Barcelona, Spain: “20 Years, in 20 x 20”
On the occasion of the celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Artelibre Gallery, led by Jose Enrique González, the Museu Europeu d’Art Modern (MEAM) exhibits 160 works in 20 x 20 format made by more than a hundred artists of international stature. The exhibition can be seen in the museum until September 22, 2019.
Curt Walters, “A Chase of Sublime: Plateau Point,” oil on canvas, 36 x 36 in., $62,000
Watch as American landscape artist Curt Walters (www.curtwalters.com) receives the Buyer’s Choice Award at the 47th Annual Prix de West Invitational. This is the seventh time Walters has received the Buyer’s Choice Award.
Drawing from its own collection, the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere (“Belvedere”) has organized an exhibition about the development of oil sketches from the early 19th century through the early 20th century. Before this period, such sketches served as drafts for larger paintings, but soon they evolved into artworks in their own right.
“Fast & Fluid: The Fascination of the Oil Sketch” focuses on three themes — clouds, landscapes, and figures — and features works that delight us today with their often unorthodox subjects, intimacy, immediacy, and rapid brushwork. Curator Rolf H. Johannsen has selected works by mostly Austrian artists including Adalbert Stifter, Hans von Marées, Anton Romako, Hans Makart, Tina Blau, and Koloman Moser, but there are a few Germans mixed in, including the famous Caspar David Friedrich.
Chiura Obata (1885–1975), “Evening Glow at Yosemite Waterfall, Yosemite National Park, California,” no. 23 of the World Landscape Series, 1930, color woodcut on paper, 15 11/16 x 11 in., Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, 1963.30.3126.23
Sacramento, California crockerart.org
through September 29
The Crocker Art Museum is the latest stop for “Chiura Obata: An American Modern.” It is the first touring retrospective devoted to this Japanese-American artist (1885–1975), who is represented by more than 150 watercolors, paintings, prints, and screens. These range from intimate ikebana studies to grand landscapes of the American West; many have never been on public display.
Born in Japan, Obata emigrated to the U.S. in 1903 and became an influential professor at the University of California, Berkeley, for 22 years — a tenure interrupted by his internment in 1942–43 simply because he was Japanese.
This project was organized by the Art, Design & Architecture Museum at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where it premiered in 2018. Its final stop will be the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. (November 27, 2019–May 25, 2020).
James John Hill, “The Fisherman’s Daughter,” oil on canvas, ca. 1855–1860. Gift of Miss Evelyn Page, 1958.64.
New London, Connecticut – “Brought to Light: European Paintings from the Collection” showcases the Lyman Allyn’s collection of European paintings with a selection of portraits, history paintings, still lifes, genre scenes, and landscapes from the early Renaissance through the 1800s.
European paintings have been part of the collection since the Lyman Allyn opened in 1932, but the museum’s more recent emphasis on American art has kept its European paintings hidden away in storage. “Brought to Light” reexamines the museum’s European paintings, sharing key pieces and their rich stories with the public. The exhibition is on view from through the summer of 2020.
Unknown artist, “Still Life with Cherries,” oil on canvas, early 1600s. Gift of Mr. Nathan Joseph Leigh, 1958.105.
More from the Museum:
The Lyman Allyn’s European collection is eclectic, the result of art acquired over decades through individual gifts and purchases. This installation, which occupies three adjacent galleries and the corridor on the second floor of the museum, results from consultations with subject specialists and from recent research, with the goal of better understanding the collection and advancing scholarship.
Organized by subject matter, “Brought to Light” presents a range of styles and topics by British, Dutch, Flemish, French, Italian, Spanish, and other European artists, suggesting both commonalities and differences in how painters in various eras and places approached their material, portraying people, places, and stories with enduring appeal.
“I’ve been here before. I had no idea it would be so different.”
These words are often heard on our annual Fine Art Trip. Because we’ve gone to some places in Europe that many have visited on their own, there is often reluctance to go back.
We always remind them that when you travel with Fine Art Connoisseur, you’re seeing the area and the art with fresh eyes and a new perspective, because we provide commentary and experts at every turn. And we provide experiences others simply cannot.
For instance…
I’d been to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, battling the lines and crowds and seeing it all with no lights. With Fine Art Connoisseur, we had rare PRIVATE access with a small group, no crowds, an hour on our own, and the lights on.
I’d seen Prague several times before and was not sure there was more to see, but I went along anyway, and I’m glad I did. We were the last in the world to see Alphonse Mucha’s giant Slav Epic paintings before they were confiscated and placed in a warehouse, and it is uncertain when, if ever, they will be seen again.
