“Unbridled” by Kathryn Mapes Turner

The artwork of Kathryn Mapes Turner has unfolded from the mountain valley of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. As a daughter of the Northern Rockies, she was born and raised on the Triangle X Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. She grew up riding the trails of the valley, learning wilderness lore and gaining an eye for landscape. The happy synergy of a receptive spirit and a place of magnificent beauty set the course for her life.

Turner was selected as the Featured Artist for the 2018 Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE). SEWE celebrates is 36th annual event February 16 through 18 and is the premiere wildlife art show in the Southeast, held in Charleston, South Carolina. Turner’s painting, Unbridled, was selected as the Featured Painting .

“It is a deep honor to be selected to be the featured artist for this year’s Southeastern Wildlife Exposition,” said Turner. “Having been passionate about painting animals since I was a young girl, this is an unprecedented opportunity for me as an artist. My goal is to create work for the show that expresses my profound respect for the natural world and inspire the viewer to understand the interconnectedness we share.”

Unbridled depicts the wild horses that live in the wide-open spaces of the West. “In the high desert plains of my native Wyoming, they live as mustangs, without domestication or fences,” said Turner. “Their range is as vast as the distant horizon line. In this image, I wanted to capture this wild freedom that is such a romantic notion in my own heart and one that expresses the spirit of the American West.”

“The Featured Painting is a powerful image and sets an exciting tone for the complete body of work yet to come,” adds SEWE Executive Director John Powell. “We believe the subject and style of Unbridled is going to resonate with an even broader audience. Collectors and wildlife art enthusiasts will be on-hand in February to celebrate Kathryn and another extraordinary group of artists.”

Turner’s original painting will be available at auction during the VIP Preview Gala and Sale, February 15, 2018. Learn more at www.sewe.com.

More about SEWE: Established in 1983, Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) has proudly presented the finest in wildlife art, conservation and the sporting lifestyle. The 36th annual SEWE will be held in multiple venues throughout downtown Charleston, SC, from February 16-18, 2018, with VIP events beginning on Thursday, February 15. SEWE draws more than 40,000 viewers each year from across the nation.

“Silver Light”

18 x 24 in

oil on linen

$2300 (available from the artist)

http://www.lashleyart.com/

‘Silver Light’ was created from memories of beaches I’ve been to. I wanted the waves and the shore to feel inviting, wet and in motion. Countless studies of waves created on location contributed to this painting, including: Assateaugue Island National Seashore, MD; Tulum, Mexico; and Elbow Cay, the Bahamas. The soft light and clearing sky make me feel that a new time is beginning or a sudden transition is happening… as if the sun will break out at any second. I like the feeling of timelessness in that it could be dawn or dusk. Waves are tricky to paint: each wave must be believable as a typical wave, yet have unique character, as no two waves are ever the same.

Christine Lashley’s artwork captures the beauty of a moment held in memory. Using layers, colors and texture to look ‘real’ from afar but dissolving into abstraction up close, her paintings are often a fusion of reality and the abstract. She scrapes and repaints a painting to match what she sees in her ‘mind’s eye’ and puts all references away. Christine frequently creates artwork on location ‘en plein air’ and uses these works to inform her larger studio pieces. Her on-site painting allows her to see engaging color harmonies and watch how a subject changes over time, sometimes with multiple studies. As an outdoor enthusiast (gardening, camping and hiking), knowledge of the earth finds its way into her artwork with implied detail and bold brushstrokes. 

Christine’s paintings have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Recent juried exhibitions include Oil Painters of America (OPA) and the Salmagundi Club NYC. Her artwork has received many honors, including Best of Show for both landscape and portrait work. Recent awards are: OPA’s 2017 Eastern Regional (Artistic Excellence Award) and Portrait Society of America (Finalist, non-commissioned portrait, 2017 Member’s Show). Christine is a frequent participant in juried outdoor painting competitions such as: Plein Air Easton, Easels in Frederick, Telluride and Richmond. During the 2016 and 2017 season of plein air competitions she won honors at all events attended, including: 2017 Quick Draw First Place at both Richmond Plein Air and Bucks County Plein Air. 

Christine Lashley studied as a teen in Paris at the Parsons Art Institute and the Sorbonne, continuing on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Washington University in St. Louis. She worked for several years in the fashion industry in Europe, then as a muralist and graphic designer, but turned her interest back to creating fine art soon after her children were born. An art teacher for over 20 years, she teaches workshops locally and internationally. With numerous works in private and corporate collections, her work has also been published in: American Artist Magazine, American Art Collector, Fine Art Connoisseur, Elan Magazine, and The Washington Post.

