Jazz by Brennan’s
29 x 31 in (74 x 79 cm)
Watercolor on paper
Available through the artist
$5900 framed
There are cities such as Venice or Paris, with a special quality and character which have inspired artists for centuries. In the United States, watercolor artist Matthew Bird finds New Orleans to be such a place. “There is just no other place like it with its mix of architecture, food and music! Matthew has done several paintings inspired by the “Birthplace of Jazz.”
Impromptu musical performances pop-up all around the French Quarter. Matthew came upon one particular lively group outside Brennan’s Restaurant. The musicians were playing “Li’l Liza Jane” under the hot mid-day sun.
Jazz By Brennan’s captures the feeling of the sticky summer heat, and sixteenth notes cutting through the air, instantly transporting one into the uniquely New Orleans culture.
Matthew maintains a studio outside Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and children. He paints with a deep love and respect for nature and life, enjoying both portrait and still life work.
“I have focused on developing my craft to capture the beauty of what surrounds me with precision and clarity,” he says, “and I strive to convey that to all people through the universal language of representational art. It is my desire that when others see my work they may be inspired by the perceptible signs of the real Creator.”
Born in Baltimore, Matthew graduated with honors from the Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York, in 2000. He is a Signature Member of numerous organizations, including the National Watercolor Society, and his award-winning watercolor paintings have been exhibited across the United States, as well as in Canada, China, Greece, Hong Kong, and Italy. His work is in a permanent museum collection as well as numerous private collections.
Matthew has been featured several times in Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine as one of “Today’s Masters,” American Art Collector, Watercolor Magazine, The Artist’s Magazine, The Art of Watercolour Magazine, and Splash: Best of Watercolor.
Carrying on the great traditions of representational oil painting and passing that torch to her students are Lyn’s two great passions. She is an award winning plein air and studio oil painter with works in private collections across the United States. After studying in Melbourne, Australia, Lyn spent 25 years as an American illustrator and painter, garnering awards from the Oil Painters of America, Fine Art Connoisseur, Southwest Art, the Society of Illustrators, the Art Directors Club, the Illustrators Workshops and the American Institute of Graphic Arts, among others. Lyn uses the focus, energy and ability to respond in the moment required of plein air painting not only in the field but also to inform and bring life to her studio work. Lyn’s devotion to painting ‘en plein air’ takes her on the road for more than half the year before returning to her studio in Durango, Colorado for the winter months.
Lyn is represented by:
Authentique Gallery of Fine Art, St. George, UT
Sorrel Sky Gallery, Durango, CO
Oh Be Joyful Gallery, Crested Butte, CO
Rockpile Beach
Mark Jacobucci
12 x 16 in.
Oil on panel
The Festival of Arts Fine Art Show will celebrate its 87th year July 5 through August 31, 2019 in Laguna Beach, California. Live music, hands-on art activities, exhibitions of local student artwork and a wide variety of special events round out one of Southern California’s favorite outdoor summer festivals. The Festival of Arts is sponsored in part by Southern California Acura Dealers, Fidelity Investments, KOST Radio 103.5, San Diego County Credit Union, and The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.
The Festival has been rated one of the top festivals in the nation and each year hosts 140 of Orange County’s most talented artists. Recent accolades include Orange County Register’s Best Place to Buy Original Art, Art Fair Calendar’s Top Five Art Fairs in the West and Top 5 Art Festival in the nation voted by USA Today readers.
“Avid art collectors and festival-goers will have an outstanding variety of fine art to browse and purchase as they walk among the artists displays,” says Marketing and Public Relations Director Sharbie Higuchi.
The Festival of Arts is a professionally juried fine art show featuring a diverse selection of artwork including paintings, sculpture, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and more from artists around Orange County. Since opening in 1932, thousands have shown and sold their artwork at the Festival and many have their work featured in the private collections of leading art collectors, celebrities, and museums around the world.
In addition to the variety of artwork, the Festival of Arts offers a wide range of daily activities that the whole family can enjoy. The calendar includes nightly live music, guided art tours, art workshops and weekly series including Concerts on the Green (sponsored by Cambria Estates Vineyard and Winery) and Art, Jazz, Wine, and Chocolate (sponsored by Charles Schwab). Several special one-day events will return this year, including the very popular Festival Runway Fashion Show and Family Art Day.
“Looking back at the original Festival of Arts in 1932, there was something for everyone to enjoy. That tradition continues today,” said Higuchi. “With beautiful art, nightly live music, workshops for all ages, and unique events, the Festival is truly a full arts experience.”
