Fine Art Today had the great honor of attending the 25th Annual Oil Painters of America National Exhibition this past week in Dallas, complete with artist demonstrations, a plein air competition, and more. The sun shone, paint flowed, and memories were made.
 
Writing about art and seeing the works in person are completely different experiences. The best photography always seems to miss something, whether it’s the exact coloring of a painting or sculpture, the subtle textures of the brushstrokes or fingermarks, or the shimmer of an oily finish as one moves about the gallery.
 

Huihan Liu, “At Mt. Tangulla Pass, Northern Tibet,” oil, 30 x 24 in. (c) OPA 2016

 
Walking into the lush Southwest Gallery in Dallas, Texas, one is immediately struck by its size. There are literally paintings stacked, hung, and propped from floor to ceiling — and every single one of them is magnificent. The space is like an endless maze of great art — it just keeps going and going. No wonder Oil Painters of America chose Southwest as the primary location for its 25th Annual National Exhibition & Exposition. This year’s juried exhibition received over 2,000 entries, with only 200 accepted into the show. Featuring old-timers, established masters, and several burgeoning talents, the show was a truly magnificent display of the high level of skill and creativity that exists in the representational art world today.
 

Artists Register for the Exposition and Plein Air Competition, (c) Photo Andrew Webster 2016

 
Artists kicked off their week in Dallas by registering at Southwest Gallery on Wednesday and entering into the “Best Little Plein Air Competition in Texas.” Once they received their materials and the green light, off they went into the beaming Dallas sun. Painters were invited to work all day Wednesday and Thursday on their canvases before choosing one entry for the competition on Friday.
 

Southwest Gallery was the perfect space for OPA’s National Exhibition, (c) Photo Andrew Webster 2016

 
Artist demonstrations and lectures began in earnest on Friday morning, with a compelling talk from Qiang Huang at the Crown Plaza Dallas Galleria. Huang was welcomed warmly, and detailed — among many other things — his choices for materials and lighting, and his five-step creative process. The afternoon featured Master Signature artist Jeff Legg discussing his professional journey, ways to brand and market oneself, and his legacy as a “masterful” artist.
 

Qiang Huang captivates attendees with his painting demonstration, (c) Photo Andrew Webster 2016

 
The weekend witnessed even more excitement as audiences were treated to a telling discussion about collecting art from an esteemed panel that included Tim Newton, chairman of the Salmagundi Club, Houston collector Tom Vining, and OPA board member Jim Bruce. Friday finished with the official opening reception for the exhibition at Southwest Gallery, where artists, collectors, and sponsors mingled, enjoyed delicious snacks and beverages, and soaked in the beautiful works. The evening concluded with an awards ceremony, which included a Master Signature Division, Associate Signature Division, and the Dorothy Driehaus Mellin Fellowship.
 

Attendees browse sponsor booths filled with tastey painting tools, (c) Photo Andrew Webster 2016

 
Artist Huihan Liu was awarded the Gold Medal in the Master Signature division for his breathtaking “At Mt. Tangulla Pass, Northern Tibet,” while Sherrie McGraw and Calvin Liang received the Silver and Bronze Awards, respectively. To view a full list of all the awards, visit here.
 

The opening reception for the National Exhibition was packed with the public, artists, and collectors,
(c) Photo Andrew Webster 2016

 
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.
 

Everyone desires connections, whether they be with another person, a place, or a thing. Both the traditional and contemporary melt together through the paintings and sculptures of this skillful artist, whose works are the subjects of a compelling solo exhibition.
 
“We’re excited about this new direction,” says gallery owner Robert Lange, who is proud to partner with artist Michelle Jader for a captivating solo exhibition this summer at Robert Lange Studios. Jader’s new works are composed of from two to 15 layers of stacked acrylic panels, and her painting/sculptures “push and pull images in and out of focus,” the gallery writes. “Working on layers of semi-transparent acrylic panels, Jader diffuses background layers, enhances depth, and creates a sense of mystery and movement. Expressive marks and shadowing of the figures also reinforce a sense of impermanence.”
 
Indeed, impermanence is the title — and theme — of the exhibition. Jader says, “This body of work is the beginning of a new direction for me. I continue to be drawn to figures in motion, but I’m trying to further exploit the benefits of not only layering paint on one surface, but layering several transparent paintings together to create more dimension, tension, and movement.
 
“The work is very personal to me. When I moved to San Francisco 10 years ago, my new world seemed out of focus. Simple everyday actions like walking down a street or passing new co-workers in the halls went by like a blur. It was very lonely at times, and I wanted nothing more than to feel at home in my new city with a circle of great friends. Little by little and step by step, my foggy world came into focus. With time, the streets I traveled started to become familiar and friendships grew around me.”
 
