Geoffrey Humphries, “Laura Reflection with Parasol,” oil on canvas, 100 x 70 cm.
A long-standing chronicler of Venetian life, English artist Geoffrey Humphries and his famous feminine subjects have captivated connoisseurs and collectors for over 30 years.
Artist Geoffrey Humphries’ international following has been quite excited about a current show at Osborne Studio Gallery in London that features both new and old works. On view through October 12, the exhibition features about 31 of Humphries’ pictures and showcases his talent as a cityscape, figurative, and still life painter.
Geoffrey Humphries, “Rachel with Blue Silk,” oil on canvas, 120 x 80 cm.Geoffrey Humphries, “Sleeping Girl on Opium Bed,” oil on canvas, 122 x 76 cm.Geoffrey Humphries, “From Accademia Bridge Toward the Salute,” watercolor on paper, 37 x 27 cm.
“His evocative work does not conform to the genre of many Venetian paintings, but captures the mood of this extraordinary city and its inhabitants” the gallery suggested. Be that as it may, there can be no doubt that the city’s reputation for inspiring extremely skilled colorists shines through Humphries’ work.
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Guy Rose (1867-1925), “Sierra Vista Hill,” n.d., oil on canvas, 23-3/4 x 28-3/4 inches
In this ongoing series for Fine Art Today, we take a longer look at the history and features of a soon-to-be-available artwork of note. This week: Guy Rose, “Sierra Vista Hill.”
Widely regarded as one of America’s most acclaimed Impressionist painters, Guy Rose (1867-1925) was afforded the opportunity to pursue his love of art at an early age. He was born to Leonard John Rose — a prominent California state senator — and Amanda Jones Rose. The family lived on a lovely and expansive California ranch, where Rose developed his love of nature and artistic skill. His skills only improved after a hunting accident left him hospitalized for some weeks.
By 1884, Rose was studying under the stewardship of Emil Carlsen at the California School of Design. In 1888, the painter began his tenure at the Académie Julian in Paris. It was during Rose’s European studies, and in Paris in particular, that he was exposed to the Impressionists, who at this time were flourishing in the City of Light. Claude Monet, known as “the master,” befriended Rose and mentored his development. Rose’s pictures produced between 1904 and 1912 vividly display Monet’s influence and are among the artist’s most remarkable paintings.
Rose has become one of America’s most championed Impressionists, and the market for his work is perhaps hotter than ever, with prices frequently reaching six and seven figures. Heading to auction on October 24 via John Moran Auctioneers, Rose’s “Sierra Vista Hill” presents an outstanding opportunity to own an original by the American master. The exquisite work was produced late in the artist’s career and displays heavy influence from Monet. The surface of the piece is splendid, with expressive flicks of the brush that activate the work and give it life. Auction estimates are between $100,000-$200,000.
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Debra Balchen, “Fallen Angel,” hand-painted ceramic, 12 x 9-1/2 x 12 inches
Each of those years has seen a brilliant display of sculptural mastery via the National Sculpture Society. And now through October 29, you can observe the incredible works of 47 contemporary sculptors featured during the 84th Annual National Sculpture Society Awards Exhibition. Where?
The 84th Annual National Sculpture Society Awards Exhibition is on view through October 29 at Brookgreen Gardens in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Each year, the display is the NSS’s most popular show. Hundreds of artists apply to the juried competition, which offers thousands of dollars in cash prizes. The variety of subject matter and media exhibited represents the diverse styles, backgrounds, and disciplines of NSS members.
Douglas Aja, “Dionysus,” bronze, 12 x 20 x 10 inchesEirik Arnesen, “Disintegrating Mortal,” aqua resin, 60 x 40 x 30 inches
This year the Jury of Selection chose the 47 works from among 233 entries. The jury included Tom Durham, NSS and director of fine arts sculpture, Academy of Arts University; Debra Force, president of Debra Force Fine Art, Inc.; and Margaret Keelan, sculptor and associate director of sculpture at Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Bela Bacsi, “Charlotte,” marble, 32 x 12 x 11 inchesKevin Chambers, “Requiem,” bronze, 36 x 11 x 8 inches
Sculptors featured in the exhibition are: Douglas Aja, Eirik Arnesen, Béla Bácsi, Debra Balchen, Alison Belt, Meredith Bergmann, Claudette Bleijenberg, Betty Branch and Polly Branch, Lindley Briggs, Kate Brockman, Lewis Brown, Shuhai Cao, Jay Hall Carpenter, Kevin Chambers, LeaAnn Cogswell, Beverly Davis, Darrell Davis, Tom Durham, Barry Eisenach, Ruth Green, Lee Hutt, Scott Johnson, Amy Kann, Kenneth Kearney, Kristina Kossi, Glenn Marlowe, Roger Martin, Paul Moore, Dora Natella, Olga Nielsen, Peregrine O’Gormley, Louise Peterson, Carl Raven, LaQuincey Reed, Diana Reuter-Twining, Paul Rhymer, Rosetta, Jeffrey Rudolph, Rikki Morley Saunders, Adam Schultz, Sandy Scott, Tom Silveroli, Christopher Smith, James Stewart, Oceana Rain Stuart, Jeremiah D. Welsh, and Yang Wen.
