Circle Quarterly Art Review | 9

An Examination of

Published by Circle Foundation For the Arts Cover Image Kaat Stieber

Recent Artwork by

Index of Featured Artists

Angela Banks

Patti Barker

Michelle Bond Glenys Buzza John A. Calabrese

William Charuhas Bob Conge Jana Cruder Duane Ditty Georg Douglas Natalie Egger Elsa Egon

Robert Ellison Miguel E George Forgie Philippe Giroux Kent Gordon Harrie Handler

Ulla Hasen Hannelore Heider Ilze Helgeland Petronilla HohenwARTer

Linda Hollinger Kristin Holm Dybvig Henk Holsheimer

Suzanne Howe Rachel Jag Lili Jiang Pancho Jiménez

David Edward Johnson Daniela Kammerer Min-Ji Kang

Aleksandra Kann-Bogomilska Diane Kazakis Robin Kerr

Leili Khabiri Sally K Kathleen Kilchenmann Jill Krasner

Jürgen Krass Bryce August LeFort Roberta Levitow Victoria Li Wilfrie Linssen Liyuan Liu Katja Lührs Lukáš Kándl Dita Luse Stephen Mangum Paula Mans Guy-Anne Massicotte (Gama) Brian McClear Marjorie and Bob Moskowitz Leah Nietz Maj-Britt Niklasson Loretta Petraitis Carl Pinnington Sergey Piskunov Samu Raatikainen John Ralston V Marilena Ramadori Graham Rhodes George Rowbottom Thomas W Schaller Kaat Stieber Julia A. Still Eleanor Swan Dina Torrans Mathew Tudor Mila Veljac’a Fang Xin G Yeon Doncho Zahariev Milena Zdravkova Shicheng Zhao

MEET THE CURATOR

Born 1986 in Athens, Greece, Myrina Tunberg Georgiou grew up on the island of Crete. After graduating high school she moved to Athens to attend the National University of Greece and study Methodology, History and Theory of Sciences. Next, she moved to Santa Barbara, California to study Studio Art at SBCC. Deeply inspired by Professor, Department Chair and sculptor Ed Inks she further pursued an education in Art History and Studio Art. After earning a degree in Design & Technology from the San Francisco Art Institute, Myrina continued to be involved in the San Francisco Bay Area art community working for a variety of art institutions, museums, and galleries. In 2011, she co-founded Kitsch Gallery, an experimental art space in the city’s vibrant, Mission District, which housed 12 artist studios and a gallery space where she co-directed a variety of visual and sound art exhibits. In 2012, Myrina moved from California to Paris, France where she did freelance design work for galleries and publishing houses. Since 2014, Myrina has been living in Lyon, France.

After a decade of experience working in galleries and art institutions in the USA, Greece, and France, in 2017, Myrina created Circle Foundation for the Arts. Inspired by the variety of practices and perspectives in contemporary art and with the main purpose of highlighting the importance of art and culture as an integral part of our social and political lives, the Foundation functions as a platform publicizing the work of remarkable artists around the world.

Myrina continues to curate exhibitions, books and magazines and has to date collaborated and consulted over 6,000 artists worldwide.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

“The 9th issue of Circle Quarterly Art Review includes 75 visual artists from around the globe working in a variety of styles and disciplines.

When selecting the artworks for the pages of this issue, my goal was to provide a multiplicity of approaches of bold, distinctive pieces that each show a high level of technique, creativity and uniqueness. In synthesizing the selection to produce a cohesive anthology, I look for unity which may come from obvious harmonies in color, composition, media, concept or context, but most often I find balance in striking contrast. For me, the artworks in this issue could easily be a traveling exhibition or a personal collection that comprehensively describes the story of what art looks like today.

I encourage the readers to visit each artist’s website to see more of their art and contact them directly to collect a piece. We often consider buying an artwork as an investment or for decoration, but as I see it, welcoming a piece that “spoke” to you into your home, will create a type of companionship that can deeply impact your daily mood and for years to come, the piece will continue to “speak” to you, saying something different every day.”

Myrina Tunberg Georgiou CFA Director

Fruitopia

Oil on linen 36 x 36 in.

“As a classically trained painter with graphic design experience, I’m working towards merging those two worlds in a fresh way. It has been exciting to discover the surprising compositions that I feel result in joyful, fun expressions of our world. Through my paintings, my desire is to brighten peoples lives and lift their spirits.”

SUZANNE HOWE

suzannehowe.net

Gekrümmte Ebenen (Curved Levels) Sheet steel welded and rusted, magnets 13 x 41 x 23 cm

“I am particularly fascinated by simple geometric shapes such as rectangles, triangles and circles. These elements are brought together, creating new three-dimensional bodies. Sheet steel is cut, welded, ground and given a new shape. New works are created from many of the same individual parts. These are the building blocks that, despite being the same, always lead to different, original pieces. I often leave the further processing to nature, which gives the surface its special color and structure. This gives the steel its own liveliness.”

