LEO MANCINI-HRESKO (b. 1981), "Thaw on the Great Marsh," 2021, oil on linen, 24 x 30 in.
LAND + LIGHT + WATER + AIR
Bryan Memorial Gallery
Jeffersonville, Vermont
Through November 7, 2021 bryangallery.org
Located near the resort of Stowe and Smuggler’s Notch State Park, a famously scenic pass cutting through Vermont’s Green Mountains, the town of Jeffersonville and its environs have inspired landscape painters for more than a century. Generations of them have found their way to this mountain community, and many work there today.
Since 1984, the Bryan Memorial Gallery has presented its creations in rotating exhibitions, including major examples by Thomas Curtin, Charles Curtis Allen, and Emile Gruppe. The venue was founded by the artist Alden Bryan (1913–2001) in memory of his wife, the painter Mary Bryan (1906–1978).
Its major annual show is a juried one titled “Land + Light + Water + Air.”
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Lisa Gleim, “Kodiak Moment,” 2021 Pastel on state and national park maps, 56 x 34 in.
Lisa Gleim in her studio.
How did you start and then develop your career?
Lisa Gleim: While at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), I gravitated toward figure and cast drawing, the practice of seeing three-dimensional objects and depicting them in two-dimensional work. And it may sound surprising; it was at PAFA I first used oils and got into painting. These experiences shaped a plan to become an oil portraitist, which I was the first 15 years of my career. Pastel, however, is the medium I ultimately turned to and I have never looked back.
Joanette Egeli’s captivating, pastel portraits were a springboard to my own professional style of minimalist realism depicting only the subject. This would change when a client commissioned a painting of a dog swimming. The addition of landscapes and wildlife coincides with my passion for these subjects and provided elements to expand the setting, the storytelling potential of my finished pieces. The outside changing values of light and atmosphere never cease to intrigue and challenge me. And in water there are the stunning reflective qualities, often movement and many streaks of colors. I think a sense of motion gives a two-dimensional work added depth. Needless to say, from portraitist, I expanded work genres.
In terms of business success, I stick with the basics. I work diligently toward long and short-term goals regarding quality, consistent production, and having well-respected, active gallery representation. This requires entering shows, being active in prestigious, progressive professional associations related to art and my subject matter, such as American Women Artists (AWA) and Artists for Conversation (AFC). With good, well-maintained connections, frequent exposure and strong branding, collectors take notice. Those who become patrons contribute word-of-mouth promotion and repeat sales.
How would you describe your current body and style of work?
In my newest wildlife series, I expand on a narrative realism wildlife approach I debuted in 2020 in an AWA juried museum show at the Booth Western Art Museum. The exhibited work, The Secret Keepers, was acquired by the museum for its permanent collection.
Now I set subjects against various ephemera, including vintage national park maps. These subtle backdrops add historic information are additional story elements. The animals and birds themselves are a mix of wild and domesticated, indigenous, and imported species. I am truly delighted by the reception this work has immediately received and honored it is represented by McLarry Fine Art, Paderewski Fine Art and Montana Trails Gallery.
How do you describe success?
Achieving measurable business goals is one way.
Creating timeless work is, to me, the especially rewarding achievement. I hope viewers will initially pause, linger and ponder the subjects beyond the particular framed moment and later, return repeatedly to note nuances, never tiring of the scene.
How do you find inspiration?
Inspiration finds me every time I step outside! I travel extensively, but my most frequently visited locations surround where my family and I make our homes: along the coastal regions of the East Coast and in the mountains of Montana. These are my “happy places!”
What is the best thing about being an artist?
It’s not always easy, but directing and pursuing a journey following my passions is priceless. I hope my fascination with my subject matter, keen observations and skill of mark making, layering pastels is tangible, inescapable, undeniable and resonates with something special for a viewer.
Who do you collect?
Work by fellow contemporary artists whose work is different than mine…and I like! The list includes, but is not limited to Burt Silverman, Christine Lefuente, Stefanie Lieberman, Bhavani Krishnan, Marc Hanson, Felicity House, Ott Jones, Abigail McBride, Duane Kaiser, Lynne Cartlidge, and John Moyers.