LeaAnn Cogswell, “Mike Criscuolo,” terra cotta, 18 x 9 x 12 inchesRuth Green, “Carry On,” bronze, 8-1/4 x 10 x 3-1/2 inches
A Jury of Awards will convene after the show is installed. The award winners will be announced at a closing reception on October 28; the Brookgreen Gardens “People’s Choice” award will be announced at that time as well.
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.
Beth Bathe is an artist residing in Lancaster, PA who paints primarily en plein air and participates in high-profile juried and invitational competitions from Maine to Washington State. In 2017 she is a juried artist in ten competitions, including Plein Air Easton, Maryland; Door County, Wisconsin; and Cape Ann, Massachusetts. Her paintings have won numerous awards and honors including 2017 awards: Best Quickdraw at Fingerlakes, New York, and three honorable mentions.
Critics have described her representational paintings as “evoking nostalgia, like that of an old sepia toned photograph,” often with just touches of color.
Beth’s painting style is unique. A viewer often wonders, “Is it a watercolor or is it an oil painting?” The answer is, “somewhat both.” Beth works with Cobra Water Mixable Oil Colors in a limited tonalist palette with unconventional tools such as squeegees and cotton swabs, along with her brushes.
Highly influenced by American Regionalist painter Andrew Wyeth, Beth’s subject matter is often what she refers to as the “vanishing landscape.” The paintings depict beauty in the buildings, barns and old towns of a time gone by. Scenes often include structures beyond their prime: an old barn, a Victorian farmhouse, a back alley, a fire escape, an old mill or an old split rail fence down a country road.
Beth paints primary on location to catch her subject at a specific time, especially how 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 has a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. She 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, Virginia, and Crystal Moll Gallery, Baltimore, Maryland. Her work will also be included in the “Artist’s of the New Century” show at The Bennington in Vermont in September through December 2017.
In this occasional series, Fine Art Today delves into the world of portraiture, highlighting historical and contemporary examples of superb quality and skill. This week we look at a contemporary masterwork that could soon land in your collection.
On Friday night (September 22, 2017) at the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale, a wonderful portrait of Blackfoot hunter Red Coat could be your next great acquisition. Painted by contemporary master Krystii Melaine, the picture is a powerful, intimate look into how Native Americans are keeping their heritage and traditions alive. In the work, Red Coat has paused to listen during his pursuit of game. A lance, bow and arrows, and his reliable horse are all he has — plenty to provide for his growing family.
“I enjoy pushing realism into a dissolving interplay of brushstrokes,” says the artist, “with a hint of landscape expressed as abstract bands of subtle colors.” Indeed, the patchy strokes create a patterned effect across the canvas, vibrating the surface and giving it life.
The Buffalo Bill Art Auction is still accepting last-minute online bidding, but interested parties must act before Friday, September 22 at 4 p.m. To learn more about this piece or view other available lots, visit the Buffalo Bill Art Auction.
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.
Thomas Worthington Whittredge, “Scene on the Upper Delaware, State of New York,” circa 1872-75, oil on canvas, 17 x 23 inches
In this ongoing series for Fine Art Today, we take a longer look at the history and features of a soon-to-be-available artwork of note. This week we highlight a New York State landscape that’ll have you looking forward to fall.
There’s something to love about every season, but for me autumn has a special charm. Perhaps it’s the crisping of the air, the delights of a harvest, or the cacophony of vibrant colors that sweeps across the landscape. Whether or not fall is your favorite, Thomas Worthington Whittredge’s “Scene on the Upper Delaware” will certainly have you looking forward to it as the season begins September 22.
Whittredge’s painting headlines an upcoming American Art sale at Sotheby’s in New York. In it, the viewer is placed in upstate New York within rolling mountains along the Delaware River. Sweeping from the lower left of the canvas toward the right is an old farm road, bracketed by a fence and rugged stone wall. A carriage pulled by four horses comes our way. The day is crisp and clear, and several maple trees have turned a brilliant neon red. The composition has an enchanting layering to create a sense of space. A large diagonal created from a nearby mountain cascades from the upper left of the canvas, balancing the strong diagonal lines from the Delaware and its adjacent road. Also noteworthy is Whittredge’s expressive brushwork, found prominently in the prairie grasses and flowers toward the painting’s bottom right.
The oil painting is available via Sotheby’s on October 6 in New York with an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000. To learn more, visit Sotheby’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’ve got until December 10 to take a fantastic creative journey with artist Neil Rizos during his latest solo exhibition, featuring bronzes, paintings, drawings, pastels, etchings, and more!