“Embracing Impermanence” opens on June 3 and will be on view through July 22. To learn more, visit Robert Lange Studios.
 
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.
 

Her sculptures often evoke contradictory feelings of tranquility and tension while celebrating the beauty the animal world has to offer. Gerald Peters Gallery is overjoyed to be hosting this artist’s first solo exhibition since 1994.
 
Sculptor Gwynn Murrill has established a successful career through her magnificent works that display the elegance and beauty of the animal world. A Michigan native but trained in California, Murrill creates works that “invite viewers to study the sumptuous contours and serpentine lines of animal forms,” Gerald Peters Gallery writes. “Typically cast in bronze, the subtle nuances of the shapes of her creatures evoke naturalistic qualities and characteristics of the animal depicted; they may appear to be lurking but relaxed, prowling yet serene.”
 
Murrill’s recent works will be showcased during a solo exhibition at Gerald Peters Gallery this summer — the artist’s first at the gallery since 1994. Opening on June 24, “Gwynn Murrill: Nearing Nature” is a gorgeous display of elegance, simplicity, and a unique aesthetic vision. Continuing, the gallery reports, “Their smooth and fluid surfaces portray a sense of tranquility while sustaining a recoiled tension. Pervading throughout her career, Murrill’s works have always manifested an intense quietude.”
 
“Gwynn Murrill: Nearing Nature” will be on view through July 23. To learn more, visit Gerald Peters 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.
 

One of New York City’s renowned galleries is overjoyed to announce its new 6,500-square-foot location, complete with custom viewing rooms and state-of-the-art amenities.
 
Gallery owner Emmanuel Di Donna is elated to unveil the new location for Di Donna Galleries in New York City. Located between East 64th and 65th Streets in Manhattan, the gallery is a whopping 6,500 square feet and boasts state-of-the-art amenities for guests and collectors. Among the additions are “multiple, flexible exhibition galleries, private viewing rooms, museum standard climate controlled art storage and exhibition areas, offices, a library, and catering kitchen,” the gallery reports. “The design balances a clean minimalist aesthetic with industrial chic touches. Di Donna Galleries will remain focused on 20th century art, exhibiting outstanding European and American works from the 1920s through the 1970s. They will continue to present important exhibitions in a historic or aesthetic context via curated, themed, or single-artist shows.”
 
To learn more, visit Di Donna 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.
 

Celebrated as one of the few painters to break away from mainstream abstraction in the 1960s, master realist David A. Leffel is the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at Pepperdine University.
 
One would be hard-pressed to find a single representational painter today who hasn’t been inspired and moved by the life and career of David A. Leffel. He was a pioneer of traditional representational painting during a time when the art world celebrated the opposite, and the revival of appreciation for the Old Masters and academic painting is greatly indebted to Leffel.
 
On view from May 14 through August 7 at Pepperdine University’s Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, “David A. Leffel: The Mastery of Light” is a major retrospective that will showcase works from the entirety of the artist’s storied career. As expected, the show highlights Leffel’s legacy and traces his evolution into one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
 
To learn more, visit the Frederick R. Weisman 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.
 

The summer of 2016 could be the best yet at Haynes Gallery’s Thomaston, Maine, location, with a host of stellar solo and group exhibitions showcasing today’s best representational painters.
 
Although we’re just over a month away from Haynes Gallery’s opening its Thomaston, Maine, location, anticipation might be at an all-time high. Starting June 30 and running through September 24, the gallery will host four different exhibitions and special events. The summer season kicks off with two solo exhibitions at opposite ends of the style spectrum. “John Baeder: Work from 1962 to 2015” and “Teresa Oaxaca: Exuberance” will run jointly through August 13.
 

John Baeder, “Salem Diner,” 2012, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 in. (c) Haynes Galleries 2016

 
Baeder will showcase a number of his oils, watercolors, photographs, and more during this celebratory retrospective at the gallery. The gallery writes, “With an emphasis on detail, storytelling, and strong, clear graphics, Baeder’s images have subtly conveyed what has been at the heart of each of his subjects, whether it is small-town America, classic aircraft, or the roadside diners for which he is most known. This career retrospective will include many of his early travel & postcard based paintings, several of his latest monochromatic endeavors, and a collection of Baeder’s personal memorabilia that will further immerse guests into the world of John Baeder.”
 

