ATIM WINTER 17 by ArtTour International Magazine

The Art Magazine Created By Artists A Global Platform For The Artist Of Today! ArtTour International is an award-winning publication dedicated to exposing visual and performing artists to the eyes of art lovers worldwide. It is the go-to international platform for todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional and emerging artists. With a readership of over 2.1 million readers in over 192 countries, ArtTour International Magazine is the fastest-growing art magazine in the international market. For info email: info@arttourinternational.com or call

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SUMMER 2016

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SUMMER 2016

Curated by: VIVIANA PUELLO Graphic Director: ALAN GRIMANDI

Published and Distributed by: ArtTour International Publications Inc. 45 Rockefeller Plaza Suite 2000 New York, NY 10111 Printed in Italy

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© Copyright 2016. ArtTour International Publications. All copyrights are reserved by the authors. The copyrights of all published artwork without the written permission WINTER 2016 are retained by the artists. Reproduction of any published material www.arttourinternational.com of the magazine’s publisher is prohibited by law. Artwork on back cover: “Kinkajou”, Fine Art Photography By Durga Garcia

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY A message from the Editor Dear friends, This issue marks the six glorious years that ArtTour International Magazine has been circulating. In an age when nothing seems to last, celebrating a new ArtTour International Magazine anniversary inspires us to feel grateful for the simple fact of longevity. In the name of our team, I want to thank our followers, readers and art lovers that have made it possible. Thirty-one issues later, we keep going with the same passion as the first day and knowing you are there to read our publications and enjoy our work, is a great inspiration. To accompany our Winter 2017 Anniversary issue, ArtTour International will launch a new edition, the "ATIM's Top 20 Photographers", a special issue with the most incredible collection of fine art photography featuring our top 20 photographers. Print issues for both the "Winter 2017 Anniversary Issue" and the "ATIM's Top 20 Photographers" will launch on December 14 at the stores and digital issues will be available on iTunes, Magzter, and Kindle on December 1st and will feature videos, articles, interactive pages, and exclusive interviews. This new year brings the opportunity to create a new chapter for ArtTour International Magazine—a time to dive into fulfilling new promises and setting up new goals with our innermost desires. We continue with our mission and commitment to spreading the arts worldwide and supporting emerging and professional artists serving as a global platform bringing their works to the eyes of galleries, collectors, and art lovers worldwide. We are also kicking off our ATIM Winter Contest, a fun contest we run every year around this time, giving artists the opportunity to establish their international fan base. We hope you will pay homage to your favorite artists by voting for them through the link on our website, www.arttourinternational.com. I also take this opportunity to give a shout-out to all artists who we got to work with for the past years, painters, sculptures, photographers, musicians, dancers, writers, editors, designers. It’s comforting knowing we have such a great network that shares our vision. Welcome to the 6th-anniversary celebration of ArtTour International Magazine—the party's just getting started. Over the Winter we'll be rolling out the best of our archives, photos, articles, covers and more. Stay tuned and follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram at #arttourinternational

CELEBRATING 6 YEARS OF PROMOTING THE ARTS WORLDWIDE

Enjoy this special that marks the beginning of our new journey!

Viviana Puello Editor-in-Chief ArtTour International Magazine www.arttourinternational.com

For six successful years, ATIM has served as an intercultural bridge for today's emerging and professional artist. The mission of ATIM and its team of contributing writers, editors, artists, and photographers – is to connect artists with art lovers worldwide and to promote the arts as a tool to impact the imagination and creativity of people to transmit love, peace, acceptance and personal responsibility. We are now present in over 198 countries with 2.1 million readers. Join us as we celebrate a milestone in 2016, and we inspire a positive change through the arts.

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR IN CHIEF VIVIANA PUELLO Founder of ArtTour International Magazine Creator of the ATIM TV Channel and the "ART 2 HEART" Interviews Email vp@arttourinternational.com.

VIDEO/GRAPHIC DIRECTOR ATIM Web TV ALAN GRIMANDI Director of the ATIM Web TV Channel Email alan.grimandi@arttourinternational.com

Colombo-American internationally-acclaimed artist, curator, painter, writer, and activist, Viviana Puello is highly recognized for her active role promoting the arts globally. The author of the inspirational book “Just Be Inspired,” Puello has most recently received the title of Honorary Member and the Medal of Honor by the National Academy of Fine Arts in Brazil, for her important contribution to fine arts and culture with her work with ArtTour International Magazine and the Vivid Arts Network.

ATIM CO-Founder Alan Grimandi is an internationally acclaimed professional travel photographer, videographer, and highly skilled graphic director who spends his life shooting some of the most beautiful locations in the world.

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Puello is also the founder of the Vivid Arts Network, an international art organization that serves as a platform for professional and emerging artists looking to receive international exposure. In 2011, Puello founded ArtTourInternational Magazine; with the help of her creative team, the first issue of the magazine was published in December 2011 and distributed to fifteen hundred readers. Today, ArtTour International Magazine has over 2 million readers and is present in over 198 countries. Puello splits her time between Italy and New York, the city in which she gained experience while working for a notable TV Station. After founding ArtTour International Magazine and seeing its success, Viviana founded the ATIM web TV Channel where she uses her experience in journalism and communications to expose contemporary artists through the live broadcasting of events and the “Art 2 Heart” interviews she does while traveling with

her team. MANAGING EDITOR: YADIRA ROMAN Director of “Create 4 Peace” Email: yadiraroman@arttourinternational.com Artist, Writer, and Activist, Yadira Roman, has contributed numerous articles, essays, art reviews and live interviews to some of the most recognized artists published in the pages of ArtTour International Magazine since she joined the organization. Most recently, Roman has served as the Director of “Create 4 Peace”, a program set up by ArtTour International Magazine to impact the imagination and creativity of people to transmit love, peace, and personal responsibility. She is also the author of several books and has contributed to numerous art catalogs.

As featured by ArtTour International Magazine, Grimandi's world renown travel photos have earned an engaged social media following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Grimandi is the person behind the fantastic lens that captures the magazine's favorite travel images and videos. With over 15 years of experience in the graphic design and video industry, Grimandi brings to his work not just the excellent technique and performance of a professional graphic and video producer but also a thorough understanding of the art world. With expertise on the broadcast of art events, celebrity interviews, artists and video shooting of artworks. As the video and graphic director of ArtTour International Magazine, Alan keeps on top of the latest technology to create professional state-of-the-art productions and broadcasts of the best quality with the help of his team.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND EDITORS: Cody LaVada, Trisha Peachtree, Lauras, Cornelious Rotich Thomas Liuthas, Amanda Prada CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Artist Services: info@arttourinternational.com Shipping & Orders: customerservice@arttourinternational.com or call USA: 800 807–1167 iTunes, Kindle, Newsstand Applications: Contact customer service: call USA: 310 359 8709 or UK: 208 196 9503. Office hours are 5:00am – 5:00pm PST Monday – Friday. DISTRIBUTION: USA & Canada Contact: +1 (800) 807–1167 Europe Contact +39 (345) 167–7704

As ATIM Managing Editor, Yadira Roman works at the intersection of the editorial team. Roman’s role involves hiring and overseeing contributing writers and editors. Editor, planner, coach, Roman juggles various duties to ensure the magazine gets out the door on schedule for readers to enjoy it.

Want to buy your favorite issue of ArtTour International Magazine? Find us in Barnes & Noble Bookstores and over 1200 Independent Newsstands WORLDWIDE! DOWNLOAD OUR FULL DIGITAL ISSUE!

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Please help us protect visual artists rights. The copyrights of all published artwork are retained by the artists. Published by Arttour International Publications Inc. 45 Rockefeller Plaza Suite 2000, New York, NY 10111 © Copyright 2016 Arttour International Magazine. All copyrights are reserved by the authors. Reproduction of any published material without the written permission of the magazine's publisher is prohibited by law. “Virgin” by Katrin Alvarez

Winter 2017

CONTENTS

Anniversary Issue! ALEXANDRA DAVIES

On the cover!

FRANS FRENGEN “Painting With The Light Of A Candle” Page 28

MICHAEL LAM A bridge between East and West Page 68

LISA LEVASSEUR Page 52

JOHN NIEMAN

KAY GRIFFITH Page 40

What Is Missing? Page 34

ART NEWS__________________________

“GAY GOTHAM” Art and Underground Culture in New York - Page 63

PAGE 50

ANTONELLA LAGANÀ PAGE 50 BILLY CONE PAGE 16 BILLY RUNNINGBEAR PAGE 16 CHARLES WHITING PAGE 19 DAN MCCORMACK PAGE 20 DONNA BONIN PAGE 22 DOROTHY SLIKKER PAGE 24 DURGA GARCIA PAGE 26 ELVIRA KRAVENKOVA PAGE 27 ERIC WILES PAGE 20 GUDRUN ALVEBRO PAGE 30 IAN SMITH PAGE 32 IRENA ORLOV PAGE 18 JAVIYE BENTLEY PAGE 18 KAREN MOSS PAGE 17 KARLY ET ANNE V PAGE 48 KATE TAYLOR PAGE 44 KATRIN ALVAREZ PAGE 38 KLAUS GRAPE PAGE 17 KRASI DIMTCH PAGE 46 LEROI C. JOHNSON PAGE 33 LUCY MATTOS PAGE 51 MAITREYA PAGE 58 MAYA VINOKUROV PAGE 60 MICHAEL TODD MORRISON PAGE 59 MISA AIHARA PAGE 74 PHYLLIS JAFFE PAGE 75 REGINA BARDAVID PAGE 74 SARA ABID PAGE 76 SEPPO KARI PAGE 78 SÓNIA DOMINGUES PAGE 78 STAR TRAUTH SVETA LONG TARA DEL REY WENDY FEE

PAGE 79 PAGE 80 PAGE 61 PAGE 81

ART 2 HEART Interview with Artist MIRKO Page 10

Background image "Crimson Sky", Acrylic On Stained Birch Panel With Resin, 24” x 48" by Kate Taylor

Mirko An Interview Art 2 Heart

by Viviana Puello Spanish artist Mirko creates awe-inspiring figurative works of 21st-century icons and regular people in modern-day attire with a grand sense of humor. Inspired by his fascination with comics and graffiti, Mirko outlines his subjects against solid, primary color backgrounds, thus bringing his figures to the foreground -his signature technique, capturing the viewer’s full attention.

With an extraordinary eye for light, form, and line, Mirko creates masterful compositions, paying great attention to detail. His research revolves around human social physiological behavior and the dynamic characteristics of social intelligence. Pushing us closer to the understanding of the underpinnings and nuances of behavior in its various forms, Mirko portrays

“ Beautiful Black Women On Orange Soul”- (2009–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

“La Dame A L´Hermine On Purple Soul” – Acrylic On Canvas -79” X 60”

WINTER 2017

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specific cognitive and affective elements in individuals, in contrast with the need of maintaining positive feelings about the self. Enjoy this Art 2 Heart moment with one of Spain's most popular contemporary artists. Do you remember your first encounter with art? When did you know you would become an artist? "I remember being drawn to art from a very early age. As a child, I would spend hours drawing or pouring over my father’s art books. My parents imbued me with a love of the arts in general, something for which I’ll always be grateful. I did my first oil painting at the age of 6. One of my aunts, who knew how much I loved drawing, gave me a canvas, an easel and a wooden box full of oil paints. I’ll never forget that gift. A few weeks later I painted the ‘Virgen with Child’ for my grandmother, a humble tribute to Murillo. That’s how my passion began. I didn’t decide to be an artist. It was the only option. I couldn’t be anything but an artist; it felt like my purpose in life. In the course of my personal and professional experiences, I’ve had the good fortune to be able to express my creativity. Today, I feel blessed to have been able to devote my life to my three passions: architecture, haute couture, and painting:. Architecture, during my university years; haute couture throughout my professional career as artistic director and director of collections for many different fashion houses in Paris; and painting, my whole life long.

You have sometimes been defined a Pop artist. How would you describe your style? "I’ve never cared for labels: ultimately, they box you in and limit your freedom to pursue other areas of interest. But yes, to a certain extent I accept that definition of my work and even take it as a compliment since I feel very connected to the Pop Art movement of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The very first time I saw paintings by Warhol and Lichtenstein, their esthetics blew me away. My childhood had been spent immersed in classical art, so to me, those artists embodied a real pictorial revolution. The Pop Art movement emerged as a rebellion against the Abstract Expressionists, considered pompous, rigid, and the preserve of an intellectual elite. The way I see it, my painting harks back to the Pop Art movement (though I have nothing against conceptual art, which I also appreciate and respect). I think my style speaks to people of all ages, cultures, and walks of life. It’s accessible and easy to grasp. The ease and familiarity that people see in my work experience are vital to me. If I had, to sum up, my style of painting I would define it in the same way as works of Pop Art revisited in the 21st century: bold lines used to draw individuals, symbols and objects, vivid colors and black contour lines. These traits, which are characteristic of my work, originated in my passion for comics. Another thing I share with Pop artists is having painted famous people whom I’ve had the good fortune to know, and who have Cont. Next page

“Vanitas Vanitatum On 3 Colors Of Soul”- “Vanity Of The Power” – “Vanity Of The Money” – “Vanity Of The Beauty” – (2013–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 236”x 60”

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WINTER 2017

“Ava Garner On Turquoise Soul”- (2015–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

enriched my life. Madonna, Grace Jones, Polanski, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, Anna Karina and Bette Davis, whom I had the honor of dressing from one of my collections in the ‘80s, shortly before she died; or Yves Saint Laurent, whom I painted some years ago. That painting, owned by Pierre Bergé, is currently in the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation in Paris. Maybe what differentiates me from Pop artists is my attention to detail and perfectionism. All of my personal aesthetic experiences come together in my paintings; that’s where I revisit the roots of classical art. In other words, realism is my way of technically expressing my style, and it’s a common thread throughout my work. I’m mainly a portrait artist. I work on commission. One of the greatest sources of satisfaction to me is seeing a satisfied smile on the face of someone who is seeing their portrait for the first time. It’s like a strange connection between what is most intimate and surprising about the subject I have painted, and my paintbrushes. It’s a beautiful moment. I’m convinced that within each of us is the glimmer of eternal beauty, and that is what I try to capture on the canvas. It’s a beauty that is timeless, because the painting conquers death and the passing of years, and outlives its subject.” Earlier you said that your paintings are based on Love and that, very simply, that is what your works convey. Is that the message you are trying to send with your art? “In life, we tend to act from one of two extremes: fear or love. Fear is the polar opposite of love. Fear is selfishness; love is solidarity. Each of our thoughts and each of our actions alternates between these two concepts. If we’re aware of this, we can ask ourselves whether what we are thinking or doing now is prompted by fear or love. We always have the ability to choose, and I have chosen the path of love, for profound reasons that are related to my experience, and with what is going on in the world. 12

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“Ernest Hemingway On Red Soul”- (2015–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

My work is an expression of my soul, my mind, and my trajectory, my successes, and my setbacks. Everything I am today reflects my profound love of life. I always say I’d like to be one of those people who act, and try to eradicate suffering from the world, with a smile. The dark side of human beings is something I know well. That’s why I can say that my painting is entirely committed to love; that it reflects a deeply-rooted optimism in humanity." Can you tell us about your creative process? "It’s challenging to talk about a creative process because it’s so open to interpretation, but I’ll try an analogy: for me, it’s like a vast, deep system rooted in my past that emerges intermittently, unconsciously and unbounded in my present. In this process, everything is important: your being, your feelings, and emotions, your health, your environment, your personal experiences, your passions. My life, first and foremost: my life’s path, architecture, fashion, encounters, models, esthetics, design, decoration, advertising, the information I’ve acquired, drawings, photos, books, magazines, the web, movies. Then, a selecting and sorting of my “Bibles”: my sources of ideas and inspiration. Next, the world: travels across the world; notebooks; philosophical, political and social commitments; new technologies; other ways of understanding the world; and discovery, involving different cultures. I can get excited about anything that piques my curiosity. I love learning, and one of the things I like most is people who are passionate about their work; who never actually seem to be working, but intensely live their passion. From there on, the process takes an incredible turn. It becomes a kind of meditation. I stand in front of my blank canvas, my mind empty, and almost unconsciously begin to paint. I feel like a creative channel; as if I’m not doing the painting myself; as if I’ve

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“Rita Hayworth On Orange Soul” – (2015–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

become an instrument that’s expressing something that is wanting to be created. I suppose that’s the magic of creation." What would you like viewers to take away from your paintings? “As I said earlier, one of the things that makes me happiest as an artist is seeing a gratifying, genuine smile on the faces of people who look at my paintings. When that happens, I honestly feel I’ve achieved what I wanted: contributing, in my way, to other people’s happiness.