On view at Arcadia Contemporary are recent paintings by J. Louis (b. 1992). Originally from Germany, Louis now lives in New York City, where he creates works depicting elegant women set against energetic, abstracted fields of color. His scenes offer a study in contrasts: meticulously defined faces seem to emerge from whirls of forcefully applied pigment.
J. Louis, “Roller Coaster,” oil on cradled linen panel, 64 x 50 in.J. Louis, “First Moment,” oil on linen, 42 x 34 in.
James McElhinney, “Confluence, No. 5, 1/1,” 2019, monotype, 14 1/8 x 18 1/2 in.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, through August 3, 2019
Gerald Peters Gallery has organized the exhibition “Re-Imagining New Mexico: Works by Mike Glier, Leon Loughridge, James McElhinney, and Don Stinson.” Its wide-ranging images offer fresh perspectives on “The Land of Enchantment.”
Don Stinson, “Clayton,” 2019, watercolor, 4 1/2 x 22 5/8 in.Don Stinson, “Ranch House,” 2019, watercolor, 12 3/8 x 14 in.
Don Stinson continues his exploration of the physical and cultural landscapes of the American West. Casting a subtle, discerning eye on visions of landscape at the start of the twenty-first century, Stinson’s work asks the viewer to consider the tension between the West we live in and the mythic West of the imagination.
“The sites I find ripe with contemporary meaning exist not in the national parks or wilderness areas, but on the edges and around the fringes of those great reserves of beauty and wonder. These other, less privileged, places — places by the side of the road when you leave the park, places altered by the necessity of use, shaped or misshapen by a growing human presence — are to me more poignant, more compelling by how visibly we have changed them.”
Mike Glier, “Bird Song at the Acequia,” 2019, oil on aluminum panel, 32 x 40 in.Mike Glier, “Stream Crossing on the Columbine Trail: Carson Forest, New Mexico,” 2019, oil on hardboard, 11 x 14 in.
Mike Glier is a peripatetic artist whose work describes a fluid, evolving exchange with the natural world. Working “en plein air,” his recent paintings draw on all five senses to record the complex experience of moving through the New Mexico landscape. For this exhibition, his sixth with the gallery, Glier visualizes the smell of juniper trees, the chatter of birds, the growl of a bear, the roar of the wind, and the profound babble of water flowing through acequias in the Santa Fe and Taos regions. Rendering non-visual sensory and perceptual experiences in a visual vocabulary, Glier discovers unexpected shapes, fresh color chords, and surprising compositions that slip easily between representation and abstraction.
“I’m one of those artists-from-elsewhere, who returns time and again to New Mexico to record the beauty of the place and the joy of being in it. In the last few years, I’ve been trying to use all of my senses to record my experience of the place and to translate not only what I’m seeing but also what I hear, what I feel on my skin, and even what I smell, into visual imagery.”
Leon Loughridge (b. 1952), “Cicuye Morning,” 2019, woodblock print on paper, 16 x 20 in.Leon Loughridge, “Pecos Sunrise, 3/22,” serigraph, 17 3/4 x 24 in.
The work of Leon Loughridge focuses on iconic sites in New Mexico reimagined through the prism of family stories and childhood memories. His watercolors, woodblock prints, and serigraphs capture the mystery and magic of New Mexico’s storied past, as well as his family’s history — and his own personal story.
“The awe-inspiring places in this exhibit represent my spiritual roots. I have been steeped in Southwestern history since my childhood. There were the magical trips in search of rumored and remote historic sites, abandoned pueblos, Spanish missions, obsidian quarries, and turquoise mines. Around the dinner table my family would tell, retell, and embellish stories about the Southwest. This constant exposure nurtured a deep feeling for the region’s majestic landscapes and indigenous cultures.”
James McElhinney, “White Rock Canyon,” 2019, watercolor, 3 7/8 x 9 3/4 inches
New to the gallery, James McElhinney is an author, visual artist, oral historian, independent scholar, and publisher. Turning his attention to the Rio Grande, McElhinney followed the historic river across New Mexico, collecting images and stories along the way. From these materials, he developed a suite of paintings and color intaglio prints, adding to the growing conversation around one of America’s greatest waterways. In addition, McElhinney will present a new limited edition of archival pigment prints drawn from the pages of his painting journal “Grand River Sketchbook.”
“To understand landscape, one must know one’s location and study the terrain, considering the process of nature and human activity that modifies the terrain over time. Drawing and painting provide me with modes of engagement, and the means to develop sensory experience into a species of knowledge that gives rise to ideas. The hope is that my efforts will inspire others to explore their own homes, settlements, lands and waterways, to discover these wonders anew, perhaps with a sketchbook in hand.”
