Artists on the news! Join us in congratulating each of the following artists whose inspirational stories are making news around the globe!
Barbara Tyler Ahlfield and Alexandra Ahlfield, founders of the inspiring brand Sisumoi, have been featured in New York weekly. SISUMOI is an online retailer of fine art inspirational accessories that empower you to channel your strength, activate your gifts, and manifest your destiny. Barbara's hand-painted illustrations and signature glamour art style are the heart of SISUMOI. Over the past 40 years, Barbara's art has been highly published, commissioned, awarded, and shown globally.
Evelyn Adams' story was discovered in the pages of ArtTour International by Kivo Daily, who featured her in an inspiring article. Her story has also been featured on New York Newswire, KTVN 2 News, Daily Heral, Yahoo News, Sign On San Diego, Star Tribune, SNN News, Fox40, Fox21, WFMJ, Minyanville, among other 110 news outlets. Evelyn Adams brings her Ghanian origins to life by clothing her paintings with various textiles and beads.
Brian Rock is impacting the world with his Portrait of Jesus, a work created with recycled acrylic on canvas, sending a message of peace awareness and touching the environmental conservation theme. Featured on: The Daily Herald, Fox40, The StarTribune, Lifestyle News Today, U.S. Marine Corps News Today, KTVN, Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, Observer News, WallStreetSelect, among other 80 news outlets.
Kimberly Berg is creating an impact with his mixed media paintings, which speak actively against women's abuse and discrimination. Kimberly was featured on Kivo Daily, The Buffalo News, Journal Sentinel, The Morning News, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, The Star Tribune, The Daily Herald, KTVN, Fox, among other 75 news outlets.
Lawrence R. Armstrong's was featured in The Chicago Journal, Los Angeles Wire, Yahoo News, Architecture News Today, 21WFMJ, JSOnline, The Daily Herald, Star Tribune, Press-Telegram, WBOC16, Fox40. Fox21, The Daily Press, Minyanville, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, among other 100 plus news outlets. Armstrong creates large-scale, gestural paintings, layered metal, and layered glass structures built through his visionary approach in design and continued exploration of layers.
Liv Babra's new book "Art of Debt Management" was featured on Yahoo Finance and the American Reporter, and Accesswire. With more than enough qualifications under his belt, Liv Babra, after having emerged victorious from what many might call the impossible, is laying the foundation of financial freedom and recovery for everyone.
Michelle Larsen impacts the world with her revolutionary mixed-media technique of creating paper sculptures on canvas. She was featured on the American Reporter, Yahoo News, Press-Telegram, Daily Herald, Sign on San Diego, Star Tribune, Observer News, BPAS, Wall Street Select WRAL, International Business Times, among other 80 news outlets.
Ric Conn was featured on Los Angeles Weekly, Kivo Daily, Daily Herald, Fox40, 2News, Daily Reporter, The Buffalo News, Star Tribune, Sing On Sand Diego, Press-Telegram, Pitsburg Gazette, Observer News, ABC, Wall Street Select, International Business Times, among other 100 news outlets worldwide. Ric Conn art amplifies Women Empowerment Through Expressionism.
To get your art on the news visit
WWW.MEDIAKIT.ART
CONTRIBUTORS
Tiarra Tompkins, Paul Simpson, Selas Smith, James Tailor, Aser Jameson,
Katrina Sevilla katrina@arttourinternational.com
ON THE COVER
Get Featured! ArtTour International is delighted to feature artists who are making a difference. We have several ways for you to get featured. Email info@artTourinternational.com for more information.
2020
“The Great Debate (American Flamingos)� by Cher Anderson "Stardust" Oil On Canvas By Jerry Venditti
A Message from our Editor-in-Chief
What happened to the conversation about our planet? This question is on my mind in times when the world is distracted by political events, and a pandemic is taking its toll on humanity. In the meantime, while we take a forced break from our hectic routines, nature seems to be catching up and starting the healing process of its own. Sightings of dolphins on coasts where they had been absent and blooming marine life are giving us a sneak peek of a world without human interference. To support the Green Planet initiative, we are excited and pleased to share our "FALL 2020 - Artists For A Green Planet". It is a publication to celebrate mother earth and artists who bring awareness, making bold statements to protect our planet. This issue is quite close to our heart because it came with added challenges that 2020 has brought. Connecting with people, sharing the message, and making it universal so that every individual can relate and understand it while inviting and featuring artists trying to bring change, stir up people's souls for a brighter and better tomorrow with their art. Our cover story, Cher Anderson, is a master artist who dedicates her life and career to wildlife and environmental conservation. Read my article on Cher, "A Life For Conservation," and enjoy her art and story! We also bring you a selection of top artists from around the globe, art activists who impact the world by bringing awareness. , Brimming with vivid and exclusive images and multimedia articles, this issue celebrates artistic expression's ability to elevate our collective consciousness. For digital readers, this issue, available on iTunes, Magzter, and Issuu, offers you the opportunity to click on breathtaking images and be redirected to the accompanying videos. Let's keep our hopes up, maintain a positive outlook for the time ahead, and pray for those suffering worldwide. While we live in trying times, I believe that a new sunrise is here, and change is around the corner. Let's open our eyes to the beauty surrounding us and spread love, healing, and peace. Let's appreciate our planet and all living things and create a better world for generations to come. Thanks for being part of the ArtTour International Family. I'm glad you're here to share the journey with us.
Stay inspired,
Viviana Puello CEO/Founder ArtTour International Publications, Inc.
INDEX Meet our Cover Artist!
Cher Anderson
Back Cover Artist
Page 8
Michelle Larsen
Page 57
Feautered Artists -
Barbara Tyler Ahlfield Betty Collier Brian Rock Carole Boyd Dana Milik Eric Hubbes Evelyn Adams Frans Frengen Gerard Glotz Gina Fortunato Gunilla Klemendz Hélène DeSerres Howard Harris Jackson Lee Jane Flowers Jani Jan J
Sanctity of All Life Page 54
P-18 P-39 P-20 P-26 P-24 P-27 P-28 P-21 P-32 P-26 P-36 P-41 P-29 P-38 P-42 P-30
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Janice Alamanou Jason Bryant Jean Jacques Porret Jim Fitzpatrick Jodi DeCrenza Johanna Wray John Nieman Kari Veastad Karin Monscheur Katrin Alvarez Kimberly Berg L C Koopman Lawrence R. Armstrong Liv Babra Mano Maribel Matthews
Caribbean Coral Reefs in danger of extinction Page 16
Reducing and Reusing Basics Page 72
P-31 P-66 P-34 P-40 P-51 P-33 P-43 P-48 P-42 P-44 P-49 P-50 P-52 P-70 P-60 P-56
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Monika Bendner Moontain Onno Dröge Paul Ygartua Philip Noyed Pia Buxbom Ramon Rivas Raymond John Westraadt Ric Conn Sergio Rapetti Shifra Levyathan Steve Lyons Varda Breger Wendy Cohen Wendy Yeo Yolanta Desjardins
Antarctica A Global Meltdown Page 46
P-58 P-22 P-32 P-53 P-61 P-60 P-62 P-25 P-14 P-68 P-64 P-67 P-68 P-69 P-63 P-38
Going Green in Your Art Studio Page 73
Cher Anderson
“My passion for nature’s beauty, chaos and wonder has lead me to create images that bring to life the spirit of what I see in quiet places, and try to make you feel the awe and the
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“A Life For Conservation”
“Touch” Acrylic on Canvas, 35” X 18”
Essence of its Beauty. Life is a miracle – enjoy it, experience it and share it!” - Cher Anderson -
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“Aussie Rosellas (Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo)” Acrylic on Gesso Board, 32” X 24”
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by Viviana Puello
ur cover artist for the Artists For A Green Planet issue is an award-winning naturalist and environmentalist Cher Anderson. She is a wildlife painter and photographer who creates hyper-realistic paintings that explore nature and wildlife themes that mirror her immense love and dedication to the conservation of our planet. Anderson's work is rich in detail and the illusion of movement, often capturing wild animals and showcasing their majestic poses and powers. She makes use of imagery to convey their effect on the human experience. Her intimate relationship with these creatures is seen through her use of light and color. She pays close attention to the details and characteristics that enhance the depiction of her subjects. Cher Anderson's predisposition for wildlife traces back to her childhood years, an inclination that only seems to have grown over time. She has traveled around the world, photographing her subjects in their element. Over the past 20 years, she has experienced, first-hand, the beauty of nature in various ecosystems throughout the globe. According to the artist, once she's back in her studio, she determines which image represents her subject's best moment or behavior and moves on to the painting stage. Intrigued by animal behavior, she describes getting that one perfect photograph to be equivalent to a surge of adrenaline felt by a thrill seeker. “Fire in the Sky” Acrylic on Canvas, 36” X 48” - Reference Photo by Necip Perver
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Anderson's commitment to her art and the natural world, as well as her passion for animals, has been the base of a selfteaching exploration journey that has helped her lead a successful artistic career. Always aiming to share a message of environmental conservation awareness in unique and creative ways, she gives the audience a view into the heart of these magnificent creatures. Her art focuses on their strength, movement, kindness, and grace. She is continuously studying technique from the incredible wildlife artists that she has had the privilege to meet and learn from. Mainly working in watercolors, gouache, and acrylics, she brings her subjects to life. All the while, she remembers her first glance at the animal's eyes, an unforgettable experience that extends to her canvas. Cher Anderson was born in Kingston, New York, and spent her youth in Mexico City. She now resides and works in Chandler,
Arizona, where she has her art studio. Anderson is an avid conservation supporter and a Signature Member and Ambassador of Artists for Conservation, Vancouver, B.C. Anderson has a keen appreciation of natural environments. She has a genuine love for horses, which she breeds and raises in Arizona. True to her wildlife conservation and rehabilitation spirit, Anderson donates most of the proceeds from her art sales to conservation efforts. Cher Anderson is a master artist whose work has reached a level of excellence and outstanding contribution to the art world. As an individual, she is a true inspiration, teaching us, through her art and life journey, about the possibilities of living on this planet with an appreciation and respect for mother nature and all her living forms. Cont. next page
“There are times that through research I find an amazing image that was taken by professional photographers that moves me so much that I seek them out to license it for future paintings. The collaboration with those that have had the ability to reach far away places and work so hard to get the perfect image are just as important as those of us that paint them in the effort to bring their beauty to the public eye whether its for species awareness or simply to show the world their beauty”. - Cher Anderson -
“Pounce!” Acrylic on Canvas, 36” X 48”
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“Aussie Banks” Acrylic on Canvas, 32" X 24"
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Wildlife Master Artist and Photographer Cher Anderson has dedicated her life to the pursuit of art. Throughout high school, she created quality art, regardless of instruction. From the first place in her high school art competition to graduating as a fully employed logo designer for a large sportswear firm creating designs for NFL teams and more all over the United States, success has always followed. Through many solo exhibitions, Cher’s work evolved. After graduating from the Collins Institute for Graphic Design, she designed for Larry John Wright Advertising Agency and then created her graphic design firm. Success was overwhelming, and in 1994, Cher made the life-changing decision to become an in-house designer for her largest client, future husband, John Anderson. After John retired, Cher’s work was featured in the annual, prestigious summer long Art-A-Fair, in Laguna Beach, California. After, they returned to Arizona and built one of the largest multi-level marketing companies globally, Isagenix International. During its formative years, she was the sole graphic designer for the company. It meant little time for her fine art but worth the effort. Cher continued her journey with John Anderson on May 2, 2004, and became his wife. Within two years of founding Isagenix, due to his health, John sold Isagenix to his co-founders. This life-changing event became Cher’s return to painting. During a workshop for wildlife artists held in Kalispell, Montana, she shifted her focus to wildlife and sought to master Hyper-realistic paintings. Cher has photographed wildlife all over the world. Her passion for animals inspired their own ranch in Chandler, Arizona, where they raise zebras, giraffes, and horses with other livestock. “Our ranch in Chandler, AZ is also a Giraffe Rescue Facility fully functional with medical gates for safely treating the animals and doing blood draws, indoor enclosures for quarantining rescued animals, birthing and safely incorporating new members into the herd in our outdoor Savana. Once in our facility, we test them for health issues, flood them with nutrition and healthy food and watch them improve their condition. Then, if possible, we find them new homes where they can thrive”. The Anderson’s have been key in discovering the need to vaccinate Giraffes against West Nile, which had claimed the lives of them in zoos and wildlife parks around the world.
