Featured Artwork: Matt Sterbenz presented by the Grand Canyon Celebration of Art

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September 30, 2019

Temples of Radiance
24 x 36 in.
Oil on canvas

Celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park, this year’s Grand Canyon Celebration of Art features 27 artists who have been successful in overcoming the challenges of capturing the canyon on canvas. The artists participated in Plein Air at Grand Canyon September 7th-14th, facing windy conditions, the ever shifting light, and the sheer vastness of the canyon. The work they created, along with their studio work, is on exhibit at historic Kolb Studio at the south rim of Grand Canyon until January 20, 2020.

Following in the footsteps of the many artists who have painted the Grand Canyon over the past 160 years, Matt Sterbenz is one of the participating Celebration of Art artists. Of his studio painting Temples of Radiance, Sterbenz says:

“With the first rays of light, monuments of stone begin to emerge from the vast
shadowy depth. The sunlight intensifies, shadows recede, and a symphony of color presents itself to us. In this painting, I strive to capture the magnificent sunrise and the feeling of awe and wonder I get every time I visit the park.”

To see more of Sterbenz’s and the other participating artists’ work please visit:
https://www.grandcanyon.org/events/celebration-of-art-2019/

For more information contact Kathy Duley at [email protected] or
480-277-0458.

The Poetry of Nature: Hudson River School Landscapes

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Fine Art Today

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September 30, 2019

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Louisa Davis Minot - Niagara Falls - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Louisa Davis Minot, “Niagara Falls,” 1818, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 5/8 in. New-York Historical Society, Gift of Mrs. Waldron Phoenix Belknap Sr. to the Waldron Phoenix Belknap Jr. Collection, 1956.3

The Poetry of Nature: Hudson River School Landscapes from the New-York Historical Society
Cincinnati, Ohio
https://taftmuseum.org
Through January 12, 2020

George Henry Boughton - Hudson River Valley painting — George Henry Boughton, “Hudson River Valley from Fort Putnam, West Point,” 1855, oil on canvas, 46 7/16 in. × 58 5/16 in. New-York Historical Society, Gift of John V. Irwin and William F. Irwin, 1927.1

The paintings in “The Poetry of Nature” reveal the natural wonders that sparked the first artistic movement in the United States. The American landscape inspired a loosely knit group of 19th-century artists to create paintings that present nature as spiritually renewing and culturally defining. Sketching outdoors and composing their ideal visions of the landscape in their studios, these artists filled their canvases with majestic mountains, tranquil valleys, enchanting forests, shimmering lakes, and luminous skies. Such views of nature forged an essential part of America’s national identity as people sought respite from rapidly expanding cities during an age of industrial progress.

Bierstadt paintings - Autumn Woods — Albert Bierstadt, “Autumn Woods, Oneida County, State of New York,” 1886, oil on linen, 54 x 84 in. New-York Historical Society, Gift of Mrs. Albert Bierstadt, 1910.11

While some artists traveled around the continent, this exhibition highlights the movement’s roots in New York’s Hudson River Valley; the Catskills, Adirondacks, and White Mountains; and other locations in the eastern United States. Works by well-known artists, including Thomas Cole, Asher B. Durand, Jasper Francis Cropsey, and Sanford Robinson Gifford, join lesser-known gems by Louisa Davis Minot and William Louis Sonntag—who began his career in Cincinnati—to paint a picture of America’s promise embodied in landscape.

Asher Durand painting - Group of Trees — Asher B. Durand, “Group of Trees,” 1855–1857, oil on canvas, 24 × 18 in. New-York Historical Society, Purchase, The Louis Durr Fund, 1887.8

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Van Gogh and His Inspirations

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Fine Art Today

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September 28, 2019

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Van Gogh paintings - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, 1853–1890), “Charrette de Bœuf,” 1884, oil on canvas, Portland Art Museum

The Columbia Museum of Art (CMA) presents the major exhibition “Van Gogh and His Inspirations,” on view Friday, October 4, 2019, through Sunday, January 12, 2020. Organized by the CMA and presented by the Blanchard Family, “Van Gogh and His Inspirations” is an original, exclusive exhibition that brings the work of one of the most beloved artists in the world to Columbia, South Carolina, alongside a variety of handpicked paintings and drawings that shaped his vision.

“‘Van Gogh and His Inspirations’ represents an exhilarating high-water mark for exhibitions at the Columbia Museum of Art,” says Executive Director Della Watkins. “This show is the culmination of years of work to secure loans from museums and private collections; plan complicated logistical details; establish national, statewide, and local partners in arts, culture, tourism, marketing, hospitality, and education; and honor audience requests for internationally significant shows in the Midlands. Get ready to immerse yourself in fascinating stories and breathtaking art, and get to know the real Van Gogh, one of history’s most mysterious and intense artists.”