Teresa Oaxaca, “Venetian Carnival,” oil on canvas, 60 x 40 in. (c) Haynes Galleries 2016

 
Equally captivating are the works of Oaxaca, whose colorful neo-Baroque figurative paintings have entranced the art world. Unlike anything collectors have seen before, Oaxaca’s works celebrate costume, drama, and the bygone cultures of the Rococo, Victorian, and Romantic periods.
 

Roger Brown, “Cadillac Mountain,” oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in. (c) Haynes Galleries 2016

 
The second half of the summer season at Haynes will showcase the works of Zoey Frank and Roger Dale Brown. “Frank has begun to explore human interaction and change in her paintings,” they report. “Her latest figurative works explore specific events in Frank’s life but the content is open enough for viewers to connect with because of their inclusion of underlying universal feelings. Another prominent theme in Frank’s new work is change, specifically how paintings change over the period of time she works on them. In her figurative work, a model’s pose can be adjusted over the course of several sittings. In a cityscape, it’s how the skyline grows with each passing day.
 
“In his return to the Thomaston gallery, Roger Dale Brown is once again bringing with him his newest landscapes and seascapes of Maine’s natural beauty. Maine has been inspiring Brown for several years now. With his brushes Brown captures what is so difficult to express in words about Maine — its enchanting light, the variety of its coastline, the feeling of history throughout the state. He uses a controlled mix of Realism and Impressionism for each scene, varying his brushstrokes, and layering on the paint thick or thin depending on the vista.”
 
“Zoey Frank: Connections & Changes” and “Roger Dale Brown: A Passion for Painting” open on August 19 and will show through September 24.
 
To learn more, visit Haynes 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.
 

Entering its 43rd year, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum can barely wait to host the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale this June. Get the latest preview of events, artists, workshops, and more.
 
Oklahoma City is the place to be June 6 through 16 as the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum hosts the 43rd Annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition & Sale. Among the notable events are numerous workshops, trunk shows, seminars, artist demonstrations, volunteer opportunities, and private tours with many of the nation’s top artists.
 
Artists Bruce R. Greene and Loren Entz will lead workshops between June 6th and 16th, respectively. Further, Susan Lyon and Doug Hyde will host demonstrations of their techniques and creative processes on June 11 between 12:30 and 3 P.M. Prix de West seminar speakers, panelists, and demonstrators include Carolyn Anderson, Daniel F. Gerhartz, Michael Grauer, Doug Hyde, David A. Leffel, Susan Lyon, Dean Mitchell, Sherrie McGraw, Andrew Peters, Harvey Pratt, Morgan Weistling, and William Whitaker. Indeed, very few — if any — events offer such a stellar opportunity to mingle, learn, and collect works from today’s top artists.
 
The Prix de West includes many more events, opportunities, shows, sales, workshops, and lectures than can be listed here. To view the full schedule, visit The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
 
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.
 

This gallery has a knack for finding top representational talent from across the United States — and the globe. They’ve done it again with their latest addition.
 
Although the esteemed Arcadia Contemporary is now located in Los Angeles, the move hasn’t stopped the gallery from mounting exquisite exhibitions and adding to a stable of talented artists.
 
As announced just days ago, Arcadia Contemporary is welcoming Spanish-born painter Daniel Coves. The gallery writes, “It is our mission to find those precious, few individuals whose works are the ‘perfect storm’ of skill and unique imagery that combine to reveal an ‘individual voice’ through their paintings. Born in 1985, Coves grew up in Spain, earning a fine arts degree and Masters in Artistic Production from the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos in Valencia. Now residing in Berlin, Coves creates portraits that depict his subjects in highly unusual ways. This deliberate presentation creates an almost ‘Rorschach Test-like’ effect with the viewer. Immediately recognized by the Jury of the BP Portrait Awards, the art world’s most prestigious portrait competition, Coves, at only 28 years of age, was selected as a finalist for this international competition. Selected again in 2015, his work was part of an installation in London’s National Portrait Gallery which then traveled to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.”
 
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.
 

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: Henri Gervex, “Rolla.”
 
Although French painter Henri Gervex (1852-1929) achieved professional success at a relatively early age and was entrusted with the execution of several important official paintings, his most recognizable and iconic work, “Rolla,” heads to auction at Sotheby’s on May 25.
 
Born in Paris in 1852, Gervex studied under the tutelage of Alexandre Cabanel, Pierre-Nicolas Brisset, and Eugène Fromentin. Early in his career, Gervex painted mainly mythological subjects, but established himself by painting scenes of modern life in France. Several of the artist’s works were produced from public settings, including “The Distribution of Awards,” “The Coronation of Nicolas II,” and “The History of the Century,” among several others.
 