“Orson Welles On Blue Soul”- (2015–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

out with a liberal dose of contemporary touches, including a gentle “facelift” and the results of some workouts at the gym! I’ll just share what one of my clients confided to me. This client said, “You know what? I used to have a mirror in my bedroom opposite my bed, but I’ve put your painting there instead. Now, each morning when I wake up and see myself looking so beautiful, it makes me so happy I’m energized for the rest of the day!” What would you like to see different in the art world today?

If you allow me, I should distinguish between the two types of works that I sell: on the one hand, works that are commissioned by clients, usually portraits or reinterpretations of masterworks. On the other, paintings for my exhibitions, reflecting a particular personal commitment toward issues I care about, or that I find troubling.

“As if I know that the art market is fundamental, I think the art world is a reflection of today’s society, with all of its contradictions and absurdities. Globalization is creating a need for closeness; virtual communication is having some good and a negative impact on human relations; 1% of the world’s population holding half of its wealth, just as an example.

When I speak with people who come to my shows, I realize that the connection is immediate, no explanations needed. Just standing in front of one of my canvases there’s something that’s transmitted: something they understand and often share, or at other times, may even find shocking. But any discourse, debate or meaning, above and beyond the painting itself, becomes irrelevant.

It seems to me that the art market is essentially no different: it’s the world in which artists who become famous cease to be artists because the market value of their work takes precedence over its artistic value. Like it or not, celebrity turns them into entrepreneurs surrounded by armies of assistants. Little by little their mission is sacrificed by success.

I notice how, when they feel drawn to the work, they move closer, to confirm their first impression. Often, the viewers then begin studying the painting intently, discovering infinite details created with a perfectionism that gives the work its particular character. That is when they realize that their first impression of simplicity was just that: an impression.

What I’m criticizing is not the artists themselves, but a system, a mercantile mindset that anoints certain artists’ work – exactly why and how is a mystery – and determines that they constitute “safe investments,” so to speak. The whole thing happens unanimously. A certain number of individuals deciding for a few. The art market is a lot like the stock exchange and its fluctuations.

In the case of my commissioned works, I render physical beauty in a way that is unique and genuine, without forgetting the inner beauty conveyed through the eyes, the windows to the soul. That is where I place the light that I mentioned earlier. When rendering the body, I idealize it, just as the classical masters did. I round it all

As a result, most artists remain in the shadows, trying to survive. Some manage to create collectives offering excellent quality - and sometimes showing real ingenuity - but they never really get beyond the boundary of their immediate contacts, or they don’t get visibility because they haven’t managed to attract the attention of a Cont. Next page

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WINTER 2017

prestige, particularly when – as in my case right now - you’re looking for an agent or gallery that will believe in your work, give it visibility, and promote and sell it worldwide. Starting in 2017 I’m beginning a new collaboration with the “Gallery Steiner,” headed by Corinna Steiner, in Vienna, in anticipation of opening the door to an important new stage in my career. With this in mind, we’re looking at possibly prolonging our collaboration to the Shanghai Art Fair in 2018. I am very grateful to make part of your ATIM'S gallery exhibition space at the SPECTRUM MIAMI ART FAIR 2016 in the heart of Miami’s Arts & Entertainment District from November 30 to December 4, where I will expose some works.

“Unsensored On Purple Soul” “Keep Looking!” – “Keep Hearing!” – “Keep Smelling!” – “Keep Touching!” – “Keep Tasting!” – (2012–2016) Acrylic On Canvas, 79” X 60”

famous gallery or well-known collector. So they never actually make it. Thanks to the Internet things are starting to shift; the potential it offers makes me more optimistic about the future of artists. My hope and desire are that what we’re now hearing about more and more will become a reality in the next few years. I’m talking about a middle market designed for the majority of people who don’t have a lot of money, but who love art. This magazine is a superb example of the large art scene worldwide. Thanks to you, Viviana, and your whole team, art no longer belongs to only a few, and we artists are no longer invisible. Thank you for your excellent work."

After almost four years of discussions, two months ago, out of the blue, the “Artifact” Gallery run by Martin Bernstein at 84 Orchard Street on New York’s Lower East Side asked me to be one of their Featured Artists on their web page “Art Up Close,” headed by Serge Gregorian. That was exciting, a dream come true. Also, they’ve asked me to be in the “Art in America Annual Guide 2016”, an annual directory of the most influential contemporary artists, and including galleries and museums, from the Metropolitan to MoMA. The directory is distributed at international art fairs, including Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, The Armory Show, ARCO Madrid, International Fair of Contemporary Art-FIAC, Frieze Art Fair, Gulf Art Fair Dubai, Art Forum Berlin, Art Brussels, Art L.A., and Art Santa Fe. I’d like to conclude by saying that I thank Life every day for giving me the chance to live my passion, surrounded by beautiful people and an audience that fills me with love. The one essential ingredient to achieving your dreams is patience and that is something I have. Devoting my life to trying to bring a little happiness to this complex world is something that makes me feel happy, and prepared to continue expanding my horizons in life.”

What are you working on now? What projects, shows or other activities are in the pipeline?

www.mirkopainter.com

“I feel what’s happening now is the result of 9 years of intense work that is finally expanding my horizons. My real dream, I’m convinced, is for my art to have an impact on as many people as possible in the world. So the best way to talk about it might be, to sum up, my progress concerning geography: After the worldwide launch of the reference work, “Portraits in Contemporary Art,” published in Paris in 2015, for which I was fortunate enough to be selected, together with 148 other portrait artists from around the world, as representative of current trends, I can say the future look more promising. In May this year I was deeply honored and delighted to have been selected by ArtTour International Magazine as one of the 60 international artists in “ATIM’s Top Masters of Contemporary Art 2016”. It was the greatest gift ever, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thanks to my friend Toni Delgado and her Communications Agency MOS, I’m fortunate enough to have support from the press for my work. That’s essential to gain visibility, recognition, and

WINTER 2017

“Neurones On Turquoise Soul”- (2014–2016) Acrylic + Brightness Of Aquamarine And Of Chrome Diopside, 79” X 60”

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SUMMER 2016

Billy Cone In art, Billy Cone doesn't do it "all," but "he is touching a lot of heartstrings with his photography, drawings, and acrylic paintings." When people enter his artistic world where they feel his heart and soul resonate throughout his work, they come out changed somehow. Billy Cone's work, especially his five-foot tall portrait paintings and drawings, are described as "out there" by the artist himself. "Out there" or not, you are likely to feel something familiar, like inner joy, when gazing upon an original Billy Cone.

www.billycone.com

"The World's Most Interesting Man", Acrylic On Canvas, 48" x 60"

"Le Maitre", Acrylic On Canvas, 48" x 60"

Billie Runningbear Billie Runningbear is a photographer from Queensland, Australia who has gained international fame as an artist specializing in the depiction of nature. Runningbear is an accomplished photographer that manages to portray in a diverse and meaningful way the immense beauty of nature, a topic which is at the same timeless, endless and challenging. It is an artistic work that offers to the observer a display of multiple expressive tools in order to fashion a highly defined and elegant final result. Such a holistic and complete result is not only something striking to the observer but also it is something rare as most photographers tend to focus on one side of their work: artistic depiction or documentary-style accurate depiction. He manages to incorporate all elements into a body of work that is characteristically contemporary regarding artistic approach, as it follows patterns and practices that are relevant to our world and manage to establish a profound connection to the viewers.

bjlittlewolf15@yahoo.com.au

Enjoying The Rain”, Collinsville, Photography, 20” x 16”

WINTER 2017

“Spirits In The Trees”, Photography, 20” x 16”

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Karen Moss Karen Moss is a self-taught abstract artist from Melbourne Australia. “My urge to create is impulsive, intuitive and therapeutic. I feel fortunate to have discovered my talent and thoroughly enjoy making a blank canvas come to life. I do not start with a preconceived idea, I just let my mind and brush communicate, and then work consciously to have it make sense.”

www.art-3000.com/artist/karenmossart/

“Surrounded”, Oil On Stretched Canvas, 18” x 24”

“Criterion”, Oil On Stretched Canvas, 18” x 24”

Klaus Grape “In my paintings, there are not rules. Nature and its illusion are portrayed as inviolate worlds with no indication of whether my images reflect the state of creation before the arrival of man, or the world after man’s departure. Barren and empty and chaotic, and yet (or therefore? Inconceivably beautiful and keen. Despite their abstraction, the viewer is enticed into surmising and discovering concrete forms in my dreamscapes. I portray imaginary landscapes which awaken associations of cold or heat or imply geographic contours without any hope of actual recognition: an invitation to a journey into an unknown cosmos, non-existent in this form. My large-format works, created by pigments of pure color, gravel, sand, glass beads and Swarovski crystals, may remind you of pages from a satellite atlas shown with exact "Red Space 1", Acrylic With Mixed Media, 39”x 39” precision. Tossing seas, oceanic depths and shoals, delta-like coastlines, the imaginary folds of mountain chains, or perhaps a texture like sea-foam where snowflakes appear to have crystallized out of the water. My visual world has not been chosen by random but is characterized by Joseph Beuys’philosophy - which does not want to depict but empathize. For example, the filigree and the fragility of the Blue Planet, which - as viewed and observed from space by me – traveling majestically around the orbit: infinitely beautiful and infinitely endangered.” klaus-grape.de www.arttourinternational.com

"Tremendously Beautiful Why Did We Touch", Acrylic With Mixed Media, 39”x 39”

WINTER 2017

Irena Orlov American artist Irena Orlov is an innovative illustrator, photographer, and fine artist that creates work in a variety of mediums. Her works are abstract, creative, energetic, and evocative. You can see an example of how Orlov transforms something common in its beauty like a flower into a gorgeous version of itself that is larger than life in “Blow Away On the Wind,” a mixed media piece that combines digital art with acrylic paint and textures. A beautiful white flower explodes onto the canvas, slightly out of focus, all white on a gorgeous sleek black backdrop. With bits of green around the flower implying the petals, the work is a psychedelic, fashionable and intriguing piece that is both seductive and vulnerable. Such vibrant and fluid strokes, a dreamlike daze into the gentle yet intense capture of nature. Her strokes are free, willing to soar into the life they are creating. There is an excellent structure that originates from the relationship of her creations. There's always something fun and exciting to experience when viewing Irena's work. Whether it's the soothing sense of calm or the feeling of freewheeling nature, her pieces are mood elevating. www.irenaorlov.com

Mr X, Mixed Media On Canvas, 60"x40"x1.5"

“Blow Away On The Wind”, Mixed Media On Canvas, 60”x 40"

Javiye Bentley Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Javiye Bentely’s fascination for art started early in life while trying to recreate characters from a favorite television series (Dragon Ball Z). Developing a keen eye for detail, sparked his art teacher’s attention to insist enrolment in Stivers School for the Arts. After pursuing an education in architecture, Bentley discovered an insatiable thirst to rebel and create art. Javiye Bentley’s style could be described as a paradox. Bentley creates vivid, colorful, detailed compositions painted with acrylic on very odd, unorthodox wood pieces that he uses for his canvas. The artist’s aim is to create a bridge for the youth and elderly, all the while attempting to change the way art is approached as well as perceived. instagram.com/javiyebentley

javiyebentleyart@gmail.com

“How It Feels To Fly”(2016), Acrylic On Wood, 37” x 82”

WINTER 2017

“Helium Balloon” (2016), Acrylic On Wood 39” x 65”

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“Columbines And Rust, Crested Butte, Colorado, July 2015”, Digital Photograph, 16” x 28”

Charles Whiting by Yadira Roman

Charles Whiting is an American photographer from Evergreen, Colorado who specializes in creating mesmerizing depictions of nature through his refined approach to photography. It is a work that explores the nature present at his local area, reflecting the beauty of nature and the experience of visiting and observing first hand the virgin, majestic landscapes of America. Whiting manages to masterfully depict the splendor of our environment and create pictures that capture the quintessence of the beauty that surrounds us. The technical elements are supreme, having extremely clear shots, with masterful framing and structure, contributing significantly to the formation of an aesthetically pleasant result. An interesting element in his artistic technique is the way that water is treated to enhance the

final result. The liquid element is not used only as an aesthetic asset to the composition but also as a fundamental tool that introduces complex notions into the picture like distortions and reflections. Regarding aesthetics, the compositional features added to the image are extremely helpful to structure a carefully balanced result, as the effects reminiscent of distortion mirrors manage to create an abundance of dramatic contrasts to the photograph. Whiting’s diversity and continuous creation of high-quality photos are a testimony to his professionalism that always manages to bring forth the most crucial parts of the depicted moment. A moment that is carefully structured to convey its full range of emotions.

www.charleswhitingphotography.com

“Reflections, Crested Butte, Colorado, July 2015” Digital Photograph, 16” x 28”

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“Elk Creek At Evening Twilight, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, March 2015”, Digital Photograph, 16”x28”

WINTER 2017

Dan McCormack

“Nava_S_07–12–16—13AC”, Pinhole Camera Portrait Of Nava At Home In New Paltz, NY. H 23.33" x W 20.00 Framed: H 30" x W 24"

ulsterartistsonline.org/user/130

“Vera_J_06–10–16—13AD”, Pinhole Camera Portrait Of Vera At Home In Philmont, NY. H 25.00" x W 19.70" Framed: H 30" x W 24"

Eric Wiles “Born in Chicago, the USA amidst great architectural and old world surroundings, I groomed an eye for the beauty of art and the creativity of photography. Being a world traveler at an early age instilled the appreciation of earth beauty and the allure of manmade objects. The fascination of our natural world promotes the direction of my work capturing moments in time while creatively sharing this expression of beauty through Still Life, Fine Art Imaging.”

