Featured Artwork: Jing Zhao

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June 1, 2020

A Girl From a Festival
24 x 20 in.
Oil on linen
$4800
Available through the artist

Jing has her ideas, such as mood and emotion, come to her after her research. Since she has traveled to different places in the world, she has thousands of pictures she took during the trips. Based on the ideas, she quickly glanced at all the photos to see which one grabbed her eye immediately. She found a picture she took many years ago and the beauty immediately caught her eye. She decided to use that picture as a reference. Before it comes to the actual painting, she sees a painting in her mind’s eye usually revolving around design, shape, tone, light, color, brush strokes and edges. All these kinds of visual elements and the image lead her thinking and working from day and night and sometimes she couldn’t fall asleep.

A Girl From a Festival won the Best of Show in the American Expressionist Society 20th Annual National Exhibition which was held at the Salmagundi Club New York 2019.

Jing Zhao lives in Frisco, Texas. She learned drawing from a private art teacher from her childhood in China. Even though her career path led her law, she eventually returned to her true love – painting.

Jing Zhao’s works has been juried into many national exhibitions: Oil Painters of American National Exhibition, The American Impressionist Society National Show, The Allied Artists of America National Show and the Bosque art Classic and also won other Awards such as Boren-Selvidge Award at Bosque Art Classic 34th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Art Muse Contest Emerging artist Winner on May 2019. 1st Place Award in the Texas Members of Portrait Society of America Exhibition 2018.

Jing Zhao has been featured in Southwest Art Magazine. Her works are also in the collections of American art collectors. She was a speaker as American Impressionist Society National Best Show Winners panelist as well as a featured demonstrator at AIS national small works show.

For more of Jing Zhao’s paintings check out her website.
Find her on Facebook and Instagram, and email her at [email protected].

Friday Virtual Gallery Walk for May 29, 2020

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Fine Art Today

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May 29, 2020

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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 new “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the paintings below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.

Repose by Aydemir Saidov, Oil on Canvas, 24 x 24 in.; Lotton Gallery

Oracle by Rani Garner, Oil on Canvas, 30 x 40 in.; Anderson Fine Art Gallery

S.O.S. by Victor Grasso, 2017, Oil on Board, 38 x 18 in.; Stanek Gallery

Evening Reflection by Kirby Fredendall, Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in.; Bluestone Fine Art Gallery

September by Chula Beauregard, Oil on Linen panel, 8 x 10 in.; Steamboat Creates

Desert Sentinel by Naomi Brown, Oil and Acrylic on Museum Board, 20 x 24 in. framed; The Seaside Gallery

Darkhorse Collection. 3rd 5th Battalion, Darkhorse #1 by Debra Ferrari, Limited Edition on Canvas, 50 x 28 1/2 in.; Ferrari Gallery

Go Tell the Bees by Amanda Greive, Oil and Gold Leaf on Panel, 22 1/2 x 12 in.; Rehs Contemporary

A New Sword by Adolphe Alexandre Lesrel (1839-1929), Oil on Panel, 21 3/4 x 18 in., signed and dated 1888; 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-serve and availability is limited.

Sheltering with Art: Faculty Exhibition

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Fine Art Today

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May 29, 2020

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Fine art portrait paintings — Daniel Graves, "Alessandro," 28 x 30 cm, Oil on canvas, 2017

“Sheltering with Art – 70 works by Faculty of The Florence Academy of Art” is a new exhibition that is online through June 30, 2020. Drawings, paintings, and sculpture by the academy’s international body of instructors is on sale. A portion of the proceeds goes to benefit the challenges facing the academy today, and to support these talented emerging artists.

Still life paintings — Andreas Birath, “Still life – Red and Green,” 38 x 60 cm, Oil on canvas, 2018

Fine art still life paintings — Erica Arcudi, “Seashells,” 38.1 x 38.1 cm, Oil on canvas, 2020

Fine art landscape paintings — Wang Hao, “Arno,” 40 x 50 cm, Oil on canvas, 2020

Figurative art paintings — Tom Richards, “Modern Madonna,” 20 x 30 cm, Oil on panel, 2020

Fine art sculpture — Mitch Shea, “River God,” H 52 cm x D 42 cm, Finished clay (pictured – available in resin or bronze), 2020

For more details, please visit www.florenceacademyofart.com/sheltering-with-art.