“Fancy Feathers” Acrylic on Canvas, 10.6” X 16”
In December 2016, John and a fantastic team hosted an art exhibit featuring Cher’s lifelong works including, original paintings, wildlife, nature and fine art photographs, and a fashion show that rivaled Victoria Secret’s. The incredible event titled “Essence of Beauty” drew people from all over the world. Cher’s commitment to her art, the natural world, and her passion for animals has driven her to teach herself everything she has needed and continues to need to be the creative artist she desires to become.
www.ChersCreations.com
"Most importantly, I have raised an incredible son, met the love of my life and have been blessed with a never-ending need to be a better person, contribute to wildlife conservation, and give to others. I hope to one day be an amazing artist and be remembered by my love for the animals I painted”. - Cher Anderson -
“The Great Debate (American Flamingos)” Acrylic on Gesso Board, 48” X 36”
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Ric Conn
“Award-winning artist Ric Conn brings issues on women's oppression, inequality, and other social struggles into a global audience.”
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by Viviana Puello
ward-winning expressionist artist Ric Conn is known in the international art scene for bringing issues on women's oppression, inequality, and other social struggles into a global audience. His innovative use of imagery challenges viewers and activists to think beyond what they can see on the canvas and what the painting means on a deeper level. Ric Conn maximizes the power of art to break down language and cultural barriers, knowing that inequality issues are evident anywhere in the world. Today, he is among the leading voices in amplifying women's hurdles through his creative use of mixed media, including acrylics, inks, oil, gouaches, and charcoal. His portraits of the female persona show worthy narratives ranging from everyday issues to society's most well-buried battles. Following legendary expressionist artists' footsteps, Ric Conn aims to portray "the invisible with the visible, the intangible with the tangible." His paintings explore the realms beyond reality and expose narratives through profound perception. The artist gets
“No Return” Mixed Media on Canvas, 36” x 24”
“Hysteria” Mixed Media on Canvas, 36” x 24”
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“Different Drum” Mixed Media on Canvas, 40” x 30”
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“Blue Mood” Mixed Media on Canvas, 28” x 34”
“I believe in equality, and I want my work to reflect that. The stories in my paintings are situations that can happen to anyone.” — Ric Conn his inspiration from Toulouse-Lautrec, Edvard Munch, Picasso, and Matisse, and aspires to leave as great of an impression as possible. Ric Conn has been recognized for his thought-provoking paintings and received numerous awards such as Best in Show, Face of Queen Anne's County Medal, and Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art. Consequently, the artist has been featured in publications and television platforms. This year 2020, he was recognized by ArtTour International Magazine and Toscana Cultura in Italy to magnify women empowerment. On a mission to enlighten as many people as possible, Ric Conn has showcased his artworks in private and public collections, including the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery. Seen as a contemporary master, he has continually encouraged viewers and activists to open constructive conversations and challenge the status quo to establish a new norm. As an artist, Ric has made it his mission to create a world where women are honored and respected, not only as crucial vessels for life but also as vital contributors to society's advancement.
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As a male artist, Ric Conn is representing the voices of women from his unique perspective. "I believe in equality, and I want my work to reflect that," said the artist. "Since I am a man and the subjects of my paintings are women, I attempt to show equality because the stories can, and sometimes have, happened to me as well," he added. Ric makes it clear that inequality and mistreatment can happen to anyone. Through his paintings, the artist leads people to a new generation with mutual respect for all human beings from various walks of life. Expressionism is a bold form of art that maximizes bold textures, colors, and imagery in conveying a message. By detaching the audience from the literal, expressionist artists have the freedom to go above and beyond reality. Ric Conn has always been fascinated at how metaphorical representations can urge a viewer to dig deeper than what meets the eye. Beyond the colors, shadows, light, and depth in his paintings, the artist highlights a message to shatter stereotypes and bring forth a "healthy society where women are empowered, loved, and respected."
www.ricconn.com
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Caribbean Coral Reefs in Danger of Extinction “The world's coral reefs, one of the ocean's most beautiful marine habitats, is in danger of extinction because of dramatic increases in coral diseases caused by climate change and warmer waters”.
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by Viviana Puello
rowing up in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, one of the most exciting moments of my childhood, was going to the ocean and enjoying the beautiful colors of a world I'd discovered underwater. If you have ever gone snorkeling anywhere near a coral reef, you know what I'm referring to. The exhilarating feeling of seeing a mesmerizing display of aquatic life, the colors of tropical fishes, the forms, the textures, and vivid hues of the corals, creating its own universe in a world most of us cannot see. An experienced that future generations might never have due to a global environmental crisis. The world's coral reefs, one of the ocean's most beautiful marine habitats, is in danger of extinction because of dramatic increases in coral diseases caused by climate change and warmer waters. These once-vibrant reefs are unlike any other reef systems globally, but current threats could render all or most of them damaged forever in as little as 20 years. A new scientific study of Caribbean marine life has demonstrated that coral species are dying off, indicating dramatic shifts in the sea's ecological balance. The study found ten percent of the Caribbean's reef-building corals were under threat, including staghorn and elkhorn corals. These two prominent species are now candidates to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Sometimes referred to as rainforests of the sea, shallow coral reefs occupy less than 0.1% of the world's ocean area. They are home to at least 25% of all marine species, including
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mollusks, fish, crustaceans, echinoderms, sponges, tunicates, and other cnidarians. Every square meter of the sun-drenched reef system is home to hundreds of microscopic wildlife – all of which help keep the reef balanced and healthy. Coral reefs thrive in ocean waters that provide few nutrients and are commonly found at shallow depths in tropical waters, but deep water and cold water coral reefs exist on smaller scales in other areas. The Caribbean reefs stretch from the coast of Florida to the Lesser Antilles, and each year they draw millions of visitors from all over the world. If they disappear, so will many other species that rely on reefs for shelter, reproduction, and provision. Aside from the reef's value to humans, these irreplaceable natural wonders play an essential role in the more massive battle for ocean conservation. A healthy reef helps sweep debris off the coastal shelf, improve the open ocean's health, and provides a home to countless animal species. In the last few decades, the Caribbean reefs have been struck, and, without help, they may never recover. Threats to corals and other species are caused by coastal pollution, increased sedimentation in run-off water, thermal stress due to climate change, and over-fishing. Scientists explain that the Caribbean has been impacted by human development since the colonization of the Americas. Ocean pollution has caused algae to grow all over delicate corals, blocking out needed sunlight and starving the reefbuilding organisms. Algae thrive on dying coral reefs. Fish that feed on algae have reduced their populations due to
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overfishing, allowing the algae to form dense growths that prevent corals from re-colonizing. Global warming has caused a rising sea level in the Caribbean, which blocks sunlight, though somewhat more slowly. A warmer ocean is also more acidic, which can be deadly to coral and has left hundreds of miles of reef bleached white. Even worse, domestic aquarium owners in Florida have dumped pet lion-fish into the ocean, allowing this Indonesian fish to become an unstoppable predator that has all but driven out native fish. One positive note is the discovery that some healthy Caribbean coral reefs still exist in well-managed marine protected areas, where there is no direct human impact, allowing corals to thrive. However, marine conservation and a global effort to reverse climate change are necessary to preserve these beautiful marine habitats. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are designated areas that provide various kinds of protection to the ocean intended to promote responsible fishery management and habitat protection. MPAs can encompass social and biological objectives, including reef restoration, aesthetics, biodiversity, and economic benefits. According to the Caribbean Coral Reefs Status Report, states that regulate overfishing mainly fish key to the survival of coral reef like parrotfish, reduce human pressure on the area, and control pollution, may minimize coral decline or even reverse it. The report proved that healthier reefs are those with large parrotfish populations in countries that protect these key fishes and sea urchins; banning fish trapping and spearfishing would result in "resilient reefs."
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A reef's designation as a marine park, national monument, biosphere reserve, or world heritage marine site can offer protection. For example, the Galapagos Islands, PapahÄ naumokuÄ kea Marine National Monument, the Great Barrier Reef, Henderson Island, Palau are world heritage sites. In recent years, several solutions for the restoration of coral reefs have emerged. One of them is Coral aquaculture, also known as coral farming or coral gardening. The "gardening" process bypasses the early growth stages of corals when they are most at risk of dying. Coral seeds are grown in nurseries, then replanted on the reef. The University of Hawaii operates a Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program to help restore coral reefs in Hawaii by relocating healthy coral and transplanting it with divers' help to a site relatively close to the channel. While attaching the coral to transplant sites, they discovered that coral placed on hard rock grew well. There were no environmental effects observed as a result of the transplantation process— these coral restoration efforts aimed at rebuilding the ecological functioning of coral reefs. Something important to keep in mind is that it is a lot easier to protect the healthy reef than restore it once it is affected or gone. Restoration efforts must be matched with education, outreach, and conservation, involving you, the public, as a partner for marine conservation programs so that we can give coral reefs a chance to survive in the future.
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Barbara Tyler Ahlfield
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by Viviana Puello
“The Essence Of Beauty”
merican master artist Barbara Tyler Ahlfield creates dramatic, evocative, and emotionally layered portraits that are whimsical and profound, elegant and refined, technically accurate yet spontaneous. Working in various media, she prefers the use of graphite pencil combined with India ink line, colored pencil, watercolor, gouache, and oils. She carefully orchestrates portraits capturing her subjects' psychology through harmonious compositions that emanate intimacy, delicacy, and strength.
With a strong foundation in art training, Ahlfield studied at Ohio State University, Columbus College of Art & Design, and the Schuler School of Fine Arts. She moved from a thriving career as a fashion illustrator to success as a fine artist. Her roster of clients has included very recognized firms like Coty, Carlisle, Dillards, Foleys, Garfinkels, Hutzlers, Joskes, Lord&Taylor, Marshall Fields, Marshalls, Nordstrom, and J. Wanamakers. As lead fashion illustrator for Lord & Taylor, she saw her double-page illustrations in the New York Times' Sunday editions. Her experience with Fashion Illustration has influenced her work as a painter, becoming the thematic and technical foundation of her contemporary work. The concept of beauty and glamour is quintessential in her paintings, being the root of her inspiration. Last year Ahlfield partnered with her daughter Alexandra Ahlfield and embarked on a new path of creativity, launching a lifestyle fashion brand Sisumoi. The brand promotes the ideal of fine art incorporated into everyday aspects of life. Her signature paintings are brought into a new atmosphere through clothing garments and everyday accessories. Ahlfield's background as a lead fashion illustrator has propelled her into new heights for this line and sharing an awareness that beauty starts with one's commitment to their passions and truth.
“Fashion Illustration for John Wanamaker” Graphite on Paper, 19.7” X 27.6”
Barbara Tyler Ahlfield is a passionate animal rights advocate who supports welfare causes by donating her services as an animal portrait artist to raise funds for animal rescue groups. During her extensive career, Barbara Tyler Ahlfield has received several honors, including the NORMA award for lingerie advertising and cosmetic advertising, the Seklemian award for reflective color advertising, the Federated Dept. Store advertising award (Lazarus Division-three consecutive years), and she is a member of the Society of Illustrators. In 2019 Ahlfield was chosen as Artist of the Year by ArtTour International Magazine to recognize her successful career as a visual artist and contribution to the arts.
www.barbaratylerahlfield.com
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“Fashion Illustration for Hutzler’s Dept. Store” Graphite and Ink on Paper 16” X 21”
“Fashion Illustration Woodward and Lothrop; Washington, DC” Graphite on Board 15” X 30”
“Bridal Illustration for John Wanamaker’s Dept. Store” Graphite Pencil on Hot Press Paper, 16” X 24”
Brian Rock
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by Tiarra Tompkins
nspirational War Veteran Brian Rock has mastered the creative use of layered, multi-media structures, challenging his audience to examine themselves through his art. Rock's themes explore the intricacies of our collective human consciousness: the heavy textures and details created through movement and shadow mimic the human journey in their imperfection and nuance. His work grapples with the ephemeral, yet on a deeper level, the self's rock stable nature and tie together abstract shapes and forms. "Exploring old memories through the hard application while trying to keep them also in the background. Maybe after a while, the hard application will work like concrete and keep it all buried. Still there but like a grave, I can mourn, but not let it hold me and keep me in the graveyard. Once a year lay flowers but acknowledge that someday that's me....but appreciate and love the time I have left. And use that time for good, I can still dream but not dream nightmares....enjoy every day that beautiful sun comes up. Look towards the day and stop thinking about what yesterday was".