"Art Web", Photograph, 28"x22"

"Haleakalā National Park", Photograph, 22"x28"

WINTER 2017

www.ew-photo.com

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Donna Bonin

“Running Free”, Watercolor, 28” x 22”

Elegance In Watercolors by Lauras

Donna Bonin is a Canadian artist who is best known for her watercolor works inspired by the natural world around her. This can be seen in the subject matter that she chooses for her paintings. Bonin states that her favorite locations for creating art include outdoor settings as close to home as her own garden and as far afield as the High Arctic. Residencies as "Artist In The Par"' in Presqu'ile and Sandbanks parks have helped to hone her painterly affinity with the natural world. Regarding style, Bonin's works tend to have a soft and vivid quality to them that can indeed be described as oneiric. Bonin likes to pay precise attention to detail. The colors here are used finely and delicately, much in the style of traditional floral and landscape paintings rather than something turbulent and Turner-esque. The result is a body of work that is beautiful to look at and which is steeped in the sense of positivity and charm. Soft rosy and gold sunlights are some of Bonin's specialties, and throughout her career, she has consistently explored the way in which light can magically transform the colors of water, of brick and of stone. A widely traveled artist, Bonin has depicted scenes throughout the world in her watercolors. From Iguazu Falls to the elegance of Genoa, she captures a very wide variety of different scenes in a style that is unmistakably hers. As mentioned above, this is a style that evokes traditional nineteenth-century watercolor portraits of flowers - though with a fresh and contemporary twist of course. And, thus, it comes as little surprise that alongside her trademark landscapes, Bonin has also created a 22

WINTER 2017

“Lily Pond”, Watercolor 22” x 28”

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“Catching A Dream”, Watercolor, 23” x 28”

“Plumage”, Watercolor, 22” x 27”

sizable selection of floral paintings. These floral "portraits" as they may be called use vibrant colors that manage to look vivid and bold without straying too far from realism. As with much of Bonin's oeuvre, this creates the impression of a watercolor painting created in situ, from life, that preserves the colors and the immediacy of the flowers that were growing before the artist as she painted them.

natural and physical world. Though striving for a vivid realism is at the heart of much of Bonin's work, she has also created a range of artworks that she labels "Fantasy" paintings. And here we see Bonin's style heading towards an absolute abstraction. Bonin's Fantasy paintings tend to home in on specific details in the natural world, such as the knots on a tree or the ripples in the stone of a cave. These features are enlarged and explored, endowed with surprising hues that enable them to evoke connection within the viewer.

Another key inspiration that Bonin draws upon is wildlife. Many of her paintings of animals can be described as "portraits." They mimic the traditional picture form. She prefers the static subject matter of buildings and flowers and the uncomplicated dynamism of animal life (many of her floral paintings also feature butterflies, for example). Whatever her reasons for eschewing the human form in her work, Bonin's style is very much focused on the uninterrupted

This uncanny quality in Bonin's more abstract pieces - this making strange of something that was familiar, such as a tree sets her Fantasy works apart from the rest of her oeuvre. Here, we see the artist exploring color and form in ways that were perhaps unprecedented for her. Also, some of Bonin's fantasy pieces, and particularly those that depict forests, have the precise and stylized quality that is often associated with Japanese watercolor and pen and ink paintings. Again, this can be said to be a natural progression in Bonin's personal technique as an artist. As mentioned above, Bonin eschews the method of creating sweeping, vague washes, instead favoring a more precise and finely detailed style with her watercolors. Considering the fantastical and more realistic pieces together demonstrates that Bonin is an artist with substantial range. Her landscapes and floral paintings may start to become splashed with unusual colors, and they may begin to take on a more abstract and dreamlike (though likely not geometric) quality. If so, this would represent both a significant shift in Bonin's style and a continuation of it. Serene and warming colors become vessels of travel for the one when witnessing the gentle strokes of these journeys.

www.donnabonin.ca “Cave Creatures”, Watercolor, 36” x 30”

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WINTER 2017

Dorothy Slikker Portraits Of Reality by Yadira Roman

Dorothy Slikker is an American artist that has created during the last years a vast amount of paintings. She is a figurative artist, focusing mainly on depicting the human figure, still nature and landscape in a realistic approach and has a very elegant technique in portraying such themes. Having studied under the admired art instructor Robert Warren, she has managed to refine the way that she handles oil and acrylic paint in her artworks, thus creating an aesthetically pleasant visual result. Throughout her artworks, one can notice many intertemporal approaches that manage to create an artistic blend of historical references and contemporary artistic approach.

challenging to manage and create a result which is both emotional and technically elegant at the same time. As many people tend to believe, the technique is present to serve art and not dominate art, something which is entirely true in the case of Slikker. As her technique manages exactly that, to bring to the forefront the artistic approach to portrait what she aims to do, instead of stealing the show and harming the resulting artwork. She usually chooses to depict everyday people, something vital in order to establish a connection with the viewer as one can feel like a relative or a friend is the subject represented. It is arguably one of the most important features of her work.

Portraits can be considered as one of the predominant themes that Slikker chooses to depict. During her artistic career she has produced an abundance of paintings that through their refined drawing and characteristic, masterful color usage manages to successfully depict not only an accurate imagery of the subjects but also manifest their personality and capture their soul. This achievement is arguably the ultimate goal for any artist that explores the art of figurative portrait, as it is often quite

Another dominant theme of her artistic expression is the painting of majestic landscapes, a theme drawn directly by her experiences of rural life and the images that one can experience in the American outdoors. It is a topic which can be considered timeless, as artists since the very dawn of human culture have chosen to depict their environment and glorify the undeniable beauty of nature. This timelessness is what Slikker manages to do through her artworks that focus on landscapes, as she builds

"On Guard", Oil On Canvas, 18" X 20"

WINTER 2017

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"A Mothers Love", (2009), Oil On Canvas, 20" X 16"

"Bountiful Harvest", (2003), Oil On Canvas, 20" X 16"

upon this great cultural heritage and adds her personal touch, enhancing at the same time the pre-existing history of this context. A fundamental characteristic of her depiction is the way that she resembles the great American landscape artists of the 19th century, especially those that belonged to some of the prominent artistic movements of the era, like the Hudson River School or the White Mountain art. It is a way of bringing back to life the great painting heritage of American art and redefining

it into a contemporary artistic practice, one that manages to instill awe to the observer. Such a reference to the historical past is widely considered as a central feature of contemporary art, as the critical revision of the history can lead to profound realizations about the current state of artistic production and cultural society. Finally, once again Slikker manages to portray in a very well defined and exceptionally creative approach the characteristic as mentioned earlier, showcasing her skill as a figurative artist. Composition is one her her major strengths in this field as it is something pivotal in depicting successfully still life. As seen in the chapters of her work that have been presented, Slikker has a holistic and highly professional approach to figurative art, managing to employ and gracefully use a wide array of characteristics that are drawn from the historical past of painting as well as from her contemporary training. It is very rare to find an artist that manages to be so proficient in differing themes of art, but she manages to handle these subjects in a way which is always professional and meaningful, never sacrificing anything for the ease of production. Dorothy Slikker is a highly trained visual artist that can create incredibly expressive and virtuosic figurative paintings, invoking with ease historical references and elements. These features are implemented into her contemporary artistic production and create a body of work that manages to convey to the viewer emotions that are unique to such an elegant approach. Her art being predominantly American concerning aesthetic can act as a monument to the grandiose of nature and a reminder of the cultural heritage of the past.

www.slikkersfineart.com "Lying In Wait", (2000), Oil On Canvas, 18" X 20"

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WINTER 2017

Durga Garcia by Yadira Roman

"Blindfolded", Photography, 26" x 24"

Artist Durga Garcia waves her magic wand to bring the mo del to l ife. What is interesting about Garcia’s work is how allegory plays an important part in her compositions. With a preference for black and white stills, she has incorporated models of a different ethnicity to provide the contrast and the balance in her photographs. In "Indecisive" the hesitant acceptability of the darker model’s color compared to the white color of the other is so apparent, you can reach out and touch the palpable diffidence. The repeated use of contrasts of racial origins reaches out with her viewpoints on the subject. This disparity is evident in “Trio 2012” and “Affinity.”

"Plastic Wrap", Photography, 26" x 24"

discrimination. Her photographs favor the strong female shape and tend to portray them to their best advantage. One of her specializations, among many, is the Conceptual Portrait. Great care is taken to work in sync with the commissioner, and brainstorming of the nicest results in the kind of portrayal that is clearly depicted in “Caroline In Winter” and “Kathleen." The simplest compositions, yet each in the forefront of a tale, a story untold. Still Life has found new expression under Garcia’s nimble fingers and the concept behind “Holland’s Power” makes one wonder at the thought process that went on behind the scenes. The windmills of the Netherlands have been interpreted as leaf stalks in the wind, with the clod of earth representative of the map of Holland. What a different yet contextual composition!

www.durgagarcia.com

In her series “Allegory,” Garcia has played up the composite female forms of different races, and the harmony of the compositions announces the artist’s shunning of racial 26

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Elvira Kravenkova by Yadira Roman

Elvira Kravenkova, a Canadian artist born in Russia, is an artist whose talent successfully transcends different art mediums. Her versatility also extends to the styles that she uses in her drawings and paintings on a wide variety of subjects. When using acrylics and oils, Elvira can manipulate the use of color to suit the message that she wishes to express. She is among those contemporary artists that can effectively modulate the vibrancy of their colors to whatever degree is necessary. From achieving just the right dash of brightness to create an added sense of focus -- to the application of subdued and mellowed tones for adding depth or mystery to a particular art piece -Elvira indeed displays great technical virtuosity. This mastery of technique also extends to her works in pencil, charcoal and chalk. Elvira Kravenkova's collection of drawings varies from the sedate to the lively. All of them, however, exude purpose and meaning. Any sedateness that comes through in one of her drawings is not due to the ineffectiveness of her artistry. To the contrary, any sedateness is part of the meaning that is infused into the drawing. It becomes another element of her technical skill as an artist. Due to her diversity in style and method, Elvira has a level of exposure that suits her propensity to cover a wide variety of subjects in her artwork. It should be no wonder that her professional trajectory has seen her work being exhibited in Russia and Canada. Additionally, many of her works also make up parts of private collections in Canada, Australia, Italy, Russia and the United States.

“Forgotten Warmness”, Acrylic On Canvas, 20” x 16”

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“First Cool Day”, Oil On Canvas, 12” x 9”

ekravenkova.com

“Morning in the Garden”, Oil On Canvas, 20” x 16”

WINTER 2017

Frans Frengen

“Hunting, A Human Right”, Fumagine And Acrylic Dots On Canvas – 31,5” x 31,5” – 2015

“Painting With The Light Of A Candle” by Cathy Crocco One of the more unique contemporary artists to emerge on the scene, Belgian artist Frans Frengen has developed a work process that is as intriguing as the artwork he creates. Frans Frengen began drawing as a young boy, and his talent as an artist was quickly recognized. He studied painting and drawing under prominent artists for some years before developing the signature "Fumagine" technique that forms the basis for much of his work. While in Wemmel, near Brussels, Frengen conceived and developed the fumagine technique, which is best described as the equivalent of painting with a candle. More than just 28

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painting with soot, this method gives a distinctive, stylized look to Frans Frengen's paintings and drawings. It gives his primarily black and white paintings and drawings a mere appearance, emphasized by the great shading that is created by the fumagine technique. 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. In addition to the simple shades of gray smudging created by the fumagine technique, Frengen also adds bold spots of color to the paintings. The primary colors of red, blue, and yellow are

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“(Ode To The Rescue) Mommy, Lioness To Fight And Help, What To Do!”, 39”x 27,5” Fumagine And Acrylic Dots + Movable Square On Canvas. 2016

“Father Abraham; Henri From Albi; And The Albatross. Htl.M.” 39”x 27,5” Paint With A Flame And Acrylic Dots On Canvas. 2015

often featured in his work. It is clear that this is the work of a talented artist who has spent many years studying technique and artistic styles. Most of his art features people and scenes from

everyday life portrayed in a unique way and with a strong perspective. Several of Frans Frengen's fumagine paintings stand out from the rest. One, "Hunting a Human Right," features a musket-bearing hunter and his dogs chasing a wild boar. This simple drawing, painted by Frengen with a candle, is not only remarkable because of the striking details and intense expressions on the faces, but because of his choice to use a single spot of red paint as the only color in this mostly monochromatic painting. Another piece of note is "Mirror on Newport," which features two ships in a beautiful harbor. While the artwork is mostly black and white, a few splotches of purple and green acrylic paint are strategically placed in the water. The ships are delineated with high precision, and the small numbers on the bows of the ships add an extra dimension and detail to these works of art. The bright colors of the acrylic paint contrast effectively with the calm and serene waters. Frans Frengen's unique fumagine technique showcases his brilliant, simple paintings and drawings. It is clear that this Belgian artist has remarkable talent and skill, as well as a clear voice that has something important to say.

www.allart-frengen.be “Humor And Patience The Camels To Get Through Any Desert”, Fumagine + Acrylic Dots And Movable Square – 27,5”x 27,5”. 2016

