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.
How do you find inspiration?
Paula Holtzclaw: When sometimes challenged with finding inspiration, I remind myself of this favorite quote by Chuck Close, “The advice I like to give young artists, or really anybody who’ll listen to me, is not to wait around for inspiration. Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightning to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself. Things occur to you. If you’re sitting around trying to dream up a great art idea, you can sit there a long time before anything happens. But if you just get to work, something will occur to you, and something else will occur to you, and something else that you reject will push you in another direction. Inspiration is absolutely unnecessary and somehow deceptive. You feel like you need this great idea before you can get down to work, and I fine that’s almost never the case.”
What is the best thing about being an artist?
Paula Holtzclaw: I know that lucky, and not always common, is the person who is able to fill their time doing what they love. The best part of being an artist is being able to recognize and appreciate the beauty around us, the quiet moments that so easily slip by, unrecognized. Then to share that moment in time with others is a true blessing.
To see more of Paula’s work, visit:
www.Paulabholtzclawfineart.com
More than $1 million in high-end Western art was sold September 9-10 during the Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale, held at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art in downtown Indianapolis. At the 17th annual Quest for the West, 304 collectors and guests were able to purchase art created by 50 of the nation’s leading Western American artists.
More from the organizers:
This year’s luck-of-the-draw sale and awards dinner was memorable for two reasons: It was the first museum event held in the Eiteljorg Museum’s newly expanded multipurpose space, the Allen Whitehill Clowes Sculpture Court, since its summer renovation. And, this was the final year that Eiteljorg President and CEO John Vanausdall presided over the popular event as emcee before his retirement next year.
“For 17 years, the Quest for the West Art Show and Sale has been a major initiative for the Eiteljorg Museum. It has built support for Western American art and artists and raised the museum’s profile nationally in the art world,” Vanausdall said. “Quest also provides the general public an opportunity to experience some breathtaking art during the month-long exhibit, and we are grateful to the curators, museum staff, volunteers and sponsors who make it possible.”
Including artworks sold during the Quest main sale Saturday, smaller artworks by the same artists purchased at the Quest miniature art sale on Friday and additional pieces purchased since then, a total of $1,087,415 in Quest art has been sold so far this year. Collectors could purchase in person or as absentee buyers. Most sales proceeds go directly to the artists, with the museum receiving a percentage. Any artworks not sold during Quest weekend (paintings as well as additional casts of bronze sculptures) can be purchased through Oct. 9; visit quest.eiteljorg.org for a list of artworks available.
Artists at Quest for the West were recognized with awards in multiple categories. A painting by Nathan Solano of Pueblo, Colorado, Portrait of a Cowboy, received the Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award, meaning it was acquired for the museum by sponsor The Western Art Society and is added to the museum’s collections. A painting by Dave Santillanes of Fort Collins, Colorado, Silence of Winter, won two awards: the Henry Farny Award for Best Painting, sponsored by Stephen and Jane Marmon; and the Artists’ Choice Award, sponsored by Phyllis Cockerill.
In other Quest awards, artist Dean Mitchell of Tampa, Florida, was honored with the Victor Higgins Award of Distinction, sponsored by Catherine Turner, for the best body of work presented at the show. A bronze sculpture by Tim Cherry of Branson, Missouri, Migration, received the Cyrus Dallin Award for Best Sculpture, sponsored by Mike and Carla Leppert. A painting by Gladys Roldan-de-Moras of San Antonio, Texas, Anticipation, received the Patrons’ Choice Award, sponsored by Stan and Sandy Hurt.
Meanwhile, the Quest paintings and sculptures, whether sold or not, remain on view at the Eiteljorg for one month for the general public to enjoy before purchased works are shipped to their buyers. The Quest for the West art exhibition is included with regular admission and continues through Oct. 9. A beautifully illustrated 2022 Quest for the West art catalog is available in the Frank and Katrina Basile Museum Store.
