Richard T Scott, "La Danse Macabre", Oil on Linen, 40 x 46 in., 2023
From Stone Sparrow Contemporary Art:
You are invited on an odyssey through time and imagination, to discover the myths that form our collective unconscious. Uncanny symmetries emerge from the shadows of memory, illuminating timeless mysteries of our human nature. You may experience a dizzying sense of deja vu. Do not fear! Truth and beauty will be your guiding stars on this journey.
Born of the union between artist couple Richard T Scott and Jordan Baker, “Modern Mythos” summons the muses of the old masters to explore the liminal space between the Orient and the Occident, the coupling of stoic and Buddhist philosophy.
Richard T Scott and Jordan Baker, “Les Amoureux,” Oil on Linen, 46 x 48 in., 2023
In Scott and Baker’s Delphic creations, the depths of the human psyche are laid bare, inviting the courageous and the curious to descend into a realm where light and darkness become one.
Richard T Scott, “Cryptid”, Oil on Linen, 40 x 46 in., 2023Richard T Scott, “Autumn of the Republic”, Oil on Linen, 36 x 48 in., 2023
Baker’s Baroque lives writhe with the haunting of Japanese nature spirits, blending the Dutch tradition of vanitas with Shinto meditations on the cycles of death and rebirth. Her alchemical compositions alloy the motifs of Georgia O’Keeffe and Rachel Ruysch, creating a startlingly contemporary atmosphere.
Jordan Baker, “Spring Spirits,” Oil on Canvas, 36 x 48 in., 2023Jordan Baker, “Yuletide Harvest,” Oil on Canvas, 16 x 20 in., 2023
Scott’s figurative paintings follow Charon’s ferry to the gates of Hades, convene with Medusa among the ruins of civilization, traverse the fall of the Roman Republic, and foretell the future of our own Autumnal Empire.
Richard T Scott, “The Magician”, Oil on Linen, 22 x 28 in., 2021
Join us for a mythic evening on November 8th at Stone Sparrow Contemporary Art: 45 Greenwich Ave, NYC 10014. Mythic attire is encouraged, but not mandatory. The artists will be in attendance and will be in costume. This exhibition will be on view until December 16, 2023.
Stuart Dunkel, "Ferry," Oil on panel, 10 x 20 inches
Rehs Contemporary has announced a solo exhibition featuring new works by artist Stuart Dunkel from November 10th through December 8th, 2023, with a special opening reception on Thursday, November 9th.
From the Gallery:
Prepare to embark on an enchanting journey alongside Stuart’s endearing muse, Chuckie the Mouse, as he tours the world and crosses paths with playful objects and quirky friends.
Stuart Dunkel, “Arctic Cousins,” Oil on panel, 16 x 20 Inches
Stuart Dunkel’s work is a celebration of creativity and curiosity. Chuckie comes to life in each painting as he explores all that the world has to offer … from some of the most iconic landmarks around the globe to everyday items, the little mouse is taking it all in.
Dunkel has gained widespread recognition for his imaginative compositions that feature his beloved mouse. His ability to infuse humor and charm into each work has fostered a diverse audience of collectors and enthusiasts who are always waiting to see what comes next. As Dunkel himself says, “I believe in the power of art to transport us to a place of pure joy and wonder … Chuckie the Mouse has become a cherished companion to me, and I am thrilled to share his whimsical adventures with the world through this exhibition.”
Stuart Dunkel, “Best Choice,” Oil on panel, 6 x 12 inches
Some of the most anticipated paintings in “Chuckie’s Grand Adventure” include subjects that Dunkel has yet to explore previously. For instance, Chuckie will be doing some international traveling, like when he visits the Leaning Tower of Pisa in “Saving Pisa”; in this hilarious composition, Chuckie struggles with all his might to straighten the tower. In others, he’s making new friends, like in “Ferry,” where he’s hitching a ride by turtleback across a river. Then there are more thoughtful approaches, albeit still quite comical… in one piece, Dunkel tackles Greek Mythology by having Chuckie roll his blueberry up a steep hill, evoking the tale of Sisyphus.
Stuart Dunkel, “Saving Pisa,” Oil on panel, 8 x 6 inchesStuart Dunkel, “Sisyphus, Oil on panel, 12 x 6 inches
Dunkel’s artistry truly has a way of enthralling viewers; his depictions of Chuckie paired with diverse places and things often make it seem like each painting was made specifically for someone. More broadly and most importantly, the exhibition invites attendees to rediscover the joys of curiosity and imagination.