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Featured Artwork: Brian Keeler presented by North Star Art Gallery

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Fine Art Today

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May 28, 2020

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Still Life with One Blue Butterfly
Oil on linen
26 x 30 in.
2020
$2800
Available through North Star Art Gallery

Brian Keeler’s still life paintings will be featured in When Life is Still, a special exhibit at the North Star Art Gallery in August and September. The exhibit expresses contemplation of everyday objects illumined by a variety of light sources. In Still Life with One Blue Butterfly, the late afternoon light is coming through the window off to the side as well as from ambient light.

This year during the pandemic self-isolation and social distancing the process of painting the ephemeral effects of light and the temporal beauty of flowers underscores the purpose of traditional types of still life work. Specifically, the still life paintings of the Dutch 17th century Golden-era are evoked here as they too had an allegorical underpinning through their “vanitias” illustrations of the temporal and impermanent nature of life. The current pandemic has served to further augment appreciation of the common and quotidian qualities of life.

You may preview this exhibition on the North Star Art Gallery website and Keeler’s blog When Life is Still.

Expressing and describing the beauty of light has been the focus of Brian Keeler’s career in painting. Depicting the “topography of light” is the way he likes to describe this process, as this phrase communicates the way light plays across forms and describes their shapes. His work includes landscape, the figure, portraits, still life and allegorical work. While the subject of the painting is specific, in a certain sense the light actually becomes the subject for Keeler and the scene or depiction takes on a secondary or supporting role. He often chooses the “Golden Hour” as the time for portraying the motifs he selects, as this late afternoon or early morning light accentuates the drama of any given scene. His figurative painting and other genres also incorporate a marvelous appreciation for the way light can reveal the world to us.

Among other artists, patrons and the general public Keeler is known as a colorist; the quality of his color is one of the memorable aspects of his well-crafted work. His art also combines a unique sense of composition, proportional harmonies and draftsmanship, as these paintings, pastels and watercolors show an orchestration of the overall relationships.

Books for Art Lovers: Paul Schulenburg Oil Paintings

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Fine Art Today

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May 28, 2020

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Art books - Paul Schulenburg Oil Paintings - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Paul Schulenburg, "A Sun Break," oil on canvas, 40 x 30, framed 43 x 33 in.

Fine Art Books Hot Off the Press: For your collection, there’s a new art book available titled “Paul Schulenburg: Oil Paintings” (available through Addison Art Gallery, Orleans, MA).

Leading New England artist Paul Schulenburg, widely praised for his captivating images of the working waterfront, addresses a range of subject matter, from the intimacy of bedrooms to the drama of city streets. His figurative work digs below the surface to manifest personalities and emotions.

From the publisher:

With light and shadow, color and composition, Paul Schulenburg creates atmospheric moments — invitations to the viewer to complete the narrative.

While residing on Cape Cod, long a home or destination for generations of artists, Schulenburg’s work is also informed and inspired by travels afar including to the American Southwest, Mexico, Spain, Italy, and France. “A Room in France” shows a bedroom with a door open to the outside. Dappled light filters through the door striking a delicate chair on which hangs a towel. Warm and cool light balance each other, while the chair, towel, and open door add to the unsettled mystery of the setting.

Schulenburg’s pictorial sensibility influences his New York City scenes in a different manner, capturing the sensation of being in a big city. Amid the hard-lined architecture, he plays with raking light or gray days, occasionally introducing a figurative element. In contrast to the frantic pace of the city, Schulenburg’s streets are alive yet remain motionless, frozen in time.

Paul Schulenburg observes and interprets the world around him. Like the shoreline, life is ever-changing and ephemeral. In the tradition of Charles Hawthorne, Rockwell Kent, Edward Hopper, and countless other artists working through the ages, Schulenburg’s paintings record, interpret, and reveal the way we live today for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations.

To see the available works, please visit www.addisonart.com.
To see videos of Paul at work in his studio and exploring the towns and shores of Cape Cod, click here.

Paul Schulenburg Oil Paintings - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Paul Schulenburg, “Sun Streaks at Low Tide,” oil on canvas, 22 x 28 in.