Highly controversial, the artist’s painting “Rolla” is an erotic narrative inspired by an 1833 poem by Alfred de Musset (1810-1857). The Muse d’Orsay reports, “The text recounts the destiny of a young bourgeois, Jacques Rolla, falling into a life of idleness and debauchery. He meets with Marie, a teenager who found in prostitution an escape from misery. In Gervex’s painting, Rolla is seen ruined, standing by the window, his eyes turned to the girl sleeping. He is about to commit suicide by poison.” The painting was rejected from the Salon by the Beaux-Arts administration, though scholars believe Gervex was considered an outsider based on his age rather than the nature of his painting.
 
As one of the artist’s most iconic paintings, its availability during Sotheby’s May 25 European Paintings sale is big news. The painting is monumental in size and is a gorgeous interpretation of Musset’s poem. Sotheby’s reports, “Although ‘Rolla’ can be seen as the heir to Manet’s self-possessed ‘Olympia’ of 1865, in this way the depiction of Marie herself was relatively uncontroversial — being an academically painted nude, comparable to Gervex’s other Salon paintings of the 1870s, or indeed to the nude in his tutor Alexandre Cabanel’s ‘Naissance de Venus’, a favorite of Napoleon III.” The painting headlines a major lineup of outstanding pictures and is expected to sell between $600,000 and $900,000.
 
To view the full catalogue, 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.
 

What does the term Midwestern mean to you? Is it tending to green pastures, hard work, grassroots, and simple pleasures? Perhaps it’s purely location, or a combination of the aforementioned. Methodical and intentional are the paintings of Craig Blietz, which embody the character and beauty only found in the American Midwest.
 
If you aren’t from the American Midwest and are seeking a painter who is gifted at capturing its spirit, look no further than Wisconsin artist Craig Blietz. As he hails from Sister Bay, it should come as no surprise that the artist’s frequent subjects are cows. After all, Wisconsin is the Dairy State. “I reside in Northeast Wisconsin, the Dairy State, so one might imagine that cattle are abundant — which they are,” Blietz says. “I also include other domesticated farm animals as subjects — sheep, hogs, and goats. From two to 45 minutes from my studio door, I have access to numerous farms with these subjects. In fact, in my hometown, each summer we host a goat parade, and one of the local restaurants keeps goats on their sod roof to keep the grass down. You can imagine that where I live provides much in the way of inspiration and access.”
 

Craig Blietz, “Shadow Line,” oil on panel, 40 x 54 in. (c) Craig Blietz 2016

 
Be that as it may, Blietz’s frequent portrayal of farm animals naturally goes much deeper than simply access and convenience. “I tend to work thematically,” he says. “For me this means that I arrive at an overarching theme and then apply imagery to address it. Sometimes it’s achieved prior to beginning any of the paintings, and other times I find that I arrive at a theme just through doing the work and noticing a consistent theme in several pieces from which I continue to build.”
 

Craig Blietz, “Solstice,” oil on panel, 18 x 21 in. (c) Craig Blietz 2016

 
Exploring concepts of awareness and observation, “Pastoral Dreaming” is a fascinating picture that presents the viewer with more than meets the eye. Indeed, the painting is a telling illustration of what the artist calls “the sensations of Midwestern-ness, from a sense of being as well as a sense of place.” Blietz continues, “The painting originated from the idea of perception and its resulting point of view. On the left is an enlarged detail of the animal which resides deepest into the pasture composition on the right. It began to take tangible form, as most all my work does, through a pencil thumbnail aimed at capturing and bringing to graphic life the essence of the idea.” For Blietz, it ultimately comes down to “communicating a state of familiarity to those who live in the Midwest and understanding from those that don’t,” and he achieves his artistic goals with stunning representational beauty.
 

Craig Blietz, “Incline,” oil on linen, 35 x 67 in. (c) Craig Blietz 2016

 
Seeking the same sincere commitment to his subjects and artistic vision as his favorite artists — such as Andrew Wyeth, Edgar Degas, and Tom Uttech — Blietz is taking his artistic journey slowly, surely, and methodically, allowing his evolution to take place gradually. He writes, “If you are truly open to creative possibility, then change exists ahead of you and there is little prediction that can be made to anticipate those changes. In the future my subject matter and/or the manner in which I convey it could change, but my personal history has shown that it will most likely be gradual.”
 

Craig Blietz, “Overcast,” acrylic on muslin on panel, 60 x 140 in. (c) Craig Blietz 2016

 
To learn more, visit Craig Blietz.
 
Current/Upcoming Exhibitions:
Craig Blietz: Calendar — Tory Folliard Gallery, June 3–July 2
2017 — Paine Art Center
2018 — Museum of Wisconsin 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.