Then we went to the private home of the artist’s daughter-in-law and saw Mucha’s private family collection of paintings. We were only able to arrange it because of our connections in the art world. Even our tour guides, who had lived there for decades, said these were two of the most special things they have experienced in a lifetime and they had not even been aware these things were in Prague.
I’d been to Russia and the Hermitage, but I battled the crowds and the lack of air conditioning. But twice we were able to have the entire Hermitage museum to ourselves, just our group after the museum was closed, and we had a well-known curator walk us through while telling the stories of paintings.
I could go on, with stories of private parties in places others simply cannot access. Private collections, homes, studios of artists, and so much more.
Roger Rossi
Guest Roger Rossi, who has been on each of our last nine trips, had this to say . . .
“It’s hard to explain the Fine Art Connoisseur trips to those who have never experienced at least one of these events. I’ve traveled to Monaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Nice, and Provence . . . Why would I want to go back again and waste my final savings to see once more what I have already absorbed into my memories?
“It is because when I travel with Fine Art Connoisseur, I see and learn things I was never exposed to, and I meet the top experts and am given access to places I could have never discovered on my own. Plus, I do not want to stay at home thinking of all the family we have cultivated since 2010, who are there together and I am not with them. Why would I do that to myself?
“Life has to go on, and we must live it to the fullest.”
Every year we’ve heard these words . . .
“I’m so glad I came. I almost didn’t come because I’ve been here before. I saw things I never would have seen, experienced things I never would have experienced, and I grew close to others on the trip, who enriched my life.”
Your Invitation to Join a Spectacular 10th-Anniversary Trip
We could have gone anywhere in the world to see art “behind the scenes,” and we selected the South of France and Provence because we have not traveled there before, because we have deep connections in the area, allowing us special access to some amazing experiences, and because everyone loves Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir, Pissarro. Plus, the area is magical and was painted by Monet, Chagall, and Picasso.
This trip, our 10th, will be enhanced by access to special places, special experts, and legendary lectures by Editor-in-Chief Peter Trippi.
“This is, by far, the best way to see the art world” — Roger Rossi
We will tour the villages, the art, the spectacular cathedrals, the art studios, and the places that will make famous paintings come alive. Plus, we have planned several special private events to make our 10th annual trip magical.
And as an optional post-trip, we’ll travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, for an amazing Scottish art adventure. You’ll want to do both.
Limited Attendance Because It’s Our 10th-Year Celebration
We keep our trips small because we want our guests to develop deep friendships, and because large groups cannot access some of the private places we take our guests. This is a way to see the art world from behind the scenes.
Because it’s our 10th, we have only a few remaining slots available. Most of our previous guests are returning to celebrate our anniversary — only a few could not attend because of previous commitments. And many who have been gone awhile are returning for this trip. Yet there are also a couple of new people, and you’ll feel right at home joining us for the art trip of a lifetime.
Fine Art Connoisseur Fine Art Trip to the South of France and Provence: October 11–19, 2019
Optional Post-Trip to Edinburgh, Scotland: October 19–23, 2019
To learn more, visit FineArtTrip.com.
William Schneider’s “Queen of Hearts,” which previously won the Prix de Pastel (Best of Show) at the 11th IAPS Biennial Exhibition.
The International Association of Pastel Societies (IAPS) has awarded William A. Schneider the status of “Eminent Pastelist,” their highest designation. William was previously recognized with IAPS’s “Master Circle” designation. The honor is conferred on Master Circle members who have been accepted and/or received awards in fifteen IAPS exhibitions.
Each recipient of the Eminent Pastelist award receives a certificate and a gold pin with a ruby. These will be presented at the Fourteenth Biennial IAPS Convention in Albuquerque, NM, June 5, 2021.
Schneider commented, “I am thrilled to receive this honor, and applaud the role of IAPS in fostering the recognition of the pastel medium.”
Weir After Rain
Watercolour on panel
20 x16 in.
$1800 Available from The Flight of Fancy, Bear River, NS, Canada
Herring weirs are a recurring theme in Poppy Balser’s paintings, such as Weir After Rain. Weirs were traditionally built from wood or stones. The use of fishing weirs as fish traps scans countless years and many societies worldwide.
“Weirs were strung all along seashores of the Bay of Fundy when I was growing up in New Brunswick, Canada. They were commonplace and unremarkable. Now weirs are disappearing due to declining fish stocks. Whenever I find a weir still in use, I make sure to paint it, to document each so weirs do not disappear from our memory,” says Poppy.