What others say about “Paul Schulenburg: Oil Paintings“

“This volume confirms why and how Paul Schulenburg has earned his place in the continuum of great American painting. The beauty and insightfulness of his New England and New York scenes reveal how closely he observes these places and their residents, yet never does his art feel localized or story-driven. Instead, Schulenburg’s skills in composing and use of values enable the paintings to transcend the here-and-now, to become universal. Achieving this means imbuing his images with a subtle monumentality and even melancholy, without calling our attention to either. Thus, no matter how sunny his weather may be, we sense a soulfulness that makes us stop and look again. In this breathless age of throwaway imagery, it is both a relief and a privilege to stop and look again with Paul Schulenburg.” —Peter Trippi, Editor-in-Chief, Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, New York

“Paul Schulenburg is an American artist of the first order, who carries the standards and tradition of Edward Hopper and our finest provocative plein air painters into a modern world. He has the ability to make the commonplace extraordinary, and is equally at home in the unique light of Cape Cod, or the nuance of a New York City streetscape.” —Nicholas Dawes, Chairman and CEO, Salmagundi Club, New York

“Paul Schulenburg is one of those rare painters who can capture not just what something looks like but what it feels like…That alone makes his work a treasure.” —Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect Storm

To purchase your copy, please visit Addison Art Gallery.

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The Tonalist Landscapes of Ben Bauer

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Fine Art Today

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May 26, 2020

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Tonalism Landscape Paintings - Ben Bauer - FineArtConnoisseur.com — "Moonrise in Lowry, MN," Oil on aluminum, 24 x 30 inches, Signed

Recently, Rehs Contemporary opened a digital exhibition of work by tonalist landscape painter Ben Bauer, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Belwin Conservancy in Minnesota.

More from the gallery:

A love for the outdoors was instilled in Ben Bauer from a young age. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, he grew up in a family that enjoyed weekends in the countryside, giving him an intimate perspective of the changing of seasons; a gradual unfolding of tonal shifts over time. His experiences in those formative years were greatly influential – in addition to his family experience, school trips to places like Belwin Conservancy were significant in Bauer’s understanding of nature. It was this sincere connection to the natural world that led a young Bauer to begin drawing, initially wildlife before moving into landscapes.

As our communities have continued to develop around the world, we have sacrificed so much – our air, our water, and our land, not to mention the wildlife that relies on each. Bauer is acutely aware of how quickly our ecosystems can be damaged or completely destroyed, and how easily that loss can be justified under the guise of economic progress.

A primary objective, through his artwork, is the preservation of these landscapes, whether it is a prairie restoration or the creation of land stewardship trust to protect existing farmland from development. It is this profound awareness of the land that allows Bauer’s paintings to capture a strong sense of place and atmosphere; as he says, “that is the role of the painter, bringing us there.”

While Bauer has gone on to explore an array of locations through his work, views of the Midwest resonate strongest, from snow-blanketed hillsides to luscious nocturne farmlands. He notes, “farmers are some of the hardest working and most devoted people… that sincere devotion to making a living is very inspiring, and using their livelihood is a great way to pay reverence to that.” Bauer simply has this way of invigorating a rather unremarkable subject matter; the cool tones and use of contrast create an excitable, yet peaceful aura to the work, while somehow conveying a crispness in the air – a serene chill.

But it is more than just creating something interesting to look at … his work has a way of elevating the ordinary into something truly meaningful. They sit as a stark reminder of what we lose when we measure progress in the number of skyscrapers on the horizon, and not how blue the sky is or how clean our water is.

Bauer hopes his viewers will consider the impact they have on the natural world, and the ways in which they can create positive change for the future.

For more details, please visit: rehs.com/eng/bauer-serene-chill

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Sir John Seerey-Lester, Rest in Peace

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Fine Art Today

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May 26, 2020

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Sir John Seerey-Lester artist - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Sir John Seerey-Lester. Images courtesy Suzie Seerey-Lester / http://www.seerey-lester.com/

Sir John Seerey-Lester was known as “the Godfather of Contemporary Wildlife Art.” It is with sadness that we announce his passing.

His wife, Suzie, shared the following in a recent announcement:

It is with a broken heart, I wanted to let you know, John passed away May 19, after a short battle with cancer. His new book will be published later this year (stay tuned here), and his legacy will continue.

