“The Belizean Chef”
Oil on Birch
14 x 18 in.
$1800

www.heatherarenas.com

About the artist:
Although Arenas is a resident of Aurora, Colorado, much of her subject matter comes from her travels. In recent years she has traveled to Spain, Belize and several places in the US including New York, Pennsylvania and Arizona. The unique people encountered on these trips provide the stories illustrated in her paintings.
 
Arenas has been painting for many years in Colorado and has expanded her reach through plein air events and national competitions as well as showing her work in the following galleries:
Mary Williams Fine Arts, Boulder, CO 303-938-1588
Reflection Gallery, Santa Fe, NM 505-995-9795
Art Images, Denver, CO 303-863-1559
Stoneheart Gallery, Evergreen, CO 303-670-0565
 
Current events include:
“Dreams and Ambitions”, a show at the Cultural Center of Estes Park celebrating Women’s History Month, Estes Park, CO March 4th-April 3rd, 2016
“Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts 2016 smART Auction” to benefit MMFA, Montgomery, AL February 13th- March 5th, 2016
“Orange is the New Red”, Framed Image Art Gallery, Denver, CO March 1st – April 30th, 2016
 Workshop schedule available at www.heatherarenas.com/workshops
 
Contact info  
www.heatherarenas.com
720-281-4632
[email protected]
 
 

Just yesterday, Samuel M. “Beau” Freeman II announced that the country’s oldest auction house would have a transfer of controlling interest.
 
Since its establishment in Philadelphia in 1805, Freeman’s Auctions has seen some of the greatest works of art and the most important historical artifacts pass through its doors. After over 200 years of operation, a new chapter in its story will be written soon. The auction house reported yesterday, “The Freeman family will maintain a minority interest in the company and Beau Freeman will continue in his role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. The transaction includes the transfer of the Freeman’s location at 1808 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia where the company will continue to operate. It is anticipated that the closing of the transaction will occur within the next several weeks.”
 
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed to the public, but reports suggest the move supports the company’s growth strategy and mission. Alasdair Nichol, vice chairman, said, “We have ambitious plans to build the next chapter in Freeman’s storied history as we continue to elevate the brand both nationally and internationally. Our leadership team’s plan includes continued expansion throughout North America as well as internationally, enhancing our historic home at 1808 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, and a focus on technology and marketing. We are extremely grateful to the Freeman family for their confidence in us, entrusting us with an invaluable family asset.”
 
To learn more, visit Freeman’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.
 

The dawn of the 16th century in Venice must have been an exciting thing to behold. Albrecht Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, and other Renaissance greats were passing through and imparting their influence on a new generation of artists that would revolutionize the city’s art. This story — along with many of the city’s greatest artists — is the subject of a magnetic exhibition.
 
During the 1490s in Venice, Giovanni Bellini was the leading artist, his family long established as one of the top artistic pedigrees. By the dawn of the 16th century, the atmosphere was evolving — much in the same way that all art in Italy was in constant evolution and flux during this time. The Royal Academy of Art in London will open a major exhibition this week, on March 12, that explores Venetian art during the age of Giorgione, a pupil of Bellini’s who is perhaps the city’s most mysterious painter, given his untimely demise.
 

Giorgione, “Portrait of a Man (Terris Portrait),” 1506, oil on panel, 30.2 x 25.7 cm. (c) The San Diego Museum of Art 2016

 
“In the Age of Giorgione” will “seek to unravel the complex web of influences that shaped the work of many of the most celebrated names in Renaissance art” the museum suggests. “Masterpieces by Giorgione will be displayed side by side with works by Giovanni Bellini, Albrecht Dürer, Titian, Sebastiano del Piombo, Lorenzo Lotto, and many others.
 

Giovanni Bellini, “Portrait of a Man,” circa 1505, oil on panel, 43.8 x 35.2 cm.
(c) The Royal Collection, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2016

 
“Together these important works chart the development of the idealized beauty, expressive force and sensuous use of color that we recognize today as the hallmarks of Venetian Renaissance painting. Through portraiture, religious paintings and the nascent genre of landscapes, witness a rapid revolution in style as it unfolds in a city on the cusp of its golden age.”
 

