“Boston Harbor Islands Project, Shoreline, Bumpkin Island,” oil on panel, 18 x 24 in.
“The Boston Harbor Islands Project by Joseph McGurl is an ongoing exploration of the islands and waterways located within the perimeters of Boston Harbor,” says Collins Galleries (MA). “The project began unintentionally during a painting trip to Grape Island during the summer of 2016. As he was finishing his day’s work on the island, it dawned on McGurl that the harbor and islands held within them and more importantly within him everything he wanted to explore and share about the empirical and philosophical aspects of his art making.
“The islands are where he developed his love for the ocean, the landscape, nature, and all that is contained within the coastal realm.
“The Boston Harbor Islands Project, Prince Head,” oil on panel, 12 x 24 in.
“McGurl grew up on the peninsula of Squantum in Quincy, Massachusetts, where he spent his youth exploring by boat the shoreline and islands of Boston Harbor and learning how to draw from his father, muralist James McGurl. Some of his earliest outdoor paintings were of Rainsford Island, a familiar haunt where he and his friends would often gather and set up camp as teenagers.
“Boston Harbor Islands Project, Field Painting, Afternoon on Bumpkin Island,” oil on panel, 9 x 12 in.
“McGurl’s love for the islands of Boston Harbor was also fostered by the writings of the legendary storyteller and historian Edward Rowe Snow. As a youth McGurl read Snow’s romantic and seafaring stories about pirates, shipwrecks, ghosts and other nautical adventures, connecting the young artist’s imagination to the mysteries of the past, in particular those that happened just outside his window where he could see the islands and the light from Boston, Minot’s and Graves lighthouses flashing in the night sky.
“This love of the natural elements combined with his artistic abilities created the unavoidable path to become a landscape painter.”
Ringling College Chair of the Board of Trustees Dean Eisner; Board Members and Record Breaking Donors Dr. Joel Morganroth and Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth; Ringling College President Dr. Larry R. Thompson; Ringling College Vice President for Advancement Stacey Corley.
Congratulations to the Ringling School of Art and Design (Florida), which recently received a record-breaking $15 million donation from Board of Trustees member Dr. Joel Morganroth and his wife, Dr. Gail Morrison Morganroth. This is the college’s largest single gift in its 86-year history.
“Drs. Morganroth, both visionaries and philanthropists, were looking to invest in a non-profit organization in the community that reflects and perpetuates their core values: strong leadership, forward thinking, fiscal responsibility, and a sense of morality and ethics,” says a recent press release. “But it wouldn’t be just any organization — education is of paramount importance to the couple. They found this all at Ringling College.”
“Right now, big and exciting things are happening at Ringling College,” says Dr. Morganroth. “To name a few, the College recently announced that it has begun enrolling students in the world’s first major in virtual reality leading to a Bachelor of Fine Arts. In addition, the College has one of the world’s best animation programs and the College was ranked as one of the six best art and design colleges this past summer. But these things don’t happen on their own, it takes support to bring ideas to fruition and to turn vision into reality. We are so proud to be part of and look forward to supporting an organization on such a fast rise. We hope our gift will inspire others to join us in investing in the future of art and design, technology, education, and the Sarasota region.”
“Art and design is about progress, creativity, change, and growth, and Ringling College has been dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and designers from around the globe for over 86 years,” says Dr. Larry R. Thompson, soon to be entering his 20th year as President of the college. “But that mission cannot be accomplished without the support and generosity of our friends. We are honored and grateful for this momentous gift—a gift that will bolster every corner of our institution.”
Leroy Campbell, “It All Starts in the Living Room”
Art in the Atrium, Inc (New Jersey), is currently showing “Lift Every Voice,” the state’s largest exhibition of African-American art, featuring the work of Leroy Campbell and many more.
