Jonathan Shirey (b. 1977), "Desert Dainty," 2022, watercolor on paper panel, 24 x 18 in.
The Scottsdale Artists’ School is set to present “The Best & The Brightest,” the annual juried art show and sale highlighting artworks created by its top students and alumni living around the world. The school is marking its 40th year of providing top-quality training, so all artists who have taken a workshop, program, or online class at any point since 1983 were invited to submit their works for consideration.
The official opening reception and awards announcement ceremony is set for February 22, 2024. First and second place awards will be presented in each of six categories: drawing, oil painting, pastel, water media, sculpture, and small work.
The school’s executive director, Trudy Hays, is quick to praise the “professional quality of Scottsdale Artists’ School students” and laughs that she does “not envy the team assembled to jury the pieces because they have a difficult assignment.”
For those who cannot attend in person, be sure to view and buy works directly from the school’s website.
At a Glance:
Scottsdale Artists’ School
Scottsdale, Arizona scottsdaleartschool.org
February 17–March 16, 2024
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.
Peaceful, C.M. Cooper, oil on panel, 10 x 20 in; C.M. Cooper
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First Light, 2023, Nicole Bishop, oil on Dibond, 36 × 20 in; 33 Contemporary
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Vigilant, Trevor Swanson, oil & patina on metal 20×16 in; Celebration of Fine Art
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Sorrow, Yuehua He, oil painting, 30 x 24 in; Yuehua He
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.
Efraïm Rodríguez, "At Car," 2015, beech wood and melis pine wood, life-size (24 1/2 x 20 1/2 x 30 3/4 in.), available through the artist
There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
Spanish sculptor Efraïm Rodríguez (b. 1971) has lived in Barcelona for most of his life and earned a degree in fine art from the University of Barcelona in 1999. His works in wood are well-known in Spain and becoming increasingly popular elsewhere in Europe and the U.S. Using a unique, time-intensive approach to sculpt idiosyncratic portraits and figures that are both truthful and embellished, Rodríguez works with a variety of woods — including cedar, linden, hazelnut, beech, walnut, oak, and pine — for his assemblages of reality and imagination.
Taken as a whole, Rodríguez’s art runs the gamut from straightforward to perplexing. At first glance, several of his wooden children and female figures look like life-size collectible figurines, almost Hummel-like in their quaintness. Others are quizzical amalgamations of people, animals, and elements of nature in unconventional poses, clothing, and costumes. Still others are industrial-looking and installation-like, defying gravity with their wire armatures, as in the Ostrich series. Children are a common subject, as their playfulness and innocence remind Rodríguez of the aspects of human nature that adults tend to leave behind.
For “At Car,” the artist had a realization while staring at his sleeping nephew. “In this sculpture, my nephew is holding a toy car in his hand while sitting inside a car,” he explains. “The seat belt confines him to a very specific place, and we can imagine him dreaming of cars while strapped in. This is part of a series in which I explore how the materiality of the medium can ‘occupy’ or fill the subject, like minerals in the fossilization process. There should be no clear delineation or boundaries between the figure and its context.”
Growing up in an artistic family (both his father and grandfather painted), Rodríguez gravitated toward fine art, yet oil was not the medium with which he felt he could fully express his visions. He was always interested in sculpture, the human figure, space, and the meaning of materials. Now, whether Rodríguez uses wood taken directly from a fallen tree or from a piece of furniture, his purpose is always focused on the original “biography,” as he calls it, of that material.
Rodríguez has created several public works and monuments in spaces around Barcelona, and his sculptures are in private collections throughout Spain. A sought-after instructor, he recently released a clay-modeling portraiture course through Domestika and has been teaching sculpture at the University of Barcelona since 2005.
Billy Schenck (b. 1947), "Where'd They Go," 2023, oil on canvas, 20 x 20 in.
Western Art Exhibition > The Autry Museum of the American West is set to host its annual Masters of the American West Art Exhibition & Sale, featuring new pieces created by more than 60 leading painters and sculptors working in the Western genre. Their subject matter ranges from landscapes, seascapes, and wildlife to figures, portraits, and historical themes.
At a Glance:
Masters of the American West
Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles masters.theautry.org
Through March 24, 2024
This year everyone is welcome to visit the exhibition between February 10 and March 24, but those wanting to acquire art must attend (or place an online bid) during the big sale on Saturday evening, February 24. The VIP Weekend launches on February 23 with a tour of the museum’s collections care and archives facility in Burbank, followed by an artists’ reception and exhibition preview.
On Saturday the 24th, guests will enjoy two panel discussions, a luncheon during which the award winners will be announced, and finally the festive cocktail reception and art sale. Details on the weekend’s various ticketing opportunities can be found on the museum’s website.