@BrianRockArt
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Frans Frengen “Creating Beauty from Ashes”
“Imitation of Nature, a Human Right” Fumagine and Acrylic Dots on Canvas, 27.6” X 27.6”
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“To Eternity” Fumagine and Acrylic Dots and Movable Square on Canvas, 27.6” X 27.6”
by Tiarra Tompkins
ach of us will face tragedy in our lives. The pain, recovery, and rebirth that comes from adversity are as unique as our fingerprints. To describe the gamut of experiences and feelings that each one contains can be overwhelming, and yet, there is also tremendous beauty that comes from these experiences. Each opportunity and lesson a chance to take what they taught us and use it to serve others. From racial division to global warming, we are bombarded daily with loss, devastation, and division. How can humanity rise like the phoenix from these proverbial ashes?
It may still be decades before our world comes together in peace to face the obstacles facing our species and our planet. When we are striving for unity, artists like Frans Frengen are opening doors to critical conversations. Inspiring people from all over the globe to ask more questions about challenging topics. Questions like, what can we do to make a difference? To bring awareness to global problems, share support for environmental conservation, and share a vision of the beauty that truly comes from ashes.
www.allart-frengen.be
Through artistic creation, Master Fumagine artist, Frans Frengen, paints with flame. They are bringing right ashes into the beauty of his work. Creating art with ashes and soot, Frengen paints with a flame, creating paintings and sculptures of soot, an installation of smoke, allowing us to see that beauty, hope, and restoration comes from the ashes. For a world suffering from rampant wildfires, systemic racism, and gender inequality, Frengen brings vision and hope with his work. Inspired by this technique of using real fire, ashes, and soot, real conversations around environmental conservation have been ignited, bringing into view so much that our world is suffering as loss. Original from Belgium, Frans Frengen is one of the most genuine contemporary artists to emerge on the scene, developing a work process that is as intriguing as his artwork. Frengen studied painting and drawing under prominent artists for some years before acquiring the signature "Fumagine" technique that forms the basis for much of his work. Despite the bold, thick lines, smudgy appearance, and simple nature of Frengen's drawings and paintings, they are still highly detailed and reveal the artist's deep level of skill and technique. “Tribute to our Angels” Fumagine + Acrylic Paint, With Dots of Color, 15.7” X 15.7”
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Moontain
" The details unveil the tale... "
“Dreamantra” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 15.8” X 37”
“I’
m a french self-taught artist sharing through arts, music, and aphorisms. Since I was a child, I have always felt life was bigger & deeper than our human physical limits. I grew up focusing on the details animating this whole, riding thoughts, and mirages the furthest possible. Through it, I fell in love with Nature’s nature. Experience always showed me how humbling and rewarding it is to pay attention to these mysterious interconnected waves, as a neverending Source of Knowledge. Pareidolic phenomenon (for example when you see forms of animals in the sky or trees) soon became my best friend and opened to me the doors of the intuitive realities.
“Pandorama” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 39.4” X 39.4”
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This intuitive approach brings me to mix the colors on the canvas, observing their vibrations and the characters it suggests. Then comes the lines, they can be seen as a metaphor of the course of life, through the ripples of experiences, they infuse the essence of the original movement, transforming souls into beings. They're exploring every part of the space, designing each entity by creating a mutual link of knowledge & destiny. In this way, no side of life is left without meaning. They confer unity and harmony into these different expressions of the world, through the stability they offer, allowing the diversity to explore the field of possibilities. When I feel the artwork is complete, I observe them and try to discover their story. It leads to the writing of an aphorism giving an openly poetic interpretation of what is depicted. If there's a lesson to be learned from this process, it would be how anything and everything depends on another. It is the universal law of a balanced existence. Life is about collaboration and communion
“Le Porteur d'Âmes” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 31.5” X 31.5”
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“Flots des Âmes” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 35” X 45.7”
between species. Something we need to encourage, preserve, and respect, from the tiniest spark to the brightest flame. Bringing to remembrance that this flame couldn't exist if there wasn't this primary spark.
To experience a virtuous existence, we need to never forget these intertwined destinies occurring in Nature, and so within ourselves. I am driven by the desire to Be and to Re-member, as much as the will to share positive waves and insights to help the change of consciousness”.
www.moontain.org
“Pananimal” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 67" X 34.5”
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“Pachamama” Acrylic, Gouache Marker 57.5” X 44.9”
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Dana Milik “Capturing Our Endless Use of Resources, A Work About Our Collective Humanity”
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by Jessica Skyfield
orking guided by intuition and emotion, Dana Milik creates acrylics on canvas from her memories of human beings she meets and whatever defines them through their humanity: their faces, bodies, feelings, hopes, dreams and attitudes. All are portrayed by her bold strokes of paint. Dana Milik beautifully captures the essence of a person and her ability to convey the multiple aspects of a being with her abstract compositions, is truly a marvel to behold. Milik’s works have an intense focus on feelings. She might portray the essence of a person she met even decades ago, using an emotional and etheric space as the creation pours from her brush onto the canvas in her artful and dynamic representations. “Ocean Mystery” Acrylic on Canvas, 39.4” X 39.4”
Always using the entire canvas, Milik’s abstract figures and forms echo, and in some ways surpass Picasso’s use of primitivism and deftly highlight the human condition, emotion and beauty. Celebrating the sensuality, power, and dynamism is a hallmark of Milik’s work as evidently as in « One Day On Bended Knees ». While Dana Milik has primarily worked, since 2010, with acrylic on canvas, her three-dimensional works showcase the waste humans create. Indeed, Milik’s sculptures are, essentially, the trash we create in our daily lives, collected and assembled in aesthetic ways. For instance, « Cent Mon Parfum » is a one-meter-high fluted glass bottle adorned with a thick red tassel, where one hundred discarded perfume bottles are piled up inside it: a homage to women’s sensuality and attraction, as much as a highlight on the sheer volume of what a woman consumes and uses to satisfy herself and others.
“One Day on Bended Knees” Acrylic on Canvas, 39.4” X 39.4”
Dana Milik’s multi-decade and multi-media career focuses on our singular and collective humanity. All aspects of our basic, banal and beautiful existences, including our boorish and endless use of resources, are exquisitely captured and expressed through her art. Simultaneously, Milik subsequently fulfills her « raison d’être »: her calling to create and embody various aspects of human existence through her art.
danamilik.com “Mystery of Paradise” Acrylic on Canvas, 39.4” X 39.4”
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Raymond John Westraadt
"Amaqabane" Oil On Canvas, 79” X 47”
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aymond John Westraadt is a South African based artist who has been honing his skills for the past 12 years. His attention to detail and medium of choice takes the viewer on a journey of discovery and recollection. His choice of subject matter tells stories of that which is familiar to him and his surroundings. The silence often screams louder than noise. “As an artist, my mission is to produce thought-provoking and consciousness stimulating artwork that pricks at that which is familiar or nostalgic. Art must leave one curious with wondering. I will always strive to produce work that forces viewers to develop their own narrative. I treat myself as a poet or a writer by
"The Hill Presbyterian Church” Oil on Canvas, 47” X 35”
www.arttourinternational.com
committing to canvas the opening line of a play. The rest gets filled in by the viewer's imagination. To be exposed to a universal audience where the stories I tell could have a deeper meaning or understanding is what I strive for. To portray that which I have experienced in my life as a South African to the greater world is very important to me. I am proudly that which I am. “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” This quote by Cesar A. Cruz truly sums up my approach to art and the images I capture.”
rjwestraadt.com
"The Revenant" Oil on Canvas, 47” X 35”
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Carole Boyd a pioneer in the field of digital fine art “I am painting. Using a computer, Microsoft Paint and
the subject that I want the viewer to focus on more realistically, and the rest rather impressionistically. “
a mouse, my work is painted entirely by hand. The rewards are fresh and brilliant paintings well suited to the landscapes, animals and portraits that I am fond of painting. My predominant style is painting
“Family Excursion” Digital Painting, 12” X 16”
www.ckboydart.us
“Orioles Hang Together” Digital Painting, 10” X 14”
Gina Fortunato
thrilled to have my photographic images featured in the 2020 ARTYA AWARDS issue of ArtTour International “I am Magazine. I was asked to write a bio today, November 3, 2020, on the evening of the United States Presidential election. It is imperative that we make our voices heard to make positive environmental changes to combat global warming! As a photographer, I find most of my inspiration in nature, and I hope twenty years from now, we have a safe and green planet for our future generations! My artistic mantra is to practice loving-kindness, compassion and inspire others to follow their dreams and visions. I champion the uniqueness and multiple perspectives that exist in the art world. This individualism and uniqueness bring us closer together, and we can create dialogues through imagery to help us understand and appreciate each other. I hope you can take a moment and meditate on my imagery. Namaste”.
@irreverentmuse plymouthcards.com/collections/gina-fortunato fineartamerica.com/art/gina+fortunato
“Dedicated to the Purple One” “Pretty in Pink”
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Eric Hubbes
“The Psychological Benefits of Environmental Conservation”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
onservation is a known buzzword in today's times. Despite the line being divided between believing in global warming or not, many people still understand the need to be educated and responsible for their carbon footprint. Choosing to purchase from environmentally friendly companies, making recycling a priority, and working to conserve energy are ways many people contribute daily to preserving our world. The fantastic result of protecting the earth and the world around us is the genuine good that our physical and emotional health benefit from. Artists have intuitively understood that being environmentally conscious creates positive psychological benefits for ourselves and others. Master Surreal Abstract Expressionist, Eric Hubbes, has long been fascinated by psychology and the subconscious's influence on our actions. His work designed to help the viewer feel connected to the universe is heavily influenced by natural sciences. There are so many places in our lives where we feel self-doubts, including our own unique global impact. Hubbes' art brings together the impact of self-doubt into something lifeaffirming and creates art come out of it.
“Battleship” 2019, Mixed Media, 55” X 59”
our lives. In our hearts, all want to see the world preserved for the generations to come. We choose how we will speak and act regarding the real-world environmental needs we all are facing. Eric Hubbes is standing with humanity to give a voice to our world. It's time to choose where we will stand together for unity and global environmental impact, or extinction.
www.erichubbes.com
The list of benefits for being an active part of creating a better planet is longer than the list of why we can't. Artists like Eric Hubbes stand out to create something that helps bring beauty, wonder, and imagination back into the world and bring awareness to the fact that global issues affect every aspect of
“Lady Death” Acrylic, Edding, Coal, 47.2” X 47.2”
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“Hospelt Street ” Mixed Media on Canvas, 55” X 39.4”
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Yinka
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by Jessica Skyfield
hanaian- American artist, Evelyn Adams aka Yinka, explores diverse media, themes, and styles. Adams's portfolio is a riveting display of color, movement, and abstract expressions. Her recent inspiration being the vastness of the sea, she paints metaphorically charged scenes. Adams' subjective portrayal of an object compliments mountains and valleys of texture woven and interspersed with washes of skillfully blended hues of blues, creating a feeling of motion on the canvas. She weaves this color and texture to portray the ocean's ceaseless and ever-changing movement: her thick application of acrylic on canvas, adding their dynamic sense of dimension. Adams's work uses an impeccable technique, shading, and application to visually striking, vibrant pieces that easily imply movement and expertly abstractly portray realism. “About a year ago, I received a video that was very disturbing. The video was about plastic trash floating down a stream. There was so much you couldn’t even see the water, just the trash. I knew right away that I have to do something about the environment from collapsing. Hence, I began to incorporate plastic into my work. These videos allowed me to play a part in environmental conservation by creating artworks based on it. Due to plastic pollution, I am dedicated to the cause of clean water, saving our ocean, protecting marine life and saving the environment. Henceforth, I created my pieces using plastic materials to express my concern and send out message for viewers to connect to my cause through my artwork”
“A Shattered Whale Shark” Mixed Media, 24” X 30”
www.evelynadamsart.com
“Plastic Dinner for a Sea Turtle I” Mixed Media, 24” X 30”
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“The Ocean’s Despair” Mixed Media, 30” X 40”
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Howard Harris
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n his carefully altered digital prints, American-born photographer Howard Harris takes on what is perhaps the most American of themes: the interrelationship of perception and technology. Harris's artistry explores how the whole emotional complex underlying one's personality integrates into the structural logic of architecture and design. As Harris himself frames it, "I aim to combine technology and aesthetics in a way that expands the viewer's experience of photographic art." Harris's compositions are less abstraction from anything and more showcasing of the conditions that render perception possible. Ordinary objects, such as buildings and birds, are contextualized with how they appear to the viewer's eye, from a specific angle or point of view. From there, they are further distilled to the essence of how consciousness might structure an object without reference to anything.