We hope you’ll join us for “Chuckie’s Grand Adventure.” It is an unmissable event for art enthusiasts, families, and anyone seeking to immerse themselves in the charming world of Chuckie the Mouse.
"Curtain Factory" by Riva Helfond (American, Brooklyn, New York 1910–2002), WPA, ca. 1936–39, lithograph, Sheet: 14 1/4 × 20 1/2 in., Gift of New York City W.P.A., 1943
“Art for the Millions: American Culture and Politics in the 1930s” at the Met will feature more than 100 works, from paintings, photographs, and decorative arts to fashion, film, and ephemera.
From the museum:
The 1930s was a decade of political and social upheaval in the United States, and the art and visual culture of the time reflected the unsettled environment. Americans searched for their cultural identity during the Great Depression, a period marked by divisive politics, threats to democracy, and intensified social activism, including a powerful labor movement.
Featuring more than 100 works from The Met collection and several lenders, “Art for the Millions: American Culture and Politics in the 1930s” will explore how artists expressed political messages and ideologies through a range of media, from paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs to film, dance, decorative arts, fashion, and ephemera. It is on view through December 10, 2023.
“Builders” by Harry Sternberg (American, New York 1904–2001 Escondido, California), WPA, 1935, lithograph, sheet: 21 x 15 1/2 in.
The exhibition is made possible by the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation and The Schiff Foundation.
“American artists witnessed astounding hardships in the 1930s and responded fervently,” said Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO. “As the nation confronts similar issues of political polarization and widening inequality today, this insightful exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of how artists then, like now, used their craft to connect with audiences, take action, and illuminate social ills. This presentation also brings to the fore women artists and artists of color who were often shut out of the mainstream art world.”
Organized thematically across three galleries, the exhibition will provide an unprecedented overview of the era’s sociopolitical landscape. Highlights will include paintings by Georgia O’Keeffe, Charles Sheeler, and Stuart Davis; prints by Elizabeth Olds, Dox Thrash, and Riva Helfond; photographs by Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange; footage of Martha Graham’s dance Frontier; and much more.
Allison Rudnick, Associate Curator of Drawings and Prints, said: “While visual culture in the United States has always been suffused with ideology, cultural production in the 1930s is notable for representing an exceptional range of social and political messages. Every visual medium—from prints to film to fashion—played a role in transmitting these messages to millions of Americans. The works provide a unique framework for understanding a fraught and fascinating decade, one that mirrors today’s world in many ways.”
“One Third of a Nation” by O. Louis Guglielmi (American (born Egypt), Cairo 1906–1956 Amagansett, New York), 1939, oil and tempera on wood, 30 x 24 in., Gift of New York City W. P. A., 1943
“Art for the Millions: American Culture and Politics in the 1930s” is curated by Allison Rudnick, Associate Curator in The Met’s Department of Drawings and Prints.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press, the catalogue will be available for purchase from The Met Store. The catalogue is made possible by the Diane W. and James E. Burke Fund.
The Museum will offer a variety of related programs, including performances by dancers from the Martha Graham Dance Company, a series of Sight and Sound concerts by conductor Leon Botstein and The Orchestra Now, an Artists on Artworks event featuring Chase Hall, and more. Programming details will be posted on The Met website as they become available.
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.
Above the Fray – White Egret, Mary Erickson, 12 x 12 in. Oil on Cradled panel; American Tonalist Society / Mary Erickson
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Morning Light, Mt. Shasta, California, c. 1932, Alfred Richard Mitchell (1888-1972), Oil on Masonite panel, 16 x 20 in; American Legacy Fine Arts
Moonlight on Monterey Bay, Larry Cannon, Watercolor, 10 x 14 in; Larry Cannon; American Society Of Marine Artists 19th national exhibition, The Institute of History & Art, Albany, NY 9/7-12/31; Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona, MN, 1/19-5/12,2024
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.Virtual Gallery Walk for October 20th, 2023
John Buxton (Allison Park, Pennsylvania), "How Many Beaver?" oil, 12 x 9 in.
We’d like to congratulate John Buxton for winning Overall First Place in the September 2023 PleinAir Salon, judged by William A. Suys, Jr.
“How Many Beaver?” is the title of John’s work, shown above.
“This painting has a visceral presence and power,” William said of the first-place winner. “Even though it is presented on a simple background, I sense a real engagement and atmosphere with the subject and all the elements the artist so beautifully selected and rendered. Clearly, a piece that comes to life.”
John Buxton is an Art Renewal Center Living Master known as a “painter of our heritage.”
From his website:
John Buxton’s 31 years as a successful illustrator have evolved into these past 20 + years as an honored Fine Artist, painting scenes inspired by the 18th-century Wilderness Frontier. A frontier that influenced the development and relations of “The New World”; its people and what would become a New Nation.