Art historians and South Carolina residents Steven Naifeh and his late partner Greg Smith made a major contribution to the understanding of Van Gogh through the publication of their monumental book (and New York Times bestseller) Van Gogh: The Life in 2011. During the decade spent researching and writing this book, with access to the Van Gogh Museum archives and translations of previously ignored documents, the pair built a coherent collection of works by artists who influenced Van Gogh’s aesthetic thinking. On view to the public for the first time, this private collection speaks directly to Van Gogh’s artistic evolution.

Historic oil paintings - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Antonij (Anton) Rudolf Mauve (Dutch, 1838–1888), “On the Dunes,” c. 1875, oil on canvas, Naifeh/Smith Collection

In addition to the Naifeh/Smith collection used as its foundation, “Van Gogh and His Inspirations” includes loans from 12 museums across the U.S., to explore the development of Van Gogh through the lens of the artists who inspired him. The exhibition also brings 12 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh himself, including an outstanding painting of flower fields from the National Gallery of Art, a sensitive painting of a weaver from the Boston Museum of Fine Art, and the world-famous self-portrait from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Side by side with their inspirations, these works offer visitors a window into the mind of Van Gogh.

In total, “Van Gogh and His Inspirations” consists of some 60 works, largely paintings but also drawings and etchings, that form a unique, landmark exhibition that builds on the scholarship of Smith and Naifeh.

“Van Gogh and His Inspirations” is on view Friday, October 4, 2019, through Sunday, January 12, 2020. For more information, please visit columbiamuseum.org.

Thinking Italian: An Evening Auction

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Fine Art Today

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September 27, 2019

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Christies fine art auction LOT 116 Giorgio Morandi — LOT116 | PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, MILAN Giorgio Morandi (1890–1964), “Natura morta,” Estimate: GBP 400,000 – GBP 600,000 (USD 498,400 – USD 747,600), signed 'Morandi' (lower center), oil on canvas, 9¼ x 14⅛ in. (23.5 x 36 cm) Painted in 1946

Christie’s “Thinking Italian Evening Auction” will take place during Frieze Week on October 4, 2019, and directly follows the Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction. The auction will be led by Alberto Burri’s “Sacco” (1953, estimate: £3,000,000–5,000,000) a rare early example of the artist’s famed Sacchi, the iconic series that he began in 1950, and by an early steel work by Lucio Fontana that encapsulates the artist’s exploration of space, “Concetto spaziale” (1954, Estimate on Request).

“Art for Future, Selected Works from the UniCredit Group” will be presented across both evening auctions, with Enrico Castellani and Giuseppe Gallo starring in “Thinking Italian.” Mario Schifano’s oeuvre during the 1960s was defined by the artist’s experimentation as he sought to carve out his indefatigable style. This decade of his career is represented by “Non misterioso” (1961, estimate: £300,000–500,000) and “Paesaggio anemico III” (1965, estimate: £350,000–500,000). There will be 33 works included in “Thinking Italian,” which will be on view in London through October 4, 2019, including the following:

LOT 114
Alighiero Boetti (1940–1994), “Ammazzare il tempo”
Estimate: GBP 650,000 – GBP 850,000 (USD 809,250 – USD 1,058,250) (i): signed, titled, inscribed, and dated ‘alighiero e boetti 1978 NOVE “AMMAZZARE IL TEMPO” INSEPARABILI’ (on the overlap), embroidery on canvas, in nine parts, each: 11¾ x 11¾ in. (30 x 30 cm) Executed in 1978

LOT 118 | PROPERTY OF A DISTINGUISHED EUROPEAN GENTLEMAN
Mario Schifano (1934–1998), “Paesaggio anemico III,” Estimate: GBP 350,000 – GBP 500,000 (USD 436,100 – USD 623,000); signed, titled, and inscribed ‘Paesaggio anemico III Schifano GMarconi’ (on the reverse of each element), enamel and graphite on two joined canvases, overall: 78¾ x 86¼ in. (200 x 219 cm) Executed in 1965

LOT117 | PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT JAPANESE PRIVATE COLLECTION
Alberto Burri (1915–1995), “Sacco” Estimate: GBP 3,000,000 – GBP 5,000,000 (USD 3,738,000 – USD 6,230,000); signed and dated ‘BURRI 53’ (lower right), burlap, fabric, oil, gold and Vinavil on canvas, 39¼ x 33⅞ in. (99.8 x 86 cm) Executed in 1953

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7 Winning Colored Pencil Works

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Fine Art Today

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September 26, 2019

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Colored pencil art - Barbara Dahlstedt - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Barbara Dahlstedt, “Wyld Man”

The Colored Pencil Society of America has revealed the winners of the 27th International Exhibition Awards. This year’s juror was Jean Stearn, Executive Director, Irvine Museum Collection, University of California, Irvine. View all of the winning artworks at www.cpsa.org.