“Puffer Sublimation” Sublimation Print With Acrylic Overlay, 36” X 30”
While Harris is known to engage in figurative depictions, not unlike traditional representations of landscapes, his work authentically takes off on its own when he turns away from looking at or depicting anything, and instead bodies forth the perceptual conditions to which the awareness of a concrete gestalt is clearly and distinctly constructed. Using his camera as an instrument towards obtaining the essence of what underlies the consciousness of objects, he brings to light the universal forms that are quietly implicit in the quotidian structures of everyday life. Howard studied at The Kansas City Art Institute where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and at Pratt Institute, New York where he earned his Master of Industrial Design Degree. His work can be seen in galleries throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. His work also appears in commercial collections and at the Yukyung Art Museum in Geoje, South Korea.
www.hharrisphoto.com
“Tuscany Landscape” Sublimation Print With Acrylic Overlay, 36” X 30”
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Jani Jan J
“A Dialogue With Colors and Shapes”
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by Jessica Skyfield
u s t r i a n a r t i s t J a n i J a n J. describes his art as a “dialogue with colors and shapes,” as if his inspiration is a conversation with his creative spirit, art being born out of a back and forth with creative force. With such a poetic way of describing his creations, one couldn’t, then, doubt the complexity, nuance, and singular interpretation of Jani Jan J.’s “conversations” as one views his unique works.
dialogue with infinity inspires us to see ourselves easily as part of this greater reality, the bigger picture.
Jan J.’s art is rarely simply a two-dimensional use of the canvas. With his use of layers and shapes leaping out of their confines into textured space above the canvas, Jan J. adds space, creating art outside of the typical confines of two-dimensional art. Making three-dimensional compositions is only one way Jan J plays with dimensionality and space; his sculptures also utilize unconventional notions of form and texture, free artistic representations presented in space. From this perspective of the infinite nature of the universe, his art highlights Jan J.’s thought-provoking analysis of our human actions and existence as part of a larger space; our unique and singular existence is part of a larger theoretical universe. It is the realization of our role in this universe that begs the question from the viewer, “where are you in this continuum of infinite space? How do you fit into this place? what choices do you make, and how do they impact this great space?” This awareness is present in this dialogue between the artist and his art, inviting the viewer to contemplate their sense of place and space. These questions take on a more particular meaning when we ask what we can do to make a better space for others, for this greater sense of existence embodied and portrayed in Jan J.’s work. It is with this realization of the expansive nature of existence outside of ourselves that inspired Jani Jan J.’s art to be included in this issue of ArtTour International: as we strive to see ourselves as part of a greater, greener world, Jan J’s
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“Transformation in Motion 214” Iron Painting, Mixed Media on for This Series Own Developed Surface, 2020
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“Transformation in Motion 10” Iron Painting, Mixed Media on for This Series Own Developed Surface, 2020
Time flies, no matter, whether we express ourselves in our lifetime or just do one life: eat, sleep, reproduce, ........... Time is a membrane that we live in we can move, get into experience, ............... movement in silence, peace, creating space, experiencing freedom, wise experience, ............until our second membran is done "transformation in motion” - Jani Jan J.
www.janijanj.com
“Transformation in Motion 215” Iron Painting, Mixed Media on for This Series Own Developed Surface, 2020
Janice Alamanou “Still Life Meets Real Life”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
he Oxford Dictionary defines art as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination… primarily for their beauty or emotional power. For an artist, bringing together different techniques to create "art" gives life to their unique style and voice. Exploration gives birth to new and powerful ways to express their passion for art and bring awareness to critical global issues they support. From thematic imagery to object inclusion, art has become an essential tool for creating real-world change. Master photographer and artist Janice Alamanou has spent her career focused on environmental representations and depicting the human form. Seizing moments of change in the natural world and capturing subtle art body forms were meant to give each of us pause. She offers us a chance to encounter our own experiences with inner thoughts and feelings displayed in her powerful imagery. As her commitment to critical environmental and humanitarian issues has grown, her work has evolved to bring conscious acknowledgment to global dilemmas overlooked for far too long. Combining her photographic virtuosity with her deep-rooted poetic vision and innate sensitivity, British fine art photographer Janice Alamanou adds a rhapsodic dimension to the art of capturing photographs, creating lyrical epiphanies that enhance the viewer's perceptual experiences. Alamanou's subjects are portrayed in a symbolic, ethereal and otherworldly fashion through her creative manipulation of light focused on reflecting the light that shines from within.
“Alive” Photography, 30.3” X 20.2”
experiencing today. Blending these two primary themes of nature and humanity reveals deeper meanings and subtle portrayals of how lifestyles and sufferings clash. The truth in her imagery exposes elements of the societal dysfunction we all experience in our lives. Despite the bold truths illustrated in Alamanou's work, hope is preserved in each piece that we can join our lives together to reach humanity's common goal of peace and preservation with acceptance of the truth.
coastalphotography.co.uk
Merging her work into what she calls soul elements, Alamanou creates composite artworks like her piece, Balance to Become 2020, by layering an emotionally charged still life of the female frame with an over-laid image of the world we all are
“Balance To Become 2020” Photography, 23.6” X 23.6”
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“Backstreet - Boy on a Bicycle” Photography, 13” X 19”
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Onno Dröge strongly inclined to softness and roundness. Connected to fluid lines and shapes. To the space “M yinsoulandis around my objects. In my objects, I like to refer to the spirit world and the heavenly atmosphere, represented through the fluent shapes, the presence of shadow, and the colors”.
www.artonno.nl
“The Spirit of Alexandria” Mixed Media
“Alexdra MC. Queen” Mixed Media
Gerard Glotz
“I
started to draw pictures from the childrens’ bible and pictures of saints at the age of four. I continued drawing as a teenager and in high school – by copying pictures as well as drawing my own interpretation of the pictures of the Old Masters. I also practiced the styles of the different “isms” of the 20th century like Cubism, Surrealism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Futurism etc. I didn’t get stuck in the abstract and informal art - there was no space for me as a story-teller. I wanted to tell about or interpret the mythology of the Greek and Romans, about scenes of the bible, of the “Nibelungenlied”, of poems and novels. Furthermore, I wanted to capture topics of everyday life as well as integrate landscape, space, nature and people into my design. All this I only could accomplish in the style of the New Realism, in the style of my Realism, with my own individual style. Being an autodidact, I found my USP in this style.”
www.art-gerardglotz.de
“Fata Morgana” White / Black Pencil on Gray Cardboard, 19.7” X 27.6” “Conquering the World” Watercolor & Color Pencil on Paper, 16.5 "X 23" “Fata Morgana”
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“Conquering the World”
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Johanna Wray
“Being a Force for Positive Change”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
othing commands change more than understanding the real environmental struggles we face. Our world is hurting. There isn't a shortage of global conservation groups or topics to support. From deforestation to global warming, we know that these complex and seemingly insurmountable problems require humanity to stop and take notice. Now more than ever, we face the negative consequences of humanity's ignorance of technological advancement.
Master Contemporary artist, Johanna Wray, sees her art as a way to create a positive impact and bring awareness to the environmental conservation needs our world has. "Our world's landscape is rapidly changing. With each landscape I paint, I hope to capture a piece of the world as I see it before it is changed forever." As an artist and a teacher for over 30 years, Wray continues to share her unique landscapes and vision for a better planet through her international platform. Johanna Wray is a Canadian-based artist originally from the Netherlands, highly recognized for her versatility in realism. She incorporates different media, form, and style encompassing various subjects such as landscape paintings, figures, and mixed collages. Wray's tones often depict a significant depth, displayed by cool hues, and skillfully applied to shade. “The Visitor” Acrylic on Canvas, 30” X 40”
Through delicate brush strokes, Johanna Wray captures intimate moments and creates a true to life picture book for her audience. As an active member of Artists for Green Planet, Wray uses her art to give Earth a voice and create social awareness of needed change. This platform has given artists a way to unite together from all over the globe for this common goal.
“Tofino” Acrylic on Canvas, 48” X 24”
Environmental conservation isn't just a way to encourage people to understand their carbon footprint or better understand recycling. This is a global movement meant to help us band together as a human race to save our world before it is too late. "We all have a chance to be part of the solution instead of the problem. We need to be committed to empowering others to be part of the change." It's time we each take the responsibility that is ours to help our world truly become a better place.
www.art4u.info “View From Legends” Acrylic on Canvas, 30” X 15”
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Jean Jacques Porret
“#441 Fripouille” Bronze
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by Daniel Lima
Ward-winning artist, sculptor and engineer, JeanJacques Porret specializes in sculpting contemporary bronze sculptures using the lost wax method. Though he studied engineering, art has always had a special place in his heart. Porret's work, at first glance, captures focus with its smooth motions. He expresses a personal connection with Bronze, highlighting the individual attention required by Bronze when casting and its responsiveness to even the slightest touch. Over the years, Porret has mastered the lostwax process to crystallize his vision of honoring what it is to be a sculptor. His works are graceful, bold, elegant, and seamless. They replicate the harmony of blissful moments while exhibiting a sense of escalated movement in each figure. The result of his imagination manifests in ebullient forms that are mostly human figures. The sculptures are shrouded in grace as each movement seems intentional with the perfect balance of whimsical to make his sculpture look free and unfettered.
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“#443 Belle du Soir” Bronze Green Patina
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Porret’s sculptures of the human form seems to leap out at the viewer. This movement is described by Jean-Jacques as "rhythm in space." Porret said of his artistic method and vision, "I work instinctively without any preconceived idea, and with one shape leading to the next until the figure is simply rhythm in space.” Porret continues to evolve as an artist, and his style has changed significantly, from sharper to a softer expression of molten metal. All his bronze sculptures possess grace, balance, and fluidity. Porret muses, "If my approach seems figurative, I do not aim for a reproduction of the human form: what interests me is to transmit an abstract feeling or an idea rather than an image of reality. I use recognizable forms to arouse emotion, to give birth to sensations. I consider myself, in fact, an impressionist." This vision drives his work, and each sculpture imbues depth and intensity.
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Many of his signature pieces with their soft angular movements are harmoniously mixed with sharply defined textures captivating thoughtful designs with an immortal richness, boldness, and unsettling beauty. Porret's work is infused with his personality, unsuppressed by traditional rules; his work is original and buried within each piece is the poetry of his work. Creating figures of humanity in the abstract, each form courageously melting into the next. Emotions created from fragments of granite or marble jutting and piercing through the bronzes bring the concepts of nature and man together, creating a stunningly modernistic and seductive interpretation of the human form. Jean Jacques Porret's bronzes can be seen in innumerable collections throughout Europe, Japan, and the United States. He was commissioned to create the bronze sculpture for the American-Swiss Friendship Award. The "Abage Encyclopedia of bronzes" describes Porret as "an independent thinker, whose bronze sculpture might be described as a naturalistic, modern blend, in which forms are simplified to their essential rhythms and elements." "Lost wax is a slow multi-step process that has endured only because of the results…knowing that my bronze sculptures will outlive me provides a comforting whiff of immortality. I believe everyone wants to leave something behind." Porret's work is unique, crafted with his strong individuality and melded with tremendous sensitivity. His work and art, a dedication of exacting professionalism, and unswerving integrity have guided a life of total artistic commitment and personal expression.