Lisa Gleim, “All Wet,” 2021 Pastel on Montana maps, 22 x 20 in.Lisa Gleim, “Only in America,” 2021 Pastel on state and national maps, 34 x 46 in.Lisa Gleim, “Have I Ever Steered You Wrong?,” 2021 Pastel on Texas state maps 18 x 36 in.Lisa Gleim, “A Keen Observer,” 2021 pastel on Montana state and national park maps, 34 x 46 in.
Alpine Gold
By David Jackson
Oil on Canvas
36 x 48 in.
$12,500
Painter and sculptor, David Jackson, is well known for his accurate depictions of wildlife and western landscapes. His richly colored, impressionistic style has afforded him the opportunity of showing his work throughout the United Stated, Canada, and Europe. He receives inspiration from the beautiful and ever-changing surroundings of his home and studio in Mountain Green, Utah. David has also crafted monumental bronze sculptures for public institutions, private individuals and businesses. Jackson is always striving for excellence and loves new challenges and opportunities which provide him with creative resources.
You can find him and his work, along with 100 other artists, at the Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, AZ January 15 – March 28, 2022. Contact 480-443-7695 or [email protected]
JEFFERY R. PUGH (b. 1977), "Billowing Clouds," 2010, oil on canvas panel, 24 x 36 in.
Fine Art Collection Spotlight > Brett and Micol Karras of Kaysville, Utah, thoroughly enjoy the experience of collecting art together.
Micol caught the art bug early: when she was little, her grandmother owned the Parker Brothers board game Masterpiece: The Art Auction Game. She eagerly admired its paintings by such masters such as Degas, Van Gogh, and Matisse, and was, she recalls, “particularly drawn to Mary Cassatt’s ‘The Child’s Bath’, as there is something so tender and beautiful about a woman washing a child’s feet. Even then, I recognized the emotional connections that art can foster.”
Together Brett and Micol have purchased paintings, ceramics, and other artworks from galleries, fairs, charity events, co-ops, and the artists themselves. Most were made by artists who live locally, many of whom the couple have come to know. “On several occasions,” the Karrases add, “we have had the opportunity to host open houses for which the artists bring works to show our friends in an intimate setting.”
These events have been organized in cooperation with Jane Bell Meyer, who manages three leading galleries in Utah (Authentique, Illume, Mission). All of the get-togethers have offered “wonderful opportunities to speak with the artists and to explore their interests beyond art. The conversations have greatly increased our enjoyment of particular pieces as we learn the stories behind them and can share them later.”
The Karrases have also enjoyed meeting artists at galleries and exhibition openings; some — like John Berry — have become friends, and J. Kirk Richards once invited Micol to pose for one of the many figures in a painting.
Among the living artists represented in the Karras collection are Steven Lee Adams, Rhett Ashby, John Berry, Colleen Howe Bleinberger, Lorenzo Chavez, Travis Crowther, Keith Dabb, Rose Datoc Dall, Mark Fehlman, Aaron Fritz, Carole Gray, Jerry Hancock, Jeff Hepworth, Trenton Higley, J. Brad Holt, Brian Kershisnik, Emily Fox King, Todd Orchard, Kevin Parsons, Jeffery R. Pugh, Lori Putnam, Sandra Rast, J. Kirk Richards, Marty Ricks, Julie Rogers, Jack Sloan, Gary Ernest Smith, Steve Songer, Kathryn Stats, Mac Stevenson, Scott Wallis, Simon Winegar, and Joan B. Zone.
SIMON WINEGAR (b. 1979), “Yellow Fields (Farm: A Love Story),” 2016, oil on panel, 24 x 24 in.
In addition, Micol and Brett have purchased paintings, sketches, etchings, pastels, jewelry, ceramics, and woodcarvings in Australia, Austria, France, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Mexico, and elsewhere.
The Karrases note that “we do not necessarily share the same taste.” Micol gravitates toward abstract images (like those by John Berry), while Brett prefers the more traditional, especially landscapes. “We have learned to compromise and take turns during our selection process,” they explain. “If one of us feels reluctant and the other absolutely loves it, it goes into the collection, and now we have so many paintings that we are expanding into other mediums.” Indeed, they once purchased a sculpture by J. Kirk Richards as a Christmas gift to themselves.