From the gallery:
“Leroy Campbell describes humanity like a garden. In the 1300s, Native Americans invented a system of gardening called ‘Three Sisters,’ which involved strategically planting corn, beans, and squash together. The corn provides support and structure for the beans to grow. While the beans pull nitrogen from the air, returning it to the soil and enriching all the plants. The squash, planted at the base, spreads its large leaves, which offer shade and protection, keeping the soil moist and cool. When each of the plants is whole, thriving and healthy, it is able to reach its full potential and contribute to the garden. If one of the plants becomes sick, it affects the balance of the garden.
Leroy Campbell, “You are Not a Slave”
“Master gardener, painter, storyteller, and lover of souls, Campbell paints a beautiful hope for humanity through his art and through his words. In telling the stories he knows best, he is offering the wisdom and lessons of the elders as a gift to us all. As part of the human experience, we are all searching for our place in the garden, our purpose, our connection, our significance in this world. Those stories are the most powerful gifts in the universe as they provide a sense of self and a foundation of wisdom based on patience, love, and discernment. Campbell’s vision is of a healthy garden, where each is whole, liberated and validated, where people are free to love who they are and in turn nurture others around them.
“Campbell’s paintings, infused with history, tie the past to the present in the practice of sankofa, the understanding that you can’t move forward until you receive the lessons of the past. The vulnerability of his art, his soul, his ability to tell a story through the use of acrylic, paper, tapestries, and organic materials, creates an opportunity for conversation, for something real, for the human connection that we are all desperately seeking.”
Lavette Ballard, “Stories My Grandmother Told Me”
Running through March 21, 2018, the exhibit is entitled ‘Lift Every Voice’ and highlights the work of Charleston, SC native artist Leroy Campbell, as well as works by Plainfield artist Alonzo Adams, and works by 27 outstanding locally and internationally known African American artists including Bisa Butler, Janet Taylor Pickett, Rosalind Nzinga Nichol, Lavett Ballard (see work above), Larry Poncho Brown, Carol Bailey, Anthony Gartmond, Ellaree Pray, Les Floyd, Wannetta Phillips, Onnie Strother, Terells Thomas, Andrew Nichols, B. Curtis Grayson, Jackie Collier, Elaine McCrary, Erik J. Montgomery, Bryan Collier, Deb Willis, Jo-El Lopez, Stephen Ellis, Jennifer Mack, Kara Rice, Ron EA Powell, and Zaya Grauer.
Harvey Dinnerstein, “Underground Drum Beat,” 2014, oil on canvas, 46 x 60 inches
Gerald Peters Gallery is pleased to announce the fine art exhibition “Harvey Dinnerstein’s New York.”
“Since his childhood, when he first put pencil to paper, Brooklyn-born Harvey Dinnerstein has focused on capturing the world around him – his world – his landscape: New York City,” says the gallery. “Dinnerstein’s formal art training began in the studio of Moses Soyer, and continued at the High School of Music and Art, the Art Students League, and the Tyler School of Art. His informal and perhaps more lasting training occurred riding the subway from Brownsville to Manhattan.”
Harvey Dinnerstein, “Oscar and Olivia,” 2013, pastel on board, 22 x 19 1/4 inches
“The subway enabled me to travel from a provincial neighborhood in Brooklyn to art classes across the river on the island of Manhattan,” Dinnerstein says. “I studied anatomy, drawing, and painting in art school, but I also learned a great deal observing and sketching in the subway. The immediacy of a direct response to the human subject on a moving train forces one to develop powers of perception and memory. The subway also revealed a view of the great diversity of life in the city that shaped my artistic vision over the years.”
In addition to the subway, Dinnerstein captures life above ground as well, as you see in “Life Cycle” (2008, oil on canvas, 41 3/4 x 71 3/4 inches).
About the exhibition: Comprised of paintings and drawings from the 1980s through the present day, the exhibition will focus on the work of American Realist painter Harvey Dinnerstein and the subject matter that has defined his career and garnered him critical acclaim and national recognition.
