Books for Art Lovers > No one is better qualified to publish the richly illustrated, 400-page volume Eanger Irving Couse: The Life and Times of an American Artist, 1866–1936 than his granddaughter, the art historian Virginia Couse Leavitt.
Enjoying unique access to her family’s archives, she has produced the first scholarly exploration of Couse’s lifelong interest in Native American cultures, his upbringing in Michigan, his academic training under William Bouguereau in Paris, and his eventual relocation to Taos, New Mexico.
There, in 1915, he helped found the Taos Society of Artists, serving as its first president and producing hundreds of superb Southwestern landscapes and respectful depictions of Pueblo Indians.
Particularly insightful is the correspondence of Couse’s wife, Virginia Walker, who was an art student in Paris when the couple met.
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Art Historian, Curator, and dear friend of Fine Art Connoisseur and Plein Air, Jean Stern will retire from his position as Senior Curator of California Impressionism at The University of California, Irvine’s Institute and Museum of California Art (IMCA) on June 30, 2020.
“Jean Stern is a beacon of expertise and collegiality who has played a leading role in reshaping our collective understanding not only of California’s artistic heritage, but that of Impressionism in America generally,” said Fine Art Connoisseur Editor-in-Chief Peter Trippi. “Everyone at Fine Art Connoisseur remains grateful to him for his service to the field and looks forward to keeping in touch with him as the next chapter of his career opens. In particular, we congratulate Jean and the IMCA on the creation of its Jean Stern Acquisitions Fund.”
Stern has been a staple at the Plein Air Convention, he has led talks on the main stage on topics such as California Impressionism and the history of plein air painting. “Jean has played a critical role in the success of the worldwide plein air movement,” said Eric Rhoads, CEO of Streamline Publishing. “He has brought attention and credibility that otherwise would not have existed.”
Throughout his career, Stern worked to heighten awareness of the school of California Impressionism through a noteworthy series of exhibitions, books, lectures, articles, and video documentaries. He has presented over 250 lectures, and judged and juried more than 100 local, national, and international art competitions.
Stern said, “It has been an honor to help develop our historic art heritage and to work with the staff and with so many dedicated art collectors. As part of the UCI Institute and Museum of California Art, the Irvine Museum Collection will continue to inspire and educate our community as well as generations to come.”
IMCA Museum Director Kim Kanatani said, “While we understand Jean’s resolve to direct his passion for and extraordinary command of the history of California Impressionism beyond our campus, we are profoundly grateful to him for his countless contributions to UCI and the field. The IMCA community is indebted to him for his foresight in creating widespread appreciation of the California experience expressed through this unique genre. We wish him all the best with this next chapter of his life.”
To celebrate his legacy, IMCA also announced the launch of the Jean Stern Acquisitions Fund to further deepen its holdings of California Impressionist works. As UCI coronavirus protocols permit, IMCA will host a virtual celebration for Stern and the launch of this initiative in July. His collection building acumen and curatorial insights will remain an integral part of IMCA programming through 2021. When UCI health protocols allow the IMCA to reopen, his curated exhibition, Radiant Impressions, will showcase highlights from The Irvine Museum Collection paired with complementary loaned artworks. The exhibition considers ways the selected artists engaged with light, for its optical qualities and through metaphor where ephemeral moments are infused with meaning.
In 2017, Stern received the prestigious Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture. He has also been presented with lifetime achievement awards from the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association in 2013, the Plein Air Painters of America in 2014, and by Plein Air Magazine in 2014. He currently serves on the board of the California Art Club, founded in 1909, and is a board adviser to the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. Prior to joining the UCI community, Stern directed Jean Stern Fine Paintings, his gallery in Encino.
He received his B.A. from California State University, Northridge, and M.A. in Art History from San Diego State University. His doctoral studies in American Art were conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles.
As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this new “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the paintings below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.
Soul of Light by Arnold Desmarais, Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery
This is Us by Cheryl Elmo, Watercolor on Contemporary Mount, 36 x 44 in.; Bluestone Fine Art Gallery
Mixed Media Week. This Week We Are Featuring Mixed Media on Canvases In Our Online Viewing Room. Ferrari Gallery.
