Contemporary Art On View at the Miller Art Museum:
PATRICK FARRELL: EVER AFTER
Miller Art Museum
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin millerartmuseum.org
Through March 28, 2026
Patrick Farrell, “Balance,” c. 1985, oil on linen, 20 x 14 in., Miller Art Museum, 2018.7.993, photo: Jason Houge
The Miller Art Museum is about to open the exhibition “Patrick Farrell: Ever After,” which celebrates the life and work of Patrick Farrell (1940–2016). A native of Cudahy, Wisconsin, equipped only with an 8th-grade education, he taught himself to paint like a virtuoso, ultimately mastering the highly detailed, illusionistic trompe l’oeil technique and making it his own.
The show starts with Farrell’s early studies, then traces his career through still life and butterfly compositions, then his memorable “silver screen” scenes, and finally mythic portraits alive with theatrical gravitas. He won national recognition for his maximalist, highly playful worldview, which invites viewers into a world where creation becomes revelation.
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Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Fine Art Today
As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this week’s “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the artwork below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.
Want to see your gallery featured in an upcoming Virtual Gallery Walk? Contact us at [email protected] to advertise today. Don’t delay, as spaces are first come, first served, and availability is limited.
“Color Pyramid, Casa Romantica,” 11x14, oil by Rick J. Delanty
Casa Romantica presents California Art Club’s Orange County Chapter Exhibition
March 19-May 24, 2026, in the Casa galleries
415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, California
This spring, a unique exhibition for artists of the California Art Club (CAC) is about to open on the grounds of a historical villa in San Clemente, built in the mid-1920’s. Forty Artist, Signature, and Mentor members of the Orange County Chapter of the California Art Club have been invited to each unveil a masterwork as part of the new exhibition in the main gallery of the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente, California.
Works were juried into the show by Casa co-directors Kylie Travis and Jacqui Groseth, who initially suggested the idea for the exhibition to CAC Orange County co-chairs Wendy Wirth, Anthony Salvo, and Rick Delanty, who are assisting with the logistics of and catalog for the exhibit.
“Twilight Mist,” 12×24, acrylic, by Wendy Wirth
This is an un-themed exhibit, in which viewers are treated to a variety of subject matter painted by these professional artists, including landscape, still life, figural, and coastal. On display are a variety of techniques, mediums, and concepts for art connoisseurs, demonstrations and paint-outs on the Casa grounds, opportunities to personally meet the artists, and even a wine-pairing with selected paintings, presented by a representative of Margerum Wines in Santa Barbara.
Two lectures are part of the exhibit’s programming. Jean Stern, historian and director emeritus of the Irvine Museum, will present a slide program on the history of the California Art Club, and Carolyn Lord, nationally-acclaimed watercolor artist, will reveal what it was like to be mentored by the watercolor master, Millard Sheets. The exhibition promises to be one of the finest visual arts events presented in Casa galleries, and the first ever for the Orange County Chapter’s artists to exhibit as a body in a gallery or museum.
Opening reception for the public is March 19, from 6-8 pm. The public will have the opportunity to view the paintings and meet the artists.
“Baker Street Chevy,” 12×24, oil, by Anthony Salvo
The California Art Club is one of the oldest art societies in the United States, founded in 1909. It began its evolution as The Painters’ Club of Los Angeles. It was disbanded in 1909, to be replaced by members of the former association who regrouped to form the California Art Club. They believed there was a need for artists living in Southern California to meet and share their ideas, and to exhibit together. It is in that spirit that these artists will be gathering to show their work at the Casa Romantica.
The stated mission of the Club is “to promote the fine arts in the fields of painting, drawing, and sculpture (referred to as traditional and representational art,) with a special emphasis placed on the academic traditions and craftsmanship. Further, “to produce and promote art programs and exhibitions that foster understanding, interpretation, and display of the traditional art heritage…for the cultural enrichment of the community, and for the promotion of California history and heritage.”
The signature event of the CAC is the annual Gold Medal juried exhibition, a selection of artworks—both paintings and sculptures—that represent the best work of its member artists. Many of the artists whose work will be on view at the Casa for this exhibition have participated in past Gold Medal exhibitions. All of the artists in this show have their home studios in Orange County. All works will be available for sale.
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Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Fine Art Today
There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Brandon Rosas shines light on a gifted individual.
MAUDIE BRADY (b. 1974), “The Philosopher,” 2023, HydroResin (artist’s proof), 12 1/2 x 6 3/4 x 8 3/4 in. (not including base), available in bronze (edition of 3) through the artist
The work of Australian-born sculptor MAUDIE BRADY (b. 1974) can be seen not only in Barcelona’s Museu Europeu d’Art Modern, but also in such celebrated film franchises as Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean, for which she sculpted set pieces and other assets.
Brady’s immersion in the arts began at 2 years old, when her mother left a career in architecture for life as an actor and director. “We traveled Europe performing at fairs, then moved back to Australia to live off the grid in the tropical paradise of the New South Wales coast,” she says. “It was a spectacular childhood full of creativity.”