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WINTER 2017

Gudrun Alvebro

“The Glass Blower Window” Oil On Linen 36” x 36”

by Yadira Roman Gudrun Alvebro is a visual artist from Sweden who predominantly chooses an abstract form of artistic expression and creates various artworks that implement a multitude of techniques and concepts. Her work is mostly in the realm of painting, but she also has a large body of work dedicated to collograph, a process about printmaking but having some fundamental differences. Throughout her work, there is an extreme dedication to accomplish an aesthetically pleasant result, while at the same time remaining faithful to the ideas and concepts that are intrinsically tied to abstract art. The way that Alvebro approaches abstraction in a painting is one which poses extreme interest and knowledge on the roots of this artistic movement, drawing inspiration from this realm of artistic heritage while at the same time introducing these concepts into a new context. It is an approach that delves deep into the essence of color and composition in art, as it manages to create a compelling atmosphere with simple, yet masterfully crafted color tones that fulfill their role and produce an

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aesthetically pleasant result. She implements into her artworks a combination of geometric shapes as well as biological ones, something that creates an impressive structure of different elements that manage despite all odds to coexist and bring forward the masterful composition of the final result. Another interesting feature is the way that she subtlety introduces actual references to reality in her work, thus creating a more broad approach which is not strictly abstract but encompasses a wider notion of truth within it. It is a characteristic of her work which is closely tied to the way that she chooses to name her paintings, a process which is rendered something more than simply namegiving and becomes a strong conceptual process that creates a unique connection to the viewer. Specifically, the viewer might read a title like "Grass" or "The Princess In The Tower" and then is tasked with the decoding of the visible elements in accordance to such a title. It is a challenging way to approach abstraction as by adding actual references from reality; one has to handle in a successful way conflicting ways of expression to create a decent outcome. Alvebro, through elegant and witty handling of these

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conflictive features, manages exactly that and delivers exceptionally high-quality paintings that intrigue the viewer once one explores deep into them. In Alvebro's paintings, the artist predominantly uses cooler tones of blue and green, a feature which forges a personal chromatic approach that, one could say, is tied to her nationality as, being a Swede, the artist is influenced by her local environment and experiences. In the way that Mediterranean artists predominantly use warmer colors, artists that grew up in northern countries tend to focus on cooler palettes, something expressing their personal visual experiences throughout their lives. Such color palettes apart from these interesting realizations offer a broad sense of mysticism and serenity to the exhibited artworks, as blue is a color which is intrinsically tied to notions like flow, process, water, depth and cold. Another commendable part of her artistic portfolio is her work around collograph, a form of artistic expression which belongs to the realm of printmaking. It is a process incredibly fulfilling to the artist and interesting to the viewer, as, an intrinsically complex artistic process which is not easy to master, but Alvebro throughout her work has managed to delve deep into the essence of this technique and carefully structure combinations of layers and features that add up to a compelling final result. Her conceptual context is similar to her painting work, but she manages to attain even a higher level of structural complexity, as it is something enabled by this technique. The way that she manages to implement dynamic structural elements in a medium which is inherently formalistic is commendable, as movement and dynamic flow are some of the hardest things to accomplish in the realm of printmaking. Despite the odds, she

“The Princess In The Tower” Oil On Canvas 26” x 34”

manages to create such a bold effect that is crucial to the artistic accomplishment of the final result. Gudrun Alvebro is a multidisciplinary artist that offers the viewer a fulfilling artistic experience, one that implements a wider array of forms of artistic expression.

www.gudrunalvebro.com

“Autumn” Collograph 8.6” x 11.5”

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“Leaf” Collograph 8.6” x 11.5”

WINTER 2017

Ian Smith

“Fom Elders … Knowing Ways And Reflection (ltd. Edition Of 50) Bronze Sculpture, 17”x 20”x 11.5”

“To The Music” . . . A Pair Of Young Inuit Swing To The Beat Of A Borrowed Tune, Echoing From A Much Played "squeeze Box", Drawing Young And Old To Dance "to The Music”. (ltd. Edition Of 50), Bronze Sculpture 12”x 12”x 15

“My goal is to unfold the essence of each of my works, creating original, distinctive pieces which will bring the viewer the pleasure and pride of feeling a part of a lifestyle within or outside of one’s own experience. By seeing and touching these sculptures, I wish one to be left with a sense that in each bronze image I have truly captured a special moment that can be cherished forever. Faces and hands are to me the indicators of the life we live; even when altered, presenting signs of who lives within. To bring alive the essence of another way of life through my art has been a deepseated flame waiting to pour out, be cast and shared. From almost two decades in the Canadian eastern arctic come the images of a tradition conscious, age old people, the Inuit, that have compelled me to begin my life as a sculptor. A need to share the experiences and activities of a way of life, that draw visitors from around the globe to the people of the north, ignited the latent senses and skills put aside many years ago while following other avenues. The arctic images that I create are my son’s Inuit heritage and legacy. They are created for him and then for the world. These representations of people from my years in the arctic were my initial step into the world of art, as a series of “Arctic Memories”. Beyond these images is the quest to share other extraordinary memories that many of us have in common and may wish to relive through the timeless realism of a bronze figure. My years of motorcycling have naturally flowed into the “Ride of Choice” motorcycle series; now living in oil country has inspired the ‘Oil Rig’ series; while other interests lead to future images. From memory images to bronzed reality.”

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“On The Edge” (ltd. Edition Of 50), Bronze Sculpture 26”x 24”x 16”

About The Artist Although essentially a self-taught artist, latent interest and talent were stirred by fine arts media courses. Years later this deep rooted desire to depict ways of life through sculpture was truly recognized. After 16 years in the eastern arctic, as an educator, arctic life had shaped Ian Smith’s thoughts and creativity. The responsibility of ensuring that his son understood and lived as much of his Inuit culture as possible, generated an even greater focus on arctic life around him. Ian Smith’s images of adventures in life have been mentally filed to be expressed and shared with the world. New and old are portrayed in Smith’s pieces.

www.dismithbronze.com

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Leroi C. Johnson by Viviana Puello Born in Buffalo, New York, into a family of eight siblings, the successful attorney and award-winning artist Leroi Johnson creates abstract expressionistic paintings that combine impressionism, symbolism, and fauvism. Johnson works with intense colors and a striking variety of textures. A self-trained artist, Leroi Johnson began painting at a very young age. He received his only formal art training at his high school art classes and later continued painting during his law school years, documenting his life during that period. His works have been shown in numerous international exhibitions in the United States, Africa, South America, and Europe for over a decade. Working with acrylics and oils, Johnson has pioneered a new art form, which he has labelled electric primitive. Strong African influences can be seen in the African tribal icons and symbolism in his paintings. His use of space and density creates welcoming pieces, portraying culture through nature. His upbringing, education, career (both in law and art), and his travels to Europe and South America have all been a great influence on his art. Initially his work was mostly autobiographical and his personal life experiences were intricately woven into his work, as he successfully fused African themes and geometric abstracts. Drawing from his cultural roots, he utilized vibrant fluorescent colors, while blending cubist and modernist influences into his

"Colored People II", Oil & Acrylic, 52" x 38"

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“primitive” themes. LeRoi’s use of the term “primitive” is in accord with the way he relates to and identifies with the poor and underprivileged members of society. His use of color is vividly bold, forming energetic animation, enhancing the overall effect of the piece, which is further bolstered by his lively compositions and bold brush strokes. The results are images that appear to dance into your imagination. As his individual growth continues, his art is evolving masterfully. His style has become less geometric and more representative of his experiences as an African American. His work has become more anecdotal and less personal and he has incorporated more universal symbols into his work, bringing hope and passion into his pieces. While his art has evolved, Afro-centric themes are still prevalent in his works. By seamlessly blending abstract forms with “primitive” surrealist imagery, Johnson manages to create colorful and bright images that give insight into his inner world, showing a more representative collection of everyday human experiences. It is probable that LeRoi wants people to explore life from a unique plane – rendering everyday experiences into extraordinary moments. At first glance, his art may appear individualistic and idiosyncratic in nature, but when one factors the overall universal themes of human experience, i.e. heritage, socio-economic injustice, and the consequent struggles to rise above all odds, it all becomes a clear message from a master artist who has a compelling and transcendent approach.

www.electricprimitive.com

"Colored People I", Oil & Acrylic, 52" x 38"

WINTER 2017

John Nieman What Is Missing? America evolves Some things are found Many things are lost

by Yadira Roman International recognized artist, writer, author of numerous novels and art books, John Nieman is an American artist well known for a unique realist style of painting that utilizes the subject overlayed with words to create an underlying message, a riddle, that the viewer is invited to explore with deep concentration and thought. Rather than presenting his audiences with pure realism, Nieman likes to overlay textures and shapes like a visual palimpsest to create a richer and more interesting effect. This effect is particularly noticeable in his "Visual Riddles Series," however, he has also created a series of ultra-realistic paintings of sports equipment.

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Nieman's most recent body of works, which is entitled the "What is Missing" series, combines art, and appropriated or found objects to evoke a profound meditation on contemporary North American life. In this series, Nieman paints designs and transfers words onto used milk cartons. In so doing, he gives these everyday objects an incredible sense of purpose. The images and words that Nieman adds on to these milk cartons reflect a sense of loneliness and nostalgia that he sees as central to life in the USA. in the present day. Each of the milk cartons in this series is decorated with words and images that express traditional American values. As their appearance on a mundane object like a milk carton suggests, these values used to be a foundational part of everyday life in the

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USA, Nieman's intention in 'What is Missing' is to emphasize that these values have now been lost. One of the values that Nieman believes to have been lost, for instance, is the importance of family life. The choice of a milk carton is particularly appropriate here, as it is a regular feature of family life throughout all of the states of the USA. However, many of the values that Nieman tackles in this series are political and socioeconomic ones. Here, one of the most insignificant objects that forms part of the fabric of everyday life is given a political weight that far exceeds what we might expect from it. Thus, the "What is Missing Series" plays with and subverts our expectations and reveals the power inherent in even the most unassuming of objects.

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Just as these empty milk cartons would have been simply thrown in the trash, America has been throwing away its values. There are 52 milk cartons in the series in total, and each of them forms a work of art in its own right, as well as complementing the others. Nieman's "What is Missing Series" is accompanied by the book, which was published in 2014 by Friesen Press. The book is entitled "What Is Missing? America Evolves. Some Things Are Found. Many Are Lost". In this book, Nieman explains that he created "What is Missing" to showcase the USA's deteriorating values, its loss of traditional ways of life, and also (it can be suggested) America's throwaway culture. Waste products, and particularly waste packaging like these milk cartons, are filling acres and acres of landfill in the USA every Cont. next page

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hour. By painting the series onto milk cartons, Nieman highlights both this culture of waste by bringing it into the public eye, while recreating its value into something beautiful. His choice to use these instantly recognizable yet all too often overlooked found objects is thus a very powerful gesture. Nieman wrote a book to accompany this series, this aligns with his fascination of art with the power of the written word. John Nieman's artworks almost always combine words and writing. Nieman does not just class himself as a visual artist, but also as a fiction writer. Thus, many of his works meld words and images or enable words and pictures to work in tandem together. A prime example of this is the series of works that Nieman created which he decided to call "Art With A Story." Here, he presents viewers with a picture and then also provides a short text providing the backstory to the image. One image, for instance, depicts a car with a broken windshield.

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This image is arresting enough in its own right. However the backstory explains that this was a car that was involved in a beloved woman's fatal accident and had not been driven ever since - rather, it had been preserved by her family in the state in which the accident left it. The "What is Missing Series" takes this one step further, as the artworks are painted on to objects that themselves have a backstory. The milk cartons used for this series have been used and handled by many different people. They have formed part of their daily lives and have borne silent witness to family quarrels, busy morning breakfasts, romantic shared cups of coffee and intimate chats over a glass of cookies and milk. In "What is Missing," Nieman takes these objects, already rich in history, and transplants them from the realm of everyday life into the realm of art. Had he not reclaimed them for his art, these cartons would merely end up in the trash leaving the very little memory behind.

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Nieman has developed a very characteristic style and technique. The overlaying of text and image, the playful way in which he approaches the relationship between text and image, and the twin emphasis on both realism and vivid colors makes a painting by John Nieman instantly recognizable as "Nieman." The artist has explicitly created and consolidated this distinctive style over his 30 years as an artist. And, as a result, one would expect that he will continue to create works in the same style during the research of his artistic career. It 's hard to imagine John Nieman suddenly adopting a radical new way of depicting the world. However, were he to depart from the unique techniques described above, that would surely be a fascinating and exciting development in his artistic trajectory indeed.

The Art of Contradiction. “As I look upon my several decade journey in the art world, I’m aware of the fact that I have explored several different genres. Part of this is the desire to stay fresh and not simply “do something again like I did before that gained some acclaim five years ago.” At the risk of sounding cocky, I have tried to keep pushing. I have moved from pastels to watercolor over lists, to paintings that have an editorial “bottom line.” I progressed to art that suggests a short story, and have written more than a hundred of them (and enjoyed four solo shows on this particular theme). In the past few years, I have evolved into installations and themed art books. Again, rebirth.

exploding on a bowling lane as opposed to gaining a strike. A beautiful Blue Morpho butterfly chained to stake. At this point, I guess I missed the use of words. At my daughter’s suggestion, she offered a theme: The bottom line. It summarizes the picture in a sarcastic or intuitive way. Examples in this article: “Once Young.” “Tango sex,” and “Wait til next year.” Most recently, I have created installations and themed books. The installations: a constructed 7-11 cooler of milk cartons that “What is missing?” in an editorial contradiction that has been shown in Miami, and in NYC. Several people called it the most provocative and creative product of the festival. Another: the wanted posters. This themed exhibition showcased the heroes we revere (as opposed to killers we wish captured). Example: “Wanted…more people like Oprah Winfrey, who know how to talk in addition to listening.” “ wanted more people like Clint Eastwood.. who reinvented himself over many years. As Linda Ellerbee used to say at the end of her broadcast, “ and so it goes.” I continue to push. I continue to try to reinvent myself every year. But I will never walk away from the genres I love. This year, I created dozens more art of lists, which I originated 15 years ago. I have painted several “art with a bottom line” pictures, and a few “art above sheet music” themes. I am also working on the new genre which will yield a new book. Next year, there will hopefully be another. And next year. And next year, as long as I keep creating”. John Nieman

I have lately been trying to take a short step back and assess what unites this whole body of work. Let’s call it “The Art of Contradiction.” Explanation: I have always been attracted to the creative product that has an immediate visual impact and perhaps an extra layer that provides intrigue or viewer satisfaction. Perhaps that’s because I was trained in the world of international advertising, where the one-two punch yields: 1. “stopping power” and usually a success. 2: Interest. Look closer. What brings added meaning? Make no mistake, as an artist, I fully believe that the visual must dominate. It must stop the person in her or her tracks. It must yield a second look. Upon that second look, it’s my goal to entice further exploration. That’s why I was initially attracted to a genre called “the art of lists.” It usually commented and in some cases contradicted the anchor visual. I then proceeded to a series I would call “art of Sheet Music.” This genre is not intended just to capture the title of the song; it’s designed to add meaning. From there, I explored supreme contradictions with no words Examples: Balloons precariously balancing over barbed wires. Watermelons www.arttourinternational.com