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In March 2020, Clevelanders Joseph P. and Nancy F. Keithley gave and promised their private art collection of more than 100 works to the Cleveland Museum of Art, the largest gift of art to the museum since the bequest of Leonard C. Hanna Jr. in 1958. For the first time, the collection will be on view in its entirety in the CMA’s newest exhibition, “Impressionism to Modernism: The Keithley Collection” through January 8, 2023 in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall.
Throughout two decades of collecting, the Keithleys selected works to complement and enrich the CMA’s art collection. At times, the Keithleys built upon a strength in the museum’s collection; on other occasions, they acquired a work of art that would bring something entirely new to the collection. Certain works of art in the Keithleys’ gift and promised gift are shown alongside other paintings, drawings, or objects from the CMA’s collection, inviting visitors to discover connections, contrasts, and poetic conversations between familiar, favorite works of art and new objects from the Keithleys.
“The private collection of Joe and Nancy Keithley reflects their personal taste, aesthetic preferences, and their experiences traveling,” said William Griswold, CMA Director and President. “This exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to experience the Keithleys’ passion for collecting art, and to learn more about a collection that was initially private but now belongs to everyone.”
The Keithleys’ collection focuses on Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and modern European and American paintings. Among the highlights in Impressionism to Modernism: The Keithley Collection are five paintings by Pierre Bonnard; four each by Maurice Denis and Édouard Vuillard; two each by Milton Avery, Georges Braque, Gustave Caillebotte, Joan Mitchell and Félix Vallotton; and individual pictures of outstanding quality by Henri-Edmond Cross, Vilhelm Hammershøi, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Camille Pissarro, and Andrew Wyeth.
Among the works on paper are six watercolors by John Marin, five drawings by Bonnard and a spectacular pastel by Eugène Boudin. Also included in the exhibition is a selection of European and American decorative arts.
The Keithleys also collected Chinese and contemporary Japanese ceramics. In the exhibition, Asian ceramics are shown alongside Western paintings and drawings to echo the harmonies created by the Keithleys, who enjoyed thoughtfully juxtaposing the works in their home.
“The Keithleys loved collecting, took great pleasure in living with their collection, and are now delighted to share their collection with others,” said Griswold. “Cleveland has such a rich history of philanthropy and the extraordinary generosity of the Keithleys epitomizes the promise made by our founders, for the benefit of all the people forever.”
Exhibition Catalogue
A lavishly illustrated 280-page catalogue accompanies The Keithley Collection exhibition and features more than 200 color illustrations and CMA Director William Griswold’s interview with the Keithleys. Entries by eminent curators and art historians from the United States and Europe shed new light on masterpieces in the Keithleys’ transformative gift and promised gift to the museum.
The Keithley Collection is published by the CMA and distributed by Yale University Press. It will be available for purchase online or at the Cleveland Museum of Art store for $65.
> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.
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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.
Women Artists – Art on View
Suze Robertson: Dedicated, Individualistic, Modern
Museum Panorama Mesdag
The Hague, Netherlands
panorama-mesdag.nl/en
Through March 5, 2023
Around the world, scholars are busy recovering or revisiting the often-forgotten stories of women artists. A fine example of such an exhibition is one this season at the Museum Panorama Mesdag in The Hague, devoted to the Dutch artist Suze Robertson (1855–1922) and timed to mark the centenary of her death. On view soon will be more than 80 paintings and drawings, many borrowed from private collections, constituting the first investigation of her art in over 40 years and certainly the largest such show ever mounted.
Robertson was born and died in The Hague, and her most significant period of study occurred in the city’s Royal Academy of Art. She made her name depicting working-class people, especially agricultural laborers and their families, indoors or on the farm. Many visitors will be reminded of Vincent van Gogh’s earlier work, and indeed there is reason to think the two artists were aware of each other, given the small size of the Dutch art scene then and the fact that Van Gogh was only two years older.
The museum has subtitled its exhibition “Dedicated, Individualistic, Modern” to underscore the “all-in” aspect of Robertson’s practice. It probably would have been easier for her, as a woman, to make pretty art, but instead she tackled tough subjects in a range of media including oils, pastels, and watercolors. Robertson was friendly with, and collected by, the museum’s wealthy founders, Hendrik Willem Mesdag and his wife, Sientje Mesdagvan Houten, who surely would have been pleased that the institution bearing their name has also produced a groundbreaking catalogue filled with new research on this overlooked artist.