Brady earned her B.F.A. in sculpture from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1998, then began working in the art and construction departments of film studios. “The experience opened my eyes to how important it is to observe nature, with all its infinite variety, in order to achieve beauty through technical craftsmanship,” she recalls.
After more than a decade in film, Brady realized that she had more to learn about sculpting figures, so she decided to pursue her education — and eventually, a fine art career — at the Florence Academy of Art (FAA). “I realized that if I didn’t continue studying, I’d be always working for other people, never finding out what I had to offer the world on my own terms,” she says.
After graduating in 2016, Brady went on to win Best Nude in the Art Renewal Center’s 12th International Salon Competition and was twice named joint winner of Australia’s prestigious Tom Bass Prize. She now serves as director of anatomy and écorché at the FAA, dividing her time between teaching there and sculpting in the studio she shares with her husband, Björn.
Today Brady’s focus is firmly on the human figure: “I enjoy exploring ways to express a person’s inner world and complexities, as well as finding ways to represent that in a pose that creates emotion through impression.” She lists Auguste Rodin, Lotta Blokker, and Grzegorz Gwiazda among her inspirations.
Brady’s penchant for visual drama can be seen in “The Philosopher,” a rapidly sculpted portrait that was cast in resin but would be equally suited to Carrara marble. “When I create figurative work, I’m seeking to represent and sometimes amplify a universal human condition that opens the door for viewers to relate in their own unique way,” she explains. “The point of artistic dialogue is not to be literal, but to allow subconscious connections to be made and personal meaning to be formed.”
Jason Bard Yarmosky, "Remembrance," 2013, Oil on canvas, 36 x 64 inches, Private Collection (New York, NY)
Jason Bard Yarmosky’s work centers on themes of aging, time, and memory—subjects the artist has been fascinated with since childhood. Born in 1987 in New York, Yarmosky developed a connection to these ideas through his close relationship with his grandparents, who were six decades his senior. Growing up, he often visited museums where he noticed the historical aspect of idealized beauty, which often emphasized youth, yet he yearned for a varied perspective that reflected a broader personal experience.
Jason Bard Yarmosky. Photo: Cynthia Edorh
For over ten years, his grandparents were the subjects of his portraits, helping him explore the complex aspects of growing older including vulnerability, care, wisdom, and humor. These works became a celebration of aging, resisting cultural tendencies that diminish joy, individuality, and dignity in later life.
Through his practice, Yarmosky mixes traditional 17th- and 18th-century painting techniques with contemporary imagery, incorporating dreamlike elements, theatrical costume, and staged interiors that heighten a sense of intimacy. The use of costuming functions as a throughline in his work: it both conceals and reveals, able to disguise or bring out aspects of identity. The play of masks, uniforms, and imagined roles underscores how play is often discouraged as one grows older, yet reclaimed in the freedom of later life.
Jason Bard Yarmosky, “Trick or Treaters” 2017, Pencil on paper, 19 x 24 inches, Image courtesy of the artist
Yarmosky’s paintings move between tenderness and absurdity, between the heaviness of mortality and moments of celebration. His imagery suggests that humor and imagination persist even in the face of loss, and that through portraiture, costume, and the space of the interior, stories of aging are both preserved and transformed.
Jason Bard Yarmosky, “Somewhere,” 2017, Oil on canvas, 78 x 103 inches, Image courtesy of the artist
Yarmosky has visited the East End of Long Island since early childhood. Long known as an area of respite, he returned to his family’s home—architect Andrew Geller’s iconic Double Diamond House—in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, following the passing of his grandparents, as a restorative experience for his life and practice.
Sign up here for the weekly Fine Art Today newsletter, which brings you high-level content while providing you with current and upcoming art exhibitions and events, late-breaking stories, and more from the art collecting world.
Story prepared for the web by Cherie Dawn Haas, Editor of Fine Art Today
As part of our effort to continue to help artists and art galleries thrive, we’re proud to bring you this week’s “Virtual Gallery Walk.” Browse the artwork below and click the image itself to learn more about it, including how to contact the gallery.
California Vineyard, Sheryl Knight, oil on canvas, 21 x 30 in; Sheryl Knight Artist
Want to see your gallery featured in an upcoming Virtual Gallery Walk? Contact us at [email protected] to advertise today. Don’t delay, as spaces are first come, first served, and availability is limited.
Please help us congratulate James Fleeson for winning Overall First Place in the January 2026 PleinAir Salon, judged by George Billis of George Billis Galleries.
It’s hard to imagine a first-grader challenging his classmates to drawing contests to see who can draw the best motorcycle, but this scene sets the stage of James Fleeson’s youth while giving foresight as to how his future would unfold. Art has always been a part of Fleeson’s life, so it only seems fitting that in the years immediately following those innocent childhood contests, and ever since, he has entered his artwork in shows. This lifelong competitive spirit may be part of an underlying force that pushes him to continue developing his art at a high level, wherein he constantly pushes his own boundaries and in turn challenges his personal artistic evolution.
Although he now lives in Lexington, Ohio, James was born just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Jackson, Michigan, where he attended the Jackson Area Career Center for Commercial Art while in high school. He was offered a full five-year scholarship to attend Lawrence Tech for a degree in Architecture but left after just one year to pursue a greater passion—a career in Computer Science, which eventually led him to the DC area.
