., private collection — 2. JUDY CROWE (b. 1953), “China and Primroses,” oil on linen panel, 12 x 12 in., private collection

Still life painting of flowers — 3. INNA CHERNEYKINA (b. 1971), “Summer Colors,” oil on 12 x 12 in., oil on panel, Portola Art Gallery, Menlo Park, California

Painting of poppies — 4. THOMAS DARNELL (b. 1958), “Poppies,” oil on linen, 67 x 59 in., collection of Matt Wright and Melanie Wombwell, London

Still life Painting of yellow roses — 5. KURT ANDERSON (b. 1958), “Roses in a Greek Vase,” oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in., private collection

HEATHER LYNN GIBSON (b. 1970), "Buying Hydrangeas," 2018, oil on linen, 12 x 12 in., collection of the artist — 6. HEATHER LYNN GIBSON (b. 1970), “Buying Hydrangeas,” oil on linen, 12 x 12 in., collection of the artist

DAVID HETTINGER (b. 1946), "A Still-Life for Adrienne," 2017, oil on linen, 20 x 24 in., Rose Renée Fine Art — 7. DAVID HETTINGER (b. 1946), “A Still-Life for Adrienne,” oil on linen, 20 x 24 in., Rose Renée Fine Art

JANE JONES (b. 1953), "Calla Lily Trompe l’Oeil I," 2016, oil on board, 12 1/4 x 12 3/4 in., Sugarman-Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe — 8. JANE JONES (b. 1953), “Calla Lily Trompe l’Oeil I,” oil on board, 12 1/4 x 12 3/4 in., Sugarman-Peterson Gallery, Santa Fe

MARYBETH K ARAUS (b. 1962) "Bountiful Cascade," 2017, Oil on linen, 60 x 32 in. Private collection — 9. MARYBETH K ARAUS (b. 1962) “Bountiful Cascade,” Oil on linen, 60 x 32 in. Private collection

Still life painting of flowers - JIM McVICKER (b. 1951), "White Amaryllis," 2017, oil on linen, 30 x 24 in., J.M. Stringer Gallery, Vero Beach, FL — 10. JIM McVICKER (b. 1951), “White Amaryllis,” oil on linen, 30 x 24 in., J.M. Stringer Gallery, Vero Beach, FL

Watercolor paintings of flowers — 11. KATIE MUSOLFF (b. 1982), “Dismantled,” watercolor on paper, 12 x 10 in., private collection

Paintings of flowers - GELENA PAVLENKO (b. 1969), "Rays, Irises," 2015, oil on canvas, 20 x 28 in., Lotton Gallery, Chicago — 13. GELENA PAVLENKO (b. 1969), “Rays, Irises,” oil on canvas, 20 x 28 in., Lotton Gallery, Chicago

CAMILLE PRZEWODEK (b. 1947) "Flowers at Sunset," 2012, Oil on panel, 8 x 10 in., Private collection — 14. CAMILLE PRZEWODEK (b. 1947) “Flowers at Sunset,” Oil on panel, 8 x 10 in., Private collection (Related: How to Paint Like Monet, by Camille Przewodek)

SARA JANE REYNOLDS (b. 1948), "Fallen Petals," 2017, oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in., Reinert Fine Art, Charleston — 15. SARA JANE REYNOLDS (b. 1948), “Fallen Petals,” oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in., Reinert Fine Art, Charleston

Still life paintings of flowers - ELIZABETH ROBBINS (b. 1962) "Indian Summer," 2017, oil on linen, 24 x 28 in., Private collection — 16. ELIZABETH ROBBINS (b. 1962) “Indian Summer,” oil on linen, 24 x 28 in., Private collection

Still life paintings of roses - JAMES ANDREW SMITH (b. 1968), "The Reason for Silence," 2018, oil on panel, 12 x 9 in., Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa — 17. JAMES ANDREW SMITH (b. 1968), “The Reason for Silence,” oil on panel, 12 x 9 in., Joseph Gierek Fine Art, Tulsa

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Friday Virtual Gallery Walk for January 21, 2022

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January 21, 2022

As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this week’s “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the artwork below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.

Mixed media painting of a spoonbill standing in water — Spoonbill by Sherry Egger, Mixed media, 36 x 24 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery

His Master’s Vice by Tony South, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 39 x 47 in., Signed and dated 2021, (On view at the LA Art Show 1/19-23); Rehs Contemporary

Oil painting of the Moulin Rouge during the day in Paris — Moulin Rouge by Antoine Blanchard, Oil on canvas, 13 x 18 in., Signed; Rehs Galleries, Inc.

Want to see your gallery featured in an upcoming Virtual Gallery Walk? Contact us at [email protected] to advertise today. Don’t delay, as spaces are first come, first served, and availability is limited.

Artist Spotlight: Gary Alsum

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January 17, 2022

Artist, Gary Alsum with “Colorado Governor, Ralph Carr,” commission for Carr Judicial Center, Denver, Colorado. Bronze, 54” tall, 2012

What is the most interesting thing you have sculpted and why?

Most of my work in the past couple of decades has been in collaboration with individual collectors or municipal entities along with the National Sculptors’ Guild (NSG). Most of those works honor people from our past but some are intended to preserve favorite memories or activities. My favorite subjects are the figure in motion, but capturing likenesses is just as satisfying. All the commissions I am awarded are a special honor. I take the responsibility seriously with the goal of giving clients more than they expect.

Working with the NSG allows me to do what I do best — create meaningful sculpture — while they handle the logistics of scheduling, engineering, transportation, landscaping that enhances the sculpture, installation etc. Not all my sculptures are large enough to require trucks and cranes and such, but when they do, the NSG is an invaluable asset.

How do you describe success?

I feel most successful when a client is moved to tears when they first see a finished sculpture. But occasionally I create more humorous depictions – dogs driving classic cars with reckless abandon. (How else would dogs drive?) Success then is when viewers burst out in laughter. It makes for a fun mix.

To see more of Gary’s work, visit: www.garyalsum.com

Gary Alsum, “Mother Cabrini,” commission for Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Lafayette, Colorado. Bronze, 96” tall, 2020

Gary Alsum, “Extreme,” private commission for collector’s retreat. Bronze, 30” tall fitted to specially selected boulder, 2009

Featured Artwork: Erin Berrett presented by the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, AZ

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January 17, 2022