Fall might be just around the corner, but the season’s exhibitions are just heating up. See who is premiering a fall show in just a few days.
 
Although temperatures in Texas may contradict, fall is imminent, and Insight Gallery is primed to showcase all 60 of its acclaimed artists during its “Seventh Annual Fall Group Show.” While every artist in the gallery’s stable deserves mention, Insight is focusing on the art and career of Robert Pummill, best known for his images of Texas cattle drives, stagecoaches, and covered-wagon scenes in grand scale. As reported by the gallery, “In recent years, Pummill has found himself working with a different sort of western subject matter: the Texas Hill Country landscape. Fields of bluebonnets or cacti have brought on a new inspiration and Pummill’s career has never been more vibrant.”
 

Jill Carver, “Hamilton Pool,” oil, 26 x 30 in. (c) Insight Gallery 2015

Michelle Dunaway, “Color Wheel Dancer,” oil, 22 x 16 in. (c) Insight Gallery 2015

Susan Lyon, “Hope, Potential, Belief,” oil, 16 x 30 in. (c) Insight Gallery 2015

 
Among many others, featured artists include Jeremy Browne, Rett Ashby, Dan Bodelson, Bob Bertram, Mary Ross Buchholz, George Bumann, Jill Carver, Cheri Christensen, Michelle Dunaway, Susan Lyon, and Ann Kraft Walker.
 
To view the pieces in the show, visit Insight 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.
 

Unknown masters of Spanish colonial painting form the center of an upcoming exhibition in Arizona.
 
The Phoenix Art Museum recently acquired a robust grouping of retablos (small-scale paintings on copper or tin), which will feature alongside a number of 18th-century paintings produced in the Viceroyalty of Peru, a territory that encompassed present-day Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and much of the rest of South America.
 

Unknown, “The Archangel Michael Victorious Over Satan,” 43 x 30.5 in. (c) Phoenix Art Museum 2015

 
Most of the works have never before been exhibited, including the exquisite “Virgin of Guadalupe,” an 18th-century oil depicting the Virgin encompassed within a radiant mandorla. The Virgin is dressed in her canonical blue, her cape beautifully embellished with golden stars while her gown displays a dazzling array of intricate linear patterns. Outside of the mandorla, putti hold onto the stems of flowers, which organically grow and adorn the picture. Above Mary is Christ Pantocrator, who holds a small globe and gestures in blessing.
 

Unknown, “The Last Judgment,” oil on canvas, 96.5 x 76.25 in. (c) Phoenix Art Museum 2015

 
The Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the Last Judgment, saints, archangels, and Satan are among the most prominent subjects of the works on display. The museum suggests, “Some of these paintings are very large and would have originally functioned as components of church altarpieces. Others are smaller in scale, but no less commanding, and would likely have served as devotional aids for prayer in chapels, private home shrines, monasteries or convents.”
 
“Masterworks of Spanish Colonial Art” opens on September 5 and will run through February 28.
 
To learn more, visit the Phoenix 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.
 

Photorealism and the figure are two of the most compelling elements that draw the connoisseur to traditional art. Both are featured in the magnetic work of Bernardo Torrens, who’s recently received his first solo exhibition in the United States.
 
Whether it’s the sexually suggestive poses and nudity of his female models or the exquisite accuracy with which they are painted, jaws are sure to drop during Bernardo Torrens’ “Figurativo” at EVOKE Contemporary. A self-taught painter, Torrens uses both digital photography and traditional from-life models to compose his images, which typically feature empty backgrounds, bringing the viewer’s focus to his subjects. The gallery reports that, “Each painting features one of several models that are recurring in the artist’s work. Each composition is uniquely composed and intricately painted focusing solely on the personality of the model and nostalgic scenes of summer.”
 

Bernardo Torrens, “Melania III,” acrylic on panel, 21.25 x 45 in. (c) EVOKE Contemporary 2015

Bernardo Torrens, “Sandra V,” acrylic on panel, 23.5 x 28.5 in. (c) EVOKE Contemporary 2015

 
Both of these come to the fore in “Sandra in the Pool,” one of six paintings featured in the exhibition. This piece is quite exceptional, as it displays a range of colors and spatial context, elements encountered rarely in Torrens’s work. Standing at center and gazing outside the picture to the right is a topless female, waist-high in a backyard pool. The painting is immediately powerful with Torrens’s use of strong, saturated colors. Beautifully balanced are the cool blue tones of the water and tiles with the strong, warm red and tans found in the paver bricks and the figure’s skin. The upper half of the painting gives way to luminescent greens and foliage. Upon detailed investigation, Torrens’s skill is truly revealed. Individual beads and streams of water can be detected on the model’s skin, imbuing the painting with a level of detail that is photographic.
 