In the past twenty years, the American fabric has dramatically changed. The transformation has affected family life, selfesteem, politics, business, pleasures, and dreams. This book examines fifty-one of those missing values—appropriately painted on original milk cartons and accompanied with corroborating essays.

www.johnnieman.com

WINTER 2017

Katrin Alvarez

“Borderline”, Colored Pencil On Board, 40.15”” x 28.7”

by Trisha Peachtree Katrin Alvarez is a German artist known for her contemporary paintings that are surreal yet rooted in reality. Katrin taught herself how to be an artist and found her inspiration from Michelangelo and the Brueghels. Many of her paintings seem dreamlike and simultaneously very real. Hidden inside each of Katrin's paintings is a mood that is impossible to miss. The painting is in control, luring you into its own intentions of what her pieces wish to share, while also pulling emotions out of the viewer of how it is they feel. The works stir emotions that have long been present. A shift that allows viewers toes the mirror within themselves, while simultaneously feeling the awesome, contagious feeling of inspiration and excitement about the shift that may suddenly occur internally in the present moment, and with profound impact in the future. One quickly swoons over Alvarez' “Dies Irae”, Oil On Canvas, 49” x 41”

WINTER 2017

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growth as an artist while viewing her past and present works. They are so different, yet share the same vine. Her older works are psychedelic, unchained, whimsical, surreal, inspiring, and unique. They are part of a dream and part of a nightmare, part exotica and part of a strange plane or dimension with living beings and consciousness not yet accessible and understood. Take "Synthesis," a mixed medium from 1985-a strange-looking blue fish swims, made up of drawn scales, eyes, and faces. The fish also appears to have a type of chimney spouting from it that is filled with feathers. The same fantastical approach is apparent in "Fossil," work from 1986. In it, a woman turns and stares at an unknown viewer. The board is filled with vibrant tan and coppers, with interjections of breathtaking azures. Exotic ferns, feathers, shells, and crabs stretch out at her feet, lit up with gold and blue, and you see a fish and feathers headdress on her head as the only thing adorning her body. The whole painting makes you feel as though you have opened a window into a world that you had no right to see, or as if you have time traveled to the past and are now witnessing a strange part of our history that never made it into the known. In fact, all of Katrin's works are unique and inspiring beasts who are endlessly

“Virgin”, Oil On Canvas, 41” x 41”

fascinating. All of her older works, from "Predator" (a person with a head full of unblinking eyes) to the rare and compelling "Medusa-Woman Of Namaste," invite you in and offer to show you something otherworldly and strange. Her works leave you in awe of the relationship one witness between humanity, nature and the advances created by both in their evolution and conjunction to each other. The vast areas of space, time, and relationship being reached during each glance in every corner of her works leaves one enthralled and spellbound. Every line is controlled, unlike the events taking place in each subject. Such a great example of the living contradictions found in our reality. To have an outer body experience of the structures of the mind, reactions of the heart, and original creations of the soul we look to Katrin Alvarez in the greatness of her works.

www.katrin-alvarez.de

“At The Beginning There Was A Woman”, Oil On Canvas, 37.5” x 49”

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WINTER 2017

Kay Griffith

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Abstract U-153â&#x20AC;?, Oil On Canvas

by Viviana Puello American artist Kay Griffith creates vivid and masterful abstract compositions with a personal artistic approach that pinpoints conceptual and structural elements while at the same time remaining faithful to the nature of abstraction. Employing oils on canvas with the masterful use of palette knives, Griffith skillfully plays with texture, color, light and rhythm, the result, a magical symphony where emotions come to life in an open invitation to intimate dialogs with the viewers. Griffith creates a robust structure that formulates an impressive final result. The placement of these elements is crucial for the 40

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creation of harmonic artworks with fine balancing regarding drawing and a profound approach regarding composition. The use of color is a dominant feature of her work, and each painting characterized by its color palette. Griffith draws features from an immense artistic heritage and adds her personal touch to introduce these concepts in the realm of contemporary artistic expression and progressively reach new heights regarding accomplishment in these elements. Cont. next page

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“Abstract U-295”, Oil On Canvas

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WINTER 2017

“Abstract U-307”, Oil On Canvas, 48” x 60”

An important aspect of Griffith's work is movement and fluidity of intention. Through her use of color and structure, Griffith creates a vivid effect of flow and movement in her compositions, which is underlined by the actual drawing and placement of shapes. It is an artistic work which showcases that abstract art is not devoid of drawing, as such an approach demands a knowledge of traditional drawing techniques to visualize a complex, aesthetically pleasant and conceptual result. Despite that many shapes used are intrinsically static, like the original angular shapes of some brushstrokes, the way that she

implements colors and drags the shapes into more elongated and distorted ones, create an illusion of movement which is imprinted on the mind of the viewer and breathes life into the exhibited artworks. Griffith, being an abstract artist, creates artworks that as mentioned above are self-referring regarding context. It is a way of conceptualizing all these abstract concepts like structure and color by presenting them in a raw form, free of any bonds that might be created when they are depicted as a part of reality. She establishes a connection to the viewer that offers direct exposure

“Abstract U-323”, Oil On Canvas, 36” x 48”

WINTER 2017

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“Abstract U-327”, Oil On Canvas,

to these notions, thus welcoming one to ponder on meanings that otherwise were hidden in the background and not highly praised. It is a crucial conceptual feature, as the viewer can understand reality in a more fresh way, a reality which is dominated by our perception which can be false by nature. With her works, Griffith manages to intrigue the viewer and reach conceptual depths in a journey that has no actual end or beginning, but rather an adventure which follows an unconventional and highly complex route. Such a path can become quite an enjoyable journey, if one has enough patience to delve deep into its splendor, then this process can be beneficial for the way that we perceive and conceptualize our reality and our everyday experiences. Through her vibrant and eye-catching pieces, Kay Griffith delivers a new gateway into imagination for all that view the high textures of her creativity. This year Texas artist, Kay Griffith, was named one of the Top 15 Masters of Contemporary Artists in the world by a very prestigious jury with members from Brazil, Canada, and Italy. For Griffith, this is another affirmation that she is indeed one of the top abstract expressionist painters of our times. The announcement followed ArtTour International Magazine naming her one of the Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art for 2016. This is the second time that Griffith has been selected as one of the Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art by Art Tour www.arttourinternational.com

International Magazine. The first time was in 2015. That year, one of her paintings was also selected for a special award. Abstract U-312 (Oil on Canvas 48”x60”) was awarded The Timeless Image Award. Starting an exciting year of events, Griffith will exhibiting her works at the Salon des Artistes Indépendants, Grand Palais in Paris in February. England will be introduced to Griffith in 2017, as she has been juried into Biennale London. This event is scheduled for the end of March 2017. Continuing her tour, she will be in Italy in May exhibiting her works and as an awarded artists of the ATIM’s Masters Awards for the ATIM’s Top 60 Masters Of Contemporary Arts 2017. Griffith has had exhibitions in New York City and shows full time in Greenwich, Connecticut at CParker Gallery.

griffithfineartgallery.com

WINTER 2017

Kate Taylor

"Crimson Sky", Acrylic On Stained Birch Panel With Resin, 24” x 48"

by Yadira Roman Toronto-based artist Kate Taylor is grandly known for her energetic, and colorful pieces. Taylors small paint strokes and inspired use of color have garnered her much attention in the art world. Her most recent collections include “Energy Motion”, “ColourField”, and “Minis”, in addition to a wide range of past abstract works and collections. She frequently uses an Epoxy coating to get more light and reflection into her works. Works from her collection brim with color and absorption. Taylor not only captures the fundamental essence of a setting with minimal brushstrokes and details but also recreates a depiction that is preferable to the viewer over the real model. "Sun On The Ocean" emits an energetic flow of serenity, taking us to the ocean floor and welcoming her viewers to sit there for a while.

Perhaps one of Taylor's most impressive works as well is her acrylic canvas "Crimson Sky" The vivid artwork enjoys ecstatic crimson at the right sweeping through and bright aqua, blues, and greens, thrashing together dynamically at the left. The strokes are crude in typical abstract fashion, yet there is a unique grandness that comes from the merging of the colors. "Sun On The Ocean III" makes you feel similarly, only this time you feel caught up in the rush of the wave and the tiny particles of water evaporating into the air and the droplets from stillsolid water and the splashing of the sea. Taylor's "Sunset Marsh," is a dive into color. Multiple layers of color of acrylic and resin coated on birch create psychedelic impressions, a vibrant and joyful summer celebration. Don't forget to check out Taylor's "Minis" collections, either. "Red Rose" is a study in Rouge, while "Orange Buds Mini II" is playful and oddly pleasing. Kate Taylor takes the viewer on a vibrant journey through her vibrant works of art; beyond a pleasure to stand and witness.

www.KateTaylorStudio.com

"Sun On the Ocean, Acrylic On Stained Birch Panel With Resin, 30” x 60”

WINTER 2017

"Sunset Marsh", Acrylic On Stained Birch Panel With Resin, 24”x 24”

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SUMMER 2016

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Krasi Dimtch

An Artistic Contribution To The English Language by Cornelius Rotich

“Everything Is Possible”, Digital Print, 36” x 36”

“My artistic practice is focused on the development and the use of atypical means for representing the symbols of Language. Language became the driving force for my art and the spiritual healer for my mind during a period of introspections in search of answers about the meaning of life in the structures of English Language. And it was there in the net of interrelated as synonyms and antonyms words that I started finding my own (not someone else’s) answers to the existential questions bothering me. Now, I create hybrid artworks that are the result of a symbiosis between my imagination and custom software for generating English sentences and representing them as visual patterns and musical sounds. My working process starts with the compilation of a text containing phrases found by me in sequences of synonyms and sentences generated by the software. The sentences are then converted by the same software into different images. Finally, I manually create a visual “translation” of the text by using computer mouse instead of paintbrush and thousands of generated by the software images instead of acrylic paints.”

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Artist Krasi Dimtch' work mainly focuses on Language and the way it can be used for the discovery of new ideas and the creation of images and sounds encoding them. Her artistic output has contributed immensely to contemporary art and language as a whole. Her work is deeply inspired by the collective intelligence of humankind while simultaneously questioning the role of the cultural narratives in society and the stereotypical thoughts they promote. Dimtch's work is helping to address such issues by offering logical solutions to how to overcome by means of Language limitations caused by Language. The following are some of the inspirations drawn from Dimtch' works: Language and its role - Krasi Dimtch delved deeply into the role of Language for the formation and the expression of thoughts and beliefs. She used various challenges presented by English Language to expand the idea of creating art by combining visual patterns encoding words, phrases and sentences. Her work was not only focused on the development of various means for transforming linguistic messages into sequences of colors, forms and sounds but also on the practical development of the notion that every possibly sayable thought could be found in a net formed by interrelated synonyms. The final outcome was the formation of a system for natural language generation and representation which Dimtch uses for the creation of her art.

“Into The Book”, Digital Print, 36” x 36”

Language and its manifestations - Dimtch's language-based artworks are vibrant with color depicting the colors of each vibrational frequency in communication. The digital methodology she developed for their creation involves the use of a custom-made computer program capable of generating different English sentences and visual and audio compositions representing them. The program enables not only the generation of audiovisual representations of every simple idea that is possibly sayable by means of simple English sentences but also the generation of indefinite number of non-identical abstract representations of the same sentence. The program is based on patented methods for natural language generation. Some of Dimtch's works visualize actual attributes of English language and provide objective example of how to extract ideas from the net of synonyms that belongs to everyone. Also, by exposing some of the net's fragments, where she believes the makers of cultural narratives find their theories, Dimtch challenges the definition of authorship. Dimtch' artistic and intellectual output has also helped to better understand how computers can enhance artistic creativity and by combining the “Nature Rewrites Definitions”, Digital Print, 36” x 36” generation of novel sentences with the generation of abstract images and music she has broadened the field of computational creativity. In a nutshell, Dimtch' artistic work can be described as comprehensive and pragmatic offering real logical solutions to the challenges of creating and representing language-based thoughts and ideas. Her unique approach to gaining an understanding of Language and the many possible ways for its representation and interpretation has become a journey for all to witness and reflect on their own.

www.krasidimtch.ca www.arttourinternational.com

WINTER 2017

Karly et Anne V by Viviana Puello

In the world of art, singular passion and expression are often seen as par for the course. Rarely are collaborative efforts ever seen beyond the scope of curiosity, or as a mere functional exercise between two artists. This paradigm, however, is shifted forever after one views the collaborative works of two artists from France, Karley, and Anne V. Before one even focuses on the style and method used on their collaborative relief paintings, one cannot escape the essence of the synergy that their finished works express. At no time do their relief paintings exude any sign of competing egos struggling to gain dominance. If one were not made aware of the fact that their relief artworks were indeed a collaborative effort, one would unhesitatingly attribute it to a single artist.

effect that flows from one frame to the next -- with the lower segments creating their own flow -- this art piece presents the notion of chaos within an orderly context. The upper sections formed with higher details of relief offered in a color palette that is focused on the gray. The lower parts -- with less relief detail -- explode in the vibrancy of a bright yellow background with the brilliant iconography of abstract lifeforms in their foreground. The result is a beautiful expression of the butterfly effect. With each viewing, one can focus on a different small element of the art piece and end up with a different impression and reaction each time. Chaos theory brought beautifully and artistically to life. "Deliverance" is another piece that displays the results of the

The seamless merging of two artistic talents into a unified outcome is highly impressive. Most of the works of Karley and Anne V are large in size. The complexity and shapes of the relief frames used exude a sense of wonder and are able to captivate those who observe them. Relief paintings of such physical dimensions often alienate more than impress those who observe them. They manage to elevate collaborative relief art to a level of artwork unto itself. A fact that is even more impressive when one discovers that they have only been collaborating on art projects since 2011. In artworks such as "Travelling," "Effet Papillon" and "L'androgyne" one can appreciate how the use of scale, form and color unite to create a finished work that calls out to you. "Effet Papillon" illustrates this ability to create an engaging, collaborative piece. Segmented into three different relief frames, with the upper section of each frame creating a continuous 48

WINTER 2017

"Androgyne Word", Canvas On Wood Frame Spray Paint And Acrylic

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productive synergy between form and color used by Karley and Anne V. Large in dimensions -- measuring over two meters in height --this piece captures the eye long before one gets near it. By using a form factor that incorporates a seemingly endless number of acute and obtuse angles, the form factor creates a level of detail that the eye can appreciate from a distance. As this feature in the shape factor draws one physically closer to the piece, the selection and application of the color start coming to life. The end result is fantastic -- a sort of scaled appreciation. One can feel the connection with the art piece through its bright colors and curved strokes. It brings an aura of heartfelt street art to the world of the abstract. As one admires the piece further, one discovers a multitude of meanings and expressions in caveat form. The very process of observing and appreciating the piece -from the approach to the walk around to the focused attention up close -- all form part of the layers of expression and meaning that the artwork brings forth. It is as if time and space are being fused to the artistic styling of color and form to create timeless art. The effect that they are able to create with their unique style should not be surprising. Both Karley and Anne V have professed to have a view of the concepts of time malleability similar to those found in quantum physics. Much like that scientific discipline, the collaborative

"Androgyne Totem", Canvas On Wood Frame Spray Paint

work of these two artists invokes a sense of salience. No element of their work, be it form, scale or color is mundane. With creations that range from floor-mounted and wall-mounted pieces, to those that are suspended, Karley and Anne V know how to incorporate dimensional perspective to their art form. By just observing the end result of their work, one would expect that their collaboration extends to a unified style of planning for their pieces. As a testament to what two kindred spirits can do, however, each of these two artists unleashes their particular talent exclusively within a given plane. Anne V brings forth her talent for dimensional artistry by creating the form and frame, while Karley infuses her artistic magic of color and luster with paint. At no time, however, do they collude in the planning of the final piece. Each artist brings forth her best independently. The essence of the concluding piece is thus obtained not from methodical planning, but rather entirely from what seems to be a pre-ordained complimentary fusion of their talents. They will awaken a sense of appreciation for what collaborative art represents -- a synergistic form of conveying a message by tapping into the minds and emotions of those who observe it. Their artwork can be honestly described as infinitely impressive and inspirational on a multitude of levels. It is the sort of art that one is drawn to repeatedly for the depth of meaning that one can draw from it.

karly-annev.artisteo.com "Traveling", Canvas On Wood Frame Spray Paint, 94.5â&#x20AC;? x 33.5â&#x20AC;? x 33.5â&#x20AC;?