Giorgione, “Il Tramonto,” circa 1502–1505, oil on panel, 73.3 x 91.4 cm. (c) National Gallery, London 2016

 
“In the Age of Giorgione” opens on March 12 and will be on view through June 5. To learn more, visit The Royal Academy 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.
 

Would you agree that art — whether collecting or producing it — is one of the best methods for reaching self-discovery? To be sure, the best artists are constantly reinventing and challenging themselves in order to evolve and improve their artworks. In this way, their products avoid becoming mundane or predictable. An upcoming solo exhibition showcases one Colorado painter’s outdoor path to reinvention.
 
Opening March 19 at Englewood’s Museum of Outdoor Art in Colorado, “Painting Out of Doors” is artist Daniel Sprick’s display of self-discovery in paint. Sprick is one of Colorado’s best-known painters; his portraits and still lifes collected widely for their naturalism and accuracy, which border on the photographic at times. Audiences will be treated to a different type of imagery during this exhibition, but the results are equally gorgeous.
 

Daniel Sprick, (c) Image courtesy Museum of Outdoor Art 2016, Heather Longway Photography

 
Featuring 50 works never before shown in public, “Painting Out of Doors” reveals Sprick’s plein air experimentation as a result of teaching abroad in Italy. This unique body of work showcases a number of lovely cityscapes, landscapes, monuments, streets, and more. Remarkably, the pictures retain Sprick’s characteristic verisimilitude, although a few reveal a higher degree of painterly or expressive touch.
 

Daniel Sprick, (c) Image courtesy Museum of Outdoor Art 2016, Heather Longway Photography

 
Speaking of this evolution, Sprick was quoted saying, “I love working outdoors where the light changes so rapidly — every moment is urgent and it holds your attention so completely. You become absorbed in the moment and there isn’t a single second to lose.” The exhibition is also the first of three at the museum centering on the theme of reinvention for artists. MOA Curator and Executive Director Cynthia Leitner suggests, “The atypical subject matter represented in this exhibition is a perfect example of how great artists are constantly reinventing their art, along with themselves, in this process of continual self-discovery. In the two years Daniel has been preparing for this exhibition, he has covered vast landscapes from Florence to Big Sur.”
 
“Painting Out of Doors” opens on March 19 and will hang through July 15. To learn more, visit the Museum of Outdoor 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.
 

Colorful and expressive works from Christine Lafuente — known for her exquisite plein air still lifes, landscapes, and more — are the subjects of a solo exhibition on the East Coast. Where and when?
 
Opening March 11 at Delaware’s Somerville Manning Gallery is an exciting solo exhibition from acclaimed painter Christine Lafuente. “By the Window, By the Sea” will feature approximately 34 works of plein air still life and landscape mastery.
 

Christine Lafuente, “Bartlett Pears and Zinnias,” 2014, oil on linen, 8 x 10 in. (c) Somerville Manning Gallery 2016

 
Vivid colors and expressive application of paint activate Lafuente’s surfaces. In some cases, namely her seascapes, the painting is imaged through a number of large, thick, horizontal strokes, reducing the scene to broad color fields and basic shapes.
 
An opening reception for “By the Window, By the Sea” will take place March 11 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The exhibition will be on view through April 2. To learn more, visit Somerville Manning 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.
 

Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 31, as that will be your only opportunity to view a very special documentary in select theaters. Who’s the artistic genius explored?
 
Don’t miss your opportunity to learn more about the Renaissance’s inarguable master, Leonardo da Vinci, during this tantalizing cinematic experience from Fathom Events. Via the event website: “Get a unique look into Leonardo Da Vinci’s life, and experience the works and personality of one of the greatest artists who ever lived. ‘Leonardo Da Vinci: The Genius in Milan’ is an exceptional one-night event in select theaters. Get an exclusive look into the man behind the masterpieces. This exhibition event is the result of six years of work by leading Da Vinci experts Pietro Marani and M. Teresa Fiorio, and is divided into 12 sections, the foundation of drawing, the role of nature and science, comparison between the arts, reflection on the ancients, the utopian projects, anatomy and mechanics, the unity of knowledge, images of the divine, myths over the centuries (starting with the success of the Mona Lisa) and so on.”
 
Tickets to the show are available here. Input your local ZIP code to find the nearest theater. To learn more, visit Fathom Events.
 