Traffic Jam by Kari Tirrell (born 1965), Acrylic on Aluminum Panel, 24 x 30 in., signed; Rehs Contemporary
The HMS Frolic and USS Wasp, October 18, 1812 by John Bentham-Dinsdale (1927-2006), Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40 in., signed; Rehs Galleries, Inc.
Female #1 by Dan Gerhartz, Oil on Canvas, 22 x 18 in.; Liliedahl Fine Art Studio-Gallery
Quinacridone Glow by Molly Doe Wensberg, Oil on Canvas, 48 x 60 in.; Edgewater Gallery
Grace by Ken Salaz, Oil on canvas, 36 x 36 in.; Tree’s Place
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-serve and availability is limited.
White Peonies, by Jenny Kelley, oil on linen, 16 x 18 inches
In this Art Gallery Spotlight, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mike Donovan, owner of The Gallery at Tree’s Place in Orleans, Massachusetts. Discover the ways in which this gallery passionately connects collectors with original art that speaks to the emotions.
Seashell Distancing by Susanne Taylor oil on panel, 12 x 16 inches
Cherie Dawn Haas: Please tell us about your gallery and the type of art in which you specialize. Mike Donovan: The Gallery at Tree’s Place was founded on Cape Cod in 1986, with a commitment to promoting the best established and emerging artists in the region. It has since grown to become one of the leading dealers of representational painting in the nation, proud home to some of the finest living painters working in this genre.
We are committed to helping people discover the value of living with original art. Whether your budget is $500 or $50,000, we believe that you are best-served investing in a one-of-a-kind object that you love. Collecting begins with a personal, visual, and emotional connection to a piece of art. Experience tells us that one-of-a-kind objects bring clients more conversation, more investment return and, most importantly, more prolonged enjoyment than any reproduction. Knowing that an accomplished artist, rather than a machine, carefully selected and applied materials resulting in the finished piece you see makes for a genuine, unique experience.
We know that our clients are interested in building a collection of great quality; one that reflects their personal style. We would rather send you home empty-handed than with a painting or sculpture you won’t treasure for years to come. Personal relationships are important to us here. We often visit artists’ studios and bring paintings back with particular clients in mind. Our experienced staff is happy to make house calls. We are committed to helping you select works of art that enhance and complement the architecture and existing objects in your home’s interior.
It’s a Duck’s Life By Carolyne Hawley oil on canvas, 14 x 18 inches
What adjustments have you made as a gallery since the outbreak?
We have cancelled all Artist Receptions for the season. The gallery re-opened on June 9th after being closed for three months. While closed we continued to send emails about exhibitions and select works, although the results were paltry. Now that we are open, we follow CDC guidelines to ensure that our clients and employees are safe.
What’s your biggest priority at this time? Over the next year?
Survival! We are not sure how the summer season will play out and are hoping for the best. We are a seasonal economy and count on foot traffic to make the gallery profitable. If people decide not to shop, it could be devastating.
Local Diner by Bill Farnsworth oil on linen panel, 14 x 18 inches
What advice do you have for collectors as they navigate these times, and beyond?
I always tell my clients that art needs to reach you emotionally. If you connect with the work, it will please you for a lifetime. Now more than ever, people need positive environments to live in and artwork can create that environment in your home or office.
Anything else you’d like to add about the current issues galleries are navigating?
Keep it positive – try different price points to attract as broad a collector base as possible.
Piping Plover (Lifesize) by Eric Kaiser Carved tupelo with oils
What are some of the ways you find artists to represent?
We follow other galleries around the country who represent the caliber of artist we hope to represent and reach out to those artists who might be a good fit for us. More often than not, we are approached by artists directly for representation. Each year we add one or two new artists.
Set in the Sun by Maryann Lucas oil on canvas, 30 x 24 inches
Regarding your exhibitions, do you have a current online show?
Our current exhibition is “Flora and Fauna,” a celebration of plant and animal life featuring new works from six different resident artists in the gallery. It is on view until June 26, 2020. We have new shows every two weeks until late September and then we have our annual Small Works show for the holidays.