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WINTER 2017

Antonella Laganà Antonella Laganà was born in Reggio Calabria and took a degree in Literature at Pisa University. She has participated in the dynamic world of international artists in Florence where she attended courses in painting from the nude at the Academia Dell Belle Arti. She was a student of the sculptor Prof. Guiggi at the TrossiIberti Academy of Livorno. Laganà continued her studies in the techniques of fresco and glass-fusing in Milan and painting in Rome. She has been painting since 1975 and started exhibiting in 1993 having held numerous collective and Solo exhibitions in Rome, Florence, Venice, Livorno, Viareggio, San Marino, Paris, and Lugano. Well-known critics have written about her, and she has received major prizes both in Italy and abroad. Antonella Laganà is also a writer and poet and worked with Edoardo De Filippo on his play “Simpatia.” Her latest collection of poetry is called “Laser.” Selected recent exhibitions: New York Art Expo, London, Madrid. www.laganaantonella.it

"Absolument", Acrylic, 59" X 79"

"In Fieri", Acrilic, 39.3" X 39.3"

Alexandra Davies The Dawn The dawn breaking, a beautiful erotica, powerful against the sky. In all it's making our world is defined, a beauty no man can deny. She is of the essence, she is glory defined, she is bringing light to our World, and represents the power of nature sublime. Oh, nature what a whore, oh, no man can stop time, a beautiful erotica, so evil, so now out of line, so glorious in it's destroying of mankind. See her beautiful lips kiss the sun, her beautiful ways, so cruelly overrun, until she fight's against the dying of the light, lashing out for her love is ending, our affair with our sorrow, lending, not mending, until all Mankind is night. Alexandra Davies 50

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“The Dawn” Oil On Canvas 12” x 8” “A beautiful woman symbolizes Mother Nature.”

“Talk Talk” Oil On Canvas 12” x 8” “Empty talking in the face of adversity as the walkers turn their coats up against the rain.”

davies.alex35@yahoo.com.uk

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Lucy Mattos by Daniel Ted Feliciano The two most prominent attributes of the artworks by Luc y Mattos are their uniqueness and versatility. This is not all surprising given the fact that the Argentina-based artist has been dabbling in different mediums ever since she started creating art in the 1960s. Although all her works are very different from each other, you can still see a current signature which shows the personal touches of the artist. From her “Pasion II” sculptures to her art installations, Mattos utilizes techniques and materials that give the finished product a very vibrant look. When you look at a Mattos artwork, not only will you regard it as aesthetically-pleasing, you will also experience a subliminal message. Mattos is very straightforward when people ask her what she wants to accomplish with her art. She often states that it's her wish for viewers to feel it, enjoy it, and immerse themselves in the experience. According to her, art isn't merely intended for visual appreciation. It should a lso enable the viewer to experience emotions like sadness, happiness, and loneliness. It's for this same reason that she set up her own gallery and museum where people can view her life's work. Mattos calls the museum the doorway to her world.

sculptures. Unlike most of her contemporaries, she doesn't stick to a single material. She uses a variety of materials that include bronze, wood, acrylic, alabaster, natural fiber, silver, white metal, stones, and polyester resin. She also uses neon lights in some of her sculptures. These “Sueño” sculptures give off the light when placed in the desired lighting for the result. The artist has created this technique, and she calls it the trans-light-intra-lightneon technique. Although she is well-known for her sculptures, Mattos also creates beautiful and premium jewelry. This jewelry which she often makes using gold, silver, and bronze also feature feminine designs and figures. She refers to these pieces as "useful art" sourcing them as pieces of art that are able to be applied to one's daily life. Lucy Mattos also dabbles in drawing, painting, and engraving. The majority of her drawings and prints are that of the female figure. These works are usually minimalistic in nature, and they often feature two or three prime colors. People interested in looking at these works may visit the Lucy Mattos Museum, or they can check out some of them on the artist's official website.

www.museolucymattos.com

The works of Lucy Mattos fall into four main categories. These are sculptures, art installations, jewelry, and engravings. Throughout her career, she had done hundreds of artworks, and these often carry themes that revolve around a woman's figure. A lot of her sculptures have an almost abstract design, but you can still see the female character shining through. Mattos has always mentioned that she creates her female-themed sculptures from a symbolic perspective. A lot of her creations are reminiscent of the works of well-known sculptors like Antony Gormley, Tony Cragg, and Richard Deacon. A paramount aspect of Mattos' sculptures is the variety of materials she uses in creating her "A La Hermana De Dalì", Polyester Resin, Neon, Lace

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WINTER 2017

Lisa Levasseur

“Copper Moon”, Recycled Paint On Canvas 48” X 24” – Private Collection In Rancho Mirage, California

Lisa Levasseur Thomas Lioutas

“Trip To Disney ”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 51” X 24” – Sold At ArtExpo NYC For A Private Collection

WINTER 2017

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“Gypsy Rose”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 10” X 10”

Lisa Levasseur is a self-taught Canadian artist that has been producing art since 2010 and showcases and an impressive amount of work despite recently starting her professional artistic career. As an artist, the techniques that she uses are highly innovative, creating artworks unlike any other that are abstract regarding form and highly virtuosic regarding technique. Specifically, she uses an interesting and innovative technique that balances between painting and sculpture, thus has an immensely diverse approach to art. Innovation lies at the very core of Lisa Levasseur's artistic work. PalleteAr™ which is her personal technique fuses elements of painting and drawing, creating forms that are uniquely brilliant and fresh. She works them in an intensely personal way, by adding and sculpting layers of dried acrylic color, recycling the material and reshaping it into new artistic forms that contribute to the development of her rich artistic expression. The concept of transmutation which is innate to such a process leads to artworks that are original thematically and technically. Thus the viewer experiences an entirely unique and new experience, www.arttourinternational.com

“Gypsy Rose”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 10” X 10”

something extremely rare and admirable. These artworks, abstract in nature, revolve around the core ideas of abstraction in art, namely self-referring artworks that exist on their own and Cont. next page

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develop a wide array of concepts not by direct visual depiction, but rather through more cognitive processes. The artworks that she produces remain faithful to these core ideas and even expand them by introducing material as a part of the conceptual processes of the realization of artwork. Specifically, the recycled acrylic color is not only a choice of materials but also a choice which is deeply thematic as it is connected to contemporary social and environmental issues. The acrylics that would otherwise be discarded become protagonists in this picturesque scene spearheading the proposed aesthetics and managing to become a rich and novel material. Thus one can say that Lisa Levasseur approaches her art in a complete way, by managing not only to cooperate and balance concept with technique but rather take another step and forge them into a single entity. 54

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Apart from the innovative features that are mentioned above, her artworks are highly unusual regarding aesthetics, as they are not just innovative thematically, but they are also realized in a profound and masterful way. The depicted compositions are elegantly structured in forms that subconsciously refer to organic shapes, but there is also an in-depth knowledge of geometry evident. This multitude of cooperating forms forges a final result which exhibits a high degree of compositional knowledge showcases the way that self-taught artists can reach profound depths of artistic creation via personal inquiry and research, something which is even more admirable. Another feature of the creative work which is implemented in a very successful way is the color palette that she chooses Cont. next page

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“Endless Nights II”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 24” X 16” – Permanent Collection In A Museum In Las Vegas

“ Bright Lights”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 24” X 16” – Permanent Collection In A Museum In Las Vegas

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WINTER 2017

“Mind’s Eye”, Recycled Paint On Canvas, 20” X 16” – Awarded On Broadway Stage, NYC

throughout her artworks. Regarding color selection, it is diverse and employs the full range of the spectrum but always balancing the colors on an artwork into a harmonious and coherent unity. She also makes extensive use of contrasting color tones to highlight shapes and features that play a fundamental role in the final composition. It is a work that approaches the very quintessence of concepts like form and coloration, as these elements are created by the colors themselves instead of being mere illusions as it happens throughout the majority of the artistic production. Thus honesty becomes a crucial feature of her work, as the technique used is employed accordingly and honestly to the general concept which is proposed by the artist.

beyond and introduces bold and dynamic ideas of technical and conceptual fusion. Such approaches are admirable when they are implemented successfully as the horizons of artistic production are broadened, and our collective culture is promoted to new heights.

It is rare to find an artist with the conceptual scope of Lisa Levasseur. Throughout her dedicated and avant-garde approach to artistic production, she has managed in just a few years to introduce entirely new features to the realm of abstraction in art, operating though to distance herself from the most academic approaches that were conducted throughout the 20th century. Her work is not innovative because it follows the rules of abstraction, rather it is innovative because it goes one step

WINTER 2017

ljlevasseur.com

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“Ocean Vibes”, Recycled Paint On Canvas,24” X 36” – One Of The Newest Pieces

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WINTER 2017

Maitreya by Thomas Lioutas

Maitreya through his artistic expression approaches the realm of dreams and visions in art in a way which is both referring to the artistic past as well as managing to reach new depths. It is a work diverse concerning themes, drawing inspiration artistically from the powerful symbolism of mysticism while managing to maintain his personal touch. One of the most important elements that are masterfully implemented in the body of work of Maitreya is the use of patterns to convey the full range of emotions and concepts that he aims to. Specifically, since the work is based on the personal experiences of dreams, visions and mysticism, the artworks share some traditional aesthetics that are rooted in these ideas. Color tones and drawings will follow patterns that are highly fluid, implementing a dynamic sense of movement, while at the same time orchestrating a result which is either blinding regarding clarity or blurry and mysterious. It is a technique which is directly paralleled to the aesthetics inherently tied to dreaming, a cognitive mental process of unpredictable and ever-changing visuals.

"(ArtArsenal) Pangu.Truly From The Beginning He Was Alone...", Oil On Canvas, 39”x 47”

The artist uses all these patterns to establish a connection to the viewer of the exhibited artwork and thus manage to form an intensely personal relationship. Such a process is pivotal to the very essence of the thematic of the artist, as it is an artistic body of work which is based on ideas concerning personal connections between humans and the way that elements of spiritualism and subconscious process have a great impact on our personality. Maitreya manages to structure dynamic compositions that are implementing a multitude of artistic elements while at the same time maintaining a balance which is demanded to create a well established final piece. The artistic depiction of all the figures and objects is realistic, and thus the viewer can easily relate to this alternate reality which is portrayed. A reality which is rooted deep in the cognitive processes of the artist and either answer to existential questions or forge such profound enigmas about our nature and perception. In essence, it is a work which is rooted in the movement of surrealism. The fundamental difference between the established surrealism and the work of Maitreya is that artistic depiction for the latter is derived from the subject, instead of the subject being dictated by the form of artistic expression chosen by the artist. Thus Maitreya distances himself from any artistic heritage and follows a personal path that leads both the artist and the observer to great conceptual depths. One needs to carefully examine the full scope of Maitreya's artistic portfolio to fully understand the grand design which is motivating it. It is a work which communicates both with the viewer and with itself, being extremely cognitive and emotional while at the same time delving deep into the quintessence of spiritualism.

“(ArtArsenal) An Empty “Prayer Wheel” “, Oil On Canvas, 29”x24”

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www.empire-maitreya.com

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Michael Todd Morrison

"Cristo", Acrylic On Canvas, 18" x 24"

"Il Volto Dell' Italia”, Acrylic On Canvas, 24" x 18"

by Amanda Prada Outpourings of the soul, paint splashed on canvas, breathtaking natural beauty, these have been the hallmarks of Michael Morrison's work, a self-taught artist, and photographer, who has made an undeniable platform for his art in the US. The haunting quality of his work draws inspiration from the most mundane aspects of life, and he manages to transport them all to jaw-dropping beauty. Morrison rarely looks to exotic locales to find his muse. He finds it in everyday people and the changing facades of nature. Some of his most important photography has been inspired by his home shores of Northern Carolina. However, this does not detract from his ability to extract the finest from his numerous travels all over the globe.

mood of the moment.” These unexpected moments come across the canvas as medleys of colors, coming to life, and draw the eyes in like magnets. His abstracts at first glance appear as large views of color, but look closer, and in line with your own perceptions, forms and lines will soon take shape. Morrison’s art reflects his passion for life, and this is evident in his treatment of color variants.

michaelmorrisonart.com

Michael Todd Morrison leaves the viewer guessing and elicits interpretation; his work is a reflection of his own thought process, each piece unlike the other. Morrison’s artwork see-saws to extremes. In one instance one comes across humming and throbbing colors depicting the vibrant dance of life, and in the other, stark black and white paintings, perhaps peeping at life through the eyes of the extremist. Michael Todd Morrison's abstracts are in an altogether different class. As Morrison himself puts it, “my abstracts follow no particular path. They are sudden, quirky, and dependent on my

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“Pulse”, Acrylic On Canvas, 24" x 18"

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Maya Vinokurov The symbolism expressed by Maya V inokurov is a work of fine workmanship. A symbolism able to capture the mind and let us know the meaning of the strongest creations. A symbolism that is able to get the attention of even the most distracted thinkers. Vinokurov's painting, with its hidden meanings, has the same evocative power of the Ten Commandments. Visual presentations lead us to a world without rationality. A world created by the brilliance of the artist's mind. A world dominated by earthly reality and a world of colors that illuminate the history of man. A story in which Maya V ino kurov is the tr ue protagonist.