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.
 

On view now in New York via Throckmorton Fine Art is an exciting opportunity to view outstanding northern dynastic sculpture from China between 386 and 577 C.E.
 
The fourth through the sixth century in China was a particularly rich period of artistic production for the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, and Northern Qi dynasties — especially with regard to gorgeous sculptures. Many of the works in the exhibition were commissioned from the Imperial courts, meaning they are of the highest quality and craftsmanship.
 

“China Standing Buddha,” circa 550-577 C.E., limestone, 38 in. (c) Throckmorton Fine Art 2016

 
Especially exciting is the exhibition’s spotlight on Buddhism’s rise in China during the second century C.E. Gallery owner Spencer Throckmorton suggests, “Images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas became central to the religious worship, as they were believed to have been created by merit and could convey merit simply by the worshiper contemplating them. The patrons and imperial families and individuals who commissioned the sculptures, and funded the shrines, temples and monasteries where they were placed, gained merit through such generosity. We are fortunate to be able to enjoy this abundance of imagery today through the survival of the sculptures on display here.”
 
“Early Chinese Buddhist Sculpture from Northern Dynasties” opened on March 3 and will be on view through April 23. To learn more, visit Throckmorton 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.
 

There’s a reason the coasts are calming, tranquil spaces for so many — namely the soft crashes of waves, distant squawks of seagulls, and a slight scent of salt in the air. Pamela Wamala invites you to enjoy the peace of the sea during her latest solo exhibition. Which museum is playing host?
 
Artist Pamela Wamala began painting at the age of 5 with her grandfather, an experience that undoubtedly bonded the two and inspired her to take it further. Today, Wamala’s pictures are noted for their soft pastel colors, feathery brushwork, and soothing subjects. The newest works are part of the painter’s latest solo exhibition at The Whistler House Museum of Art in Massachusetts.
 
“Peace of the Sea: Pamela Wamala” is a gorgeous show that showcases Wamala’s love of the sea. She does a remarkable job of capturing the inner harmony people often feel walking along a shoreline or wiggling their toes in the sand. The exhibition is on view from March 16 through April 29.
 
To learn more, visit The Whistler House 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.
 

Opening tomorrow, March 11, is an exceptional new exhibition of Russian, Ukrainian, and American oil paintings in the Impressionist and Realist manner. It’s on view for only a few weeks. Where?

Bridging two continents over two centuries, Denver’s illustrious Abend Gallery is poised to open “Impression” tomorrow, March 11. This ambitious and gorgeous exhibition features both historical and contemporary Russian and Ukrainian works alongside contemporary American paintings. In fact, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine’s own Vanessa Rothe co-curated the show with Akhmed Salakhly.
 

C.W. Mundy, “The Angelique,” oil, 16 x 20 in. (c) Abend Gallery 2016

 
The gallery reports, “The artists share a profound love of painting, and believe in the successful combination of objective realist traditional work with everyday or personal subjects and application which ranges from tighter refined style, to expressive and even ‘painterly’ strokes. The artists are well-versed in multiple subjects including landscape, still life and figure.”
 
Rothe — who is also a participating artist — suggests further, “We share an admiration of both Realist and Impressionist work and many of us will actually combine these styles in order to create strong, appealing works of art.” In addition to the exhibition, a lecture and slideshow by Rothe and Salakhly will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12. “Impression” will be on view through March 26.
 
To learn more, visit Abend 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.
 

Conversational, controversial, and more, this exhibition is sure to leave you talking. Want to learn more?
 
Focusing on race, sexuality, gender, and other contemporary cultural issues, “30 Americans” is an ambitious exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum that features artworks from many of the most important African-American artists of the last three decades. Opening March 19 and on view through August 28, the exhibition “highlights a wide range of cultural backgrounds and life experiences as expressed by artists such as Nick Cave, Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mickalene Thomas, and Glenn Ligon,” the museum reports. “‘30 Americans’ offers visitors an opportunity to engage in dialogue with the art and with each other. A community day to celebrate the show’s opening will be held on Saturday, April 2. In addition, every Sunday during the run of the show, the CAM will host events dedicated to exploring the themes in the exhibition, starting March 20 at 2 P.M.”
 
To learn more, visit the Cincinnati Art 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.