How do you find inspiration? Yuehua He: During my study of painting, I drew many oil sketches, from Carlo Albacini’s sculpture “Homer” to Michelangelo’s sculptures “Pieta” and “David”; from Domenico Trentacoste’s sculpture “La derelitta” to Louise Sussman-Helborn’s sculpture “Sleeping Beauty”. These masters’ superb skills and exquisite capture of details, and the eternal masterpieces achieved with superb attainments, make us deeply admire. It is also the source of inspiration for me to ignite the passion for creation in my artistic life, draw inspiration, and constantly explore and innovate. It inspires infinite creativity and guides us to a unique artistic path.
How did you develop your unique style? Yuehua He: Developing a unique style has been an odyssey of deep artistic exploration. I have delved into various oil painting styles and techniques, ranging from realism to abstraction, impressionism to expressionism. By practicing and studying these diverse approaches, I have learned to appreciate the works of both historical masters and contemporary artists. Observing their distinct styles, techniques, and modes of expression has been a source of inspiration. In my quest, I have engaged in self-reflection, considering my own works and creative processes. I have endeavored to learn and master the foundational techniques of oil painting, such as layering thick and thin paints, and have dedicated myself to the nuances of composition, color application, detailing, and form.
To read more about Yuehua He and see more of his work, visit: website
Yuehua He, Sleeping Beauty, oil sketch, 40 x 30 inMichelangelo’s Pieta, oil on canvas, 30 x 30; available through artist
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.
Summer’s Autumn, Lisa Kovvuri, oil on wood, 16 x 20 in; Lisa Kovvuri
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.
Annie Murphy-Robinson (California), “Casey ‘Waiting’,” Charcoal, 26 x 42 in.
We’d like to congratulate Annie Murphy-Robinson for winning Overall First Place in the May 2024 PleinAir® Salon, judged by D. Eleinne Basa, Artist and 1st PleinAir Salon Grand Prize Winner.
Basa chose “Casey ‘Waiting'” (charcoal, 26 x 42 in.) by Annie Murphy-Robinson from California.
“The first-place winner for me is this drawing,” said Basa. “Drawings can show you the skill of the artist technically, but this one also shows the artist’s skills in terms of trying to elicit a viewer’s response. I see a beautifully rendered drawing of a young woman in thought, and this conveys good lighting and mood. For the top three, I tried to imagine if I saw them in person, in a room with the other pieces that I chose, which one would stand out and jump out at me.”
About the PleinAir Salon:
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 competition 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.
Antwan Ramar (b. 1989), "The Lake Is Calling," 2024, oil on canvas, 48 x 30 in.
In 1851 Wisconsin adopted its official state motto, the simple yet powerfully positive word “Forward.” Since opening eight years ago, Milwaukee’s Lily Pad Gallery | West has itself moved forward by advocating for the locally, nationally, and internationally known artists it exhibits, though always with a proud emphasis on the locals.
This summer the gallery is presenting its third annual group exhibition of Wisconsin artists. Among the talents participating are Marc Anderson, Steve Gerhartz, Robert M. Girsh, Michael Guinane, Bruce Niemi, Antwan Ramar, Ken Schneider, John Waite, and Diane Washa. The gallery community is also pleased to welcome local legend Shelby Keefe, and mourns the recent passing of artist Allison B. Cooke, who is survived by her husband, Robert M. Girsh.
Forward: A Wisconsin Artist Exhibition Lily Pad Gallery | West Milwaukee lilypadgallery.com
Through August 31, 2024
Published six times per year, Fine Art Connoisseur is now a widely consulted platform for the world’s most knowledgeable experts, who write articles that inform readers and give them the tools necessary to make better purchasing decisions.
ON THE COVER Will St. John (b. 1981), “Sol,” (detail), 2020, oil on panel, overall: 31 x 31 in., in the permanent collection of the New Salem Museum and Academy of Fine Art
COLUMNS
Frontispiece: Edward Hopper
Publisher’s Letter: Your Own Grand Tour
Editor’s Note: AI As Our Ally
Off the Walls
Classic Moment: Peter Brown
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Artists Making Their Mark: Three to Watch
We highlight the talents of Tyler Berry, Zofia Chamera, and Kelly Micca.
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Scott Christensen & Quang Ho: Inspired by the West
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Painting in Lives
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Favorite: Howard Zar on Leonardo’s “Lady with an Ermine”
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Fine Art Connoisseur‘s jargon-free text and large color illustrations are attracting an ever-growing readership passionate about high-quality artworks and the fascinating stories around them. It serves art collectors and enthusiasts with innovative articles about representational paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints — both historical and contemporary, American and European. Fine Art Connoisseur covers the museums, galleries, fairs, auction houses, and private collections where great art is found.
"The Flaget Madonna," 16th century, oil on canvas, 30 1/4 x 26 in.
