Part of the challenge for landscape painters is harnessing the majesty, grandeur, totality, and eternity of an expansive view and reducing it into a small, flat rectangle. Artist Tom Murray has it down, and he lives and works in stunning New Mexico.
 
Is it a low horizon line? Or perhaps a panoramic format? Whatever the qualities may be, landscape painter Tom Murray has the right combination. “Earth and Sky” is a gorgeous solo exhibition at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that opened on June 17.
 
Living and working in Santa Fe, Murray is constantly surrounded by many of the most beautiful vistas in the world. Indeed, he has mastered the ability to translate these views into brush and paint, which has earned the artist national notoriety and countless awards. The gallery reports, “Murray has developed a strong connection with the landscape and its ever changing beauty. Murray is well-known for his dramatic paintings of the Grand Canyon, cloudscapes and landscapes. He has created a wide variety of artwork as well, from abstract to photo-realism, but has specialized in landscape since 1980.”
 
To learn more, visit Manitou Galleries.
 
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Robert Lange Studios is overjoyed to present a series of recent works by acclaimed painter Adam Hall this summer. As many venture out into the wilderness, Hall seeks to remind viewers that nature is untamable.
 
August will be an exciting month at Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, South Carolina, as the riveting exhibition “Untamed” opens — a solo display of recent works from renowned painter Adam Hall. Known for his landscapes, particularly his waterscapes, Hall “builds up his compositions using oil paint in multiple layers and various thicknesses to compose unique interpretations in paint,” the gallery writes.
 

Adam Hall, “Waking Up,” oil, 36 x 36 in. (c) Robert Lange Studios 2016

 
Speaking on the theme of “Untamed,” Hall suggested, “The body of work in its entirety creates a space for wonder, contemplation, and hopefully may ignite a spark of inspiration in someone. The theme ‘Untamed’ came from a simple thought of how nature is untamable, it is ever changing, cannot be controlled, and is unpredictable. It then took a transition into the idea of how life can have a way of taming us or domesticating us to a fault sometimes. Really, if I’m honest I’ve felt that a lot over the past few years. I’ve had to be very intentional to find time for myself and discover healthy routines to keep my dreams and adventurous spirit alive.”
 
“Untamed” opens on August 5 and will be on view through August 26. To learn more, visit Robert Lange Studios.
 
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Although Thai sculptor Sunti Pichetchaiyakul lives and works from his studio in Whitefish, Montana, he’s firmly rooted in Eastern traditions. The artist is currently working on a captivating project with scholars and archaeologists to reveal Buddha as he actually was.
 

 
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A beautiful exhibition of paintings by Sharon Hathaway, Robert Pillsbury, and Lisa Hannick recently opened in New Jersey, celebrating the beauty of our natural world. We were moved — will you be?
 
It’s such a joy to witness and explore the variety of beautiful art that is a direct result of our natural world. For art lovers and connoisseurs who love landscape and still life, Beacon Fine Arts Gallery in Red Bank, New Jersey, is one place to be.
 
Featuring the works of three accomplished painters — Sharon Hathaway, Robert Pillsbury, and Lisa Hannick — “Our Natural World” displays a lush array of floral still life, landscape, and more. The works complement each other wonderfully through soft pastel palettes, feathery brushwork, and compelling details.
 
To learn more, visit Beacon Fine Arts Gallery.
 
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If you’re ever looking for a great exhibition, just head to the National Galleries of Scotland, where it seems impossible to mount a disappointing show. They’ve done their best again with this inspiring tale of Impressionism’s story.
 
Over 100 masterful works by Impressionism’s founders and greatest champions head to the walls of the Scottish National Gallery on June 25. “Inspiring Impressionism” will use many of the most spectacular Impressionist paintings to walk viewers through the mutual influence among three seminal figures: Charles François Daubigny, Claude Monet, and Vincent van Gogh.
 

Claude Monet, “The Seine at Lavacourt,” 1880, oil, (c) Scottish National Galleries 2016

 
Via the exhibition webpage: “Inspiring Impressionism offers a refreshing new look at Impressionism and its origins. Featuring over 100 masterpieces, Inspiring Impressionism celebrates the work of Charles François Daubigny (1817-1878) — often dubbed ‘the father of Impressionism’ — and the artists he influenced, especially Claude Monet (1840-1926) and Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890). While Monet was inspired by Daubigny to paint the ephemeral effects of light and weather from his studio boat, Van Gogh spent the most productive two months of his life close to Daubigny’s home at Auvers-sur-Oise.”
 

Vincent van Gogh, “Daubigny’s Garden,” 1890, oil, (c) Scottish National Galleries 2016

 
“Inspiring Impressionism” opens on June 25 and will remain on view through October 2. To learn more, visit the Scottish National Galleries.
 