Tribute to Sir John Seerey-Lester

The world of Wildlife Art lost one of its giants with the recent passing of John Seerey-Lester, of Osprey, Florida. Born and raised in England, John relocated to America in 1980. He loved his adopted country and became a citizen in 2012. He is survived by his wife Suzie and his son, John Jr.

With work hanging in the White House, as well as Museum collections, private homes, and assemblages all around the world, John Seerey-Lester is world renowned as one of the top wildlife artists on the planet. He was known for his mystical and mysterious animals, and was frequently called “The Godfather of Wildlife Art.”

Known for constantly changing his game, several years ago he started the “Legends of the Hunt” book series. He wrote all the true stories and he created over 100 images for each of the three books (Legends of the Hunt, Campfire Tales, and The Legendary Hunts of Theodore Roosevelt). His fourth book Legendary Hunters and Explorers will be published later this year. John’s favorite thing to paint was Theodore Roosevelt, and was named “The Preeminent modern-day painter of Theodore Roosevelt.

He was Knighted by His Imperial and Royal Highness, Archduke Andreas of Austria for his work in conservation. He and his wife Suzie received the Sime Combes Award for Conservation in 2014 from Artists for Conservation, The Society of Animal Artist presented him with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. He was also just received the NRA’s Hunter’s Leadership Forum Award, for his work in conservation. This is just a few of the numerous awards he won.

John was generous with his time and talents. He has been Master or Featured Artist for nearly every major wildlife show both in the US and the UK over the past 42 years. He and Suzie taught wilderness wildlife workshops for the past 20 years, helping new artist as well as professional artists become better at their craft.

John was known for his gifts to conservation and the organizations that were important to him. He was honored to be part of the Boone and Crockett Club, Campfire Club of America, NRA – ILA and HLF, Artists for Conservation, St. Hubertus, Society of Animal Artists, just to name a few conservation organizations.

John was truly a force to be reckoned with, his sketchbooks and sketchpads are filled with ideas that were yet to be painted. His passion was painting, every waking second of the day. His legacy will continue.

We will announce his celebration of life, after the virus has passed.

He touched so many people and the art world has lost an incredible man. I will always love him.

~Suzie

Watch > John Seerey-Lester Receives the SAA Lifetime Achievement Award:

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Related Article > Two Artists Living and Working in Harmony
John and Suzie Seery-Lester share the inspirational story of how their lives came together through art. Bonus: Learn about their colors choice and techniques for painting representational art.

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Gallery Spotlight: Arcadia Contemporary

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Cherie Dawn Haas

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May 26, 2020

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Contemporary art - Arcadia Gallery - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Brad Kunkle, "The Tilth," 24 x 18

This week’s Gallery Spotlight features Arcadia Contemporary in Pasadena, California. Arcadia was founded in 2001 and today boasts over 3,000 square feet of representational art. It “remains impervious to the varying conceptual and stylistic shifts often occurring in the contemporary, art world.”

Contemporary art galleries - Arcadia Gallery - FineArtConnoisseur.com — The interior of Arcadia Contemporary

Cherie Dawn Haas: Please tell us about your gallery and the type of art in which you specialize.

Steve Diamant (Guy in Charge): Arcadia Contemporary opened in Spring of 2001 with a goal of presenting skilled, realist artists who have created their own unique, signature style. We continually see talented artists who may have one of the two of these qualities, but we search for the ones that have both.

What adjustments have you made as a gallery since the outbreak?
While the doors for the gallery have remained closed, we’ve just doubled our efforts online and through our social media accounts. We’ve developed themed, “virtual exhibitions” that bring the gallery into the homes of collectors and we’ve tried to come up with new and interesting ways to feature imagery by our artists on our social media platforms.

What’s your biggest priority at this time? Over the next year?
Just keep selling work. We will commence with exhibitions at the gallery in mid-June and if we are still not able to have opening receptions for the artist, we will make “by appointment only” visits for both collectors who want to preview the exhibitions and for those who want to see the works in person during the course of the exhibition’s run.

What advice do you have for collectors as they navigate these times, and beyond?The same advice as we’ve always given them; “BUY WHAT YOU LOVE.” Even though they may not be able to see the works in person, my experience has always been that if they “LIKE” the work online, they will LOVE the work in person. We’re also working with collectors to present the work “virtually” in their homes through the use of Photoshop and other programs, so that helps tremendously.