Bernardo Torrens, “Sandra in an Armchair,” acrylic on panel, 28.75 x 57.75 in. (c) EVOKE Contemporary 2015

 
A more archetypal example is “Summer Siesta,” a monochromatic acrylic on panel again featuring a topless model. Although rendered in black and white, the painting retains its impact and luminosity. Reclining on a one-armed, stripped couch is a model in loose pajama bottoms. The relaxed pose and subject of the painting enhance the quiet perceptiveness of the piece, which is aided by the subdued palette as well.
 

Bernardo Torrens, “Sandra VII,” acrylic on panel, 21.25 x 21.25 in. (c) EVOKE Contemporary 2015

Bernardo Torrens, “Summer Siesta,” acrylic on panel, 50 x 63 in. (c) EVOKE Contemporary 2015

 
“Figurativo” opens at EVOKE Contemporary August 28 and will be on view through September 19.
 
To learn more, visit EVOKE 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: Pierre-Jules Mêne, “Jockey Riding Horse.”
 
Born in Paris, Pierre-Jules Mêne (1810–1879) is remembered as one of the finest animal sculptors in history. Mêne developed a skill for working with metals at an early age, as his father was a successful metal turner. By 1837, Mêne was casting bronze sculptures in his own foundry. His masterful and well-observed sculptures of horses, cows, sheep, and goats were extremely fashionable among the Paris elite during the Second Empire in France. So successful was Mêne that his works were frequently forged, leading to a devaluing of the sculptor’s market during his lifetime.
 
Fortunately for collectors, a Mêne original will feature in a September 13 auction via Morphy Auctions. The piece, titled “Jockey Riding Horse,” is a rare example showcasing the sculptor’s figurative prowess as well. A fit and streamlined thoroughbred stands sturdy and majestic as the rider, who is dwarfed by the horse, twists to gaze over his right shoulder. The jockey holds his hand over his brow and stares intently, helping the viewer picture the sculpture’s setting and narrative. Although the figure’s costume and individuality are superb, he is easily outshined by the horse’s beautifully modeled anatomy. The example here clearly displays Mêne’s gift for capturing the grandeur and magnificence of animals.
 
“Jockey Riding Horse” has an auction estimate of $3,000 and will feature September 13 at Morphy Auctions in Denver, Pennsylvania.
 
To view the full catalogue, visit Morphy Auctions.

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.
 

Alexandra Tyng
“Saltwater Farms”
oil on linen
40 x 66 inches
$21,000

www.alexandratyng.com

Alexandra Tyng is known for her landscapes, figurative paintings, and portraits. Born in Rome, Italy, she lives in the Philadelphia area.

Tyng develops her aerial landscapes by painting outdoors (at ground level) and taking photo flights to gather reference material. Recent top landscape awards include Curator’s Choice Award in the “America’s Parks Exhibition” and the PleinAir Magazine Award in the 2015 ARC Salon. She has also received recognition by the Portrait Society of America, ARC, and several art publications for her figure and portrait paintings. To date she has had 11 solo exhibitions in New York, Maine and Philadelphia. Her work has been shown at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, OH, and in many other themed shows across the U.S.  Tyng’s paintings reside in the permanent collections of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., the New Britain Museum and the Springfield MO Art Museum. 

She is represented by The Fischbach Gallery in New York City, Dowling Walsh Gallery and Watson Gallery in Maine, Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia, and The Haynes Galleries in Nashville.
 
http://alexandratyng.com/

Featuring in an August 29 estate sale in Sarasota, Florida is a gorgeous 17th-century oil attributed to the Dutch artist Adriaen Jansz van Ostade (1610-1685). 

The painting displays a lovely genre scene with several figures playing in the street. Invaluable suggested that, “Ostade was the contemporary of David Teniers the Younger and Adriaen Brouwer. Like them, he spent his life in delineation of the homeliest subjects: tavern scenes, village fairs and country quarters. Between Teniers and Ostade the contrast lies in the different condition of the agricultural classes of Brabant and Holland and in the atmosphere and dwellings peculiar to each region.