“#439 Nuit d'Amour” Bronze
"Lost wax is a slow multi-step process that has endured only because of the results… knowing that my bronze sculptures will outlive me provides a comforting whiff of immortality. I believe everyone wants to leave something behind."
www.jjporret.com
“#444 Fille de Joie” Bronze
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Gunilla Klemendz
“Cats” 2020, Stonewear and Metal, 5.9” X 13”
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by Yadira Roman
unilla Klemendz creates uplifting reflections of nature in layered ceramics. Her ceramic bowl series is constructed by sculpted leaves, popping with warm colors and pastel hues, adding a jazzed celebration of life as figurative elements exhibit playful scenes she creates on the surface of each carefully sculpted leaf. She creates her art in stoneware and metal, layer upon layer, the darker shades reveal the highlights and accentuate the lined patterns behind them. Klemendz adds depth and reflection to her sculptures, drawing the eye in at each level. She has had an affinity for the visually captivating and explores the intrinsic beauty that enrobes every second of our lives. Every curve is precise, each arch deliberate and the final result a seasonal dose of elemental phases.
“Cats” 2020, Stonewear and Metal, 5.9” X 13”
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“Merry-Go-Round” 2020, Stonewear, 9.8” X 6.7”
“Ever since I was a child, I've had an interest in drawing and painting. This interest has grown into a deep passion for sculpting and I've been working with stoneware for the last 20 years. I move at the border between reality and fantasy in my art, using strong colors typical of the Swedish region of Skane. I like to experiment and mix materials and I sometimes use metal in my pieces. The creative process fills me with true happiness, something that I hope is reflected in my art. Meeting people who have made an impression on me often intertwines with my art in one way or the other. I find inspiration by studying people in different situations, often during long walks by the Baltic Sea. Nature is also very important in my art. A key element in many of my pieces are leaves of some kind. A sculpture that I am bringing to life is shaped by the very leaves I love. I like to imagine things that might be hidden underneath. It could be a special feeling or an occasion. I never calculate in advance. I just let the feelings and colors lead me in the creative moment. It is like a meditative state of mind”.
www.artklemendz.se
“Open Your Eyes” 2020, Stonewear, 15” X 6.7”
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Jackson Lee born and grew up in Hong Kong. This is my “I was home with all my family, friends and memories
which are deeply relevant and integral to my identity. To reciprocate the love, care and support that this community has provided for me, I would like to
“Forever Guardian” Oil on Canvas, 40” X 30”
By Daniel Limo
portraits, still lifes, and landscapes. Desjardins displays a wellversed knowledge of traditional painting styles, which brings forth realistic images that are beaming with the life of her subjects.
"Future of Hope I” Oil on Linen, 48” X 36”
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www.jacksonlee-art.com
“Set Sail Again” Acrylic on Artboard, 40” X 30”
Yolanta Desjardins
painter Yolanta Desjardins shows the exuberant A ustralian hints of life through her skillful application of oils in her
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preserve the legacy of Hong Kong to show its vital spirit through my paintings, e.g. ‘Mutual Help’, ‘Forever Guardian’, ‘Fight Alongside’, etc”.
“Young people give us hope for the future and how we nurture them creates our destiny”.
www.yolanta.com
"Future of Hope II” Oil on Linen, 36” X 24”
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Betty Collier
“Northern Hawk Owl” Ink Pens on Cotton Rag, 19.7” X 27.6”
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ward-winning artist and former tertiary Art Teacher for over 45 years, Betty now concentrates on developing her sculpting, painting, and drawing skills. Since receiving a 5th and 3rd prize for sculpture at the Florence Biennale in 2011 and 2015, Betty's work has been exhibited and published in Great Britain, Europe, South and North America, New Zealand, and Australia, including a Solo Exhibition in New York, USA, Published in Australian Art Edit, ArtTour International Magazines 2018, 2019, 2020, World Wide Art Books 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
power of undercutting for shadow definitions plus tactile sculptural aspects brings the tangible to the viewer's attention. Drawings take on a powerful, detailed, often patterned, and textural approach, with the latest series of Owls inspired by the Corona Virus's devastating power, symbolizing the physical strength, powerful movements, sharp contrasts, and encompassing penetrating eyes of these birds.
Betty's artwork evolves around nature and the human figure in both 2 and 3 dimensions. Her media includes oil paint, watercolor, pencils, graphite and color, ink pens, wood, stone, wax for bronze, and sheet steel oxy welded.
In comparison, Betty's sculpture shows a more intuitive approach. The media often dictates the direction: with stone and Huon Pine carvings taking on organic, abstracted forms that the viewer wants to engage with. These can have a strong classical presence that unites form and material as a calm, peaceful entity.
There is generally an emphasis on peaceful interpretations of natural and organic forms that display spatial awareness. The
Betty's gymnastic figures and frog series in bronze illustrate movement, and with the frogs, a winsome approach. Her love of nature and art has inspired her travels to Galapagos, South America, South Africa, Turkey, and Europe aiding her visual and technical awareness, inspiring her passionate journey of creating to continue.
bettycollier.com
“Napoleon” Watercolor on Watercolor Paper, 11.8” X 9”
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“Desert Nymph” Zebra Stone on Granite, 19.7” X 11.8” X 10.3”
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Jim Fitzpatrick
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by Tiarra Tompkins
aster photographer, artist, and Jack of All Trades, Jim Fitzpatrick has served in a myriad of careers over his lifetime. He has created beautiful photographic prints, pastel portraits, and mixed media drawings bringing voice to those he has met and been impacted by while a photographer of professional wrestling and a professional skater for the World Champion San Francisco Bay Bombers. Later Fitzpatrick went to work for Dakin, Inc., a famous toy company. A few years later he became a police clerk and then a police service technician. Constantly learning and creating, Fitzpatrick went on to become a fire inspector as well as a reserve cop for a short while. Later, when the inspector job was eliminated due to
budget cuts, he became a firefighter and served for a while as Acting Deputy Fire Marshal. During a fire Fitzpatrick was injured and went through years of physical therapy and treatments to regain his mobility. During that period of recovery he returned to art and photography. He hopes that his works and experiences can inspire others who live with chronic pain or other difficulties, to not give up! In recent years Jim not only helped revive the old school, pro roller derby and his old team, the San Francisco Bay Bombers but became their coach and general manager. He also became one of the league's trainers, Northern California Rep. and one of the executive producers for their TV show. Throughout an impressive career, Fitzpatrick has never stopped creating. His work continues to make an impact and bring hope to an international audience. Fitzpatrick as been and one of ArtTour International Magazine's Top 60 Masters seven years in a row, one of their Artists of the Decade, and one of this years recipients of the ARTYA Award. "In an age of volatile headlines, hateful tweets, and negative soundbites an artist has a huge advantage. 'A picture paints a thousand words'... and I want my thousand words to convey a world of hope, joy, and love!"
jim-fitzpatrick.pixels.com
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Hélène DeSerres
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by Tiarra Tompkins
“Protecting Endangered Species”
hether we admit the negative impact of climate change or not, the results speak for themselves. Our world has been experiencing the loss of species and mass extinction of plants and animals at an increasing rate in the last five years. Our human presence and our lack of understanding of the impact our advancement has had threatens thousands of species -- mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, plants, and invertebrates including habitat loss, the introduction of non-natives, and the effects of climate change. An Avid photographer since early childhood, Master Artist Hélène DeSerres has loved to capture vivid landscapes, authentic, down to earth people, and unsuspecting organic elements. Her life has been spent in fascinated travel, exploring the many diverse cultures and the intense beauty of this planet. Passionate about the environment and safekeeping what is left of earth, one painting, Elephants that Disappear, speaks to the reality of extinction so many species face. Majestic grey elephants march into infinity until each one fades away, an echo of our future looks like if we don’t act to conserve it. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Helene DeSerres is recognized globally for her art in various media. From acrylic paintings to sculpture and eventually, to her love of photography, she uses art to highlight some of the most distinct subjects from around the world. She is regularly flying to remarkable sites around the globe to capture exclusive sights through her photography. Shying away from conventional photography, DeSerres adds her flare to her photographs, bringing them to life. This involves the various media, texture, and transparencies to transpose her images into other realities that sometimes border surrealism. Her works are equally creative and genius and are also a reflection of her intuitive spirit.
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“I love to create a new and mysterious universe using transparencies, textures, and vibrant colors, evoking both the surrealism of the images and the mysteries of nature.” DeSerres has spent her life creating art that shares all aspects and layers of existence and nature. Her powerful work shares a vision of a world that awaits us if we all don’t make environmental conservation important to all of us. History has proved that we don’t truly miss something until it is gone. How will we feel when we have no ability to bring back what has been lost? The powerful message captured in DeSerres photographs of endangered species is one of warning. Don’t let your wish be that you had done more.
www.Helenedeserres.ca
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Jane Flowers Flowers is an award winning Australian artist who J ane specialises in oils on canvas. She has a deep affinity with nature, the ocean and the greater environment that allows her to translate her interpretations into unique and striking artworks that have gained a strong following among art lovers, collectors and interior designers. The landscapes and seascapes that Flowers creates have the ability to make a room come to life by subtlely transforming the stunning natural beauty of the outdoors into an interior space.
Flowers draws inspiration from her regular travels around the world to capture the essence of time and place in particular environments that touch a nerve with a wide range of audiences and appeal to collectors of her artworks. She continues to push the boundaries of her art by exploring other artistic styles that interest her including combining alternative techniques like gold leaf with oils. Furthermore, she is continually exploring abstract themes that visually excite the eye and evoke a different range of emotions and reactions. www.janeflowers.com
@janeflowersartist
“Fish” Oil on Canvas, 43.3 “X 43.3”
@janeflowersartist
“Beach” Oil on Canvas, 35.8” X 72”
Karin Monschauer Monschauer is a contemporary artist hailing from Luxembourg, with an inclination for Karin geometric abstractions, embracing the freedom for experimentation in digital art printing on canvas.
Her large scale color fields vividly pop through two-dimensional stages and shape patterns that form balance, and depth through the delicate layering of thin color washes. Inspired by natural elements, and social themes surrounding global peace Monschauer has the ability to create the appearance of a 'glow' in her work, influencing a sense of a tranquil color effect.
www.karinmonschauer.ch
“Untitled” Digital Art on Canvas, 35,4” X 35,4”
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“Fluttuazioni” Digital Art on Canvas, 35,4” x 35,4”
www.arttourinternational.com
John Nieman
“Late Bloomers” Watercolor, 30” X 21”
A
fter many decades as an international advertising creative director, John Nieman decided there was still plenty of time to reinvent his life and pursue new endeavors. Not surprisingly, words and pictures were a natural outlet.
His first forays were pastels and watercolor paintings. He was quickly invited to many shows in the U.S., U.K, Japan, Canada, Paris, Italy, Ireland, Thailand—including more than a dozen solo art shows. Lately, he has progressed to more elaborate installations. Beyond his passion for art, he loves to write and has completed more than 20 books—novels, children’s books, short stories, poetry. In the past ten to fifteen years, many of these books the ultimate combination for Nieman—an original painting and an accompanying original short story.
johnnieman.com
“Wait til Next Year” Watercolor, 30” X 23”
www.arttourinternational.com
“Turning Over a New Leaf” Watercolor, 34” X 22”
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Katrin Alvarez
“Taking A Stand With Surrealism”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
hat do you think of when you hear the words environmental conservation? For many, those words conjure up images of deforestation, animal extinction, and global warming. What about the increased incidence of child abuse and aggressive violence? Or the societal impact of technology dependence? The magnitude of how humanity is being changed by each negative consequence our planet suffers is still being explored. How much suffering will we allow to be created and exploited through dependence on technology and social media influence?
Not only does Alvarez's work focus on child abuse, but her more recent creations shed light on the digital crisis we all face. "The consequences of refusing to believe in the global dilemma of climate change have proven ignorance creates more problems." Says Alvarez. These obstacles are not only detrimental to our children. The ripples travel through every person we touch, generationally, whether we admit it or not.
If you review temperature histories across the country, you see a consistent rise and lengthening in duration. With the surge in heat comes the increased prevalence of domestic abuse. Each of us has had days where the summer weather has created short tempers, extreme fatigue, and even angry outbursts. Combine unchecked aggression with families already struggling with socioeconomic factors, and you have a recipe for increased violence. Unfortunately, children bear the brunt of those incidences. Add in the growing epidemic of children's technological exploitation, and we can see these compounded tragedies aimed at society's most vulnerable.
Through her three-dimensional depictions, in "Cada Cabeza Es Un Mundo!"! she connects how technology is actively altering our minds. While in Family Tree, Alvarez wakes us up to the fallout technology will have on our families. Regardless of "like or dislike," her work brings clarity while demanding a reaction. We all have a responsibility to ensure all children are protected. We must stand up and act against the consequences facing the neglect of our planet and our children. There is no better time than now.