Best of Show and CIPPY/EXPY Award $5,000: Barbara Dahlstedt, CPSA, CPX (AZ), “Wyld Man” (shown at top)

CPSA District Chapters Award for Exceptional Achievement $2,750: Jesse Lane, CPSA (TX), “Abyss”:

Derwent / MacPherson’s Art Award for Exceptional Merit $1,000: Tanja Gant, CPSA, CPX (TX), “A Different Point of View”:

Faber-Castell Award for Exceptional Merit $1,000: John Smolko, CPSA, CPX (OH), “Thompson (Father of Us All)”:

John Smolko, “Thompson (Father of Us All)”

Legion Paper Award for Exceptional Merit $1,000: Gretchen Parker, CPSA, CPX (SC), “Metro Air”:

Lyra Award for Exceptional Merit $1000: Rhonda Dicksion (WA), “Desert King”:

Stabilo / MacPherson’s Art Award for Exceptional Merit $1000: Rhonda Anderson (CA), “Mono No Aware”:

Awards for Outstanding Achievement $800:
Caryn Coville, CPX (NY), “Threesome”
Denise Howard, CPSA, CPX (CA), “Tree of Witness”
Valorie Sams (NM), “Margaret’s Stash”

Awards for Distinction $500:
Tammy Hoffert (ND), “Wheels of Time”
Amy Turner, CPSA, CPX (IL), “King of the Board Track Racers—1915 Indian Motorcycle”
Gayle Uyehara (CA), “Family Ties”
Susan Wattles (CA), “Gloomy Cook’s”

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Featured Artwork: Marcia Holmes

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Fine Art Today

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September 25, 2019

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OASIS
Oil on Canvas
60 x 60
$9,500
Available through Degas Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana

Marcia states “I am always drawn to water, my personal OASIS! While teaching in the Southwest at the IAPS Convention in June, I visited this lovely location, full of water lilies, reflections of fluffy clouds and the white drift of snow from cottonwood trees floating in the air and landing on the water. Then it happened! One of those special moments occurred when a lone lily frond was pushed by the wind like a small sailboat, straight toward me, as if gliding to a pre destination! No wonder the inspiration, as if in Giverny, but the pond is named “Shady Lakes” just outside Albuquerque, NM. The gleaming blue impasto notes are a glimpse between the tree limbs and into CHROMA!

OASIS is one of the featured paintings in CHROMA, a Solo Show of large and small works, opening at the Degas Gallery on October 5th for Art for Art’s Sake on Julia Street in the historic Arts District of New Orleans.

Marcia Holmes paints contemporary works from representational sources of nature in an impressionist and abstract expressionist style. Her abstract painting gained her a position this past year in the prestigious Ogden Museum of Southern Art Louisiana Contemporary, sponsored by the Helis Foundation. She is celebrating 20 years as a professional artist after a CPA career in Mississippi! On Sept. 26th, she is being honored as Visual Artist of the Year by the Cultural Arts Commission of Louisiana’s largest parish, St. Tammany – New Orleans’ north shore.

“Marcia Holmes’ oils and pastels show her sharp observations of the aliveness of nature. They are so lyrical, evoking wild and verdant gardens and water resplendent with light and color.”
Cybèle Gontar, Owner and Director, Degas Gallery, New Orleans

Marcia was an invited instructor at the 2019 International Association of Pastel Societies Convention in New Mexico and Pastel Society of America at the National Arts Club, New York City. Marcia also gives several abstract workshops each year. She has been featured in American Art Collector, The Pastel Journal, Southwest Art Magazine, with art featured in Fine Art Connoisseur. Marcia’s work has been published in: Art Journey Abstract Painting: A Celebration of Contemporary Art and pure PASTEL: Contemporary Works by Today’s Top Artists.

Upcoming Exhibitions:
CHROMA – Solo Exhibition at Degas Gallery, New Orleans, LA October 5-31, 2019. Marcia’s fourth consecutive exhibition will include twenty new oil, pastel and mixed media paintings.