Director of the Museum Mary Platt, founder of the Museum Mark Hilbert, with Fine Art Connoisseur's West Coast editor Vanessa Rothe
By Vanessa Françoise Rothe
The Hilbert Museum of California Art at Chapman University opened in 2016 and is a shining addition to the great list of fine art museums found along the west coast, which has recently won the sought after “People Love Us on Yelp” award by Yelp, a popular online travel advice site.
Founded by Mark and Jan Hilbert, the collection includes oils, watercolors, sketches, and lithographs of urban and developing industrial scenes, iconic coastal views, ranches, and landscapes of everyday life in 20th century California, portraying and celebrating the beauty and development of the Golden State. Supported by Chapman University, the once private collection is now found in a lovely museum setting and is continuing to expand.
Millard Sheets (1907-1969) “San Dimas Train Station,” 1933, watercolor on paper; One of the main works celebrated at the museum
Boasting top notch representational art created in or around California from 1920’s-1970’s and including a large group of scenic paintings in watercolor, the collection also includes exciting works showcasing Regionalism, Photorealism and Impressionism. From William Wendt’s lush green landscapes, to dark city scenes of San Francisco and Los Angeles, the collection offers a range of themes and scenes to enjoy as we travel through its local history. The owner, Mark Hilbert, proudly parlays these notes as he gives his own Thursday morning tour:
“This is first museum anywhere that is totally dedicated to the display of California Scene and California representational art,” Hilbert said. “The intent is to cast a spotlight on this style of painting and these amazing artists, and to make this art known around the world. California has its own style, its own light, its own distinct landscape.
“California Scene paintings are distinguished from the earlier style of California Impressionism because these works show people and the works of humans: towns, cities, harbors, houses, ranches, cars, trains – people going about their everyday lives. These paintings show the changes taking place across our state as it grew, starting around 1920 – changes that are still happening and reflected in today’s representational art.”
Emil Kosa Jr (1903-1968) “San Francisco,” 1942
Increasingly popular and collectible representational artists working through the mid-century such as Rex Brandt, Emil Kosa Jr, Mary Blair, Phil Dyke, and Milford Zorn are showcased in a beautiful open setting in rotating exhibitions. It is an important fact to note that many of the fine artist at this time had turned to mid-century abstraction, whereas this group remained representational in nature with their works.
During World War II, hundreds of artists were fleeing war-torn Europe and coming to America and many of them made their way out west. About half of the schooling of this time chose to move to modern abstract art, which we tend to think of when the words “Mid Century;” while the other half remained linked to realist, traditional, and “lightly” classical in their schooling and genre.
Andrew Loomis (1982-1959) “The Silver Flute,” 1948, oil on canvas
American Illustration
In addition to these works, a permanent collection and installation titled “American Illustration” takes us a bit beyond California to include top Saturday Evening Post illustrators (such as Andrew Loomis) and celebrates the large number of illustrators that moved to and worked in California, particularly Los Angeles in the 1930’s, 40’s and 50s, working on movie sets and in advertising.
Edgar Payne, an interesting example, was a well-known illustrator creating backdrops for movies, theatre, as well as later creating his own Impressionist landscapes for sale as fine art. These renowned illustrators helped shape the art world in California at this time. Keep in mind that their work was continuously representational in genre and often even leaning to hyperrealist in nature. The illustrators were great storytellers and their works are quite engaging. To this day, if we see a work that is very well drafted, we assume the artist has a background in illustration that developed his/her “tight” drawing skills.
The museum has a fine collection of these Saturday Evening Post covers on display and is currently on the lookout for a prestigious Norman Rockwell to add to the collection. (Perhaps there is a collector out there interested in a fine art museum donation?)