To view the full catalogue, visit Invaluable.

Two outstanding books from esteemed figurative painter Eric Armusik are now available.

After months of revision, editing, photography, and more, Eric Armusik is overjoyed to announce the release of two books “Invoking Tradition” and “Religious Paintings.”  Armusik’s paintings have been represented in countless galleries in the United States and abroad. 

To learn more, visit Eric Armusik.
 

Alan Larkin took home Best of Show honors at the 91st Annual Exhibition at the Hoosier Salon. Discover what other artists are featured in the show.
 
Created in 1925, the Hoosier Salon was established to showcase the many talented artists Indiana had to offer. In addition, the institution sought to encourage artists, to help develop their profiles and skills, and to furnish a profitable market that would ignite the amateur and support the professional. Ninety-one years later, the Hoosier Salon is still realizing those goals, and its annual exhibition features countless beautiful artworks juried by Qiang Huang and Randall Sexton.
 

C.W. Mundy, “Brass & Pomegranates,” oil, 39 x 39 in. (c) Hoosier Salon

Fred Doloresco, “Morning, Warehouse,” oil, 36 x 48 in. (c) Hoosier Salon

 
Winning Best of Show was Alan Larkin’s “Alarms and Diversions,” a captivating image that displays an illustrative touch. At center is an elephant-like form constructed with an arrangement of fabrics and tassels. Watching the elephant is a statue-like mouse. C.W. Mundy earned the Jurors’ Prize of Distinction for “Brass & Pomegranates,” while Fred Doloresco grabbed the Jurors’ Award of Recognition for his “Morning, Warehouse.”
 

John Reynolds, “The Artist,” oil, 18 x 18 in. (c) Hoosier Salon

Lawrence Rudolech, “I Remember,” oil, 31 x 31 in. (c) Hoosier Salon

Robert Bratton, “Gasworks II,” watercolor, 38 x 23 in. (c) Hoosier Salon

 
Other prizes included Best Portrait, taken by John Reynolds, Best Figural Composition, earned by Lawrence Rudolech, and Best Scene, taken by Robert Bratton.
 
The Hoosier Salon’s 91st Annual Exhibition opened on July 30 and will be on view through September 26.
 
To learn more, visit the Hoosier Salon.
 
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.
 

Nude bodies are spotlighted in a variety of artistic ways during the 7th Annual International Competitive Exhibit at Manifest Gallery. Find out who’s featured in this year’s show.
 
Artists throughout history have looked at the human body for inspiration, studying its proportions, ratios, and movement in order to translate that energy and form into paint, bronze, and marble — among many other mediums. Depending on time, culture, and place, artists have manipulated views of the body, taking its form beyond nature and into idealization but also exploring the grotesque and bodies deformed. Even today, the art of the body continues to move us, and one can surmise that we will always have an artistic fascination with ourselves, especially as technology, science, and medicine evolve and affect the figure.
 

Nadine Robbins, “In Memory of Henry,” (c) Manifest Gallery

 
Several jury members searched through nearly 500 works by 171 artists to curate the exhibition “NUDE: Exploring the Uncovered Human Form” at Manifest Gallery in Ohio. The gallery reports, “Through all the permutations art has experienced across history, work of the body persists. We use the human nude to master skill, understand ourselves, and push social and psychological buttons for the sake of expression (sensual, delicate, aggressive, and so on). We intend for Manifest’s ongoing annual NUDE project to explore how our collective body is used today in art to achieve these goals and more.”
 

Marcus Michels, “Curl,” (c) Manifest Gallery

 
Continuing, “This year we were excited to renew our invitation to artists to submit works in any media, of any style or genre (abstract, conceptual, highly realistic, etc.), and of any size, for consideration.” All told, the exhibition will feature 21 works by 14 artists from the United States, Canada, and Germany.
 

Barbara Kacicek, “What Can I do with this Eternal Longing,” (c) Manifest Gallery

 
Artists featured in the show include Mike Binzer, Michael Durando, Lucas James, Barbara Kacicek, William Kitchens, Daniel Maidman, Susannah Martin, Marcus Michels, Dora Natella, Nick Reszetar, Nadine Robbins, Sally Bousquet, and Debra Small.   
 
“NUDE: Exploring the Uncovered Human Form” opened on August 14 and will be on view through September 11.
 
To learn more, visit Manifest 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.