Master Artist, expressionist, and surrealist Katrin Alvarez has advocated for bringing awareness to child abuse since her first stroke of the brush on canvas. Her art brings a non-apologetic look into the emotions and experiences of child abuse. As her passion for speaking truth into societal problems has expanded, she's brought fresh insight into the detrimental effects of technology on the human condition. Love it or hate it, no viewer can deny the strong reactions evoked by her work. She understands these issues simply can no longer be ignored.
“Family Tree” 2020 Oil on Canvas, 23.6” X 23.6” X 2.8”
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As we are continuously inundated by information, unconsciously, our thoughts and opinions are being affected and even controlled by external influences. A striking artwork Alvarez created to draw recognition to this fact is Digital Human. Alvarez combines oil painting with real computer artifacts, building a stark image of how technology has taken over our senses and clouded our decisions. Wires running from eyes, ears, and mind, we are invited to acknowledge the implications each of these imposes on our feelings.
www.katrin-alvarez.de
“Digital Human” 2019 Oil on Canvas+Objects, 13.4” X 17.3” X 2.6”
www.arttourinternational.com
“Cada Cabeza Es un Mundo!” 2019 Oil on Canvas+Objects, 49.6” X 57.5” X 3.5”
"Hidden ins each of Katrin Alvarez's paintings is a mood that is impossible to miss. The artist takes her audience on a visual journey as witnesses of people in different stances and circumstances and elements that make an impact, slowly managing to blend in and propose some radical aesthetic and conceptual ideas. Alvarez's works are the perfect combination of expressionism and surrealism. Her paintings are troubling and provoking yet soothing, intimate and sensitive yet bizarre, upsetting yet blissful. The compelling and transcendent imagery in her art has a form of teaching, evoking an array of viewer emotions. Her masterful use of color and light and skilled knowledge of the human figure allows for perfectly balanced compositions that expand her audience's perceptions, creating room for each viewer to form different selfinterpretations of the art". Viviana Puello - ATIM Editor-in-Chief
www.arttourinternational.com
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Antarctica G
by Viviana Puello
A Global Meltdown
lacial melting is sounding the alarm of global warming in Antarctica, one of the world's most rapidly warming areas over the past fifty years. Antarctica has experienced air temperature increases of 3°C in the Antarctic Peninsula. Studies show that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is warming at a higher speed than the global ocean as a whole. Researchers suggest that the situation has reached a critical point where glacial melting will accelerate and become irreversible. Nasa's study found that Thwaites glacier could probably flow into the sea and generate a fifty centimeters rise in sea level. Other glaciers are in a similar situation. Global warming is making significant changes to both living and physical environments. The permafrost, which had initially been resilient to warming in the Pole region, is now starting to melt. The measurements confirm that some areas are melting ten times more rapidly than ever before known. Most recent researches have found that the rate of ice loss from Antarctic glaciers has doubled in the last six years and is now five times faster than in the 1990s, creating a significant reduction in thickness at some sites of up to 100 meters. Satellite data has shown that Antarctica has lost as much sea ice in the last four years as the Arctic lost in the last thirtyfour years. While this change is concerning for various reasons, it holds the potential to affect both animals and humans significantly. We're starting to feel the effect through the food chain since the changing habitat has already impacted many species of animals that rely on Antarctica's cold temperatures for survival. Though the full effects are unknown, it is expected to threaten crops, livestock, and aquatic species. These changes can, in turn, affect the availability of food, driving up prices and possibly even making some foods unattainable.
For those that travel around Antarctica for fishing or recreational purposes, the rising ocean will significantly change its weather patterns. Regions and channels known to be safe may become dangerous, a problem that will impact shipping lanes and cause delays. Overall, the two primary changes that we, as humans, will experience are potential food scarcities and higher costs for products obtained overseas. Antarctica is home to animal colonies, which are now in danger with rising temperatures. The distribution of these colonies has already been affected. We will see a decrease in their numbers over time, and some species may even become extinct. As the sea ice conditions keep altering, the distribution of penguin has changed. Melting of perennial snow and ice covers gave way to increased colonization by plants. A decline in Antarctic krill abundance may be associated with reduced sea ice cover and reduced provision for animals that depend on this species to feed. Massive changes have occurred in the ice cover of the Peninsula. Many glaciers and ice shelves have retreated in recent years, and some have collapsed completely. Furthermore, many seals and whales are dependent on the sheets of ice for their food and reproductive purposes. They are in danger of not having access to these sheets, which will also decrease their life expectancy. The minke whale and orca are particularly in jeopardy. The study suggests that those losses in ice can't be regained, even if temperatures return to preindustrial levels. The simulations indicate that temperatures would need to drop to at least 1 degree Celsius below preindustrial times for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to regrow to its modern extent. Global warming in Antarctica is a significant danger, posing a real but sad example of how the rest of the world may be affected. Keeping an open mind and staying informed will help us find ways to contribute individually, as families, and at community levels. Our contribution is more critical than ever; finding local solutions will help with this global crisis. Our responsibility is not only with our planet, the only home we know but with all generations to come.
Antarctic Melting Glacier in a Global Warming Environment Photo Copyright Š Stu Shaw 2019. All rights reserved.
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Polar Bear on Melting Sea Ice Photo Copyright © Benjackson.Photography 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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Kari Veastad
“I
was born, in Southwestern Norway, and it is there where I live, work, and create. The beauty in nature, hiking, and creativity has always been a part of my life in different ways and has given me a lot of energy. I started to work with oil painting and after some years I changed to intuitive painting in acrylic where I continue to explore and learn. My colors and hands take me on a joyous and unfamiliar journey through inner and outer landscapes. I am constantly surprised by what comes on the canvas and learn a lot in the process. In life, I am inspired by beauty, movement, and interaction between body, soul, and spirit and my images often ends up in different directions between inner and outer landscapes, the mystery of life, affiliation to something bigger, or our feelings as is close and simple to all of us.” For more info contact: kveast@online.no
www.kariveastad.com @kariveastad.art @kariveastad “Loved Creation” Acrylic On Canvas, 41” X 41”
“Run Away” Acrylic On Canvas, 50” X 30”
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“Communication” Acrylic On Canvas, 50” X 50”
www.arttourinternational.com
Kimberly Berg
“I
grew up amongst the rolling, pastoral hills of Wisconsin.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, I decided to move to upstate New York where I built a small cabin in the Adirondacks. Inspired by Thoreau and Zen philosophy, I wanted to live a self-sustaining life as an artist. It would be a life of voluntary simplicity surrounded by an idyllic natural world of trees and wild animals. After reading a book by Layne Redmond, WHEN DRUMMERS WERE WOMEN. I realize for the first time that in prehistorical times the world was dominated by a matrifocal culture. Because of my background as a history major, I was shocked to realize that our present patriarchal culture could not be presumed to be the natural order of human society. With this understanding, I had to acknowledge as a man enjoying the benefits of a privileged gender that it is indefensible to think of or treat women as inferior in any way. My website ISIS RISING.NET is the outgrowth of this realization. It's an attempt to help restore the balance using the art image, poetry, and book reviews. My paintings are an attempt to reconnect women to what has been lost, to her prehistoric, matriarchal roots: her ancient relationship to nature, her goddess-based spirituality, and to the once honored, sacred mystery of her body”.
www.isisrising.net “Free-For-All” Pastel, 19” X 26”
“Awaken My Beloved 03” Pastel, 30” X 19”
www.arttourinternational.com
“Awaken My Beloved 05” Pastel, 30” X 19”
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L C Koopman
“Polder Mijzen 1” Photography, 11.4” X 17.3”
“D
uring my studies at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, my photographs of landscapes were an inspiration for artworks. More and more I became interested in special elements and structures in these landscapes and after a study of cultural anthropology, the link to people and their environment was born. For ages Dutch inhabitants worked the landscape to protect themselves, their family, home, land, and cattle against water and wind by building dams and mills, digging canals, making mounds, creating polders, etc. Many of these elements have proven to be functional, others have been adapted to modern technology and new solutions are and will be invented to keep our feet dry in the future. In that way, this landscape will continue to change.
“Polder Mijzen 4” Photography, 11.4” X 17.3”
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Archives, old and new maps, studies about landscape and water management, and contact with inhabitants are an excellent source to find these elements in my environment: Holland north of Amsterdam. The more you know, the more you see. So although there are no people in my photographs, they present in all images, and due to the ever-changing seasons, various types of weather, and choosing different moments of day, the Dutch landscape always will be interesting to me as topic of my work”.
are the the the
www.lindakoopman.nl
“Polder Mijzen 2” Photography, 11.4” X 17.3”
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Jodi DeCrenza
“Colors of Bermuda” Acrylic on Canvas, 12” X 12”
“S
elf-realized artist and very inspired by the influential impressionists' painters Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, and Vincent Van Gogh and the 20thcentury abstract expressionists, I joyously experiment with different forms of art. With each piece, I seek to create works that pulsate the power of positivity! Through a kaleidoscope of radiant
colors, I seek to express on canvas what I am feeling. With every brushstroke, I want my viewers to feel something magical when they look at my works. I work in many art mediums such as oil or acrylic on canvas, but my imagination and curiosity grow, and I am inspired to try many other forms of art. I only started painting for the first time in March of 2018 and I have not stopped. I have found my soul’s purpose in painting”!
“Blissful Treasures of Bermuda” Acrylic on Canvas, 12” X 12”
“The Nexus” Acrylic on Canvas, 16” X 16”
www.arttourinternational.com
@jodidecrenza @jodi.decrenza
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Lawrence R. Armstrong
“M
y work, both in Art and Architecture, is an ongoing exploration of the concept of Layers. I have always been aware of and fascinated by Layers in the Natural and Built Environment. Layers in Space and Time. Layers in Intellect, in Emotion. Synthesis and Interpenetration of Form, of Solid and Void, of Chaos and Order, of Simplicity and Complexity. My inspiration appears to me spontaneously, involuntarily, provoked by sensory influences. Unannounced initial thought may derive from a piece of music, written text, built or natural environment, person, mood, event, or any combination of the above. A concept gestates for days or weeks until the appropriate media becomes clear. I create a sketch and try to understand it for some time. The piece then comes out of me very quickly. Several pieces result, produced in rapid succession. A formally trained architect, I received my Bachelor of Architecture degree from Kent State University. I have studied and created art all of my life. I draw inspiration from compositions in nature and the built environment. I am intrigued by the natural tension between opposing forces along with the following themes: Chaos/Order, Free Form/ Precision, Random/Planned, Solid/Void. My influences come from the modern architecture and art world and include Corbusier, Meier, Eisenman, Pollack, Chihuly, Warhol, Arnoldi. Much of my work is done in a small series and normally executes very closely to the first flash of light that appeared. I have noticed that the many passions in my life similarly manifest through me.”
“GBY” Acrylic on Board, 18” X 24”
www.lraart.com
“GGG” Acrylic on Board, 18” X 24”
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“RGG” Acrylic on Board, 18” X 24”
www.arttourinternational.com
YGARTUA
“If an artist only has one mode of expression, then he only needs one style”
“Hope” Acrylic On Canvas, 48” X 60”
P
aul Ygartua is a painter and muralist with bases in Canada, France, Spain, and England. He has singlehandedly painted some of the largest public space murals in Canada and the United States. He is renowned worldwide for his Public Works of Art, his Monumental Murals commemorating historical events, speaking to ethnic pride, and honoring local heroes.