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Gallery 1261 in Denver, Colorado, is one of the nation’s top galleries for contemporary realism. Through July 16, visitors to this lovely space will have the opportunity to absorb figurative works from a stellar lineup of painters.
 
Featuring — among others — Suchitra Bhosle, Gregory Block, Scott Burdick, and David Cheifetz, “Figurative II” is an awesome follow-up to the “Figurative I” exhibition at Denver’s Gallery 1261. Nearly 30 artists will be on display during “Figurative II” — a monumental display of talent, with all displaying unique personal styles.
 

Aaron Westerberg, “Lipstick,” oil, 24 x 16 in. (c) Gallery 1261 2016

 
The exhibition will be a great opportunity to see the expressive and interpretive range of the human figure, one of the most dynamic and communicative subjects in art and history. From classic nudes to portraiture and beyond, there’s something for every connoisseur to enjoy.
 
To learn more, visit Gallery 1261.
 
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Hosted by Artista Collective at the lovely Phoenix Gallery in New York City, Tom J. Byrne will exhibit an array of outstanding landscapes completed under the Tuscan sun.
 
Since 2013, artist Tom J. Byrne has called Florence, Italy, home. He has taken advantage of the opportunity to learn from both historical and contemporary masters, and Byrne’s works have earned the painter a number of accolades and lovely solo exhibitions, including an upcoming show at New York’s Phoenix Gallery.
 
The show will focus on paintings done in Italy, showcasing Byrne’s talent for both plein air and studio painting. Many of the paintings are landscapes and beautifully executed. They will undoubtedly transport the viewer to one of the most beautiful regions on the planet.
 
To learn more, visit Artista Collective.
 
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Works from some of the most accomplished painters head to the walls of this equally esteemed New York City gallery through July 8. Are your favorites among them?
 
For years, Dacia Gallery in New York City has become synonymous with the top national and international artists. The tradition continues through July 8 with “Pictores Aestas” — a stunning group exhibition of works from numerous artists, including 11 featured artists.
 
Among the featured artists in the show are Dean Adams, Erin Anderson, Arik Bartelmus, Diana Corvelle, Joseph Daily, Brian DiNicola, Vincent Giarrano, Christopher LoPresti, Daniel Midman, Afnan Rauf, and Victoria Selbach. An artist reception and talk will be hosted at the gallery this evening, June 23, from 6 to 9 P.M. Eastern.
 
To learn more, visit Dacia Gallery.
 
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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: Sir Peter Lely, “Self-Portrait.”
 
Although Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680) was born in the small German town of Westphalia to Dutch parents, the renowned artist would spend most of his career in England, completing a vast array of mythological works and dignified — sometimes royal — portraits.
 
Lely was a master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Haarlem in 1637; his early works display his penchant for mythological scenes with a distinct flair for Anthony van Dyck and the Dutch baroque. Arriving in London in 1640, Lely would eventually become the official portraitist for Charles I, his talent unmistakable even after the monarch’s execution.
 
A naturalized citizen of England in 1662, Lely led a prolific workshop and is considered one of the first English artists to leave an enormous mass of work. Among the most notable works by Lely are a series of about 10 portraits of ladies from the royal court, known as the “Windsor Beauties,” and a series of 12 portraits of the admirals and captains who fought in the Second Anglo-Dutch War, known as the “Flagmen of Lowestoft.”
 
Lely was known as a profound and talented portraitist, and the opportunity to own a personal work — his “Self-Portrait,” in fact — is one collectors should consider taking. Highlighting Sotheby’s July 5 and July 6 “Old Master and British Works on Paper” sale is Lely’s magnetic “Self-Portrait” drawing. Although it is executed with a dry rather than a wet medium, Lely has afforded his self-portrait the same attention, delicacy, and honor that can be seen in his royal portraits. Lely, shown in half-length while resting his arms on a ledge, gazes confidently out upon the viewer. Most attention has, naturally, been paid to his visage, while the rest of the drawing remains rather rough. Auction estimates for the exquisite drawing range from $874,000 to $1.1 million.
 
To view the full catalogue, visit Sotheby’s.
 
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Beauty. That’s what visitors to Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery can expect through June 26 in Crested Butte, Colorado. Can you guess the medium?
 
An exquisite display of watercolors by Carolyn Lord, Leon Loughride, Meredith Nemirov, and Peggy Stenmark is can be seen now through June 26 at Oh-Be-Joyful Gallery in Colorado.
 
The range of artists included will showcase for viewers a diverse range of approaches to watercolor — an often overlooked but wildly versatile and gorgeous medium. From beautiful floral compositions to landscapes and beyond, there will surely be something for everyone to enjoy.
 
To learn more, visit Oh-Be-Joyful 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.