William R. Leigh, “Pony Express,” sold for $680,200
After reinventing the process of holding an art auction during these unexpected times, the recent Scottsdale Art Auction proved to be a success. Organizers offered bidding both online and in person, with safety measures in place.
With 10 manned phone lines, 480 online bidders and 150 collectors in the room, collector Naoma Tate said after bidding through iCollector and phone calls with Scottsdale Art Auction staff, “Brad and Jinger (Richardson) had to reinvent the process and made it seamless. The online catalogue was easy to browse and they responded quickly and in person to questions about condition reports and the bidding process. They made it exciting yet simple to bid. I prefer to be in the room and feel the excitement generated by the auction. By broadcasting the auction and being able to be on the telephone to bid, I felt connected…. That’s important to me. Thank you Scottsdale Art Auction!”
Maynard Dixon, “Trail Herd,” sold for $350,000
From the organizers:
Scottsdale Art Auction in Scottsdale, AZ was presented to an eager gathering of collectors from throughout the United States on Saturday, June 13, 2020 with over $10,000,000 in sales. Paintings and sculpture by Frederic Remington, Maynard Dixon, W. R. Leigh, and Charles M. Russell led the field of deceased masters, with thirteen paintings by Dixon that brought $1,425,545.
An iconic bronze by Frederic Remington, “The Cheyenne” (estimated at $400,000 – $600,000) fetched $438,750 and Cowboy Artists of America sculptors Fred Fellows, “Riding out a Bad Investment” (estimated at $25,000 – $35,000) brought $87,500 (a World Auction Record for the artist) and John Coleman, “War & Peace” (estimated at $25,000 – $35,000) sold for $46,800.
A 28 inches by 22 inches oil by William R. Leigh, titled “Pony Express” brought applause from the crowd when it sold for $680,200 and Allan Houser’s “Lament,” a 65 inches high bronze set a World Record at auction for Houser when it hammered at $105,300.
Other highlights included six oils by G. Harvey that hammered down at $631,800 and a fine selection of six small works by Kenneth Riley with a high estimate of $80,000 that achieved $144,495 when bidding ended.
Contemporary masters Mark Maggiori sold “Arizona Wonders” (estimated at $25,000 – $35,000) for $70,200 and Logan Maxwell Hagege’s “Wherever the Wind Might Go” (estimated at $60,000 – $90,000) sold for $122,850. The crowd gasped when a small, 12 inches by 16 inches oil by Ed Mell (estimated at $5,000 – $7,000) hammered down at $35,100.
E. Martin Hennings, “Rabbit Hunt,” sold for $100,000
The sale was originally scheduled for April 4 but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic until June 13. The Scottsdale Art Auction team provided masks, required socially distanced seating, and distributed box lunches between Session I in the morning and Session II in the afternoon. “We were certainly challenged this year,” said auction partner Brad Richardson, “but we were determined to bring this collection of art to market for our consignors and collectors and we were pleased with 90% of the lots sold for over $10,000,000.”
What is imaginative realism? Michael J. Pearce explains this artful “escape from reality” in a 15-minute video, featuring work by:
Kathiucia Dias
Benozzo Gozzoli
F. Scott Hess
Regina Jacobson
Yu Ji
Guy Kinnear
Gustav Klimt
Brad Kunkle
Bryan Larsen
Richard MacDonald
John Millais
Claude Monet
Gustave Moreau
Alphonse Mucha
Vince Natale
Michael J. Pearce
Boris Vallejo
John Waterhouse
Pamela Wilson
Weixin Xu
Sandra Yagi
This video was produced by Brittany McGinley and Huicho Le at Brit Bat Studio.
Eric Wert, "Nimbus," 2019, Oil on canvas, 60 x 48 in., $46,000
Blue Review Project Space recently announced “Manic Botanic.” Featuring works by over twenty artists, the show celebrates flora in all its diversity and sublimity. It will be exhibited virtually online, and also by appointment to examine works in person.