There have been many awards and accomplishments in his 55-year career. John’s work is recognized in the Western Art genre. Perhaps because in the early years of European settlement, the “West” did not yet extend beyond the eastern mountain range or the Mississippi River. This allows his paintings to be exhibited at The Masters Of The American West Show at the Autry Museum each year. The Eiteljorg Museum of Indianapolis also exhibits his paintings in its Quest For The West Show annually.
[The artist researches, reads, does more research, or hires] a Historian to qualify the authenticity of every detail before beginning any sketches or developing compositions. It has to be correct because John’s paintings hang in museums, at Historical sites, and are used in documentary films, books, and magazines. His images also help to bring visual reality to the written word in many classrooms.
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.
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PleinAir® Magazine is a registered trademark of Streamline Publishing, Inc.
Jack Richeson, October 27, 1932 — October 27, 2023
Many of us knew Jack Richeson as the namesake of the Jack Richeson & Company, which has a long history of manufacturing art materials and educating and supporting artists through the Richeson School of Art and Gallery.
Daniel Greene (1934-2020) painting a portrait of Jack Richeson around 2008; photo by Brenda Mattson
Jack Richeson died peacefully on his birthday October 27, 2023, at the age of 91. We offer our sincere condolences to everyone who is grieving this loss. The following is from his obituary.
Jack Richeson, 1932-2023
Born October 27, 1932, in Chicago Illinois, son of Lily May and George Richeson, brother to Mary Louise, Betty, and Rosalie. While stationed in England during the Korean War, Jack met his wife Ruth Hinde (deceased) and married on March 21, 1955. Together they had 6 children, Colleen Maxey (Greg), David Richeson (Susan), Shawn Richeson (Kelly), Michael Richeson (Laura), Darren Richeson (Michelle), and Kelly Richeson. Jack has been blessed with 22 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Jack found love a second time when he met his Scottish wife Linda Melville Richeson on a cruise aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 in 2001 while writing his first book. Jack and Linda married on April 21, 2004, at Gleneagles in Scotland surrounded by family and friends. Jack’s family grew with the addition of Linda’s daughter Louise (deceased), and son Duncan.
Jack worked in the artist materials industry from the age of 16 helping to manage sales for the leading manufacturers in the world. At age 49, he founded Jack Richeson and Company in his home on State Street in Appleton, Wisconsin. Over the next 40 years, he grew the company to become an industry-leading manufacturer of art materials, a benefactor to artists, and a collector of contemporary artwork. His collection featuring over 500 works can be found at his gallery in Kimberly, Wisconsin.
In his later years, Jack and Linda traveled the world in search of new materials, befriending artists, and supporting art groups wherever he went. Jack never retired and was interested in his business and new materials until the end of his life. Jack was grateful to all the people at the Richeson factory who helped him to achieve his dream. Nothing energized him more than walking the factory and interacting with people making his materials possible.
Special thanks to Jack’s caregivers, and to Jack’s wife Linda who lovingly and patiently cared for him as Parkinson’s Disease gradually took hold in his life.
Debra Lott’s Studio featuring her painting, Trying on Gigi’s Mink, 36x24, oil on canvas, 2023
How do you find inspiration? Debra Lott: I find inspiration in the female form. I continually observe and reflect upon the human experience, intrigued with the uniqueness of features, anatomy, and skin color. I’ve often approached complete strangers in public and asked them to model for me. I’m equally inspired by expressions of human values and emotions with dramatic lighting, shadow, and textures of fabric and skin.
What is the best thing about being an artist? Debra Lott: One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist is the process of creating something and watching it come to life, a creation that only an artist can do. Artists are especially sensitive to the beauty, color, and patterns of the world and able to translate that vision into new forms, satisfying themselves and others. The process of creating art is therapeutic and provides a sense of purpose and meaning, a deeply fulfilling and rewarding experience.
Debra Lott, “Divided Light,” oil on canvas, 30 x 30 in., Outstanding Figurative Award, American Women Artists, 2021Debra Lott, “Passage,” oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., Finalist, 16th International Art Renewal Center Salon, 2022
At center, "Dort or Dordrecht: The Dort Packet-Boat from Rotterdam Becalmed" (1818) by J.M.W. Turner (1775–1851) hangs at the Yale Center for British Art, 2016; photo: Richard Caspole
From the Fine Art Connoisseur November / December 2023 Editor’s Note:
Although Fine Art Connoisseur always likes to grapple with big ideas, this issue of the magazine has gone more meta than expected. Inside you will find two pieces about artists’ relationships with other artists. The first is a portfolio richly illustrated with contemporary works in which the artist depicts another artist, and the second (authored by Rose Fredrick) is an article highlighting nine artists who collect works by other living artists.
