Where is the line between art and nature? Depending on who you ask, that line could be well-defined or blurred. The latter would be the case for artist John Evans, whose works are currently on display during a solo exhibition here.

Eight large-scale, playfully composed paintings of leafy botanic gardens and bays of water by artist John Evans are the subjects of a solo exhibition currently on view at Gallery Henoch in New York City. According to the gallery, “Evans does not describe a specific location; rather he elicits the feel of a simplified, yet universal place. He seeks to supplement our perspective of the real with a painterly vision.”

Evans added, “I visualize the world as a series of collages made of natural forms and concrete structures. In these paintings, I take apart each image and re-image the parts.” Evans is continually puzzling together taut design with energetic brushwork. He is careful to maintain a sense of immediacy in the execution. “It brings pleasure to observe works that merge a visual dance with a meditation. It is an aspiration for each painting I do.”

The exhibition, titled “Time & Place” continues through October 28. To learn more, visit Gallery Henoch.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

The celebration of Andrew Wyeth’s birth centennial continues across the nation, including at this well-known gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Which works can you see there?

Whether it’s the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, or the United States Postal Service, 2017 has been a year full of commemorative celebrations surrounding the life and career of American icon and painter Andrew Wyeth (1917-2009). The trend is continuing, this time at American Fine Art Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, with “100 Years of Andrew Wyeth,” which opens on November 9.

According to the gallery, “[the exhibition] showcases Wyeth’s sense of the human spirit and his unique perspective on the people and locations that surrounded him. The exhibition spans Wyeth’s career — from the early works reminiscent of Homer and his father N.C. Wyeth that established his reputation to two of the last pieces he would create, ‘Snow Hill’ and ‘The Crossing.’

“Wyeth hails from a family of artists, whose legends, teaching and talent extend a generation before and beyond. Andrew’s father, a renowned painter and illustrator N.C., advised him to ‘Paint the light and air around the subject — paint the mystery.’

“Andrew did just that. The magic and mystery can be seen in every portrait and landscape the artist paints. Although the realism in Wyeth’s paintings is so astonishingly accurate in detail that the textures and expressions of the models bring his scenes and characters to life, Wyeth himself said his style was more attuned to abstract expressionism than realism. Wyeth finds freedom in the dark spaces of his works, the mystery around the subject. In his unsentimental portraits, Wyeth allows his models’ true characters to come through. He considers his portrait of Karl Kuerner, one of his models and neighbors, the ‘best portrait I ever did,’ a thought-provoking image of the stoic WWII German machine gunner. This limited-edition work is also available at the gallery.”

To learn more, visit American Fine Art.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Jean Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806) was among the most characteristic and important French painters of his era. The National Gallery, Washington, has amassed — for the first time — the artist’s remarkable series known as the “fantasy figures” for this significant exhibition.

There are some 14 paintings in total that compose a special body of work called the “fantasy figures” by 18th-century French painter Jean Honoré Fragonard. The works are brightly colored paintings of lavishly costumed individuals and are among the artist’s most beloved works. The subjects are depicted in various poses during leisure activities, such as acting, reading, writing, playing instruments, or singing.

For the first time, these paintings have been brought together for a special exhibition by the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. “Fragonard: The Fantasy Figures” opened on October 8 and “explores the many interpretations of this series in the context of the artist’s career and elucidates the development of that career, the identity of his sitters and patrons, and the significance of his innovative imagery,” the museum writes. “Fragonard strove to create a specific portrait type that showcased the painterly skill for which he was renowned. Created within the competitive atmosphere of the Parisian art world, these works were influenced by a range of events, artworks, and visitors to his studio. Shaped by artistic imagination, these paintings pushed the boundaries of accepted figure painting in the 18th century.”

In addition to the 14 “fantasy figures,” the exhibition will be showing a newly discovered drawing with 18 thumbnail-sized sketches, apparently annotated in the rococo artist’s own hand. Continuing, the museum suggests, “The drawing, ‘Sketches of Portraits,’ emerged at a Paris auction in 2012 and upended several long-held assumptions about the fantasy figures: 14 of the sketches have been identified with these paintings, and four presumably relate to works that remain unknown. All but one of the sketches are annotated with a name, presumably that of the person portrayed or the individual who commissioned the corresponding painting — thereby putting to rest a long-standing debate over whether the fantasy figures depict known individuals or imaginary models. At the National Gallery of Art, the emergence of this drawing prompted a two-year investigation of ‘Young Girl Reading,’ conducted as a collaborative effort by Yuriko Jackall, assistant curator of French paintings, John K. Delaney, senior imaging scientist, and Michael Swicklik, senior conservator of paintings. Their findings establish ‘Young Girl Reading’ as a part of the fantasy figure series and shed light upon Fragonard’s approach to the ensemble as a whole.”