Special Animation Section
Lastly, and along these similar lines, is a new addition to the Museum, a room that showcases animation. Remaining in the California underlying theme, and following the thread of illustrators, the Hilbert museum felt it only natural to celebrate Walt Disney animators, another group of important representational artists from California. These artists had a flare for backgrounds and or character development. The best ‘storytelling’ illustrators made terrific animators, and the Disney team sought their talents. Original backgrounds, movie poster original artwork and two Snow White movie original ‘cel’ paintings crown this selection of works. Hundreds of Cel, short for ‘celluloid’ sheets were painted on one side, backwards, onto transparent sheets and turned over (to hide the visible paint strokes) and then photographed to make each scene of a movie. The originals are rare and highly collectable.
With this grand list of increasingly popular works to view and admire as well as an increasingly growing educational aspect to the Museum, it’s no wonder it has attracted more than 22,000 visitors since its opening.
What else makes the Hilbert Museum a great place to discover? Photos are allowed says director Mary Platt; “When the museum first opened, there was a no-photography policy,” Platt noted. “But that’s old-school thinking that just doesn’t work in a digital age when everyone has a phone camera and is excited to post their cultural experiences…Dropping this barrier to guest enjoyment was a big win-win for everyone – people love posting and talking about their favorite images, and the museum reaps the free publicity of having commentary and photos shared.”
The Hilbert Museum is a stone’s throw from Disneyland in Southern California. If you have not yet discovered it, add it to your to do list. Some exciting upcoming exhibitions at the museum will include:
• “Scenic View Ahead: The Westways Cover-Art Collection” Organized by the Hilbert Museum of California Art in Cooperation with the Automobile Club of Southern California
• “Magical Visions: The Enchanting Art of Eyvind Earle”
• “A New Hope: The Star Wars Art of Robert Bailey”
Entrance and parking to the Museum are free. Visit www.hilbertmusuem.com for more information.
This painting was done from a plein air study I did in August of 2016 on a trip to Patrick’s Point north of Trinidad, CA. The misty mood and colors, so different from the intensely sunlit landscape of my home in the desert, were captivating. The fog, constantly moving in and off the coastline, proved to be quite a challenge. My goal was to accurately portray the bright light filtering through the fog while keeping the colors cool. As an artist, I feel that my job is to try and make the viewer feel the same little piece of drama that moved me to paint that particular scene. I want it to be about evoking an emotion or a memory as a new experience.
Nita Harper is an award winning artist living in the desert of Southern California. The granddaughter of a professional artist who showed his work with painters like Edgar Payne, Victor Higgins and Walter Ufer, she was inspired at an early age, and has been painting most of her life. Moves from Illinois to Florida, Texas, and eventually California, exposed her to the country’s vast and varied landscape.
Nita studied art with an emphasis in painting at Stephens College, the University of Arizona, and the Glassell School of Art, MFA, Houston. She is particularly drawn to the vast, unspoiled lands of the American Southwest. Living in the desert gives her the opportunity to paint her favorite landscape during the winter months and work larger in the studio in the summer. She is a member of the PAC6, a group of six women artists who have committed themselves to painting adventures that follow in the footsteps of the early male painters who travelled the west over a century ago. A painting trip on horseback into the Eastern Sierras was the trip of a lifetime.
Art Education
Stephens College: Studio Art with an emphasis in oil painting,
University of Arizona: Fine Art
Glassell School of Art, MFA, Houston
Plein Air Events (past two years)
Telluride Plein Air Festival 2017
Idyllwild Plein Air Festival 2017
Plein Air Santa Fe, 2015
Recent Exhibitions (a sampling from 2016 and 2017)
Women Artists of the West 47th National Exhibition
McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD
Nov. 2 – December 31, 2017
Santa Paula Art Museum PAC6 “Between Heaven and Earth”
March 4 – July 9, 2017
American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition
March 2017
Winner, Randy Higbee Award of Merit
Salmagundians and Friends Exhibition
The Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center
January-February, 2017
Featured Artist Solo Exhibition
Purple Sage Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
June 2016
LPAPA (Laguna Plein Air Painters)
Urban Landscapes Exhibition
Winner-First Place
May-June 2016
Representation
Hillside Fine Art Gallery, Claremont, CA
Ben Steele was born in 1977 in Kennewick, Washington and graduated from University of Utah in 2002 with a BFA in painting and drawing, continuing his education at the Helper Art Workshops under the instruction of former University of Utah professors David Dornan and Paul Davis. The summer workshops led to a multi-year internship with Dornan and Steele relocated to Helper, Utah to begin his professional art career, exhibiting in galleries throughout the United States ever since. He continues to live and work in Helper, Utah.