Anything else you’d like to add about the current issues galleries are navigating?Staying in contact with and reaching out to clients is even more important and will continue to be even more so in the future.

What are some of the ways you find artists to represent?
There are so many ways. Some are referrals by other artists and as the old saying goes, “water seeks its own level” and it’s very true for artists. Talented artists tend to associate with other talented artists. Social media is also an extraordinary way to see absolutely every work of art that’s being created and allows you to reach out to artists who may be halfway around the world.

Regarding your exhibitions, do you have a current or upcoming online show?
Absolutely…whether the doors will be open or not, this June 13 we will have the gallery “Re-Opening Reception” for Brad Kunkle’s new exhibition of paintings. The exhibition will be titled “Alkemie” and will include 15-20 new, oil and gold leaf paintings.

Additional 2020 art exhibitions include:

June 13 – July 3: Brad Kunkle
July 11 – 26: Denis Sarazhin
August 1 – 30: “Five and Under” (Over 100 works available for $5,000 or less)
September 5 – 27: Katie Whipple
October 3 – 25: Jeffrey Chong Wang
November 7 – 29: Julio Reyes

For more information, please visit Arcadia Contemporary online.

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Art Museums Open Their Doors to the Public

By

Cherie Dawn Haas

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May 26, 2020

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Museum of Fine Arts Houston — The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and our house museums, Rienzi and Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, is now open to the public, with enhanced health and safety protocols in place for our visitors and staff." "We have been thoughtfully preparing to reopen our galleries to you. When you visit, you’ll notice many of the familiar precautions you’ve seen across the city."

After weeks of so many businesses being closed, we’re happy to bring you this list of art museums that are opening their doors to the public once again.

Kudos to each business that was able to pivot so quickly – we’ve seen art museums and fine art galleries continue to bring art to the people (and penguins, as you’ll see below) in innovative ways, including virtual exhibitions and 3-D tours. The Nelson-Atkins Museum even collaborated with Kansas City Zoo by welcoming a group of curious penguins inside to browse the artworks:

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With precautions in place, art museums across the country are opening. We encourage you to visit the website of your favorite museum before visiting so that you’re informed of any special requirements, such as wearing a mask or limited visitors.

Here are just a few museums to visit in the Midwest and Southern regions of the U.S.:

The Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, TX (read about the Briscoe’s opening here): briscoemuseum.org
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK: nationalcowboymuseum.org
Hockaday Museum of Art, Kalispell, MT: hockadaymuseum.org
The Brinton Museum, Big Horn, WY: thebrintonmuseum.org
Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, WY: centerofthewest.org
Old West Museum, Cheyenne, WY: cfdrodeo.com/cfd-old-west-museum
San Antonio Museum of Art, TX: samuseum.org/welcome
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX: mfah.org

Related Article from the NY Times > U.S. Museums Are Reopening: To See Monet, Don a Mask

If you know of additional museums that are now open, please feel free to share them with us in the comments below.

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Friday Virtual Gallery Walk for May 22, 2020

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Fine Art Today

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May 22, 2020

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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 new “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the paintings below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.

Allure by Marina Marina, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 40 in.; Lotton Gallery

Kaaterskill Falls, Dawn, Proverbs 16:21 by Thomas Kegler, Oil on linen, 20 x 30 in.; Tree’s Place Gallery

A Distant Sound by Terry Donahue, Pastel, 20 1/2 x 31.; Gallery 330

Helicopter Ride Above NYC by Valerio D’Ospina, 2018, Oil on Panel, 48 x 60 in.; Stanek Gallery

Lift Off by Stuart Dunkel, Oil, 6 x 8 in.; Bluestone Fine Art Gallery

Ladies of the Valley by Chula Beauregard, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 48 in; Steamboat Creates

It’s About Red by Tom Marlatt, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 in. framed; The Seaside Gallery

Moonrise in Lowry, MN by Ben Bauer, Oil on Aluminum, 24 x 30 in.; Rehs Contemporary

Rue de la Paix, Place Vendôme by Antoine Blanchard, Oil on Canvas, 13 x 18 in.; 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-serve and availability is limited.

Tribute to Sir John Seerey-Lester

WEEKLY NEWS FROM THE ART WORLD