It is only natural that many artists note what their colleagues are doing — even what they look like — and so these sections remind us that the works we admire do not fall from the sky fully formed. Rather, they are made by people of real flesh and blood.
Equally meta was my recent visit to New Haven, Connecticut, a city I know well thanks to frequent pilgrimages to the Yale Center for British Art. This is America’s largest collection of art from the United Kingdom, established in 1966 by the collector Paul Mellon (1907–1999). I can’t count the times I have gaped there at J.M.W. Turner’s massive painting from 1818, “Dort or Dordrecht: The Dort Packet-Boat from Rotterdam Becalmed.” The title is off-putting, but rest assured the picture simply shows a cargo ship being provisioned in a Dutch port.
Anyway, the photo above shows this masterwork as I have seen it countless times at the Center, flooded with natural light and set against a wall covered in natural linen. The airy building was designed by the architect Louis Kahn (1901–1974); it was actually his final project and did not open until 1977, three years after his death.
This landmark is currently closed for a conservation project, and therefore highlights of the Center’s collection have been on view this year directly across Chapel Street at the Yale University Art Gallery. Opened in 1953, that marvelous building was also designed by Kahn as his first art museum. The temporary installation, “In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art,” features a selection of more than 50 works, offering visitors (like me) an opportunity to see some old friends in a fresh way.
At right, “Dort or Dordrecht” hangs in “In a New Light: Paintings from the Yale Center for British Art” at the Yale University Art Gallery, 2023; photo: Jessica Smolinski
This summer I saw Turner’s masterpiece in a room with lower ceilings, artificially lit and mounted on a deep blue wall. I’m a color aficionado, so I prefer the darker background and hope we’ll see it again when the Yale Center for British Art reopens. (“In a New Light” closes on December 3, 2023, so hurry if you want to catch it.)
My reason for mentioning this: isn’t it wonderful that something we think we know can make a different impact when seen “in a new light”? I salute the professionals at Yale on their rehang, and I encourage everyone to look again at our beloved art. What if we reframe it, move it to another room, fidget with its lighting, or lend it to a child setting up their first home? How will it appear then? How will it affect us? Will it mean something different? Nothing may change, or perhaps everything will.
What are your thoughts? Share your letter to the Editor below in the comments.
Laara Cassells, “A Splash of Colour - Gypsy Vanner”, acrylic on wood panel, 24 x 36 in., $4,400; Available through the artist.
Laara Cassells: In her work, Laara Cassells features horses, dogs, wolves, foxes and other wildlife which she portrays with technical mastery and emotional sensitivity. Laara wishes to portray each animal as an individual with its own unique personality and to bring each creature alive for the viewers.
The painting titled “A Splash of Colour” won First Prize in the “2023 Artist’s Choice Exhibition” hosted by the Federation Gallery in Vancouver, B.C.
Laara Cassells, “Princess Latoya – Arabian Mare”, acrylic on wood panel, 30 x 24 in., $4,250. Available through the artist.Laara Cassells, “The Stalker – Timber Wolf”, acrylic on wood panel, 16 x 20 in., $1,875. Available through the artist.
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
Ken Goldman (b. 1950), “Stephanie’s Double-Mirrored Self-Portrait” (detail), 2014, oil on linen, 30 x 24 in. (overall), available through the artist
COLUMNS
Frontispiece: Elizabeth Olds
Publisher’s Letter: Determination, Stubbornness, or Foolishness?
Artists Making Their Mark: Five to Watch
Allison Malafronte highlights the talents of Barbara Coleman, Lisa Golightly, Andrew Higdon, Colton Kruizenga, and Evan Morse
How Artists See Each Other
By Max Gillies
When Artists Collect Art
By Rose Fredrick
Enduring Darkness: Edgar Jerins’s Life in Charcoal
By Michael J. Pearce
Derek Penix: The Beauty of Honesty
By Brandon Rosas
The Revolutionary Rossettis
By Kelly Compton
Alfred Bader’s Chemical Attraction to Art
By Thomas Connors
Inside Views of Off-View Art
By David Masello
Fee Fi Faux Fun
By Pauline C. Metcalf
How to Say “We Don’t Know”
By Daniel Grant
At Notre Dame: A World-Class Home for Art
By Leslie Gilbert Elman
Great Art Nationwide
We survey 11 top-notch projects occurring this season.
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.
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