Steele’s art is part of several notable collections, including the Raymond James Financial art collection, the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Academy Award Winning Producer Michael Sugar, the Executive Offices of the San Francisco Giants, golfer Fred Couples, and in multiple Delta Airline Sky Club lounges throughout the US.
Gallery Representation
ARDEN GALLERY
129 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116 www.ardengallery.com
CODA GALLERY PALM DESERT
73-151 El Paseo
Palm Desert, CA 92260 www.codagallery.com
“Through the Chanel” was painted on location at Annapolis, MD. It is available through City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC.
Working in an alla prima method, using broken color, and expressive brushwork, Suzanne Morris looks beyond the literal interpretation of a scene to capture the spirit of her subjects. Drawn to a scene that is magically transformed by the light falling across it, she uses a limited palette to create harmonious paintings that tell a story of a particular time and place.
She is a signature member of ASMA, PAPNM PAAC, and WAOW; an artist member of LPAPA, and an associate member of CAC OPA, MAPAPA, and OPS. She served as Show Chair for AIS in 2013. Her work has been published in American Art Collector, PleinAir, and Southwest Art magazines. Upcoming events include a solo show at Cabell Gallery in Lexington, VA, and WEKIVA Plein Air Festival.
“About To Do Something New”
5×7 inches, acrylic on panel
Available from the artist
Chantel’s passion for art began flourishing at age 12 when she was mentored under local San Diego artists. She continued to study art, largely self-taught, while living in Newport, Rhode Island, and Keflavik, Iceland. While enrolled in a college art course, a fellow student introduced her to acrylic paints, and she soon found it to be a medium dominated by abstract art. But her first love was portraiture for which she found little advice. As she dreamed of perfecting her skills as an acrylic portrait artist, Chantel continued to learn from professional oil painters and translated their teachings into acrylic techniques. All the while, she remained active in local art communities, including serving as President of Artists’ Link in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 2006, Chantel opened her own art business called Chantel’s Originals near Memphis, Tennessee. Chantel soon benefited from workshops and demonstrations with outstanding artists including Dawn Whitelaw, Michael Shane Neil, Suzie Baker, and Marc Hanson. Chantel is currently the National Coordinator of the State Ambassador program for the Portrait Society of America, and is also a member of The Chestnut Group, and the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society.
Chantel has been featured in solo art shows and juried exhibitions. Her award winning paintings are in private and public collections throughout the United States and overseas. Her work is published in Acrylic Artist magazine, American Art Collector, Southwest Art, The Artist’s Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, and several books. She regularly blogs at chantellynnbarber.com. Chantel resides in Bartlett, Tennessee, where she teaches online and in workshops throughout the United States and Canada.
From the National Arts Club:
The President, The Board of Governors, and The Fine Arts Committee of The National Arts Club present The Medal of Honor for Achievement in Fine Arts to Lois Dodd.
“Lois Dodd paints with an insistent, sometimes daring economy,” says Robert Smith of The New York Times. “She has spent some 60 years making images of her immediate surroundings and each painting seems to go emphatically as far as she thinks it should and no further. No frills attached. Her paintings hold your attention. While they seduce your eye with light and color, they challenge it with an assortment of brushstrokes, spatial complexities and compositional quirks, teetering in different ways on the cusp between abstract and representational.”
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