Poppy recently won “Best in Show” while participating in the Parrsboro International Plein Air Festival. The painting was of one of the few remaining weirs in Nova Scotia. The fisherman who operates the weir told Poppy there has been a weir in the location for at least 180 years, showing that this truly is a practice with historic significance.
Much of Poppy’s painting approach and objectives are echoed in the comments of the festival’s juror and fellow artist Nancy Tankersley. “This painting showed great design and a good sense of the light and time of day. The point of view is quite low which heightens the monumental feel of the structures. The big shape on the left of the painting is strong and simple and leads to the smaller shapes of the rocks in the foreground and the poles and nets off in the distance. The variety of shapes lends an interesting rhythm to the piece which is very musical. Think of the bold strong note set by the shape on the left, followed by short staccato notes of the distant shapes over the lilting melody of the foreground water, ending with a quiet whisper of sound as the shapes dissolve into a distant melody. The band of strong blue color on the distant horizon helps to hold the shapes of the fishing weir together. The suggestion of shape behind the foreground net adds to its transparency and the direction of the water helps to form a circular movement which keeps the viewer in the painting.”
“My experience with weirs began when I was a child, I was able to explore the one in the bay across the road. Every low tide in daylight hours I was permitted to enter the weir to explore after the fisherman had been in and completed his work. I never knew what I might find and thus a sense of discovery accompanied each trip. I still feel a sense of wonder as I approach a weir,” adds Poppy.
Edward Duff, “Ascend,” 2019, oil on paper, 8 x 12 in.
The Higher Art Gallery (Traverse City, Michigan) is pleased to welcome Michigan painter Edward Duff back for his second solo show. “Sea to Sky” will be on view from July 26 through September 1, 2019.
Visitors can expect to enjoy what we at Higher Art Gallery have loved most about Duff’s work: his tremendous and sweeping renderings of clouds and of shining seascapes that often mirror the feelings of an approaching storm.
Edward Duff, “Storm Over Mackinac Island,” 2019, oil on wood panel, 8 x 8 in.Edward Duff, “Impending,” 2019, oil on paper, 6 x 6 in.Edward Duff, “Azure Sea,” 2019, oil on wood panel, 8 x 8 in.
Duff has the impressive ability to conjure memories and evoke emotion through his work. His paintings are often inspired by his travels, which serve as visual journals translated through his artist’s memory.
The artist will be present for the opening reception at The Higher Art Gallery. Please call 231-252-4616 for all inquiries or to request a digital catalog of this collection.
THOMAS MORAN (1837-1926), "Green River, Wyoming," (1883), oil on canvas, 13.25 × 20 inches, signed and dated lower right,$1,000,000-1,500,000
The Coeur d’Alene Art Auction (Reno, Nevada) is pleased to announce its 34th annual Western art auction, to be held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada, on July 25, 2019. With over $300 million in sales over the last fifteen years, the auction has been hailed as “The Biggest and Most Successful Auction of Western Art” by the Wall Street Journal and was named “The Most Important Annual Event for Collectors of Western Art” by the New York Times.
CHARLES M. RUSSELL (1864–1926), “Creased,” 1911, watercolor, 28 x 23 in. Presale Estimate: $800,000–$1,200,000
From the organizers:
Museum-quality paintings will cross the block, headlined by a pair of masterpieces by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell. “Casuals on the Range” is a rare oil by Remington, and Russell’s “Creased” is a prime 1911 watercolor. Both come from the estate of John J. “Jack” Mitchell, a renowned collector and co-founder of United Airlines. Mitchell began collecting in the 1930s and amassed a fine collection of Western art. Both paintings are fresh to the market and carry presale estimates of $800,000–$1,200,000.
MARTIN GRELLE (b. 1954), “Monarchs of the North,” (2002), oil on canvas, 46 × 60 inches, signed and dated lower right, $250,000-350,000E. WILLIAM GOLLINGS (1878-1932), “The Red Man’s Directions,” (1924), oil on canvas, 22 × 30 inches, signed and dated lower right, $250,000-350,000ERNEST BLUMENSCHEIN (1874-1960), “White Sun,” (1927), oil on canvas, 26 × 13 inches, signed lower left, $150,000-250,000
Museum-quality paintings will cross the block, headlined by a pair of masterpieces by Henry Farny and Thomas Moran.
Coeur d’Alene has long been the specialist in selling works by Charles M. Russell. Montana’s favorite artist has been a mainstay of the auction for decades, and this year features a large selection of his works.
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