Creation and interpretation is Paul’s life. In painting, he is at home in all mediums and prodigious. His styles include Realism, Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Post Expressionism, Surrealism, Abstract Surrealism, and Future Conceptualism, a Revolutionary technique developed and created by Ygartua. He is an artist whose versatility is reflected in his work. For more info contact: INFO@YGARTUIA.COM
ygartuaoriginals.com www.arttourinternational.com
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W
by Tiarra Tompkins
Sanctity of All Life
hen you hear the phrase, “sanctity of life”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Many times, in controversial media, it is used for a culture war in the battle for pro-life and pro-choice. To understand this phrase, we need to challenge the way this phrase is being used. Sanctity of life is far beyond just the lives of those who have yet to reach this earth. Sanctity is defined as set apart, holy, and of utmost importance. When we add the word life to this phrase, we need to acknowledge the totality of what this means. Every life, no matter how small, or furry, matters. We are the only inhabitants of the earth that cause a continual negative impact simply by ignoring the footprint we leave. Besides humans, there isn’t a single creature in existence that doesn’t provide an ecological benefit to its natural environment. Environmental Conservation is not just a buzz word. It is a state of acknowledging the damage caused and seeking to create a remedy. Not only has our planet been impacted by a lack of environmental responsibility, but humanity as a whole. We need our planet to be healthy. Without it, our generational neglect puts the true sanctity of all created life at risk for extinction. No matter which side you find yourself on, each of us has a responsibility to be part of an effort to truly create a better world than what was left for us by our ancestors. We get to choose how our existence and time here impacts the world. Will we choose to come together to create solutions, or will we continue to allow the invisible factions to destroy our world, and our humanity at the same time? The environmental dangers are already impacting people all over the globe. It is time for us all to step up for the sanctity of all life and create a better world for every living being, including ourselves. Tiarra Tompkins Writer/Editor www.PerfectlyFlawedFaith.com
Tiarra Tompkins is a contributing writer for ArtTour International Magazine. Tiarra has had the chance to work with many different and amazing humans from all walks of life. From sharing a meal and words with the homeless to helping Authors capture their legacy, and everything in between. For the last 15 years she has written content of all kinds and hopes to use her platform to help others see their own unique gifts and talents and how they can use them to change the world.
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Thursdays 5:30 pm EST.
Channel 5 (Spectrum 1993) or Streaming Live on MNN.ORG ArtTour International is an Arts & Travel TV Show that features celebrities in the art scene and natural and architectural wonders. Join Viviana Puello as we bring you the most exciting artists in the international art scene and awe-inspiring locations around the world, tune in every Thursday at 5:30 pm and discover a world of inspiration! Follow us!
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@arttourmagazine
Maribel Matthews
“F
or me, painting is a necessity and has become my passion! Raising awareness of our precious planet’s plight through my art has become the reason. Looking after our environment and resisting climate change is now my mission.
My passion for fine arts is derived and inspired by the renaissance painters and the impressionist movement. Throughout my artistic life, I have dabbled with surrealism, abstract, you name it, I’ve tried it. Why? Because I love painting and want to enjoy every aspect of it. Since 2016, when I was noticed by the Agora Gallery in Chelsea, New York, and invited to exhibit there, I have been invited to exhibit all over Europe. I have received various awards for my work, including being published in the Art tour International Magazine on several occasions. I am very grateful to Viviana Puello for her help and advice. I hope to work with her for many years to come. My awakening to earth’s struggle came when I saw this young Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, talking about climate change. Her strong voice woke me up and I was instantly ready to be with her, as part of the solution. It took a child to lead the way.
“Fading Corals” Oil On Canvas, 60” X 40”
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“Plastic Storm” Oil on Canvas, 54” X 80”
It was then I decided to create awareness of climate change through my art. Since that day, I have been producing works depicting natural disasters and showing the deterioration of our mother earth. Is our world rebelling against man’s follies and depredations? Are the awesome powers of nature's forces rising in protest? These are questions that we should ask ourselves! Perhaps one day, through all our efforts, it will dawn upon mankind that squandering our resources is not the answer. Instead, we will work in harmony with nature appreciating the beauty and grandeur of our world by caring for it as we should”.
www.maribelmatthews.com
“Strange Spring” Oil on Canvas, 40” X 30”
www.arttourinternational.com
Michelle Larsen “A New Revolutionary Mixed-Media Technique With Paper Sculptures on Canvas”
M
ichelle Larsen has developed a new revolutionary mixedmedia technique to create paper sculptures on canvas. She uses oil paint with bold colors that she applies to her sculptured paintings. The effect creates a threedimensional artwork that protrudes from the surface. This sculpted painting style is a technique that Michelle Larsen developed exclusively for herself. She draws inspiration from the land dwellers in her proximity, drawing from their human struggles and their life in the mountains. Her art also heavily draws from the western lifestyle and the beauty of nature. Michelle Larsen graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Denver, Colorado. By 2009, Michelle Larsen began her fine art career and honed her art toward finding her signature style. In 2011, she started sculpting canvases with paper to create a three-dimensional painting. Nowadays, she has fully immersed herself in being a celebrated mixed media artist using paper to create a sculpted canvas.
“Beautiful” Mixed Media, 30” X 30”
Larsen engages viewers on various levels. Her works can be seen as a painting, a sculpture, or just countless paper wrinkles manifesting into a complex and beautiful piece of art. She transforms shape and movement into a protruding creation that speaks to her audience. She is definitely one to look out for in the art industry, and with each passing day, she is honing her craft and innovating the industry in her way.
she has garnered so many accolades with her various artworks. Her passion for art and supporting other innovators in the field had led her to open her own gallery in Prescott.
Prescott fully brings out the beauty of Michelle Larsen's art as it is nestled among pines and surrounded by western landscapes; it is a magical place that inspires her unique art. Over the years,
www.poetrypainting.com
“Colorofnight” Mixed Media, 16” X 20”
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Michelle Larsen's works have been chosen for prestigious exhibitions in Las Vegas, New York, Miami, and France. Many private collectors have purchased her works for the sheer beauty that they express.
“Aviator” Mixed Media, 24” X 36”
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Monika Bendner
“A Multilayered Conservation Message”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
hat does the word conservationist meant to you? It is a word that gets used almost flippantly when it is an important word and concept that our history of humanity should be taken seriously. The word means "someone who promotes and advocates for conservation," especially the natural kind. Deeply embedded within the roots of dedicated conservationists on an international scale is a community dedicated to truly creating change for the world. The earth has been gravely impacted by commercialism and unchecked technological advancement in the last several hundred years. Organizations, entrepreneurs, and artists from all over the globe have found their place within the community of environmental conservationists, dedicating their platforms to bringing the focus back to the real problem, our suffering planet. Monika Bendner is a multi-disciplinary artist who advocates for the environmental issues our planet faces. Her abstract art combines digital art, photographic art, painting, photographic editing, acrylic colors, and other visual means for her designs. Bendner sees the world through different eyes. She understands how to connect her art with her audience. Her technique consists of abstract, creative photography, combined with painting, foils, light sources, and everyday life topics to build connection and impact. "To create an impact with my art and connect it to something as meaningful as the conservation of what is left of our planet is as important as creating the expressive representation to being with."
“Gerippe,Mensch,Natur” Abstract Creative Photography
“The Art Smith” 2018, Painting, Metallic - Acrylic on Photography, 29.5” X 19.7”
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“Adam and the Leave” 2019, Abstract Creative Photography, 29.5” X 19.7”
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One of the many things that we have learned through the evidence that the environmental issues that plague us are one on a global scale is that a single person or organization cannot solve this problem. Because of her imagination and creativity, she transforms concrete objects abstractly, creating representations of the world that waits for us to give meaning and life to it. Conservation isn't a concept that means we need to save things in trouble of being lost. Conservation means taking a stand. It means declaring the responsibility we each have to rebuild a world that, for many generations, we didn't realize we were irreparably hurting. Monika Bendner joined artists worldwide to bring their voices together to build a bridge for our planet's common healing. When we come together as a community, there is nothing that we can't accomplish. There is still hope that if we can all come together and admit that we have a common problem with a common goal, we could do big things to help our world begin to heal.
www.monikabendner.com
“Folterung” Abstract Creative Photography
“Grit Girl” 2016, Collage - Image Processing - Photography, 35.4” X 23.6”
"Through a digital overlay and collage process, award-winning master artist Monika Bendner creates multilayered, surrealistic experiences through a combination of photographic prints and mixed media. Her compositions, which are printed on various materials, create a narrative that evokes emotions and multiple responses from her viewers. Visually connecting disparate elements and creating a visually stunning image is the hallmark feature of Bendner's work throughout her metamorphosis. Her collections of impressive, starkly captivating imagery continue to be thought-provoking and stimulate audiences around the world”. Viviana Puello - ATIM Editor-in-Chief “Grit Girl 1” 2020, Collage - Image Processing - Photography, 35.4” X 23.6”
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Mano like to capture the beauty and wonders of “I would nature. It penetrates my heart, and a beautiful
and multifaceted. A facial expression, a wonderful pair of eyes, tells us a lot. Showing them on canvas is inspiring.”
landscape fascinates me. I wish to share this natural beauty with others. We, humans, are diverse, colorful,
artnow0.webnode.com
“The Bridge” Oil on Canvas
“Sunset View” Oil on Canvas
Pia Buxbom
inspiration for my art comes from ordinary “T hepeople in everyday life, which I transform into paintings or sculptures.The last thing is that I use a 3D printer to make the sculptures.When the sculpture is done I have made all the processors from idea to the finished sculpture.”
www.buxbomsart.com
“Take a Break and Breath” Copper, 11” X 6.2” X 6.2”
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“At the Edge” Copper, 11” X 5.5” X5.5”
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Philip Noyed “Even Light Changes”
A
by Tiarra Tompkins
s our world continues to change and as we all begin our journey to be more conscious of the mark we leave behind, many artists have started to use their art as a way to bring awareness to the ever-changing light of the earth. Light Master and multi-media artist Phillip Noyed designs art based on a deep appreciation of the effect that light and color have on people psychologically and physiologically. As with many things that have been impacted by climate change, even the light we see now is different. "Light and color are frequencies that transform our mood, energy, and even physical health. My focus is on creating Light and color art experiences that transport the viewer to new levels of engagement."
"Hyper Color Space" Virtual Reality Light Experience
unique and captivating approach to design elements, color has always been a constant source of inspiration for the artist. He was commissioned to create two major light and color art installations at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and has been a featured light installation artist at Art Miami, Northern Spark, and the American Swedish Institute. Noyed has won numerous national and international awards for his outstanding work in graphic design, digital design, video, and brand development. His work brings into view the bigger picture of how light reacts with each of us on a deeper level. One of his VR art pieces, "Hyper Color Space," covers the array of colors across the spectrum, reaching beyond ethnicity and gender to share the brilliant unbiased nature of light and color. Every aspect of our natural world has changed, drastically warping what healthy earth looks like. There is no question humanity needs the healing light and color our planet brings. The question is, will we conserve what is left of these resources, or will art be the reminder of how beautiful it all once was?
“Green Diamond Corridor” Virtual Reality Light Experience
www.philipnoyed.com
Philip Noyed is an innovative multi-media artist working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He creates luminous geometric illumination photographs, LED light installations, videos, VR Experiences, and mixed-media installations. Bold colors, light, and high-voltage geometric compositions characterize his versatile artworks. H i s "G e o m e t r i c I l l u m i n a t i o n s " s e r i e s demonstrates the culmination of his exploration of light, color, and space. Now Noyed is creating large-scale Virtual Reality Light experiences that give viewers a sense of awe and wonder by being IN these living light creations. Noyed's background as a ceramic artist and abstract painter has imbued his artwork with dimension and movement. In addition to his “Blue Magenta Space” Virtual Reality Light Experience
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Ramon Rivas
“I
was Born in Ciudad Real (Castilla-La Mancha / Spain). To define what art is to me, I have to incorporate into my work area, in addition to my family, multi professionals, and social experiences, the figure of the invisible, non-human witness, who receives information through multiple channels. That retains it to be processed by a brain that promotes creativity, novelty, surprise, imagination, and freshness to art. Above all, it gives freedom to material and immaterial elements, so that they participate on equal terms as if they were people. Materials and mathematical or physical expressions, among others, participate in functions and feelings typical of human relationships.