#1 Ginger Gehres (b. 1956), “Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler,” 2016, scratchboard, 15 x 20 in., available from the artist
By Max Gillies, a contributing writer to Fine Art Connoisseur
As fellow residents of Earth, animals have always fascinated humans, especially the artists among us. Thus, many creatures appear in prehistoric cave paintings, and today the desire to depict them endures, actually stronger than ever.
#2 Rick Pas (b. 1958), “Tree Frog in the Hogbacks,” 2018, acrylic on panel, 8 x 10 in., Gallery Victor Armendariz, Chicago
Another dynamic force for good in this field is Artists for Conservation (AFC), founded in 1997 and now serving members in nearly 30 countries. Many of them will gather for the organization’s ninth annual festival at the VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, BC, September 27–29, 2019.
#3 Mara Sfara (b. 1962), “Eastern Bluebird in Moonlight,” 2018, oil on linen, 16 x 20 in., Emillions Art, Naples, FL#4 J.K. Williams (b. 1953), “Trooper,” 2018, oil on linen on board, 20 x 16 in., available from the artist#5 Elizabeth Sandia (b. 1946), “Elk Nursery,” 2017, oil on linen, 14 x 22 in., private collection#6 Johanne Mangi (b. 1953), “Sam,” 2018, oil on linen board, 14 x 11 in., collection of Ali Cruickshank#7 Ally Benbrook (b. 1951), “Annie Graham,” 2015, watercolor on paper, 18 x 18 in., private collection#8 Katherine Galbraith (b. 1948), “Snowy Afternoon Walk,” 2016, oil on linen, 16 x 20 in., available from the artist#9 Stefano Cecchini (b. 1957), “The Silver Ghost,” 2015, oil on wood, 52 x 36 in., Grand Bohemian Gallery, Charleston#10 Ellen Fuller (b. 1945), “Dog with Wallpaper,” 1990, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 30 in., available from the artist#11 Robert Bateman (b. 1930), “Lone Raven,” 2001, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 in., National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY
Enjoy this truly national array of offerings — all encouraging evidence that this long-standing genre is alive and well.
All images originally appeared in the Fine Art Connoisseur magazine article “Feathers, Fur & Fins: Animal Art is Thriving” (July/August 2018)
30 Something
Oil on conservation linen and Baltic birch panel
14 x 18 in.
$1900 Available from the artist
The painting 30 Something depicts a boat from the 1930s being refurbished by a passionate boat aficionado while docked at Hartge Yacht Marina. The work was painted en plein air and recently received an honorable mention during the popular annual event, Paint It Annapolis! presented by the Maryland Federation of Art.
“One hot and sunny day during the event, I sought refuge under a canopy. From the shady spot, I spied—nestled among the “big boy” boats—a seemingly miniature chock full of artifacts on deck. The bright sun created a silhouette shape begging to be painted. While first drawing the composition, I saw a gentleman enter the boat. As he sat reading a book and sporadically cut and positioned strips of wood on the backend of the boat, I added him to my painting.”
The boat in 30 Something is a 1930’s Rhodes custom wood boat docked in the Hartge Yacht Harbor, a family-owned company in business for over 150 years. The company’s founder Henry Hartge, a native of Germany, came to Baltimore in 1832. His trade had been building pianos. After buying 400 acres outside Annapolis, he changed his occupation from cutting wood for pianos to using it to build boats. Now only about five percent of the boats at Yacht Harbor are wood.
“I felt particularly lucky that day to find an interesting story to capture on canvas,” says Jacalyn, “never dreaming it would win an award.”
Paint It Annapolis! judge and artist Larry Moore says of the painting, “I saw a very strong light/dark design because each shape, both positive and negative, was unique and carried its own visual weight. The analogy is if you filled each shape with water or sand, they would each contain a different amount. Just like a good Franz Kline painting. This simple premise facilitates eye flow, how the eye receives the information, in any form of visual communication.”
“In addition, she modulated or vibrated color within each shape so that there was a second level of visual energy to added counter weight, lost edge and kept the viewer in the painting. A method used by a lot of the landscape greats like Edgar Payne, Maynard Dixon and Ray Roberts,” continues Larry.
Jennifer Balkan, “The Wild,” oil on aluminum panel, 30 x 30 in.
Jennifer Balkan’s first solo exhibition outside the U.S. opens July 6 at the Chimera Gallery in Mullingar, Ireland.
From the organizers:
Balkan’s newest body of work, “The Human Condition,” explores our repressed impulses, our id, our animal instincts, our demons, our monsters. She employs some mythical imagery to convey this duality in us. We struggle with urges that aren’t always acceptable. Some of this imagery is gender-flipped. These classic Greek symbols have historically been assigned to the male gender.
Jennifer Balkan, “Two Faced,” oil on aluminum panel, 24 x 24 in.
