It’s been one of the most highly anticipated solo exhibitions of 2016, featuring the recent works by contemporary star Brad Kunkle, who explores narratives of being visible and invisible in oil, linen, gold, and silver. We’re just about at a loss for words for how beautiful it is.

What can we say? There’s a reason Brad Kunkle is one of the most sought-after and talked-about artists working today. Juxtaposing brilliantly modeled figures with abstracted and gilded spaces, the epic visual journey encountered in his work is but one element that continually captivates collectors and art enthusiasts. Opening November 12 at Culver City, California’s Arcadia Contemporary, “In/Visible” will also give image to compelling narratives. “While some of us struggle to be visible, others wish to be invisible,” writes Kunkle, “and we have all most likely experienced the desire to be either/or in a single day … perhaps even both at once. Where is the place of balance that remains fertile enough to nourish our souls, and noticed enough to be seeded and harvested by others? Social media has given us a new way to explore the threshold of being visible to the world, yet remain physically unseen behind the electronic veil. These paintings are born from our human desire to be in, visible, and at times, invisible in this over-technologized world.”

“In/Visible” opens on November 12 and will continue through December 3. To learn more, visit Arcadia Contemporary.

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.

Anglin Smith Fine Art in Charleston, South Carolina, seems to be the perfect venue for painter Bill Jameson’s latest solo exhibition. In what is described as a gallery for contemporary realism and color, Jameson’s stunning landscapes are right at home.

A number of outstanding works by painter Bill Jameson will soon grace the walls of Charleston, South Carolina’s Anglin Smith Fine Art. Jameson has studied in Florida, New York, and Mexico, and his love for nature led him to the historic village of Saluda in the mountainous region of Western North Carolina. Among the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, Jameson masterfully captures “the warm or cool colors heralding the arrival of each season in the Appalachian Mountains.”

Continuing, Jameson writes, “By exploring my subject matter in detail, the process reveals the mystery and profound power of nature. The effect is a literal and sentimental interpretation of nature; each painting is a reflection of the relationship between man and nature; painter and observer.”

“Appalachian Textures” opens on December 2 and will be on view through December 16. To learn more, visit Anglin Smith 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.

The New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut is currently showcasing over 80 paintings by more than 30 American artists whose works and careers were championed by Boston-based collectors Ernst and Gail van Metzsch.

“As We See It” is an outstanding look into the aesthetic preferences of collectors Ernst and Gail von Metzsch. Having spent nearly 40 years collecting art, the Boston-based couple has built a robust collection of stunning works, many of which are on view now at the New Britain Museum of American Art.

Featuring more than 80 paintings by 30 artists, the exhibition features local, national, and international stars, including — among many others — George Nick, Paul Rahilly, Janet Monafo, Steve Hawley, Ben Aronson, and Ed Stitt. “Today, the collection reflects a multitude of styles and subjects best described as ‘contemporary realism,’ and includes naturalistic landscapes, still lifes, portraits, and interiors, as well as colorful, evocative abstractions,” the museum reports.

“During the early phases of developing their collection, Gail and Ernst began acquiring urban scenes, and gradually expanded to seascapes and more broadly to local artists whose work greatly interested them. Rather than collecting encyclopedically, the couple acquired the work of select artists in-depth, a practice that reflects their dedication to nurturing and developing personal relationships with artists through their focused support. Invested and interested in artists, their lives, and the worlds around them, as well as the technical issues and processes that inform their work, Gail and Ernst von Metzsch have amassed their collection through active and ongoing conversations with artists and also with curators, gallerists, and fellow collectors whom they admire and with whom they share a dialogue.”

“As We See It: The Collection of Gail and Ernst von Metzsch” opened on October 21 and will remain on view through January 8. To learn more, visit The New Britain Museum of American 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.

Featuring masterworks by Monet, Van Gogh, Winslow Homer, and many more, Norfolk, Virginia’s Chrysler Museum of Art recently opened a major exhibition dedicated to some of the biggest champions of plein air and agrarian idealism.

Including many of the biggest names in the history of art, “The Agrarian Ideal” at Norfolk, Virigina’s Chrysler Museum of Art is a gorgeous celebration of the 19th century’s fascination with rural labor and countryside landscapes. Featuring works by Monet, Van Gogh, Winslow Homer, Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, and many others, the exhibition is sure to delight even the most casual of art lovers.

Via the museum, “The works include paintings on agricultural themes, sculptures, detailed drawings, early photographs and Impressionist masterworks known for their evocation of light. On loan from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is a breathtaking painting by Vincent Van Gogh from 1889. Titled ‘Wheat Field behind St. Paul’s Hospital, St. Remy,’ the painting is a thrilling addition to an already blockbuster exhibition.”

Continuing, the museum writes, “While the Impressionists are famous for scenes of Paris, in the 1890s many of them departed the city for the country. As Paris had become dangerous, crowded, industrial, and expensive, many of the city’s best artists left to seek simpler subjects and an integrated life untouched by the ills of modernity.”

“The Agrarian Ideal: Monet, van Gogh, Homer, and More” opened on October 7 and remains on view through January 8, 2017. To learn more, visit the Chrysler Museum 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.

Coinciding with his new monograph, works by experienced artist Adam Straus head to the walls of two prestigious New York City Galleries later this month. Details here!

On view at New York’s Nohra Haime Gallery and Adelson Galleries from November 22 through December 24 are a wide range of works by accomplished artist Adam Straus. With a career spanning nearly four decades, Straus has worked in a variety of media, with representations of each on view during the shows. Among the works to be on view are Straus’ sculptures, paintings, works on paper, and photography.

Via the exhibition press, “Straus is known for his majestic and luminous depictions of the sublime, which are often saturated with a deep concern about social and environmental issues. His penetrating dark humor can transport the viewer to post-apocalyptic worlds and often offers a wry observation on how humans have altered the natural landscape.”

The two exhibitions also coincide with the release of Straus’ new monograph, published by Gli Ori, Italy, this month. Including text written by the artist and award-winning critic and filmmaker Amei Wallach, Adam Straus explores a range of topics, including the artist’s childhood experiences, fascinating moments in his life and career, and much more.

To learn more, visit Adam Straus.

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.

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: Erin Anderson, “Felix Looking Backward, Looking Forward.”

Although Erin Anderson’s magnificent portrait “Felix Looking Backward, Looking Forward” graces the cover of Fine Art Connoisseur’s November/December 2016 issue, we simply couldn’t pass the opportunity to highlight the work once more as this week’s feature portrait.

Executed on a copper sheet, a three-quarter figure pensively stands at center and — presumably — in the nude. His hands are pressed together and raised to his chin, and a flash of brilliant purple emanates from his soft lips. “My compositions remain anchored in representational figure painting juxtaposed by abstraction,” writes Anderson. “The metal substrate and paint work in concert to communicate layers or levels of reality: one that is easily perceived and directly in front of us and one that can be felt and is dynamic or changing. To explore the connective nature of our experience, I make visual comparisons between the figure and systems in nature. I find that studying the ways in which nature is connected informs the ways I create atmosphere within and around my subjects. The ensuing work is an exploration of our relationships to one another and our fundamental connection with the environment.”

To learn more, visit Erin Anderson.

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.