“A Reflection Of The Future”, Acrylic On Canvas, 20” x 20”

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“Illumination”, Oil On Canvas, 16” x 20”

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“Messenger 1”, Acrylic On Canvas, 24” x 30”

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Tara Del Rey “The Magical Power of Vulnerability.'' “Something fascinating happens when you take off all your clothes and present yourself totally naked in public. You've already made yourself so vulnerable, so exposed that there's nothing left for people to attack. Often people attack to knock down your walls, to make you vulnerable, to expose you or find out what lies beneath your facade, or to forcibly remove your defenses, so they have power over you. When you do this yourself with no sexual intention whatsoever, it startles & disarms people. I know because I worked as an Artist Life Model from the age of 17. I wouldn't claim that this is 100% true of all people or all situations. I'm just recounting my experiences. But Ironically, for me the times I've felt safest are when I've been completely naked. I believe there's a protective power in Vulnerability.” - Tara Del Rey Tara Del Rey declared herself a Post-Postmodern Artist in 1996 in direct opposition to the dominance of Postmodernism but more in quiet recognition of the inevitably down spiraling limits of Relativism. Always ahead of her time, Del Rey wrote in 1998 while still at Art College "Postmodernism Is Already Dead" and despite being chastised for this defiance by her tutors, Del Rey carried on developing & producing her "Visionary Art" until the rest of the art world finally caught up. Fatigued by Cynicism, Pastiche & Deconstruction, Del Rey's Art is unapologetically Sincere, Autobiographical, Spiritually & Emotionally Intense. Always a Pioneer, Tara Del Rey's work fits but goes beyond the Post-Postmodern Performatism paradigm put forward by Eshelman, bringing back the Platonic Ideals of good, beauty and wholeness in contrast to the Nihilism of PostModernism. Del Rey's Swimming Naked With Sharks’ underwater Performance premiered in 2016 to rave reviews in Paphos, the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of Love and Art. Displayed at Technopolis 20 as an invited International Artist at Cyprus Open Studios 2016, Del Rey's Shark artwork graphically illustrates and champions the protective power of vulnerability. Fearlessly baring all to illuminate hidden aspects of our collective human experience, this hallmark of all Del Rey's Performance Art is taken to a literal extreme in "Swimming Naked With Sharks."

ArtistArtistArtist@icloud.com www.arttourinternational.com

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Curated by: VIVIANA PUELLO Graphic Director: ALAN GRIMANDI

Published and Distributed by: ArtTour International Publications Inc. 45 Rockefeller Plaza Suite 2000 New York, NY 10111 Printed in Italy

BUJN T UPQ NBTUFST PG DPOUFNQPSBSZ BSU 62

© Copyright 2016. ArtTour International Publications. All copyrights are reserved by the authors. The copyrights of all published without the written permission WINTERartwork 2016 are retained by the artists. Reproduction of any published material www.arttourinternational.com of the magazine’s publisher is prohibited by law. Artwork on back cover: “Kinkajou”, Fine Art Photography By Durga Garcia

“Gay Gotham” Art and Underground Culture in New York

by Thomas Liuthas The museum of the city of New York currently hosts an exhibition which is referring to the rich and diverse LGBT community of New York, a community which has contributed significantly in the forging of the modern and contemporary artistic scene of the 20th century of New York. New York is a city well known for this original scene, a scene that has frequently been at the forefront of artistic evolution and included significant personalities of the 20th-century art, like www.arttourinternational.com

Andy Warhol, the dominant figure of American Pop Art. Through "Gay Gotham," the viewer can experience the depth of this mostly hidden community and understand its significance which goes well beyond the borders of those people that are adherent to this community. This picturesque scene is explored in "Gay Gotham" through a vast collection of photographs, paintings, and memorabilia that belong to artists of this scene, both famous and less well-known. A point that has been emphasized in the exhibition is how this artistic scene evolved Cont Next Page WINTER 2017 63

New York Magazine,June 20, 1994 Courtesy New York Magazine

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predominantly underground until our days, and despite its secrecy managed to forge contemporary art as few others did. In essence, it is not only art that expresses the mentality and lifestyle of the LGBT community but includes a more general social attitude considering the notion and concept of oppression. The LGBT community as a group survived, for the majority of the century, social isolation has being denied basic human rights up until relatively recently, and it is still facing bigotry from a large number of people. For all these reasons, this is a highly significant exhibition of a tremendous social and cultural significance, as it transcends the nature of mere visually pleasant art and manages to forge an active dialogue about significantly important social issues. It is quintessentially a human artistic exhibition. Thus it should interest not only artists and art-lovers but any person that wants to delve deep into a rich and largely unknown culture.

Leonard Bernstein, drawing by William Auerbach-Levy Museum of the City of New York, bequest of William Auerbach-Levy, 64.100.573

Kissing Doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Kill: Greed and Indifference Dobus poster, design by Gran Fury for Art Against AIDS/On The Road and Creative Time, Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1989 Gran Fury, Courtesy The New York Public Library Manuscripts and Archives Division

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From left, Whitney Elite, Ira Ebony, Stewart and Chris LaBeija, Ian and Jamal Adonis, Ronald Revlon, House of Jourdan Ball, New Jersey, photo by Chantal Regnault Photo © Chantal Regnault – 1989

Throughout the duration of the exhibition, some collateral events will be hosted as well on the grounds of the museum. These events aim to delve even deeper into the roots, the present

and the future of the LGBT community as well as open the discussion to the public and diversify its significance. By attending these events until the closing of the exhibition (26th of February, 2017), one can form a more rounded view of this hugely important social group and understand a wide area of scenes that it has influenced other than art & underground culture like fashion, cinema, philosophy, etc. Do not miss the chance to visit the Museum of the City of New York, to experience the cultural heritage and treasure which is hidden in plain sight while most people ignore its significance. It is a journey deep within the roots of the philosophical questioning of hierarchy, dominance and oppression, one that sadly still is relevant and apparent in the majority of our planet where members of the LGBT community are marginalized and denied their rights.

www.mcny.org

From left, Lois Weaver, Peggy Shaw, and Deb Margolin performing as Split Britches in Upwardly Mobile Home, photo by Eva Weiss Courtesy Eva Weiss – 1984

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Michael Lam

A bridge between East and West

by Yadira Roman Michael Lam is an internationally acclaimed Chinese-born New York artist that manages through his vibrant work to bridge the gap between eastern and western culture. His work is deeply rooted in his memories and experiences as he grew up in China, where he made his first contact with one of the most intriguing parts of their visual culture, calligraphy. This early life experience marked the b e g i n n i n g o f L a m' s successful career, the basis for his current artistic structure that has eastern foundations and that he expresses in a more westernized manner. Lam’s art has often been referred to as representing a “New York Line” due to his excellent line technique.

practice venerated in China, a tradition going back thousands of years and in a way it combines artistic expression with actual writing. This way of performing just a few strokes with a brush (or even a single one) and managing to create a symbol that has not just a crude meaning but an aesthetic value corresponding to its purpose as well, is something which is genuinely fascinating and indeed can be correlated with contemporary art. Through his expertise in this practice that formed the foundations of his artistic work, Michael Lam manages to create meaningful artworks that introduce one to an experience that feels both familiar, and quite new. N o t a b l y, t h e r e i s a n engaging dialogue between one and his works, as he presents a symbol which is abstract as a form but can be highly representative of an extremely clear notion or object. One is drawn into exploring the image which is

These traditional roots are tr a n s f o rm e d i nt o a n artistic expression relevant to our days by the Lam who is now operating in a contemporary context, reevaluating the way that the origins of any culture can have an impact on our society. Calligraphy is a “Genesis – Let There Be Light 08 “

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Genesis â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Let There Be Light 07 â&#x20AC;&#x153;

presented in front with the yearning to discover every hidden aspect of it. This stimulation which is posed to the viewer as the witness is a benefiting feature that renders such a form of art contemporary. It transcends the roots that are interwoven with tradition and enters the world contemporary art, which demands the audience to become an active participant in the experience of the work itself, a thinker instead of a reader. Michael Lam also has a series of artworks that derive from the same technical roots but at some crucial points take a different route, thus having their personal existence. It is his work around the single stroke, a technique which is not only aesthetically www.arttourinternational.com

pleasant but also demands a high degree of concentration and is extremely virtuosic when practiced with mastery. It is an unforgiving technique, as the artist is not allowed any mistake on the given artwork. One needs to be at the same time calm, bold, decided and elegant to have an extremely high degree of control over the brushstroke, a brushstroke that considers at the same time pressure, direction, rhythm, and movement. The outcome might initially be mistaken as the result of "just a few seconds," but it is the work of years or even decades concentrated in a fraction of the time. Cont. Next Page

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“Genesis – Let There Be Light 11”, (2016), Acrylic Ink On Paper, 45” X 45”

Lam manages to create something fresh and unique which further expands his symbol-based work of calligraphy and becomes a window into the abstract spiritual mind. One can follow the path of the hand as it traversed through the paper in a way reminiscent of the mid 20th-century action painting movement. Lam approaches the subject with elegance and, unlike action painting, power is constrained and controlled, creating bursts that are carefully positioned and defined. Thus once again the viewer is an integral part of the interpretation of the artwork as one needs to experience these paintings as stamps of time and space that indicate concepts proposed by the artist. Once such a connection has been established, one might find these single brushstrokes to hide layers upon layers of delicate features that orchestrate with precision an approach to the desired topic. Michael Lam creates paintings that are autonomous of his larger work as a drawing virtuoso with unique techniques but still there are some quite robust connections to be made. Once again 70

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he retains the abstract nature of his artistic expression, preferring to contact the viewer via pure aesthetics rather than references. Clear symbols are absent as well, but the general forms that are apparent on his artworks almost always hint towards the existence of some entities. Not physical entities, but rather symbolic and abstract objects that can be considered as a reference to his other series of work. What is fascinating in some of his pieces is that the background is not a monochromatic hue or the surface of the given medium. Instead, the space that surrounds the portrayed entity is something that plays a more prominent role and manages to describe an existence. The question is up to the viewer once again to answer: Is it a natural reality which is conceptualized or is it a concept taking form in the context of the painting? Lam’s work explores concepts of opposites such as good and evil and balancing the yin and the yang through the interplay of light and dark. Cont. Next Page

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“Rise”(2015), Acrylic Ink On Paper, 30”x 25”

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“God Lady”

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Lam's underlying messages in his work express the concept of acceptance for the natural state of all that exists and the importance of attaining a state of complete spontaneity which will lead us to be what nature intended. In an article describing Lam's work, ATIM Editor-in-Chief Viviana Puello wrote "To appreciate his work, one must transcend the external manifestation of his excellent technical skills to understand the spiritual freedom of his art, which focuses on the spontaneous nature of the universe. Two important messages in his work are that everything in the world has a natural state and that one should strive to attain a state of complete spontaneity to become what nature intended." An impacting artist that is sharing his vision through his scope of life, one is ensured that this artistic journey can be a fruitful one for anyone that loves art which combines aesthetics, technique, and concept. It is the most crucial part of this dialogue as the viewer needs to show extreme care to distinguish the many overlying elements present on these artworks. Once these items have been interpreted, new and exciting pathways appear that

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lead to many realizations about the nature of symbols and their significance for our society. In 2016 Michael Lamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s philanthropic efforts were recognized. For his significant contribution and devotion to promoting global peace through his works of art, ArtTour International Magazine presented the title of â&#x20AC;&#x153;ATIM Messenger Of Peaceâ&#x20AC;? to Lam through the "Create 4 Peace". A program created by ArtTour International Magazine to reduce the transgenerational transmission of pain and suffering, utilizing art to impact the imagination and creativity of people to transmit love, peace, and personal responsibility. Michael Lam is a storyteller evoking passion, peace, inner truth and connecting us all to higher levels of consciousness through his art.

www.michaellamny.com

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Misa Aihara “We have the ability to sense every color and every shape surrounding us and to accept what they are telling. Look and feel what you see there.” www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~uam53283

“Cxu Vi Amas Brahms?”, Oil On Canvas, 31”x 39”

“En Cxambro16–7”, Oil On Canvas, 36”x 46”

Regina Bardavid “I am motivated by the enjoyment and excitement of allowing images to appear, manipulating the material, pushing and pulling pigment across the surface of the canvas or paper. An exploration of playfulness within a discipline. It is imperative for me not to have a recognizable image but rather ambiguous, enigmatic forms. The mystery is significant of life, religion, the unknown and undecipherable. Intangible things that trigger the imagination shapes that have the presence and not the lineaments of objects.

“Primordial Image”, Oil And Beeswax On Canvas 32”x 63”x 2”

I have been drawing inspiration from the behavior and practices of traditional South African Healers. I work from my intuition finding ways to contact the subconscious as to reach the collective unconscious. This allows me to search for something larger and more meaningful than myself. Chance and hazard are an important part of the process, pouring paint, making marks on the surface allows the painting to paint itself, until reaching the realization that no more is needed and the painting is 'finished' this being an experience that goes beyond verbal explanation, an intuitive response to the work.”

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“Unitled 71”, Oil And Beeswax On Canvas, 65”x 116”x 2”

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Phyllis I. Jaffe

by Yadira Roman

Phyllis I. Jaffe is a contemporary painter with a long artistic career spanning for decades and exhibiting as early as the 1970s. Throughout this long creative journey she has managed to formulate a highly personal and refined approach to abstract art, an approach which is both extremely elegant in terms of composition and color usage but robust and dynamic at the same time, managing to convey bold emotions and create strong connections to underlying notions. The main body of her artistic work is predominantly abstract. Thus theme is something not concrete but rather a collection of symmetries or bold chromatic additions that manage to underline concepts inherent to her work. Her artistic approach is evidently about the great American movement of abstract expressionism, one of the most prominent artistic movements to ever emerge from the U.S.A. since the second world war and naturally, she manages to create artworks that are highly pleasant aesthetically despite their abstract theme.