Hence, a conceptual balance is established between non-human elements; the strong and the weak, equality, empathy, or reassignment of roles. Weak or brittle materials come to occupy the characteristics and functions of strong materials. All this explanation is present in the textual content of the Philosophy and the Concepts of Rivismo. My works, too, show a balance between the basic elements such as; the composition, textures, colors, etc. and above
“Experiential Puzzle” 2018 - Mixed Media / Rivismo - Canvas , 76.7” X 76.7”
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“Experiential Habitat in the Cosmos” 2018 - Mixed Media / Rivismo - Canvas, 76.7” X 76.7”
all, with the creation of an energetic current that circulates throughout the stage, between the material, immaterial and human elements, which is projected outwards, enveloping itself with the energy of the observer”.
www.rivismo.com ramonrivas-rivismo.blogspot.com
“Unicellular Surgery” 2020 - Mixed Media / Rivismo - Canvas , 76.7” x 76.7”
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Wendy Yeo
“H
aving been born in Hong Kong and studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, I like to exploit Chinese traditional use of the brush and the oriental use of space combined with a Western individual interpretation of form, light, and color. The media I use are watercolor and acrylic, often using cut up pieces of my work as collage. Now, I am involved with natural forms - e.g. plants, trees, rocks, sea, and water in lakes and waterfalls - portraying form with movement and space and all the natural energy of nature”.
www.wendyyeo.com
“Waterfall in October” Acrylic on Canvas, 37” X 25”
“Sunrise in Spring” Acrylic on Canvas, 30” X 40”
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“Fish Pond After Rain” Acrylic on Canvas, 40” X 32”
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Shifra Levyathan
“The Blessing of Rain” Photography
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by Viviana Puello
apturing layers of life and a whole new reality, Israeli master artist Shifra Levyathan reveals to us the diversity and colorful personalities of people, old and decrepit buildings, and the grandeur and sophistication of modern architecture. Her photos tell a story – each detail in the scene forms an integral part of the tale.
Her use of intense symbolism and digital alterations are the hallmarks of her brilliant photography, which continues to win over many art enthusiasts worldwide. Embodying a combination of excellent technique with a profound desire to help make the world a better place, Shifra Levyathan is undoubtedly one of the greatest photographers of our times.
www.shifralev.com
In Levyathan's works, the viewer discovers a new level of thought with each glance. She captures beautiful details like parts of the city's architecture that go overlooked by passersby, the fantastic colors of the light hitting the skyline, and scenes of human interactions that strike us all with a profound message, finding and understanding the beauty of ordinary things and everyday scenes. Capturing lines, shadows, textures, and light, her works highlight otherwise invisible aspects that give insight into social, cultural, and sometimes economic facets of an urban setting. In her technique, photographs are subjected to digital alterations that blend with realism to convey her message. The computer-aided alterations add a twist to the images, seemingly like recounting a story that has already been told by the environment. Her artist's soul is drawn to subdued color, reflections, and vacant spaces. Shifra Levyathan's uncanny eye for beautiful, animated scenery and scenarios sets her apart from the average photographer. She utilizes surreal scenery to document reality and send a profound message of awareness on the state of humanity and its world. “The Essence of Life” Photography
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New release!
Shifra Levyathan
MY INNER EYE PHOTOGRAPHY Enjoy extraordinary urban photography and surrealist imagery by the lens of Shifra Levyathan. A mesmerizing selection from ten years of photography by this award-winning urban photographer that brings you to different corners of the globe to experience the world as she sees it. "I love to take photos of life around me, of people and also of Nature. But most of all I love to create a new reality. Those are the photographs I create in my computer. The result of what I see in my imagination. I think that nowadays it is difficult to be very original. Yet I think that every photographer has his own nuances and unique eye. I hope that my personal eye, my inner eye with which I create the world I have in my imagination is mine alone. You are herewith invited to share it with me". - Shifra Levyathan
“Ghosts of War 07” 2013-2014
“The Solution” 2015
“The One Who Went Away” 2015 - 2018
Published in Israel by Matar Publishing House Ltd. www.matarbooks.co.il
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“A
Jason Bryant
photo, a fingerprint, a signature, and DNA are all methods we use to identify a person, but they are just a means to match a name or face to an individual, not to describe who they are or to translate their identity. For as long as I have been using portraiture as the main focus of my paintings, it is not the identity or recognizable face in which I use to describe my portraits, but more of a blueprint of how I approach portraiture. Many levels go into what makes a person’s portrait. It is a fabric of many layers, intertwined with a person’s favorite foods, music, and movies. I have used all these concepts in building my portraits. Stemming from my
lifelong love of the cinema, many of the subjects of my paintings are actors and actresses. However, I am not commenting on a celebrity or the star system, but I use the celebrity as a hook to bring the viewer in. My work has never focused on the face to describe or examine a portrait. Instead, by cropping or hiding certain features of the face, I add more mystery to the portrait, bringing us to question who we are and what is beneath the surface. In my recent series of paintings, I have incorporated my love of skateboarding to explore themes of portraiture. With vibrant visceral iconic skateboard graphics coming from behind or bursting through the elegant black and white images of various actors and actresses, I have merged two of the most important parts of my life, skateboarding, and art. I use the traditional format of the portrait, to simultaneously, comment on identity and create portraits that mean so much more than just the individual being painted. With most of my paintings, the figure is the focal point, but when all the elements of the painting come into play, the work explores the identity of others, not the subject being painted. There is so much to be learned from a person’s portrait, information that goes well beyond the face”
www.bryantpaintings.com @bryantpaintings @jasonbbryant
“It Only Happens Once” Oil on Canvas
“Feline Mind” Oil on Canvas, 40” X 30"
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“Real Love Is Never Ambivalent” Oil on Canvas, 40” X 30"
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Sergio Rapetti in 1944 in Acqui Terme (AL), in Italy, where I reside, I had begun my artistic “B orn journey painting oil on canvas in 1984. My works mainly space between the figurative one and the impressionistic abstract. Since the nineties, I have given myself up to the sculpture of wood and the creation of poetry.
Many of my paintings, sculptures, and poetry has a great philosophical meaning. One such wooden sculpture of Jesus gave me pause to create these words”. “Jesus to teach us the Love and the Justice that are the most precious goods, let himself crucify and we, after two thousand years have still learned nothing. Today more than ever only selfishness seems to govern our minds.”
www.rapettisergio.it
"Jesus on the Cross" Wood’s Sculpture, 11.1” X 4.23”
"Autumn Landscape Trees" Oil on Canvas, 27.56” X 19.69”
Varda Breger (ISRAEL) Dark Abyss Twilight of the third millennium. no butterfly, no flutter, cocoon, end.
We, humans, crown of creation dumped you, unique planet to chaos and deep dark Abyss.
AWARDS 2019 - London Art Biennale, Third Prize for works on paper.(140 artists) 2017 - London Art Biennale, Second Prize for works on paper. 2015 - ARTQUAKEKYOTO, Kyoto, First Prize for promoting peace through Art 2013 - Biennal Izmir Turkey, Second prize for painting (453 artists) 2012 - “Planet of Life" book of paintings and poems English-Hebrew by V.Breger . 2012 - First Prize International Exhibition Chianciano,Italy for works on paper. 2011 - Second Prize Chianciano Art Biennale, Italy, for works on paper. 2004 - Prague, Franz Kafka medal for Fine Arts.
www.vbreger.com "Rhinoman1" Mixed Media on Paper, 27.5” X 19,7”
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"Jerusalem Valley" Mixed Media on Paper, 27.5” X 19,7”
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Wendy Cohen “Because It All Matters”
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by Tiarra Tompkins
hat if we knew exactly what we needed to do to reduce illness and discover new lifesaving medicines significantly? Many of us would sign up in a second to help create a better world. Many organizations are researching and working towards those same goals. Those groups come in many shapes, sizes, and focuses. Environmental Conservation is a vast topic that comes with heated opinions, myths, and sad truths, and it can be overwhelming sifting through all the information to find what is real and what isn't. One big truth is that our planet's adverse effects have impacted more than just the natural plant and wildlife. It is something that is already impacting the health and wellness of humanity. Master Abstract Artist, Wendy Cohen, has been working with organizations like Artists for a Green Planet to begin the conversation about the importance of conservation and the global impact the loss of biodiversity is on our world. Her work brings her observation and intuition together as she captures the beauty of creation as well as her cultural influences. In Cohen's textured mixed media paintings, she collages hessian elements, cardboard, photos, paper, and recycled materials that are brought back to life. The materials she uses in her work direct our attention to caring about our resources' intentional use in all we do. She pays homage to nature by using collage, color, and texture to create a sense of fluidity and depth experienced in natural settings to form her abstract creations. "I am focusing my practice on the shapes, lines, forms, and colors of my surroundings. I am particularly observing the rough gavel ground when I take walks in nature. This observation has raised awareness of how abstracted awkward and imprecise the shapes, shadows, lines, colors, and forms of the gravel ground are. I have come to notice a world of unusual shapes and forms in rocks, trees, the sidewalk, the
"Bubble Bling" Acrylic and Spray Paint on Canvas, 20” X 20”
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“Holey Moley” Mixed Media on Canvas, 24” X 24”
garden, and the gravel ground that I am continually inspired by my observation of the earth's abstraction. So how do I respond to this beautiful visual theatre that I am conscious of? It impacts my paintings by releasing all my inhibitions and impulsively approaching my work without any logical thoughts. As a result of my visual world, I am creating exciting shapes and forms using attractive colors and mixed media to create surprising effects that keep the viewer guessing as one never knows where it is going”.
www.wendycohen.net.au wendycohen123
"Bubble Bliss" Acrylic and Spray Paint on Canvas, 20” X 20”
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Liv Babra
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Reducing and Reusing Basics
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by Viviana Puello
common misconception when thinking about reducing one's waste footprint is the belief that recycling paper, plastic, aluminum cans, and glass bottles is the best way to do it. In reality, recycling ranks only third in the most impactful ways to reduce material waste. The actual order is: Reduce, Reuse, and then Recycle. Each is beneficial, but placing them in this priority order helps us improve our material waste impact. While a lot of us recognize the importance of recycling and reusing, reducing actually offers the most benefit to our environment and our pockets! What is Reducing all about? It's about reducing your consumption to reduce your overall waste footprint. Each consumer good is created with multiple products and materials. All those materials and products require energy not only during their creation but also during their transport to you, the consumer. Thus, by reducing our usage of products, we eliminate multiple channels of energy. This is the reason that purchasing your groceries from local markets reduces gas and packaging waste, and allows you to help the economy of your local farmers.
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Reuse Reusing goods is a great help to eliminate the demand for the manufacturing of new goods, while reducing the energy that goes into recycling. Next time you feel like you're done with an item, remember that it could still be useful to someone else. Hence, donating clothing and household goods to your closest thrift stop allows for the creation of more jobs and help for someone else to find items for a fraction of the price. Recycle Recycling is the best way to help keep material from the landfill. Be conscious when you purchase any item to make sure it can be recycled or reuse it. Go for the best option: to buy articles made of recyclable materials, whenever possible. A great economic benefit of recycling is a growing industry that continuously creates new jobs for the research and processing of recycled materials and also for the manufacturing of new environmentally friendly products. We can all implement a conscious environmentally friendly lifestyle by keeping in mind this list of priorities— reduce, reuse, recycle. By doing so, you will be reducing your waste footprint and help us preserve our planet, our only home.
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Going Green in Your Art Studio
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by Livia Owens
hat can artists do to reduce their carbon footprint without interfering with their creativity? Here are eight simple actions artists you can take right now to start going green: 1. Reuse, Reinvent, Recycle Some of the most famous artwork has been created using discarded, odd items (Duchamp's Fountain, for example) 2. Purchase Supplies from Eco-friendly Art Stores You'll find bamboo products, recycled paper, and drawing pencils made with reforested wood at these green shops.
pieces of cardboard. You can also reuse packing material to pack your products for mailing. 7. Avoid Using Aerosols and Spray Paint Supplies Aerosols no longer contain chlorofluorocarbons. Instead, this toxic chemical has been replaced by volatile organic compounds that damage the environment. 8. Energize Your Studio with Solar Power Small artist studios can be easily powered by installing solar panels on the roof. Besides, relying on solar power to illuminate your art studio can save thousands of dollars in energy bills.
3. Preserving Acrylic Paints Avoid throwing out dried acrylic paint unnecessarily by sealing paint in plastic wrap, palette lids, or impermeable containers. 4. Properly Dispose of Paint Never flush unusable paint down the toilet or dump them into sinks. Also, never toss artist paints in dumpsters or outdoor garbage cans where animals and pets can access them. Improper disposal of art supplies that are not ecofriendly can poison the soil and plants and reduce clean water access. 5. Reuse Panels and Canvases By Painting Over Unwanted Artwork Recycling old paintings done on canvas by painting over them can inspire you to create something in bolder colors needed to conceal old paint. 6. Recycle Packaging Materials Get creative with bubble wrap, cardboard boxes, Styrofoam, and other paper items to mail things. Cut up large cardboard boxes and practice painting or drawing creative ideas on
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