Today, “The collection seems to grow and have a life of its own,” Brett says. “We enjoy curating ‘gallery walls’ in our home, though — as for so many collectors — there is not nearly enough space.” Micol adds that their recent move to a new house was a great experience because “it was like having new paintings. Hanging them in a different space made us revisit what we love about them. Perhaps moving our artworks around every year is a good idea!”
Whatever their wall-hang may be, Micol and Brett Karras treasure the happy memories that every artwork brings, now and always.
Brett KarrasMicol Karras
This article was originally published in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine
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Fine Art Auction >A portrait of Louise Renée de Penancoët de Kéroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth (September 5, 1649 – November 14, 1734) attributed to Henri Gascars (French, 1635-1701) is included in Bellmans’ Old Master, British & European Paintings art auction on October 12, 2021.
Attributed to Henri Gascars (French, 1635-1701), “Portrait of Louise Renee de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth (1649-1734) with a Cupid,” Oil on canvas, 107 x 97cm, Provenance, Private collection, Gloucestershire since circa 1800; With Lane Fine Art, London by 2001; From whom acquired by the father of the present owner; £8,000-12,000; SALE Old Master, British & European Paintings October 12, 2021
The oil on canvas measures 107 x 97 cm and shows the Duchess with a Cupid. It was originally in a private collection in Gloucestershire from circa 1800 before it was sold by Lane Fine Art to the father of the present owner. It is estimated at £8,000 – £12,000.
The Duchess has been painted by many established artists, including Sir Peter Lely and several times by Gascars. She famously accompanied Henrietta Anne Stuart, Duchess of Orléans, sister of Charles II of Great Britain, and sister-in-law of Louis XIV of France, when Henrietta visited her brother in Dover in 1670. Henrietta’s sudden death meant Louise was unprovided for and Charles II appointed her a-lady-in-waiting to his own Queen, Catherine of Braganza.
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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.
Angelina’s Overture by Joan Konkel, Fine mesh, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48 x 5 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery
The Last Lap by Tony South (born 1964), Acrylic and oil on canvas, 35.62 x 39.37 in., Signed; Rehs Contemporary
Porte St. Denis by Antoine Blanchard (1910 – 1988), Oil on canvas, 18 x 21.75 in., Signed; Rehs Galleries, Inc.
Into the Woods IV by H.M. Saffer II, Oil on canvas, 36 x 28 in.; Vermont Artisan Designs
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.
Linda Tippetts (b. 1943), "Thunder Bundle," 2004, oil on canvas, 24 x 30 in., private collection
On View:
“Roads Well Traveled (Some Were Gravel)”
Hockaday Museum
Kalispell, Montana hockadaymuseum.org
Through October 31, 2021
The Hockaday Museum is poised to present a retrospective of 50 paintings created by Linda Tippetts. Titled “Roads Well Traveled (Some Were Gravel),” it surveys this Montana artist’s accomplished career since 1984, borrowing her best works from generous collectors across America.
Born and raised in rural north central Montana, Tippetts traces her interest in art to 1963, when she entered the famous “Draw Me” contest advertised in The Saturday Evening Post. Her success at the first annual C.M Russell Exhibit and Auction (Great Falls, 1969) awakened her to the fact that she could make a living as a professional artist, and another window opened when she joined the Plein Air Painters of America in the mid-1980s.
Her penchant for painting outdoors has taken Tippetts all over the world, but more recently she has returned to the East Slope of the Rockies — a place she now sees with renewed appreciation.
Particularly significant is her respect for Native American culture, especially the Blackfeet Nation, whose members have invited her to observe various ceremonies. Illustrated here, for example, is one of her recollections of a thunder bundle ceremony, held inside double-hitched tipis that allow more people to attend.
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Cactus in Bloom
24 x 36 in.
Oil
$3,900
Available through Marta Stafford Fine Art, Marble Falls, Texas
Mitch Caster: There is great beauty to be found in the arid west. I was reminded of that during a hike near St. George, Utah, during the spring. Amid intense sienna-colored rock and soil, contrasted by varied green plant life, I found some little flowering prickly pear cactus growing. Incredible lighting from behind illuminated the translucent flowers and plants and created a bright corona around the cacti in a perfect arrangement — a real gift from nature. To that, add wonderful childhood memories of my grandmother cooking nopalitos — the stems of prickly pear cactus — and how could I not paint this scene?