Forty-Seventh Annual Exhibition Enduring Brilliance, Pastel Society of America, The National Arts Club, New York, NY September 3 – 28, 2019

Gallery Representations:
Degas Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Armbruster Artworks, Covington, LA

Marcia is a member of these fine art organizations:
Pastel Society of America – Master, Signature
International Association of Pastel Societies – Master Circle
Degas Pastel Society – Signature member/Board Member
American Impressionist Society – Associate Member

View More of Marcia’s paintings online: www.MarciaHolmes.com

Find her on Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook: Marcia Holmes
Instagram: marciaholmesart

Jackson Hole Art Auction Sees $5.6 million in Sales

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Fine Art Today

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September 23, 2019

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Jackson Hole Art Auction - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Carl Rungius (1869–1959), “Alaskan Wilderness,” oil on canvas, 40 1/4 x 50 1/4 in. Estimate: $400,000-$600,000; Sold: $642,500

Hosted by Trailside Galleries and the Gerald Peters Gallery, the 13th Annual Jackson Hole Art Auction saw 84 percent of the 518 lots sold over two days, realizing over $5.6 million in sales.

More from the organizers:

The cover lot, Carl Rungius’ “Alaskan Wilderness,” topped the sale, exceeding its high estimate at $642,500 after enthusiastic bidding in the room. The price marks a house record for Rungius, and the all-time second highest price for the artist at auction.

Seventeen new artist world records were established, including “The Red Shield” by Roy Andersen, which realized a world record price-per-square-inch for the artist. The sale also saw the highest price achieved to date for a G. Harvey bronze at auction, with “The Spirit of Texas” bringing $36,000. Both sessions featured very active bidding across a variety of genres, excellent floor attendance, and robust remote bidding.

G. Harvey (1933–2017), “The Spirit of Texas” (2006), bronze 5/25, 48 x 40 x 15 1/2 in.
Estimate: $30,000-$50,000; Sold: $36,000 *World Record* for bronze

Works by Bob Kuhn saw strong interest, with “The Look Before the Leap” bringing $180,000, while “Cat on the Qui Vive” sold for $175,500.

Bob Kuhn (1920–2007), “The Look Before the Leap” (1996), acrylic on masonite, 20 x 35 1/2 in.
Estimate: $100,000-$200,000; Sold: $180,000

Bob Kuhn (1920–2007), “Cat on the Qui Vive” (1996), acrylic on masonite, 20 x 36 in.
Estimate: $150,000-$250,000; Sold: $175,500

Other exceptional wildlife results included Tucker Smith’s “Shiras Bull,” selling above estimate at $64,350, and Robert Bateman’s “Elk and Aspen,” which brought $81,900. Carl Rungius’s “Timber” sold for $105,300, while his “Bighorn Sheep” achieved $76,050.

Tucker Smith (1940–Present), “Shiras Bull,” oil on canvas, 20 x 24 in.
Estimate: $30,000-$50,000; Sold: $64,350

Robert Bateman (1930 –Present), “Elk and Aspen,” acrylic on canvas, 48 x 60 in.
Estimate: $80,000-$120,000; Sold: $81,900

Carl Rungius (1869–1959), “Timber,” oil on canvas, 24 x 32 in.
Estimate: $150,000-$250,000; Sold: $105,300

Carl Rungius (1869–1959), “Bighorn Sheep,” oil on canvas, 16 x 20 in.
Estimate: $80,000-$120,000; Sold: $76,050

Classic western art shone at this year’s Jackson Hole Art Auction, with William R. Leigh’s “Faithful” bringing $175,500, and Charles M. Russell’s “The Three Wise Men” selling for $169,650.

William R. Leigh (1866–1955), “Faithful,” oil on canvas, 28 x 36 in.
Estimate: $200,000-$300,000; Sold: $175,500

Charles M. Russell (1864–1926), “The Three Wise Men” (1920), gouache on brown paper, 23 1/2 x 40 in.
Estimate: $200,000-$400,000; Sold: $169,650

Olaf Wieghorst’s “The Last March” sold for nearly double the low estimate at an impressive $93,600, and Charlie Dye’s iconic western scene “Remuda” achieved the high end of its estimate, also bringing $93,600.

Olaf Wieghorst (1899–1988), “The Last March,” oil on canvas, 20 x 26 in.
Estimate: $50,000-$75,000; Sold: $93,600

Strong interest in contemporary work drove numerous pieces over their high estimates — chief among them was Logan Maxwell Hagege’s “The Rising Clouds,” which sold for $187,200. James Bama’s “Trout Creek Ranch” also soared above its high estimate, bringing $81,900 after spirited bidding.