More than 50 works by artist/explorer Neil Rizos are currently on display at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History, located in Jamestown, New York. He works in a wide variety of media, including bronze, painting, pastel, and printmaking — Rizos’ techniques are as unique as the many places he visits.
Neil Rizos, “African Crowned Eagle,” pastel and chalk
Although the artist has a predominant creative interest in birds, viewers will certainly get a feeling for Rizos’ lifelong exploration of art and nature. “For more than 25 years,” the museum writes, “Rizos has pursued his interest in birds, art and the natural world. He has travelled widely, participating in bird research projects with public and private agencies in North America and Europe. In 2016, he was invited to Austria to observe the European Union’s Northern Bald Ibis reintroduction program. He has been recognized with numerous awards and artist residencies, and his work is in notable private and public collections internationally, including the US Library of Congress.”
Neil Rizos, “Whimbrel”
Discussing his new works, Rizos said, “Birds are the starting point of my artistic journey. Although the species are often recognizable, my purpose is not to copy appearances. Rather, my intention is to make my personal, interior experience visible in a way that engages the viewer deeply, moving through form into that which cannot be grasped, only experienced.”
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.
Alyssa Monks, “Air,” 2016, oil on linen, 66 x 56 inches
Wisconsin has some exciting news — and they’re certainly shooting for the stars during this grand opening. Interested in finding out more?
Wisconsin will soon be home to a brand new art museum, located in Wausau’s vibrant downtown. The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art will feature works by internationally established artists from coast to coast with a goal to “unleash the regions creative energy and to 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.
They’re certainly kicking things off right, welcoming established artist Alyssa Monks for the Grand Opening on October 7, 2017. The reception will also showcase the art selected for the 2017 National Juried Art Exhibition with Monks announcing the Best of Show winner — an award that comes with $10,000.
The museum already has a great lineup of exhibitions slated for 2018, including their 2018 National Juried Exhibition, and solo shows with David Shevlino, Samantha French, and Jacob Dhein.
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.
Christopher St. Leger, “Baggy (Austin, Brazos St.),” watercolor, 33 x 52 inches
The watercolors of Christopher St. Leger follow the tradition of illustrated journals as the artist explores themes of mood, place, and impermanence. Where can you see his latest?
“My paintings grow from an exploration between mood and place,” writes Christopher St. Leger. “Each work is a delicate anchor as well as an approach, a question to spur on the thread of conversation.” Now through October 28, visitors to Gallery Shoal Creek in Austin, Texas, will have a chance to re-experience these moods and places through St. Leger’s latest body of watercolors — a tour-de-force of color, atmosphere, and skillful edge control. Indeed, “the current portfolio takes the viewer from Austin,” adds the gallery, “to places distant or remote, and back to Lockhart, Texas, where the artist lives and works.”
Christopher St. Leger, “Blood and Earth (East Village),” watercolor, 35 x 52 inchesChristopher St. Leger, “Klei (Copenhagen),” watercolor, 25 x 31 inchesChristopher St. Leger, “Lion Country (Lockhart),” watercolor 28 1/2 x 28 inchesChristopher St. Leger, “Untitled with Parapluie (Frankfurt),” watercolor, 39 x 31 inchesChristopher St. Leger, “Sister City (Ljubljana, Slovenia),” watercolor, 23 x 31 1/2 inches
Watercolors are perfectly suited for St. Leger’s creative goals as their strong atmospheric qualities help capture a sense of ephemerality or a fleeting snapshot. “He transforms these images with his loose rendering style,” his website suggests, “an attitude of experimentation which may stem from teaching himself to paint, into something perhaps personal, but also ambient and more enduring. Each painting is approached as if with a question that invokes a dialogue between the artist and his surroundings, between a cautious being and an irrational force.”
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.
Rachel Bess, “Eye of the Typhoon,” oil on panel, 37 x 23 inches
Arcadia Contemporary in Culver City, California, has a special exhibition of award-winning artworks on view you don’t want to miss.
On September 16, Arcadia Contemporary opened a large exhibition of artworks from the Art Renewal Center’s 12th Annual International Salon. However, the selections on view have a closer connection to the gallery — they were all winners of the Arcadia Contemporary Award in the ARC Salon.
Ben Bauer, “Hugo Farmstead at 1am,” oil on linen, 30 x 36 inchesCandice Bohannon, “Immersion,” oil on panel, 14 1/2 x 16 inchesBen Bauer, “Moonlit Scene at Cushing,” oil on panel, 30 x 36 inchesZoey Frank, “Kitchen,” oil on panel, 43 x 28 1/2 inchesDavid Gluck, “Dusk,” oil on panel, 20 x 20 inchesAmanda Greive, “Hannah,” oil on panel, 30 inches (diameter)
Represented artists include Ben Bauer, Rachel Bess, Daniel Blimes, Candice Bohannon, Alex Callaway, Leslie Fornalik, Zoey Frank, David Gluck, Amanda Greive, and Steven J. Levin.
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.
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