"Point.Line.Plane.#16", Acrylic & Collage On Canvas, 44"x 68"

excellent feature that naturally leads to contribute substantially to the construction of a highly well-defined context that brings forwards other visual choices made by her. It is a characteristic that helps the general organization of the painting into more robust areas that manage to sustain their refined, elegant drawing, render them bold and retain drawing as an integral part of the final result instead of simply a feature that aids in the formulation of future shapes. This geometric approach that she takes in many of her artworks is a characteristic that differentiates her from her roots in the abstract expressionism movement, as the majority of those artists explored almost exclusively a less structured form of expressions. It is also pivotal to explore the way that the element of movement is incorporated in the work of Jaffe, as it is one of her most characteristic and successfully used features in her journey for aesthetic refinement.

www.pgGallery.com

One feature that ne e ds to be understood is that abstraction in the case of Jaffe does not at any case mean r a n d o mn e ss . Her ap p ro a c h t o abstraction in a painting is a process which is both well thought and carefully delivered to maintain a perfect sense of balance in terms of composition and color usage. She is an artist that makes bold use of color to convey the emotions that she aims to, a process which is highly conceptual in n a t ur e a s i t d e m a n d s c a r e f u l consideration before placing each and every brushstroke. Another prominent feature throughout her artistic work is the way that Jaffe manages to incorporate geometric drawing into her abstract style. It is an www.arttourinternational.com

"Point.Line.Plane. #11", Acrylic & Collage On Canvas, 40â&#x20AC;?x 30"

"Point.Line.Plane.#13", Acrylic & Collage On Canvas, 40â&#x20AC;?x 30"

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Sara Abid

“The Struggling Soul”, Oil On Canvas, 48”x 36”

by Lauras Sara Abid is an artist from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan who combines creative artworks with humanitarian projects. Sara's artworks tend to be vibrant, colorful and somewhat dreamlike. One of the most remarkable facts about Sara Abid is that she is a self-taught artist. In recent years, Sara's work has become increasingly popular and has also made a great impact in the international area, exhibiting in prestigious galleries in cities like Florence, New York, Seoul and South Korea. She has artworks hanged around the world including Mexico, Hungary, Canada, USA, Singapore, Kuwait, Dubai, West Indies and more. Sara creates works that have a definitely oneiric quality to them. Her use of wide, sweeping strokes, particularly in the backdrop of her paintings, creates a blurred and suggestive space that is full of motion and imagination. By contrast, the figures in the foreground of her paintings tend to be drawn sharply and precisely. Very often, these are human figures with their faces averted. Sara's artworks demonstrate a fascination with reflections, and particularly reflections of light on water. Rainy scenes are a very common theme in her works, and an umbrella is an object that takes on something of an iconic status. Woodland scenes with glassy puddles in are also some of the most memorable parts of 76

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Sara's art. However, this should not be taken to mean that Sara sticks firmly to just a few scenes and themes. On the contrary, one of the defining features of her body of work is its very expansiveness. However, whether she is depicting a woodland scene or a city street, a single female figure or a state of the art car, all of Sara Abid's works have the same vibrant and attentiongrabbing quality. A significant number of Sara's works are executed in an abstract style. In these works, color and form come to the fore, and there is no concentration on a single figure as in many of her other pieces (such as those that depict a car or a human figure holding an umbrella in the foreground). These abstract paintings do not represent a very dramatic departure from the rest of Sara's works, though. It can be said that the backgrounds of even her most 'realist' paintings are done in an abstract style with their swirling and sweeping lines. Sara's purely abstract paintings can thus be argued to represent the logical progression of her earlier paintings: here, we see the 'background' coming to the fore and being scrutinized in its own right. One way of characterizing Sara Abid's work is to describe it as a kind of modern Expressionism. The bold and vigorous colors combined with the sense of imaginative display ensure that each

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and every one of Sara's paintings expresses a deep emotion. The way in which Sara tends to place her human figures in her portraits - often with their backs to the viewer looking outwards into the backdrop of the painting - seems to invite the viewer to put themselves into the position of the main figure in the portrait. As a result, it can be said that Sara's artworks are ones that resonate deeply with their viewers. They draw us in and almost make us feel part of the painting. Though Sara Abid is very much a self-taught artist, we can nevertheless trace the influence of several other artists in her work. Sometimes, in fact, Sara makes this effect very explicit. One of her paintings, for example, depicts an auburn-haired woman with a long flowing dress into which patterns are drawn in gold and yellow. The picture is very clearly a reimagining of Klimt's famous work 'The Kiss.' This is perhaps the most explicit of influences in Sara's works; in her other paintings, the nods to other artists are more subtle. It can definitely be said that her influences are various, however, and she has shown herself to be keen to turn her hand to everything from Expressionism to stylized ethnic art, and from traditional watercolors to very abstract paintings that have more than a hint of Pollock to them. Sara imbues all of her artworks with the same imaginative sweep and the same evident fascination with color. It can also be said that Sara modernizes her influences. In her works, we do not see the classic Expressionism of Van Gogh but something more responsive to the fast pace of urban life. The multitude of

“The Scream”, Oil On Canvas, 42”x 36”

influences in Sara's oeuvre gives her complete body of work a very cosmopolitan feel. This is certainly one factor that has facilitated her global popularity. Perhaps the best way to understand Sara's art is to see it through her own eyes. Sara describes herself as painting her soul onto the canvas - something that can be aligned theoretically with the Expressionist genre. However, for Sara, pouring her soul onto the canvas has a moral as well as an aesthetic significance. Sara believes that art should be soulful not only in the sense of being beautiful but also in the sense of being morally right. As a result, she donates a hundred percent of her profits to charity to help the needy. Many artists are aware of the material and monetary value of their works alongside their aesthetic value. But not all artists aim, like Sara, to turn that material value into something that will very tangibly help other people. For this reason, Sara's art can be seen as a humanitarian project as well as an artistic one. Sara's early tendency to experiment with a variety of different genres and techniques may well d itself into a more definitively abstract style. What we may hope most, however, is that she will continue to develop her own particular style.

artistrybysara@gmail.com www.instagram.com/ artistrybysaraabid/ “Surrender”, Oil On Canvas, 36”x 36”

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Seppo Kari “In 1964 I started my career in an advertising agency as a graphic designer in Seinäjoki, a city in western Finland. At about the same time I began to paint and participated in first art exhibitions. My techniques are oil, acrylic, and crayon, in graphic art serigraphy and digital. The method of working is very often structural. Shadows are used to create lightness, shape, and illusion. The paintings are disconnected from reality, although they include parts of reality loaded with symbolism and images. I like to paint nocturnal topics. I paint ”the black light”. My night is not gloomy but is a unique world which you cannot see in the daylight. At the moment, I am affected by Italian art and by the Renaissance. I have tried to equate this bygone era with the present and find similarities in people`s personalities and thinking. However, have we achieved any significant leaps in our thinking?” www.seppokari.fi

“Naturally Beautiful Also Needs Make-Up 2016”, Acrylic & Oil, 53”x37”

“Farewell 2016”, Acrylic & Oil, 53”x37”

“Communication 2016”, Acrylic & Oil, 53”x37”

Sónia Domingues "My paintings emerge from dreams, as my desire for them come true. Each story, each idea is shared with all art lovers, in all kind of surfaces, independently the dimension or the degree of difficulty…and if the Great World of Arts is a big journey, I want to stroll through all artistic styles, showing my vision of them…I hope you enjoy it..."

www.soniadomingues.com

“Flight In The Butterfly Of Your Cliff I”, Mixed Media On Canvas, 43”x 43”

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“Flight In The Butterfly Of Your Cliff II”, Mixed Media On Canvas, 43”x 43”

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STAR TRAUTH

“Head Full Of Forgotten Things”, Fiber Sculpture

"My triptych draws from what I find most resonant about the Dada movement. The experimental and experiential aspect of Dada energizes me with the freedom to use the conventional in unconventional ways. I'm inspired to create beyond boundaries without worry of breaking the rules. We are only limited by imagination. I incorporated a chance poem as an homage to Tristan Tzara. I used the early writings of Robert Smith for my cuttings; his work sparked my exploration into modern forms separate from my parent's hippie and beat influence. My further exploration into Dada was through Japanese craft culture. Jun Tsuji's teachings of pure experiential living, the impulse to wander, and a free spirit challenge me to live unburdened by consumerism, negativity, and fearful societal influence." 100 Years of Dada Art Exhibition Ontological Museum, Permanent Collection About The Artist by Yadira Roman

“Mums” Fiber Sculpture

"This series was one of my very first. After seeing the completion of several sets, my mom asked if I'd make her one single totem. She didn't like to be any trouble. She picked the first fibers that spoke to her. She and the fibers she chose were my inspiration. Soon after she became ill with brutal cancer. I brought the completed totem to her cancer suite, and she appreciatively ran her fingers over the luxurious fiber's that she chose. I informed her I was making her a set. Cancer took her soon after. That totem was a source of sadness for me and sat alone, for years. During my mom's illness, I would send notes to her best friend from childhood, to let her know how mom was progressing. It occurred to me recently that I could complete them and send them to her. Joy from sadness. Mom would be thrilled."

Star Trauth is a contemporary textile artist based in Florida who works with different types of fabric, textiles, and materials to create unique installations. Trauth enjoys the interplay of color and texture on fiber, working to build pieces of fiber sculpture that are beautiful and unique. Star Trauth utilizes her architecture of fiber and metal for the creation of stick-like sets. The colors vary wildly, and each fiber sculpture is its own installation. Trauth states that once she began creating this type of work, "it was satisfying in a way that no other discipline" had proved to be. She started creating and naming totems and became inspired by the color naturally at work in the city of Miami, particularly the vibrant sky. Star Trauth's pieces are totems, gathered together in collections. Real, textile-based, and feeling-driven. One quickly forms an attachment to each piece, highlighting how homely it is for Trauth to create works that resonate with people from all walks of life. She is in a sense a walking matrix of the emotional joys of life, connecting to the desires of all.

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WINTER 2017

Sveta Long by Viviana Puello

Originally from Russia, now based in North Carolina, USA, Sveta Long has a unique style given the name of "Faberge Art Deco." Her work is a colorful nod to the Faberge eggs and Art Deco era. A walk into the innovative window of her work is a precious gift to all. Long's artistic techniques are a unique craft; she takes us into an imaginative world of play and craftsmanship drawing intricate lines, flowers, faces, and mermaids that catch the light to shimmer on vases, plates, fabrics, and eggs. She incorporates the use of kitchen appliances such as plates, cups, utensils, and a variety of objects to depict her abstract world. Long has a love for all things that shimmer, and she brings her fresh new style to numerous things. What once was a form that was traditionally kept to elaborate and ornate painted eggs has expanded to multiple items. She began to recreate well known and highly desired Russian crafts, using designs that at some point were solely made for royalty. Her venture with this concept started at home, as she recreated and developed her household items. Long’s style brings to mind the admired vintage intricate glory of Russian nobility and their possessions, transformed and made fresh in a completely new and inventive New World style.The pieces are not only frequently 3-D, but pop out at you

“Sugar Bawl”, Ceramic, 9” x 7”

WINTER 2017

with vibrant and delicately contrasting colors, beautiful borders, and storytelling patterns. Such is the grand style of these Faberge and art deco items, which demand to be viewed and never go unobserved. Long's one of a kind creations, are colorful and vibrant in a sea of stuffy material things. Check out her stylish kettle adorned with elaborate snaking gold vines and white flower buds over a tea set that is a gorgeous shade of teal accompanying its viewer's desires of elegance and expression. Her work is both functional and expressive art. Whether it's a long glass that you are drinking white wine out of or an immense plate that you are leaning against a wall in your home, Long's creations are truly unique and inspired. Her hands get ahold of all mediums and materials to bring to life the warm quality she carries within. Whether fabric or glass, Long has transformed her love for this modern art deco style and made it entirely her own. Something from the old world, a bit of the new world integrated all into one to take place and share space in the heart of many. Sveta Long's top quality designs and creations compliment that of a polished hand and an eye for richness. With a bit of Russian magic and a bit of American production, Long has burst onto the modern art scene with a bang. From vases to home sets, she brings a touch of Faberge Art Deco to everything she touches. Rooted from Faberge inspiration, applied to tangible objects-- Long is bringing a whole new wave of functionality to an older traditional style.

artbysveta.com

“Lilly Of The Valley”, Hand Made Glass & Acrylic, 11” x 8”

www.arttourinternational.com

Wendy Fee by Amanda Prada

Canadian artist Wendy Fee, seems to do just what de Beauvoir suggests. Her nomadic spirit, free-thinking and nature-inspired abstract art reflects her need to express and capture the emotional truth to either an idea, place or a time and transpose her dialogue with nature onto canvas. Her work is influenced by the ever-changing landscape of natural elements during all seasons, with water being the primary source of inspiration. Nature in all its myriad facets has always been the focus of Wendy’s art. Her watercolor skills have been influenced by the works of Alvaro Castagnet, and she has had occasion to even work alongside him. Embracing his style of “painting with passion- beyond technique” seems to have served her well. This style reflects in her passionate renderings of nature in bold, bright, yet mellow tones. The unpredictable, complex, and multiple facets of life, even in abstract form, make one want to touch and feel them, jump in and experience them. Fee’s pieces are a reflection of an effortless fusion of acrylic paints, watercolor, inks and various other mediums in a simplistic yet realistic manner so that each process of the paint reflects the essence of the subject as opposed to just highlighting the details. In the end, the painting possesses hues of abstraction as well as nonrepresentation. “Turquoise Soul,” conveys a sense of being one with nature, where what happens right now may not occur in the next moment. And with bold strokes of color, heightened with vibrant light, Fee manages to create the complex and evolving entity we call Nature. In “Angel Woods," Fee captured the warm-hearted motion of orange autumn leaves against the vivid backdrop of endless blue skies.

"Angel Woods", Acrylic on canvas, 36" X 24"

While viewers wait with bated breath for her work, Fee is following her own life-path and creating intuitive, impulsive art, straight from the heart.

"Phosphorescence Series #5", Acrylic on Terraskin, 24" X 36"

www.arttourinternational.com

wendyfee.com

"Turquoise Soul", Acrylic & Rice Paper On Canvas, 40" X 60"

WINTER 2017

GRIFFITH FINE ART presents

Kay Griffith EUROPE 2017 TOUR

American artist Kay Griffith creates vivid and masterful abstract compositions with a personal artistic approach employing oils on canvas with the masterful use of palette knives, Griffith skillfully plays with texture, color, light and rhythm, the result, a magical symphony where emotions come to life in an open invitation to intimate dialogs with the viewers.