The exhibition will continue through December 3. To learn more, visit The National Gallery of Art.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Perhaps you’ve heard, perhaps not, but Christie’s Bellwether Postwar and Contemporary Evening sale in New York this November will be led by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci. What’s the scoop?

Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” circa 1500, is believed to be the last painting by the Renaissance genius still in private hands. That could all change on Wednesday, November 15 as Christie’s New York will be auctioning the work during its Postwar and Contemporary Evening Sale. Experts also conclude that the work is one of fewer than 20 extant paintings accepted as from the artist’s own hand, making the sale of the painting one of the most memorable in recent years.

“[“Salvator Mundi”] is the Holy Grail of Old Master paintings,” said Alan Wintermute, senior specialist in Old Masters at Christie’s. “To see a fully finished late masterpiece by Leonardo — made at the peak of his genius — appear for sale in 2017 is as close as I’ve ever come to an art-world miracle.” The painting displays Christ as Savior of the World. Shown frontally and in three-quarter view, Christ gazes peacefully out upon the viewer as his right hand is shown in a traditional blessing gesture. He wears a jewel-encrusted and embroidered blue cloak, and his left hand holds a glass sphere, signaling his dominion over the world — and the cosmos.

Currently, Christie’s is touring the exceptional painting before its sale on the 15th; the painting is on view in San Francisco through tomorrow, October 20. It will then move to London with viewing between October 24-26 before landing in New York for an extended exhibition from October 28-November 4.

A painting this exceptional is difficult, at best, to value as there will surely be aggressive bidding by many parties. However, experts have suggested the painting could reach $100 million. To learn more, visit Christie’s.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

You’re invited to explore the genre of portraiture from a new perspective that considers the modern portrait’s social, political, and economic contexts. Featuring work from the 19th century to the present day, there’s certainly a lot here to enjoy.

511 Gallery in New York City will open “The Portrait: An Open Reading” on October 26. The exhibition is offering audiences a fresh perspective on the genre and how it has changed dramatically over the centuries. In particular, “An Open Reading” also draws attention to “how the means by which a portrait today is expressive is much more than the literal representation of a person’s external appearance,” the gallery says.

Among the highlights of the show are a remarkable 1873 engraving by John Singer Sargent’s teacher Carolus-Duran as well as paintings by 20th-century artists such as Guy Pène du Bois and Edna Reindel. Also included is a drawing by Norman Rockwell and photographs by Jacques Henri Lartigue, Philippe Halsman, and Andres Serrano. Contemporary portraiture is represented by such artists as Nina Katchadourian, Ed Fraga, Lucy Levene, Rebecca Soderholm, Alex Schuchard, and Elizabeth Livingston.

Continuing, 511 writes, “The earliest portraits, classical Greek and Roman, were created to commemorate wealthy and powerful people, either during their reigns or upon their deaths. In Medieval and Renaissance periods, religious persons became the mainstays of the genre. In the 1700s, as a result of industrialization and an emergent middle-class (burghers in the Netherlands, the bourgeoisie in France), commissioned portraits were made by skilled and well-known artists of the families and colleagues of patrons who stemmed from a wide variety of backgrounds and social status.

“None of those reasons for making portraits in the past have ceased, but new motivations and purposes have been added, resulting in a genre capable of creating rich and diverse meanings. Portraiture today is host to a multitude of significations beyond the representation of a person’s external — or even external + internal — likeness. There are, in this show, the formal photographs of Humphrey Bogart and Frank Sinatra by Philippe Halsman that signify the idea of celebrity and its partner, money; but then also one by Andres Serrano that signifies the traditionally morally-accepted ‘type’ of marriage — a portrait in which the coupledom overtakes the individual particularities of the two sitters. ‘War Thoughts’ by the mid-twentieth-century painter Guy Pène du Bois, is a double-portrait that represents death and its idea as much as it does two individuals; while Nina Katchadourian’s photograph ‘Artificial Insemination’ is a ‘stand-in’ for life and human procreation, with no human face or figure in evidence. The collected artworks engage each other and viewers in a curatorial conversation about the varied and changing approaches to portraiture, which then enables the contemplation of the historic periods, economic and political landscapes, artistic pedagogies, and personal relationships at play in each image.”

“The Portrait: An Open Reading” will continue through January 5, 2018. To learn more, visit 511 Gallery.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

The renowned Rehs Contemporary Galleries in New York City is soon opening an incredible exhibition of Art Renewal Center Select works of contemporary figurative works. Don’t miss it!