Co-curated by Garvey|Simon and Brodsky, this collaboration brings together a dealer’s proclivity for theme and an artist’s eye for craft. Featuring drawing, watercolor, metalpoint, painting, photography, and ceramics, each mode seeks to capture the fragility and singularity of its subject. The works are united by their sense of dexterity and detail.
From the organizers:
Meticulous, nuanced petals and sensuous stems belie the ubiquity of their subjects, and gesture towards the deft hand of their makers. Whether miniature or grandiose in scale, these floral icons are utterly ecstatic.
Margot Glass’s delicate graphite and goldpoint dandelions and Dina Brodsky’s diaristic trees are byzantine meditations on impermanence and memory.
Dina Brodsky, “Tree, Mid-Autumn,” 2018, Oil on copper, 2.5 x 2.5 in., framed: 10.5 x 10.5 in., $1,650
Miriam Escofet (recent recipient of the BP Portrait Award) and Grace Devito each bring their background in portraiture to their floral still lifes, capturing the subtle nuances and individuality of each bloom.
Marina Kiseleva, “Rococo Tulip Bud,” 2020, Watercolor on vellum, 7 x 5 in., $1200
Eric Wert, Amy Laskin, and Marina Kiselyova celebrate the opulence of their blooms with lavish and decorative detail; conversely, Jordan Wolfson, Tyler Swain, and Melanie Parke each bow to the humble simplicity of their botanicals.
Christopher Adams explores adaptive radiation with ceramics, and Sarah Phillips arranges her specimens into kaleidoscopic patterns, rendering their quotidian subjects surreal and exotic. Jose Escofet’s oil paintings are similarly punched up and surreal.
Jose Escofet, “Metamorphosis of a Snail,” 2007, Oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in., $19,400
A bouquet of fragile monoliths, Frederick Brosen’s watercolor blossoms are feats of gentle precision, L.C. Armstrong’s bomb fuse paintings are laced with an element of danger, Tim Nighswander’s amaryllis photographs are modern memento moris, and Brandy Kraft’s oil paintings are portrait-like in their hybrid specificity.
Brandy Kraft, “Antirrocallis aurantium, Hybrid No. 30,” 2019, Oil on canvas, 23.5 x 23.5 in., $1,600
David Morrison and Mary Reilly’s hyperrealist colored pencil and graphite drawings are charged with a sense of intimacy and rigor, while Jimmy Fike achieves the same effect through his objective, almost scientific lens.
A virtual opening reception for “Manic Botanic” will take place on Thursday, June 18, 2020.
ABOUT THE CURATORS
Elizabeth K. Garvey is the Co-founder and Director of Garvey|Simon (est. in 2010). Previously she was President and Owner of EKG Art Advisory, (1999-2009), and Co-Director of Schmidt-Bingham Gallery (1989-1998). Liz is a member of ArtTable, a distinguished national network of leading women in the visual arts professions, and a founding member of the New York chapter of the Association of Women Art Dealers. With over 30 years of experience in the fine art industry, Liz leverages her professional relationships with other galleries, auction houses, private dealers, and artists to offer boutique art advisory services and an exhibition program championing mid-career and emerging artists.
Dina Brodsky is a contemporary realist, miniaturist painter and curator. She was educated at University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the New York Academy of Art, where she received her MFA. She has taught privately, and in several institutions including the New York Academy of Art, the Art Students League and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The Blue Review was established in 2017 by curator and art consultant Trek Lexington. Its mission is to discover and draw attention to contemporary art that is both highly skilled and conceptually rigorous. Their online project space connects artists and collectors through a series of group and solo exhibitions. Committed to exhibiting beautiful, thought-provoking art without compromise, The Blue Review aims to bring art back to art criticism, and art criticism back to art.
“Imagining” was first conceived actually quite by accident. During a photo shoot, my young muse, dressed in authentic pioneer garb, moved about the historic house as though she had traveled back through time to the early 1900’s. But when she moved to the window something magical happened. It was as though time stood still. The sun illuminated her silhouette and pooled at her feet in a sea of gold. The window was awash with a white glow.