From the Fine Art Connoisseur July/August 2024 Editor’s Note:
AI As Our Ally
I have written before about how wary we should be of artificial intelligence (AI) getting too mixed up with the making of art. I stand by those comments, and I sense that ever more people in our field have their guards up, too.
One aspect of AI that thrills me, however, is its capacity to help us better understand historic works of art. An exciting example came to light last year when it was announced that significant portions of a previously unrecognized painting of the Madonna and Child with Saints Elizabeth and John the Baptist were painted by the Italian Renaissance master Raphael (1483–1520). This discovery rolled out in the ideal manner: some humans got the hunch first, and then the computers proved them right.
To be specific, Dr. Larry Silver, professor emeritus of art history at the University of Pennsylvania, proposed that the 16th-century painting was made by Raphael’s studio assistants, with the all-important faces of the Madonna and Baby Jesus attributable to the master himself. Then thorough examinations of both the pigments and the provenance were undertaken by the London and New York-based firm Art Analysis & Research, which gave it the green light.
Finally, the painting was subjected to scrutiny by the Zurich-based firm Art Recognition, which has patented an AI system for authentication through analysis of brushstrokes. First, it designed a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) trained on a dataset containing images of all of Raphael’s known paintings, as well as a contrast set of fakes, comparables, and contemporaries. This allowed the system to identify feature series such as brushstrokes, variations in color, and high-level composition elements, which it proceeded to seek in 16 individual sections and across the painting as a whole. Indeed, it found that much of the surface was painted by artists other than Raphael, but the face of the Madonna was a 96.57% match with Raphael and Jesus’s came in at 96.24%.
“Through brushstroke artificial intelligence, we offer objectivity and accessibility to
clients, which has been missing in the field of art evaluation for many years,” says Dr. Carina Popovici, founder and CEO of Art Recognition. “Art history, provenance, chemical analysis, and other methods are all critical to the full understanding of an artwork, but attribution decisions should not be left solely to the subjective human expert’s eye.”
The Illinois cabinetmaker and artist Tony Ayers discovered this painting in an English antiques shop in 1995. The seller had acquired it from another dealer based in Kentucky, who had purchased it from the local Sisters of Charity. Later research showed it had been donated to them in 1837 through Bishop Joseph Flaget, and thus it is now called “The Flaget Madonna.” Before that, it was believed to be part of the Vatican collections. Ayers spent much of his adult life studying the painting with various scholars and scientists; after his death in 2023, his widow and friends continued his pursuit.
Art authentication has always involved patient sleuthing, and it’s thrilling to know that AI can aid in our efforts by diving more deeply — and more dispassionately — into the evidence. As long as humans remain in control of the technology, there is reason for us to expect many more memorable discoveries in the future.
What are your thoughts? Share your letter to the Editor below in the comments.
Dyana Hesson, “Superstition Color, Buckhorn Cholla Blooms, Superstition Wilderness, Arizona,” oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in; Available at Cowgirl Up, Desert Caballeros Desert Museum, Wickenburg; One of my favorite displays of color happens on the slopes of the Superstition Mountains in the spring; in particular, the blooms of the buckhorn cholla
Dyana Hesson: Artist Dyana Hesson has a case of incurable wanderlust, and a love affair with God’s creation. Her work is collected worldwide and her series, True Blue Arizona was featured in Arizona Highways Magazine in March 2020. Dyana is a Master of the Southwest award winner and Master Signature member of American Women Artists.
Dyana’s latest book The Art of Wildflowers was recently published by Arizona Highways.
Her one woman show, Wild Arizona, opens at the Sonoran Desert Museum in October, 2025.
Dyana Hesson, “A Good Landing, Butterfly Weed and Acmon Blue Butterfly, Sierra Ancha Wilderness, Arizona,” oil on canvas, 28 x 22 in; Available at Bonner David galleries, Scottsdale; Along the way there is treasure to find. Indian paintbrush, yucca blooms, and on this day, the bright pop of Butterfly Weed
Dyana Hesson “Stay Golden, Buckhorn Cholla, Superstition Wilderness,” oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in; Available at Bonner David galleries, Scottsdale; So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. -Robert Frost
Martin Geiger, "Robert’s Table / Tribute to Scott Noel," 2022, oil on linen, 32 x 48 in., Steven Francis Fine Art (Lynchburg, Virginia)
There are a lot of superb contemporary oil paintings being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
One look at the paintings of Martin Geiger (b. 1997) and it’s evident where his artistic education took place: the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where he earned a certificate after four years studying drawing and painting. There he trained under the influential instructor Scott Noel (b. 1955), best known for inspiring the Perceptual Painting movement more than a decade ago. Those who follow this approach aim to paint their direct responses to the visible world with a focus on space, volume, color, and shape.