In these new works, gender doesn’t matter. The paintings here depict one struggling with oneself. As with painting metaphors, Balkan loves to describe the state quite literally. Humans like to distinguish themselves from other mammals by our unique level of intelligence, but our whole selves succumb to primal and emotional needs. And our socialization may both restrain or foment such impulses. We are socialized to hide or control some of the animalistic urges. But they are indeed what make us Human.
Jennifer Balkan, “There Are Two Sides to Every Story,” oil on aluminum panel, 30 x 30 in.
Balkan’s paintings are emotionally based psychological narratives where the details lie in planes of color. She strives to capture emotional states more than anything else.
Balkan is a full-time artist living in Austin, Texas. Her award-winning work has been featured in international art publications, and she is recognized as a leading contemporary figurative painter. She has exhibited internationally, and her work can be found in collections around the world. Last year, she co-founded Atelier Dojo, a realist art academy in Austin, Texas.
Jennifer Balkan, “The Other Side of Me,” oil on aluminum panel, 30 x 30 in.
Gallery owner Dave O’Shea writes: “The Chimera Gallery is in hyperdrive preparing for the visit of internationally acclaimed Jennifer Balkan. Jennifer came into our radar three years ago, and we followed her progress with admiration and awe. After we finally plucked up the courage to ask her to join the gallery, she did, with her signature beaming smile. Jennifer’s confidence is plain to see in her bold brushstrokes with a hoo haa to the color wheel and tonal values that make the hairs on the nape of your neck stand on end, as in the configuration of saluting a general. The Irish are waiting for her first international exhibition with open arms.”
Jennifer Balkan, “But I Am What You Are,” oil on canvas, 60 x 60 in.Jennifer Balkan, “Tamed Beast,” oil on aluminum panel, 30 x 30 in.Jennifer Balkan, “I See Myself in You,” oil on canvas, 60 x 60 in.
Leonard Mizerek, “Harbor Return,” oil, 12 x 24 in.
Madison, CT:
“Summer in New England,” through September 2, 2019
Susan Powell Fine Art has hosted this popular summer exhibition showcasing nationally acclaimed artists celebrated for painting the shoreline and landscapes of New England for the past 16 years.
From the gallery:
We are proud to present this new show of more than 70 paintings of seascapes, classic sailing yachts, picturesque harbors and villages, shorebirds, marsh, and river views by 25 award-winning artists.
The works range in style from traditional realism and impressionism to contemporary. All reflect in rich detail summer moments and the beauty and unique character of New England.
Jeanne Rosier Smith, “Moonshine,” pastel, 12 x 12 in.Neil Hughes, “Monhegan Harbor,” oil, 22 x 28 in.Del-Bourree Bach, “One Way or the Other,” acrylic, 8 x 14 in.Susan Jositas, “Remembrance,” oil, 24 x 36 in.James Magner, “Beach Roses,” oil, 18 x 24 in.Katie Swatland, “Among the Lilies,” oil, 16 x 20 in.
Lauren Sansaricq, "The Basin, Evans Notch," oil, 24 x 48 in.
This fabled district in northern New Hampshire and westernmost Maine is renowned as America’s first tourist playground. The White Mountain region was widely depicted by artists of the Hudson River School, and contains the highest peaks in the Northeast, including 6,288 foot Mount Washington.
Eleventh Street Arts presents “Escape: Celebrating the Great Outdoors,” an exhibition curated by Emilie Lee, featuring a collection of paintings that were created by artists who brave the elements to create their work in the great outdoors.
The tradition of painting “en plein air” or “in the open air” requires an appetite for adventure, a level of patience, and a willingness to listen for nature’s voice. Each of these paintings represents an artist’s intimate communion with the landscape and presents the viewer with an opportunity to join in.
Marc Dalessio, “The Port, Marseillan,” 2019, oil on panel, 11 x 14 in. The port is a protected heritage site, and the altar and organ in the church are also listed. There has been virtually no new building in the heart of the village since the 17th century, and many of the houses date from the twelfth century.David Troncoso, “Long Beach Bay, Orient, Long Island,” 2019, walnut ink on paper, 7 x 11 in. “A winter landscape overlooking Orient State Park and Bug Lighthouse. Weather on the bay can change suddenly, bringing in high winds and fog from the sea.”Jesse Powell, “Moss Landing Tonal,” 2018, oil on linen, 8 x 10 in. “This was painted just north of Monterey, California. I love exploring the deep moods that occur at the edges of the day, a simple silhouette and a setting sun can tell a whole story. These moments don’t last more than a few minutes, leaving very little time to think a a painting and only time to react to whats in front of us.”
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