I always enjoy painting light and shadow, whether it is landscape or figurative. Lately, I have been particularly drawn to nature and wildlife. This painting came from one of those special moments when you are left breathless and in love with the beauty of your surroundings.
This desire and commitment to paint subjects of beauty is quite a departure from my previous work as a courtroom artist for some of the nation’s most notorious trials. After years of hearing grisly details from heinous crimes, I wanted to instead focus on capturing bits and piece of good in the world and bring joy to my viewers.
To that end, I paint what makes me happy. From nature and wildlife to dance and seascapes, they all boost my serotonin level — and hopefully that of my viewers! (Serotonin is the hormone that stabilizes our sense of well-being and happiness.) I even have a special series of “Serotonin Paintings” on my website…a virtual exhibition of some of my favorite feel-good works.
I hope you will visit one of my fine galleries and my website, sign up for my e-newsletter, and follow me on social media. As a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America, the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society, and the American Society of Marine Artists, I’ve been fortunate to have my paintings included in many of their exhibitions, as well as in collections throughout the United States and the world.
Aida Garrity is inspired by life and beauty, capturing individual personalities, moods and emotions. In these paintings of golf-inspired landscapes and scenes from her previous residence in Dublin, Ohio, she undertakes the challenge of crafting a composition that evokes emotion and transmits a story to the viewer. Her sweeping wide-brush background strokes and subtle soft-brush details capture the beauty of the Dublin landscape — its intensely green grass, majestic trees and manicured golf courses.
Garrity discovered her passion for painting at age five through children’s art classes at the Museo de Bellas Artes in Caracas, Venezuela. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from the Imperial College, London, and worked for 30 years in the engineering field. She returned to her artwork with an MFA from San Francisco Academy of Art University in 2010 and exhibits her work in national and international exhibitions.
Aida paints in plein air monthly with other members of the “Peace River Painters Plein Air Group” in central Florida and in the fall, she joins her artist friends in the majestic area of Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine.
Most recently, she had a solo exhibit at the Dublin Arts Council titled “Aida Garrity: Dublin Goldscapes” and was also juried in the very prestigious Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Arts Club 124th Annual Open Exhibition at the Salmagundi Arts Club.
Aida is a member of these fine art organizations:
• Salmagundi Arts Club
• National Arts Club
• Portrait Society of America and the Cecilia Beaux Forum
• Oil Painters of America
• American Women Artists
• National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society
Super Nova
By Carrie Pearce
Oil on panel
24 x 18 in. | 61 x 45.7 cm
Available through RJD Gallery
Treasured objects are the stuff dreams are made of — and in the case of artist Carrie Pearce — the things that become the focal point of her artworks. A seasoned antique hunter, Pearce taps into her imagination as she scours antique shops for vintage pieces that tell a story. The joy of finding an old photo, a toy or a knickknack that holds a narrative, known only to the previous owner, starts Pearce on her way to create her own equally mysterious narrative to be interpreted by the viewer.
“I have been painting for many years, and what I have found is that art is a fiction that tells the truth. A truth that can only be seen by the viewer. I am inspired by objects I find at flea markets and antique stores. The objects could be anything, as everything really does contain its own aura. I believe the objects contain memory and energy from the previous owners. The underpinning of my work is a story. I use figures, wildlife, and objects, in conjunction with improvisation and embellishment, to convey a narrative. The narratives are often based on time, memory, human conditions and death. I aim to create a visual world that has never been seen before. Whether the events are real or imagined, they are meant to entertain the viewer” says Pearce who is an honors graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Pearce’s compelling storytelling through her art is an art in itself. She often includes a poem about each work she creates adding another layer of emotion and mystery to her work. This artwork inspired by vintage, beloved objects become new treasures in their own right through the creativity and artistry of Carrie Pearce.
See Carrie Pearce’s artwork at RJD Gallery, 227 North Main Street, Romeo, MI 49065 or at rjdgallery.com.
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