This experience-based approach is well-suited to Geiger because it requires close, careful observation and thoughtful reflection; curiosity about, and admiration of, the physical world have long been his strong suits. “The world itself almost seems like an immense playground of sorts,” the artist writes. “Everything in my surroundings feels and looks intensely interesting at all times. It seems always about ready to reveal itself, almost like a piece of music leading up to a crescendo. It’s clear that there is something very important just beneath the surface for the artist, and making art is my best attempt at excavating these ever-present patterns and showing them to the world.”
The subjects Geiger feels compelled to paint range from figures and landscapes to interiors and architecture, but the formal elements of light, space, and design are consistently his main subject. In Robert’s “Table/Tribute to Scott Noel,” for instance, the artist made two contrasting light sources the main characters of his visual narrative while giving a nod to his longtime mentor.
“This painting depicts a messy table covered with various overlooked envelopes, containers, and other detritus in a seasoned artist’s studio,” Geiger explains. “The dark interior and cool light bathing these items are contrasted with a blazing, luminous exterior landscape. This theme of outside versus inside was a hallmark of Scott Noel.”
Born in Charlottesville, Geiger has returned to Virginia and now makes his studio in Staunton. There he is an instructor at the Beverly Street Studio School and also serves as head assistant at Bronze Craft Foundry in nearby Waynesboro. Geiger has won two grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation (2018 and 2022) and considers those experiences instrumental in helping him realize several large-scale works.
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.
Setting Sails in Newport Harbor, Calvin Liang, oil, 12 x 16 in; Huse Skelly Gallery
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Miao Girl, Mian Situ, oil, 12 x 9 in; Artzline.com
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.
Ulrich Gleiter, "Bay of Penharn," 2023, Oil on linen, 28 x 30 in.
Ulrich Gleiter (b. 1977) is noted for his landscapes. The painter’s artistic path first led him to study at the Dresden Academy of Arts in Germany, and later at the Repin Academy in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the influence of which is visible in his paintings, reminiscent of German Expressionism and the Russian Impressionists. His work has been recognized with awards internationally including in the USA, along with features in numerous publications like Fine Art Connoisseur, PleinAir Magazine, Southwest Art Magazine, American Art Collector, Press of the Russian Academy of Art, and Monaceli Studio Press.
Ulrich Gleiter, “At the Bode Museum (Berlin),” 2024, oil on linen, 28 x 24 in.
“Painting is like a diary for me,” Ulrich says. “As the years advance, recent paintings are different from the ones before. And they should be. Paintings reflect your experiences and feelings, they tell your life through images. The subject matter is secondary. Let it be a landscape or a portrait, what I paint on the canvas, more than anything else is about how I felt during that very moment as I stood there.
“During my years when I studied at the Academy of Arts in Russia and lived in Saint Petersburg, I loved to paint the alleys, gardens, and grand panoramas of this beautiful city. Every corner and street was filled with memories. I have been back a few times to Saint Petersburg since 2022, that is, when the Ukraine conflict marked a turning point for Europe. And I noticed that although physically, I might be at the same sites as before, the world and time have changed everything since. Constantly, there’s this rift between my memories and the feeling of how everything that surrounds me turned foreign. I could not possibly just paint there as before, as if nothing had happened. It feels void. The opposite is true for painting nature – winter, snow, or the tundra vegetation of the northern lands in the summertime, and foliage in autumn – these motives keep inspiring me. It is timeless. Paint what you love.”
Ulrich Gleiter, “Brittany Village (Goulien),” 2023, oil on linen, 18 x 34 in.
Approximately 20 of his works are on view through August 31, 2024, in Berlin at Sandau and Leo Gallery, where he has exhibited his art since 2012. Included in the exhibition are works by Michael Jastram and Doris Leue.
“I’m drawn to the landscapes of the north and winter,” Ulrich says. “I have my inspiration from the great Canadian painters from the Group of Seven, German impressionists such as Lovis Corinth, and many Russian painters, understandably. Another body of work is from Brittany, its coastline with the Atlantic Ocean and villages. Other paintings are from Spain’s Andalucia, and scenes of Berlin itself.”
Ulrich Gleiter, “Church Saint-Сlet (Cléden-Cap-Sizun),” 2023, oil on linen, 28 x 18 in.
Ulrich tells us that several of the Brittany works were painted with the German artist group “Norddeutsche Realisten” (“North German Realists”). Later this year, he’ll be a part of their exhibit at the Heikendorf Museum. He adds that the group is renowned in Germany for its impressionist painters and members are also based in the Netherlands, Denmark, and France.
In addition to the Sandau and Leo Gallery exhibition, you can find Ulrich Gleiter’s works in the following:
August 30 – September 17 – 20th Anniversary Exhibition. (Group). Gallery 1261, Denver
September 14- November – Heikendorf Museum, Kiel, Germany. Group exhibition. Paintings of Brittany, France. Together with the “Norddeutsche Realisten”
September 20 – October 8 – Solo exhibition, Gallery 1261 (and coming in 2025)
December – Group exhibition, curated by Rose Fredrick, Gallery 1261
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