Since Masters of the American West launched in 1998, its proceeds have provided essential support for the Autry’s educational programs, exhibitions, and more than 100 public events annually. As its name suggests, the museum is dedicated to exploring the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the West.
Its collection of more than 600,000 artworks and artifacts encompasses the Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection, one of the finest holdings of Native American material in the U.S. Co-founded in 1988 by Jackie and Gene Autry and Joanne and Monte Hale, the Autry merged in 2002 with Women of the West, an organization highlighting the impact of women’s experiences.
Art Collection On View > Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens in San Clemente, California, has announced the opening of its latest exhibition, “Madeline’s Treasures, Selections from the James Irvine Swinden Family Collection.”
From the organizers:
Featuring over 40 paintings, “Madeline’s Treasures” invites viewers to experience a love letter of art from Mr. Swinden to his late wife Madeline. Open during visiting hours now through April 7th, 2024, this exhibit is the first time these paintings have been on public display.
Charles Muench, “Crystal Cove Patterns,” 20 x 30 in.
“We are honored that Mr. Irvine Swinden chose Casa Romantica to host the first public exhibit of these paintings,” shared Kylie Travis, Executive Director, Operations and Programming at Casa Romantica. “Madeline’s Treasures is truly one of a kind, and we are excited to share these wonderful examples of contemporary California Impressionism, which Madeline and Mr. Swinden collected while attending many of the California plein air invitationals held over the last quarter century.”
Aimee Erickson, “Dusk, San Juan Capistrano,” 4 x 4 in.
An opening night ceremony for the exhibit was held on January 11th and was attended by donors, special guests, and members of the Casa Romantica Board. Living artists whose works are featured in the collection, including Rick J. Delanty, Michael Obermeyer, John Cosby, and Aimee Erickson, also attended the opening event. As a tribute to the late Madeline Swinden, Casa Romantica and the art gallery were transformed with romantic pink lighting and filled with the sounds of Madeline’s favorite songs. The gallery opened to the public on January 12th, with over a hundred and thirty members of the local community visiting to experience this special art collection.
Michael Obermeyer, “Pretty in Pink,” 14 x 18 in.
Speaking at the opening event for Madeline’s Treasures, Mr. Swinden shared, “I wanted Madeline’s collection to have its own spotlight. When I was approached by Casa to do the exhibition, I thought, ‘Let’s do something a little different.’ The vast majority of these paintings came from our home, and it is my privilege to share them with you.”
Jean Stern (left) James Irvine Swinden (right)
Casa Romantica also launched Casa Romantica After Hours, an all-new series that kicked off on January 18th. The monthly event will give visitors access to a variety of activities and entertainment after Casa Romantica’s regular visiting hours conclude. Available only to ticket holders, visitors can enjoy live music performances by talented local artists, take in the breathtaking sunset, indulge in a refreshing beverage from the outdoor bar, and become immersed in Madeline’s Treasures.
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.
Pat Fiorello, "Winter Wonderland," oil, 16 x 20 in.
For art collectors, a behind-the-scenes look at how one contemporary artist creates a still life painting helps us appreciate even more the vision and skill it takes to do this, and makes us even more informed about why we buy art to enjoy at home.
Endless Inspiration! How I Create a Still Life Painting
by Pat Fiorello
I recently completed a series of paintings that I thought might be an opportunity to share a bit of the thinking process behind how I create my still life paintings.
I started with a couple of bouquets of white/blush/peachy roses as the initial spark to get things going. Once I had them on hand, cut them, put them in fresh water and let them set for a day to open up a bit more, I started the process of arranging them as inspiration for a painting.
I arrange the flowers in a way I would find pleasing as an arrangement in my own home, mindful of which flowers will be the main flowers or focal area and which are supporting cast to provide contrast in terms of size, orientation (i.e. facing front, sideways, down), texture, direction, etc.… I group flowers to create bigger masses of shape and color rather than separate things too much. Leaves can also be used to add contrast and define edges, especially near the main flowers.
Since there were quite a few flowers, I split them into two containers of different sizes and still had some I didn’t use. Sometimes I go into a painting with a specific idea of the mood or feeling I want to convey and select items that support that and other times I just play around with different props to see what sparks my interest. For the first painting, I chose some darker, more colorful containers as a contrast to the light flowers.
In my studio, as I’m creating a still life “setup” that will serve as inspiration, I will often take lots of photos, changing the background from dark to light which dramatically alters the mood and degree of contrast in the painting to come. The background is one of the most powerful tools you have to set a mood and often students will leave that as an afterthought, (later asking, “What should I do with my background?”), but it’s an integral part of the overall painting design and must be considered upfront, before the brush ever hits the canvas.