On October 28 from 2-8PM, Rehs Contemporary Gallery in New York City will be hosting an opening reception for “ARC Select 2017: Contemporary Figures” — an exhibition focusing on the stylistic variations of representing the human form in contemporary art. In conjunction with the Art Renewal Center (ARC), “Contemporary Figures unites an impressive and diverse roster around some of the finest and most unique figurative artists producing work today,” the gallery writes. “More than 25 paintings and drawings in all will be on display by — among others — Emanuele Dascanio, Daniel Gerhartz, Vanessa Lemen, Sergio Lopez, Tim Rees, and Marc Scheff.

“Contemporary Figures aims to highlight just a fragment of the expansive genre, while showcasing works that demonstrate immense talent and creativity. From the painstakingly precise, and near photographic charcoal and graphite renderings by Emanuele Dascanio, to the mesmerizing mixed media resin blocks by Marc Scheff, the exhibition displays a range of approaches and techniques in service of the figure. Daniel Gerhartz keeps his attention on the female form, with a strong foundation in the work of nineteenth century masters, most notably French and American Impressionist painters ranging from John Singer Sargent to Alphonse Mucha. Similarly, Sergio Lopez highlights the female form but takes the subject in a vastly different direction — influenced by the Golden Age Illustrators and graffiti writers. Tim Rees stresses compositional beauty, preferring to allow the composition to tell the story — the work is all about technique and using a thoughtful and logical approach to producing an idea. On the other hand, Vanessa Lemen credits her inspiration to moments of personal adversity and resilience — a concept that is further embodied by her organic process and the work itself; seemingly chaotic yet peaceful and elegant. Each artist reveals not only a personal vision of the human figure, but a commentary on what he or she believes is important in our current environment — what is meaningful and what is significant.”

“Contemporary Figures” will be on view through November 17. To learn more, visit Rehs Contemporary Galleries.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

Just a few weeks ago, we detailed the exciting news of Wausau, Wisconsin’s newest addition: the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art. Its grand opening was hosted on October 7 with acclaimed artist Alyssa Monks, who helped announce the artists selected for the 2017 National Juried Art Exhibition.

Wisconsin is officially the home of a new art museum: the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, which will aim to “unleash the region’s creative energy and engage a broad and diverse audience in conversation about how art connects us, allowing us to grow and thrive as a community,” as the museum’s website asserts.

The museum ceremoniously opened its doors on October 7 with an exciting event that welcomed established artist Alyssa Monks and featured newly selected artists for the 2017 National Juried Art Exhibition. Best of Show — a $10,000 prize — was awarded by Monks to artist Candice Chovanec for her magnetic piece titled “My Mother and Her Daughter.” Second Place was awarded to Joseph Castle for his sculpture “Meet Me on the Mountain.” Third Place was grabbed by Esteban Ocampo Firaldo for his “Self Portrait as an Artist.” Fine Art Connoisseur also presented Candice Chovanec with an Award of Excellence.

Honorable mentions included Carmelo Blandino’s “Love Is”; Michael Kenneth Depue’s “New Guinea TV”; and Erin McGee Ferrell’s “Petri Dish #3.” To learn more, visit the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art.

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.

More than 1,200 people from around the world, including top contemporary and traditional wildlife artists and collectors, came to Jackson, Wyoming, to attend the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s (NMWA) 30th Annual Western Visions Show & Sale events in September. Recap, winners, and totals are here!

Throughout the week, the NMWA showcased a combination of well-established, top-selling artists and emerging talents who are the next generation of leading wildlife artists. Western Visions is a cornerstone of the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.

This year’s event had total revenue estimated at more than $650,000. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Museum and Western Visions, all 114 participating artists have work in the permanent collection of the museum. Of those 114 artists, 10 were also in the original Western Visions Show & Sale in 1988; those artists are Clyde Aspevig, Kenneth Bunn, Ken Carlson, Michael Coleman, Daniel Smith, Tucker Smith, Lee Stroncek, Skip Whitcomb, Jim Wilcox, and Wayne Wolfe.

This year a highlight of the exhibition was a presentation by three outstanding sculptors moderated by sculptor Walter Matia. After his presentation of the history of animal sculpture through the ages, further presentations were made by Randal Dutra and Steve Kestrel.

“We’re so happy everyone joined us for this 30th-anniversary Western Visions,” says Kavar Kerr, Western Visions co-chair. “It was a wonderful event, and we are thankful for those who attended to celebrate these fantastic artists.”

There were also several artists who grabbed awards this year. Artist Edward Fraughton won this year’s Red Smith Award, the artists’ choice honor, for his piece “American Monarch,” which included an award from Fine Art Connoisseur. Western Visions guests voted for John Seery-Lester’s piece as People’s Choice for “The Stage Is Set.” Painter Kathryn Turner won the Trustee’s Purchase Award for her Sandhill crane painting “Sky,” which was acquired into the National Museum of Wildlife Art’s collection. Bill Sawczuk won the Bob Kuhn Sketch Award for his sketch entitled “A Fine Specimen.”

This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.