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How do you find inspiration?
Nanette Fluhr: As an artist I find myself constantly inspired. I love observing and conversing with people; I am fascinated by their stories and am inspired by their beauty — the way color and light illuminate the forms on their faces. Nature also inspires me. I walk almost every morning and love hearing the birds, seeing the clouds and trees and feeling the warm breeze on my face. I delight in the rhythm and light that pull me into the moment. Beautiful art, especially that of the old masters, is always an inspiration. Beauty is everywhere and it cultivates my creativity.
What is the best thing about being an artist?
Nanette Fluhr: Being an artist enables me to see subtlety and beauty in the world, to capture and portray my vision, to have an idea and bring it to life. I am grateful to be able to tell someone’s story that will be part of their legacy for future generations. It is a joy to create a timeless work of art that captures an individual’s true essence. I feel fortunate that I am able to follow my passion and do what I love.
To see more of Nanette’s work, visit:
www.nanettefluhr.com
Announcing a Ukraine Fundraiser > American Artists for Ukraine’s Children: A Virtual Benefit Auction for OHMATDYT, Ukraine’s Largest Children’s Hospital
From the organizers:
More than 35 distinguished American artists have donated a master work for a virtual benefit auction in collaboration with United Help Ukraine to benefit Ohmatdyt, Ukraine’s premier children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital city, Kyiv.
Ohmatdyt is now taking the overwhelming numbers of patients from hospitals (over 120) and medical facilities (over 740) that have been destroyed in combat zones and where medical staff have been killed. Hosted by United Help Ukraine and Bidsquare, and organized by American artists Robert Johnson and Martin Galbut, this event will raise funds to help Ohmatdyt hospital pay for critical medical equipment and supplies.
Inspired at first glance of the famous photo of Denys Karachevtsev playing the cello in the ruins of Kharkiv, Robert Johnson decided to act. “If the cellist could offer his art for the people of Ukraine, perhaps we as American artists, can offer our art also,” stated Johnson.
“Artists have an acute sense of right and wrong,” stated Vlad Ovchynnikov, Board Member of United Help Ukraine. “They are often able to draw attention to suffering and injustice better than a spoken word can. Be it Goya’s ‘The Third of May’ or Picasso’s ‘Guernica’, there is a long history of artists bringing awareness to the horrors of war and raising funds for relief efforts. United Help Ukraine is honored to partner with artists Robert Johnson, Martin Galbut, and Bidsquare in organizing this event. We are grateful to the artists who contributed their amazing works and hope these works bring joy to art lovers. We are confident the proceeds will give a vital boost to Okhmatdyt hospital.”
At Ohmatdyt, critically ill children including oncology patients, newborns, and neurosurgery patients are now forced to continue treatment in hospital basements. The Okhmatdyt medical team has been working amid constant air raid sirens, shell bombings, explosions, air strikes, even a fire – performing extremely complex surgeries in makeshift basement operating rooms. Children on life support devices cannot be transported to the bomb shelter at even greater risk of death now.
“We value the support of the international community of artists, this is a wonderful initiative,” stated Yevgen Vember, Chairman of the Board of the Okhmadyt Fund. “Ukrainian children go through unbelievably hard times, they need more care than ever before. The funds raised in this auction will allow us to buy medical equipment that help save children’s lives. We are sincerely grateful for your attention to Ukrainian children at this time.”
“Bidsquare is thrilled to partner with United Help Ukraine to support Ohmatdyt, and to see our platform being leveraged to give back and support relief efforts,” said Allis Ghim, CEO of Bidsquare. “We are proud to support these important international efforts by providing an online platform to help raise funds and promoting artworks donated by distinguished artists while raising awareness of the critical needs of the hospital.”
Open bidding runs on Bidsquare.com through September 28, 2022 (concluding at 9pm EST). There are 45 artworks up for auction, including sculpture and oil paintings from artists such as David Leffel, Sherrie McGraw, Ray Kaskey, Scott Burdick, and Stephanie Birdsall.