Despite the shifts in his career paths, Fleeson has always created art and in many mediums including pencil, pastels, and watercolor, but he eventually decided he wanted to paint in oil to take advantage of the deep colors it provided. And after two years of researching the science of painting with oil, he did his first painting.
“Today oil is my main medium, and life is my subject,” James says. “I like to tell stories with my paintings, to shine a light on everyday scenes that people miss and show the beauty all around us. I once read, ‘An artist’s job is to document their life.’ I hope to live up to that statement by painting what isn’t seen.”
In the spirit of the French Salon created by the Academie des Beaux-Arts in Paris, this annual online art competition, with 11 monthly cycles, leading to the annual Salon Grand Prize winners, is designed to stimulate artistic growth through competition. The PleinAir® Salon rewards artists with $50,000 in cash prizes and exposure of their work, with the winning painting featured on the cover of PleinAir® Magazine.
Winners in each monthly competition may receive recognition and exposure through PleinAir Magazine’s print magazine, e-newsletters, websites, and social media. Winners of each competition will also be entered into the annual competition. The Annual Awards will be presented live at the next Plein Air Convention & Expo.
The next round of the PleinAir Salon has begun so hurry, as this competition ends on the last day of the month. Enter your best art in the PleinAir Salon here.
Sign up here for the weekly Fine Art Today newsletter, which brings you high-level content while providing you with current and upcoming art exhibitions and events, late-breaking stories, and more from the art collecting world.
Nightlights - “Only in the darkness can you see the stars”, Melinda Whitmore, oil on aluminum, 36 x 24 in.
Melinda Whitmore: Melinda depicts the fullness of ordinary human life—its triumphs and trials—with honesty and candor. She is drawn to the vulnerability and psychology of the figure as much as to its physical form. Through paint and clay, she captures everyday gestures, love, and quiet humanity, moving beyond portraiture to reveal mood and spirit. Her work crystallizes fleeting moments that invite reflection on ourselves and our shared experience.
Passenger. Melinda Whitmore, oil on aluminum, 16 x 16 in. Honorable Mention winner in Chelsie Nicole Gallery show; Unwavering ResolveBated Breath. Melinda Whitmore, Epoxy/Copper/Iron, 40 x 36 x 18 in. This sculpture captures a moment of stillness charged with anticipation—the instant before release, where connection, desire, and belonging converge.
A view of the 2025 edition of TEFAF Maastricht; photo: Jitske Nap
From the Fine Art Connoisseur March/April 2026 Editor’s Note:
Great Art Ahead
My faith in connoisseurship’s survival is always restored by The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) at Maastricht, a small but charming city in southeastern Holland. My pilgrimage there this month — my first since 2019 — will surely prove no exception.
Widely considered the world’s best fair for art, antiques, and design, TEFAF’s 39th edition will host over 260 dealers and galleries hailing from 20 countries, offering works that span 7,000 years. This year’s eight sections are devoted to Paintings, Works on Paper, Antiques, Ancient Art, Jewelry, Modern & Contemporary, Design, and Arts of Africa & Oceania.
Before TEFAF opens, a huge team of experts vet every artwork for quality, authenticity, and condition. The stands tend to be visually spectacular, with superb design, lighting, and installation, and some exhibitors “hold back” their top treasures for as long as a year in order to unveil them there. This is a pop-up museum where everything happens to be for sale.
Close looking is one of TEFAF’s key pleasures. You can easily spot hundreds of directors, trustees, and patrons from museums around the world, exercising their connoisseurial eyes and combing the displays for possible acquisitions. I can’t wait to explore the halls, and then I will publish a large article about what I saw in the next issue of Fine Art Connoisseur. Get ready for some visual treats.
In 2012, the nonprofit European Fine Art Foundation, which runs TEFAF, established the TEFAF Museum Restoration Fund, through which museums can obtain support for conservation projects. This year’s beneficiary is Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, which proposed The Boar Hunt, a monumental masterpiece painted by Peter Paul Rubens for himself c. 1616–18. Its repair is central to a four-year research initiative on Dresden’s holding of nearly 40 Rubens works, and the cleaned painting will hang in glory again from June 2027 onward in the special exhibition Rubens in Dresden. In Maastricht this month, I am looking forward to attending a lecture about the project.
If you can’t make it to Holland this month, fear not. TEFAF’s New York edition (May 15–19, 2026) will bring together 88 exhibitors hailing from 14 countries and offering superb modern and contemporary art, design, jewelry, and antiquities. This is the only art fair held at Manhattan’s Park Avenue Armory that activates its 16 historic period rooms with immersive displays mounted by the dealers. Many of those spaces were designed by the most prominent talents of the 19th century, including Louis Comfort Tiffany, Stanford White, and Herter Brothers.
Finally, please enjoy our 12th annual set of Collectors of Contemporary Realism profiles, which begin on page 94 of this issue. We send our deepest thanks to these inspiring individuals who have so generously shared their thoughts and artworks with us.
What are your thoughts? Share your letter to the Editor below in the comments.
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