See more of Christine’s art at lashleyart.com, where you may also sign up to receive her enewsletters. View her upcoming classes and workshops here: Classes and Workshops

Upcoming events:

– Lighthouse Plein Air show, FL Mar 3-12

– Paris Workshop, May 16-21
– Tuscany Plein Air Art Workshop, Aug 16-23

“NIGHT CAMP”

Ezra Tucker

Acrylic on canvas

Available through Creighton Block Gallery

Pioneers traveling by wagon train to the West would often hear wolves calling at night. Ezra Tucker’s composition, by depicting the wagon train very small, reveals how great was the terror that the travelers felt when hearing wolves howl.

Ezra Tucker began his award winning career three decades ago as an illustrator, producing many familiar advertisements and enduring images for Fortune 500 corporations. Some of his most noted work includes paintings of the Budweiser Clydesdales, an illustrated novel for Lucas Films, LTD, titled “Star Wars/Dark Forces-Rebel Agent”, and movie poster art of the “Ten Commandments.”

His unique creative style and refreshing perspective gives his subjects a fresh appeal.

He invites a viewer to enjoy his images and to be engaged and curious to learn more. He paints animals as having apparent intelligence and distinctive personalities. Ezra finds the art of modern wildlife artist Bob Kuhn, classical wildlife artist Carl Rungius, and other artists such as W.R. Leigh, N.C. Wyeth and Norman Rockwell inspirational.

Ezra’s artwork has been exhibited at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. (1985); the Texas Rangers Historical Museum in Austin, Texas; the Canton Museum of Art in Canton, Ohio (1987); the Bruce Watkins Center in Kansas City, Missouri (1999); and a One-Man-Show at the Art Institute of Southern California in Laguna Beach, California (1997). In 2007, Ezra’s work was voted Best of Show in the Greenwich Workshop Small Works Annual Miniature Art Exhibition in Seymour, CT; The Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, GA and the Old West Museum in Cheyenne, WY where he was awarded ‘Best Acrylic Painting’ in their 2009 “Western Spirit” art exhibition. Two of his original works were purchased by the Booth Museum in 2009 to hang in their permanent collection. His original art is also included in many private and Fortune 500 corporate collections.

“I get tremendous joy and satisfaction from my observation of wildlife behavior and expressions. The intelligence and uniqueness of each creature’s individual character and personality often reflect glimpses of human nature. My desire to paint wildlife in a realistic style allows me to also define the beauty that I see in their movements, subtle or overt. I choose to highlight the variety of color I see in the fur and textures of the surfaces that envelop their being. I find it necessary to preserve and to respect the creatures that inhabit our planet because I believe that we are more connected than humans acknowledge. The challenge I have for myself is to present the beauty and majesty of the animal world in dynamic form to help influence the preservation of our planet’s varied species through my representation of their nature through my art”.  -Ezra Tucker

www.CreightonBlockGallery.com

“Custom”

24  x 36 in

Oil on panel

$2400

Available from the artist

Beth’s representational paintings have been described by art critics as “evoking nostalgia, like that of an old sepia toned photograph, often with just touches of color.”

From Maine to Washington, Beth crisscrosses the country, painting primarily en plein air and participating in high-profile juried and invitation competitions. In 2017 she was a juried artist in 10 competitions, including Plein Air Easton, MD; Door County, WI; and Cape Ann, MA.  Among the 2017 awards Beth’s paintings received is Best Quickdraw, Fingerlakes NY. She also received five honorable mentions. When not at home in Lancaster, PA, Beth will again in 2018 often be found on the road.

Beth is a featured artist in the upcoming February/March issue of PleinAir magazine. A Virginia Commonwealth University graduate. Beth is highly influenced by American Regionalist painter Andrew Wyeth. She refers to much of her subject matter as “the vanishing landscape.” The paintings depict the beauty of a time gone by in buildings, barns and old towns.

The medium she works with in is deceptive to many viewers who often believe it is watercolor.  Beth describes it as “somewhat both.” She works with Cobra Water Mixable Oil Colors in a limited tonalist palette, using both brushes and unconventional tools, such as squeegees and cotton.

Painting primarily on location allows Beth to catch her subject at a specific time, ideally when the light and shadows play on the surface creating drama and emotion.

“It’s a moment that I’m after, a fleeting moment, but not a frozen moment,” said Andrew Wyeth.

Beth teaches classes and leads workshops at her studio, Short Dog Studio, in Ephrata, PA, where she shares her space with her photographer partner and three Cardigan Welsh Corgi dogs.  She is currently represented by Brazier Gallery in Richmond, VA; Charles Fine Art Gallery, Gloucester, MA; and Crystal Moll Gallery, Baltimore, MD. She will be holding several workshops this year, near home and in Charleston, SC; Richmond, VA; Solomons Island, MD; and Rockport, MA.

To view more of Beth’s artwork and workshop schedule, visit www.bethbathe.com. The painting Custom may be found at http://bethbathe.com/collections/93720.

You can also follow Beth on Facebook.

“Ready To Roar”

8 x 6 in.

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.