As an artist I saw the blank canvas that was before her. The words of Henry David Thoreau, “The world is but a canvas to our imagination,” resonated with me and “Imagining” was born. I was compelled to paint this moment in time on my own blank canvas. This was the birth of “Imagining” but it has since taken on a life of its own given the world pandemic. It is a poignant view of the inside looking out; a keen sense of what we all experienced globally with social distancing and stay at home orders.
Imagining–we all do it. We dream of what the future may hold, we conjure stories and fantasies, let our thoughts take us to far away places. Our real life adventures and accomplishments often begin as daydreams. With childlike wonder we look out our windows and imagine a brighter future.
The economy will return, art sales will return, life will return to normal.
This social distancing has not separated us; it has brought us closer as we realize our need for one another.
DELFIN FINLEY (b. 1994), "Undefined Horizon," 2018, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 in., private collection; www.delfinfinley.com
There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
DELFIN FINLEY (b. 1994) is keeping realism real. The Los Angeles artist paints representational portraits of his peers that focus on the pervasive racial issues of our time. Emerging on the scene in 2014 as a participant in several group shows, Finley was offered his first solo exhibition at Lora Schlesinger Gallery (Santa Monica) in 2017. Titled “Some Things Never Change,” that project highlighted experiences that people of color continue to encounter and sold out completely.
Finley’s portraits often take a close look into the eyes and expressions of black people carrying the weight of circumstances past, present, and future. Several of his works examine the angst and anxieties his generation wrestles with, painted in unflinching detail.
“Some Things Never Change,” for instance, is a sobering scene of a young black man in a defeated position with a rope hanging not far from him. “Dead Man Walking” illustrates the probability of a young black man’s violent or premature death, while a portrait of Finley’s father, “It’s Only a Matter of Time,” represents men of color and the danger they face on a daily basis.
While several of Finley’s portraits convey a frank sense of despondency, discouragement, and despair, ultimately they are intended to offer hope through awareness and change. “Undefined Horizon” is a painting that seems to carry glimmers of that hope. The artist has intentionally introduced some ambiguity here: a black man is seen only from behind, wearing a shirt with the number six on its back and a headcloth made of fine silk. Is he a present-day athlete? An ancient pharaoh? One of a numbered lot? Whoever he is or was, Finley seems to suggest that he will have to determine his own future.
As Finley continues to grow in popularity in Los Angeles and nationally, he is being noticed not only by realists but also other sectors of the contemporary art community. The issues into which his art delves — and the manner in which he addresses them — speak powerfully to our times.
As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this new “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the paintings below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.
Stargazers by Loren DiBenedetto, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 30 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery
Bridges Turn #1 by Stanka Kordic, 2017, Oil on Wood Panel, 36 x 48 in.; Stanek Gallery
6 Feet Please by Stuart Dunkel, Oil on Panel, Framed, 5 x 7 in.; Bluestone Fine Art Gallery
Sundown at Camp (detail) by Chula Beauregard, Oil on Linen, 12 x 36 in.; Steamboat Creates
Gray Wolves by Janice Schultz, Mixed Media, 36 x 36 in. framed; SLOPOKE Fine Art of the West
Beyond Comprehension Sculpture Collection. #3 by James Ferrari, Aluminum & Car Parts; Ferrari Gallery
Naoko Visiting Bosch’s Hell by Mitsuru Watanabe (born 1953), Oil on Canvas on Board, 63 3/4 x 38 1/4 in., signed; Rehs Contemporary
Cardinal Study for The Preening Peacock by Jehan-Georges Vibert (1840-1902), Gouache on Paper, 9 1/2 x 7 in., signed; Rehs Galleries, Inc.
The Silken Shawl by Johnnie Liliedahl, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 in.; Liliedahl Fine Art Studio-Gallery
Kitchen Sill Life Series #16 Glass and Green by Karen O’Neil, Oil on Linen, 20 x 20 in.; Edgewater Gallery
Local Diner by Bill Farnsworth, Oil on panel, 14 x 18 in.; Tree’s Place
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-serve and availability is limited.
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