To me, having a darker, classical background projects a more dramatic mood, emphasizing the big shape of light against dark, while having a light background can feel a little fresher and contemporary, more upbeat with emphasis more on color than value. I’ll take photos both ways and see which one I have a greater personal response to that day. I follow my instincts on which one excites me more. I have to be excited to paint it. I want my paintings to have a sense of aliveness. If I’m feeling energized, that will show up on the canvas and vice versa. What artists choose to paint and how they choose to paint it are both part of the personal and authentic artistic voice.
I’ll often take photos in different formats – vertical, horizontal, even square, again paying attention to what feels most exciting. I might even look in a viewfinder (see below) to consider a different format. As I narrow down the mood, background, and format, I continue to add props (like smaller dishes, fruit, flowers on the tabletop, fabric), to add interest, contrast, or repetition of color, but also importantly provide a path of light, and eye movement throughout the painting.
I’ll also adjust direct lighting to make sure it emphasizes what I want. Objects will be added in, taken out, moved until the movement, spacing, and balance feel just right. This could take some time, but it’s worth it because, unlike a landscape or portrait, with a still life you are creating your composition from nothing, rather than just editing what’s already there. That can be a little intimidating, but also empowering, freeing, and fun once you get into it.
Examples considering horizontal vs vertical format of the same scene. Both compositions can work- just a different emphasis and feeling. The artist gets to choose what fulfills their intention and vision for the painting.
The first painting I did was in a vertical format, which reinforced the height of the primary vase. I was envisioning light coming in from the top right flowers, traveling down the main bouquet through the smaller bouquet, and then over to the gold dish and white flower on the table in somewhat of a figure “S” pattern. I simplified the texture on the containers since I wanted more detail on the main flowers and not too much competition from other areas of the painting. The title is “Wonderland,” based on the name of the flower bouquet I ordered.
Pat Fiorello, “Winterland,” oil, 16 x 20 in.
While the flowers were still fresh, I decided to do a second painting – a simpler scene that allowed me to have greater detail on the vase itself. The composition has fewer elements and while the background is light, the shadows still hold the bouquet in and offer some contrast.
In this one, I think the vase is more of the story and I have called it “Emerald.” I had a lot of fun figuring out how to convey that beautiful pottery with a palette knife (while holding my breath at first).
Pat Fiorello, “Emerald,” oil, 9 x 12 in.
After about a week, the flowers were starting to die off, but I pulled the surviving ones out and rearranged them in a copper pitcher for a totally different look and color palette, with warmer lighting. This painting is titled “Copper Tones.”
Pat Fiorello, “Copper Tones,” oil, 12 x 6 in.
All three of these paintings were in a vertical format, but I also was attracted to the horizontal format with more drama, so did a fourth, larger painting in that type of composition. For this painting, I used photographs I took the first day since the real flowers were long gone. The result was “Winter Wonderland” which clearly has a different feel from the first painting, even though most of the elements were the same, except for the background and format of the canvas.
Pat Fiorello, “Winter Wonderland,” oil, 16 x 20 in.
These four paintings started with the same bunch of flowers but ended up in very different places. I think I could have done 100 paintings based on that one bouquet. The opportunities are endless!
Yes, what they have in common are the same flowers – but that is just one element in a painting. As I am designing a still life, I am thinking beyond “things” (i.e. flowers) and considering all the tools of art: shape, value, color, edges, paint application. Plus considering the more intangible aspects of mood, energy, emotion. Making different choices in those tools, which make up the language of art, can evoke different feelings. And of course, the viewer brings his or her own lens and experiences resulting in their own personal emotional response.
As an artist, my aim is to go beyond merely reporting and describing the details of the flowers to transcending my subject – creating a feeling, capturing a moment of beauty.
You can see more of Pat’s art at patfiorello.com or follow her on Instagram @patfiorello. Pat’s instructional video, “Vibrant Flowers” is available at PaintTubeTV.com in DVD or digital format.
Terri Ford (California), “Canyon Dusk,” Pastel, 28x24 in.
We’d like to congratulate Terri Ford for winning Overall First Place in the December 2023 PleinAir Salon, judged by Camille Przewodak.
“This painting had a beautiful late afternoon light effect,” Camille said. “The shapes in the tree were carefully thought out. Good division of the light/dark patterns. Overall, a stunning painting.”
About Terri Ford:
A native Californian and alumnus of the Academy of Art College, Terri realized a deep connection with pastels in 1987 and has worked with them since both in the studio and en plein air. Her paintings are representational with some more impressionistic and others more realistic. Her greatest inspiration is capturing the landscape in its ever-changing light and conditions.