Logan Maxwell Hagege (1980–Present), “The Rising Clouds,” oil on linen, 60 x 60 in.
Estimate: $80,000-$120,000; Sold: $187,200

James Bama (1926–Present), “Trout Creek Ranch,” oil on board, 20 x 20 in.
Estimate: $30,000-$50,000; Sold: $81,900

View the full auction results at www.jacksonholeartauction.com.

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Martin Wittfooth: A Retrospective

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Fine Art Today

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September 21, 2019

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Martin Wittfooth contemporary paintings 091819a — Many of Wittfooth’s works explore the theme of shamanism — rituals and practices as old as our species — through which we have attempted to dialogue with nature: the nature outside ourselves and the nature within.

Martin Wittfooth is an artist whose paintings, drawings, installations, and sculptural works investigate themes of the intersection and clash of industry and nature, and the human influence on the environment. His works are currently on view in New York at Muroff-Kotler Visual Arts Gallery (AUXGallery.net) through October 18, 2019.

More from the gallery:

Many of Wittfooth’s works explore the theme of shamanism — rituals and practices as old as our species — through which we have attempted to dialogue with nature: the nature outside ourselves and the nature within. His creative language uses the combination of allegory and symbolism to convey visual narratives.

Martin Wittfooth, “Stasis 3,” 2019, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in.

Martin Wittfooth, “Triumph and Tragedy,” 2014, oil and gold leaf on canvas, 75 x 69 in.

Martin Wittfooth was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1981. He currently splits his time between two studios — Savannah, Georgia, and the Hudson Valley. He earned his MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2008. Wittfooth’s work has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, including the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Akron Art Museum in Ohio, and La Halle Saint-Pierre in Paris, with solo exhibitions in New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Montreal. His paintings have also appeared in numerous publications.

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NOAPS 29th Annual Juried Exhibition

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Fine Art Today

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September 20, 2019

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NOAPS 29th Annual Juried Exhibition — Tim Breaux’s painting “Cheops Pyramid Sunset” won Best of Show at last year’s NOAPS “Best of America” National Juried Exhibition

Update: Amid the growing concern for public health safety due to the possible spread of the Coronavirus, the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society has canceled the events during opening week of the 2020 Best of America Small Works National Juried Exhibition. This includes the Dan Gerhartz workshop and demo, the demonstration by Barbara Nuss, the gallery tour and the Williamsburg Paint demonstration. However, the exhibition will still be hung, and at this point McBride Gallery plans to move ahead with their normal activities for an exhibition opening.

Original announcement published 9/20/19:

Park City, Utah
noaps.org and montgomeryleefineart.com
Through October 27

The National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS) will soon present its 29th annual “Best of America” National Juried Exhibition at Montgomery-Lee Fine Art. This exhibition attracts artists from across the U.S. and Canada, with some originating as far away as Asia. Approximately 125 works were selected from the more than 1,000 submitted.

The opening week will feature a portraiture workshop led by awards judge Jian Wu, demonstrations by Elizabeth Robbins and Shanna Kunz, and a paint-out.

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A Brush with HerStory

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Fine Art Today

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September 19, 2019

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Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso paintings - FineArtConnoisseur.com — Gabriela Gonzales Dellosso, The Mentor (Self-Portrait), 2010. Oil on linen. Lent by Ms. Roberta Cervelli

A Brush with HerStory: Paintings by Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso
Through November 10, 2019, at the Heckscher Museum of Art (Huntington, NY)

Gabriela Gonzales Dellosso, “Homage to Mary Cassatt (Self-Portrait),” 2008. Oil on linen. Private Collection

Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso is a contemporary figure painter of consummate skill and deep art historical knowledge. This exhibition focuses on the artist’s Homage works, which pay tribute to great female painters from the Renaissance through the modern era.

Gabriela Gonzales Dellosso, “Homage Ode: Rachel Ruysch,” 2018. Mixed media. Courtesy of the Harmon-Meek Gallery.

Using a variety of approaches, Dellosso often melds her own image to artists from the past, creating self-portraits that transcend time while conveying the inspiring stories of historical women. Also included is work from the artist’s most recent series, Homage Ode, which takes the form of exquisite illuminated manuscripts with poetry inspired by select historical artists.

Gabriela Gonzales Dellosso, “The Burning of Adélaïe Labille-Guiard’s Masterpiece (Self -Portrait Homage),” 2015. Oil on linen. Lent by Mr. and Mrs. Gary Erbe.

Editor’s Note: Gabriela Gonzalez Dellosso is also on the faculty for the upcoming Figurative Art Convention & Expo, November 10–13, 2019, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Learn more at https://figurativeartconvention.com.

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