For the full list of participating artists and more details go to
www.unitedhelpukraine.org/art. To bid on the auction, register first at www.bidsquare.com.
> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.
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AIS 23rd Annual National Juried Exhibition
Mary Williams Fine Arts
Boulder, Colorado
Through October 22, 2022
The American Impressionist Society’s 23rd Annual National Juried Exhibition will be held at Mary Williams Fine Arts in Boulder, Colorado.
The exhibition will feature 155 juried paintings which represent the best of American Impressionist art being produced today. An additional 25 paintings by AIS Masters, officers and founders are also included in the exhibition. Paintings include oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic and gouache. AIS received 1,210 entries for consideration and a five-member jury panel scored the work in a blind process.
AIS Master Huihan Liu will serve as Judge of Awards. Over $75,000 in cash and merchandise awards will be presented, including a $12,000 cash award for Best of Show. A printed exhibition catalog will be released in September.
The exhibition will be celebrated with a week of events for both the public and AIS members. The show will open with a private reception for patrons of Mary Williams Fine Arts and AIS artists and guests on Thursday, September 15. The exhibition will open to the public on Friday, September 16.
“We are delighted to have three AIS Master Members in Boulder with us. San Francisco residents, Awards Judge Huihan Liu and his wife, also an AIS Master, Weizhen Liang will be participating all week in our events. Kim English AISM, originally from Colorado and now residing in Kentucky, will teach a workshop and be on hand all week as well. We are hosting AIS Signature Member, Aaron Schuerr, for his presentation “Backcountry Plein Air Adventures” and a painting demo” noted Liz Ahrens, AIS Executive Director.
“As AIS does not charge a fee to their members to participate in the opening week events with the exception of the workshop, so we highly encourage all of our members to participate” remarked AIS President/CEO Debra Joy Groesser AIS. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to engage with other artists, learn from our distinguished Masters and be inspired by the beauty of the region. You do not have to be juried into the exhibition to participate in the events” continued Groesser.
The public events for the opening week held at Mary Williams Fine Arts include:
Friday, September 16: Painting Demonstration by AIS Master Huihan Liu and AIS Signature Member Aaron Schuerr
Saturday, September 17: Wet Wall Awards and Exhibit – a one-day sale of paintings created of scenes and landscapes of the Boulder community during the opening week.
AIS membership is open to anyone painting or studying in the style of Impressionism. New members may join at any time. Pre-registration is requested and goodie bags are provided for all AIS members at the events. A complete list of events with details and registration can be found at www.americanimpressionistsociety.org or by calling the AIS office at 231-881-7685.
> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.
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Smithsonian Magazine’s annual Museum Day fosters knowledge and inspiration by providing invaluable educational experiences for all. This year’s theme, “The American Experience,” is a celebration of boundless curiosity that grants access to the remarkable arts, culture, sciences, innovation, and history exhibits across the United States.
Museum Day goes beyond getting visitors through museum doors—it acts as a springboard to empower and help advance the hopes and ambitions of the public, particularly school-aged children and those in underrepresented communities. It represents a national commitment to breaking down barriers for equity and inclusion.
To see the full, updated list of participating museums and download a free ticket, please visit the Museum Day website here. Additional institutions are being registered every day so check back often. Each ticket grants the ticket holder and one guest free timed access to any participating museum on September 17, 2022. One ticket is permitted per email address.
Quaker and Regent Seven Seas Cruises will also be sponsoring Museum Day to further enhance the event’s mission of making cultural and educational experiences widely accessible. Now through September 17, Quaker will be running a back-to-school instant win promotion program in which participants will have the chance to win one of one hundred Smithsonian Science Kits per day. Quaker will also offer a grand prize instant win promotion in which five grand prize winners will win a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit Smithsonian museums. For more information and official rules about the promotion, please visit QuakerBacktoSchool.com.
> Visit EricRhoads.com to learn about more opportunities for artists and art collectors, including retreats, international art trips, art conventions, and more.
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