Her work has earned her top awards in many exhibitions at such venues as The National Arts Club in New York, The Butler Fine Art Museum, The Triton Museum of Art, The Autry Museum, The Haggin Museum, and many more. She has received numerous awards at The Carmel Art Festival Plein Air event, most recently the PleinAir Magazine Award of Excellence and Best Pastel 2015. Ford’s pastels have been featured in American Art Collector, American Artist, Fine Art Connoisseur, Pratique des Arts, and in several coffee table books, including Art Journal America, Plein Air New Mexico, and the French art book 40 Maitres de Pasteles. Her pastel paintings have gained national and international recognition, as proved by her achievement of Master Circle status in the International Association of Pastel Societies, and her subsequent acceptance of the Eminent Pastelist Award by the same group.
Ford is a Master Pastelist with The Pastel Society of America and “Distinguished Pastelist” with the Pastel Society of the West Coast and Pastel Society of New Mexico, and an artist member of the California Art Club. She was the “Invitee de Honor” of the Art du Pastel France in 2017.
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.
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PleinAir® Magazine is a registered trademark of Streamline Publishing, Inc.
Kathleen Dunphy (b. 1963), "Family Outing," 2023, oil on linen, 24 x 48 in.
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) is ready to celebrate its 42nd anniversary and fill the streets of downtown Charleston, South Carolina with animal lovers of all stripes. Once again, SEWE will program a fine art gallery and an exhibition of artisans and craftsmen alongside its popular demonstrations of dogs and birds of prey in action, plus lively displays by conservation organizations and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
All of these activities highlight the urgent need to protect wildlife and preserve our natural resources. The art exhibition features more than 90 painters and sculptors — both established and emerging. The event usually draws at least 50,000 people every year.
This year’s featured artist is Kathleen Dunphy, who is based in Northern California. Illustrated here, her painting “Family Outing” will be visible across town on the festival’s official poster. The original work will be on display at the Gallery by SEWE, then auctioned during the VIP gala and sale on February 15.
“Family Outing” portrays a group of Canada geese on a tranquil lake near Dunphy’s home, where she frequently paints outdoors. For her, these birds symbolize the changing of seasons and the promise of warmer days as they migrate north in their distinctive “V” formation. Dunphy recalls, “As I was setting up my easel one morning, this pair of proud parents floated past with their awkward, downy goslings in tow. I was captivated by the glimmer of light on their feathers and the gentle interactions between the family members as they navigated the lake together. It was just another mom and dad taking the kids on a family outing, a different species in a parallel universe to ours.”
This past August, SEWE opened its Gallery by SEWE in The Shops at Charleston Place downtown; the space is a year-round continuation of the festival’s popular fine art venue, and is also home to a program of artist residencies.
Marc Anderson (b. 1987), "Giants of Little America," 2022, oil on board, 24 x 48 in., Lily Pad | West, Milwaukee
There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
The following is part of a series featuring a leader in the art community who will be joining us on the faculty of Plein Air Live, March 6-8, 2024.
Marc Anderson (b. 1987) has called the Midwest home since he was a child, having been born and raised in the Rockwellian town of Wild Rose, Wisconsin. The young artist studied illustration at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and then went to work as a freelancer for several clients and publications. Eventually he decided, however, that fine art was more his speed and spent the next several years teaching himself how to paint through a lot of reading, workshops, and practice.
When the artist discovered plein air painting, he found his true passion. Painting outdoors was a far cry from the commercial illustration life and a welcome reprieve from endless hours in the studio. Right in his native state of Wisconsin, Anderson finds all the inspiration he needs, whether he’s painting industrial scenes, local lakes, or sprawling mountain vistas.
As he has advanced in his perception and interpretation of his surroundings, the artist has found himself focusing on more conceptual elements. “I’ve been very interested in how light affects color lately,” Anderson shares. “Every scene has unique properties and infinite subtleties that I take great pleasure in trying to capture.”
Take, for instance, “Giants of Little America,” illustrated here. The foggy sky casting a misty pall on the structures below certainly took a lot of attention to subtle value and color transitions, as well as compositional accuracy to convey the street-level, wide-angle view. This painting advertises a signature Anderson motif, in that it is about light and atmosphere but also a statement about a sense of place.
“’Giants of Little America’ is all about scale and atmosphere,” the artist says. “These feed mills are indicative of small, Midwestern towns, and the juxtaposition of these massive structures and rural communities has always piqued my interest.”
Today Anderson resides in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where he runs the M. Anderson Studio as a showroom, studio, and instructional space for workshops.
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