JÜRGEN KRASS

Götterfunken 2.0/18 Acrylic, oil on canvas 340 x 210 cm

“’Götterfunken 2.0’ is a large-format series of seismographic drawings and paintings of unseen landscapes. The eye is immersed in variously abstract realms, guesses at the appearance of mountains, trees, and plants, and can never be quite sure whether it is seeing something real or fictitious. Perspectives are hinted at and disappear as soon as one believes to have grasped them. Out of the side valleys of a dream appear finely nerved registrations of that which still lies in the unconscious, which presents itself in schemes to be ready for the origin. This cycle also tells of the place of the blessed, from which the daughters of the Elysium spring...”

DANIELA KAMMERER

www.danielakammerer.com

Daniela Kammerer • Circle Quarterly Art

The Way I Am, 2022 Douglas Fir wood 4 x 7 x 3 ft.

“With art and craft as its foundation, my work evolves through the honing of craftsmanship, developing of techniques, and expanding the materials to apply them. The fluid forms in many of my sculptures combine the natural movement of wind and water with my career as a craftsman and boatbuilder. My art is a continuation of my craft removed from restriction.”

BRYCE AUGUST LEFORT

www.theaugustmade.com

Fossil Seed Bronze and stone

“I have found that in exploring the creative process, my artwork reflects various ideas and developments on my personal mythology. This process continues to inspire me to action and dialogue about our evolving world and times. It is one of my most valuable teachers. The themes in my work tend to be inspired by Nature, human belief systems, personal and planetary evolution, and our ultimate interconnectedness.”

DINA TORRANS

www.dinatorrans.art

Champlain Black and Danby Imperial marble 24 x 78 x 40 cm

Sailing on the Acheront River, 2019 Bronze, marble 105 x 72 x 50 cm www.artmajeur.com/aleksandrakb

“For me, art was and still forms a value that cannot be explained. It greatly influences our subconscious and the formation of our humanness. Closing in on what is intangible (spirituality, mysticism) in a material form is a creative process, constant research, an exploration of the secret of life. It is simultaneously my passion, a sort of my everyday breathing.”

ALEKSANDRA KANN-BOGOMILSKA

Aleksandra Kann-Bogomilska • Circle Quarterly Art

Unicorn, do you believe in human beings? Mixed media photography

Kaat Stieber blends modern surrealism with a Dutch renaissance approach. Employing a broad set of creative skills, which include an internationally acclaimed background in theatre and costume design, Stieber’s photos are a display of keen cultural awareness and craftsmanship. Whenever a story starts to dawn on the horizon, she starts sketching.

This way, the artist visualizes what is needed and which elements she would like to add to each composition.

KAAT STIEBER

The Black Masks Oil on canvas 145 x 127 x 5 cm

LIYUAN LIU

Liu Liyuan graduated from the Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts. She has studied both classical art and modern art. Liyuan established the Vancouver Visual Art Studio in 2012 in Vancouver, and specializes in figure and portrait painting. She has won many international competitions and her paintings “Butterfly” and “The Black Masks” received the 1st Place Award recently by Circle Foundation. http://www.liyuanliu.com

Liyuan Liu • Circle

Liyuan

Le Crâne de Cristal N°13 (Crystal Skull N°13) Oil on canvas D. 180 cm

“My painting hovers somewhere between surrealism and fantasy, mixing a bit of strange with a pinch of magic. What is most important to me is to offer paintings in front of which the spectator will take time to sit down, to enter in harmony with the painting, and then have his own walk, as an awakened dream, giving him, even for a short time, a rare and unusual feeling.”

LUKÁŠ KÁNDL

lukas@kandl.net

Le Plus Important C’est Le 8ième (The Most Important Is The Eighth) Oil on canvas D. 180 cm

Down the Rabbit Hole Oil on canvas 60 x 40 in.

“

’Ink & Oil’ is a series of portraits that explore people of all ages and walks of life that have chosen tattoos as their form of self-expression. These portraits seek to capture a gesture and mood that provide additional insights into the subject’s personality beyond their art. Simply put, canvases of people who are themselves canvases.”

BRIAN MCCLEAR

www.mcclearart.com

Brian McClear

Supreme Mouse, 2021 Oil on stretched canvas 150 x 150 cm

Sergey Piskunov is a genre-defying painter passionately committed to exploring the core principles of hyper-realism to redefine the genre with his breathtaking works. The Ukrainian artist creates a stunning anthology of works that he sees as a “burst of emotion,” forcing the artist to turn inside out his soul and leave it on the canvas.

SERGEY PISKUNOV

piskunovsergey.com

Sergey Piskunov • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Girl in Swimming Pool, 2017 Oil on stretched canvas 90 x 120 cm

Travel thousands of miles of rivers and mountains from the Mirage Series, 2020 Oil on canvas 100 x 120 cm

Born in Chengde, Hebei in 1980, Lili graduated from Langfang Normal University with a Bachelor’s degree in 2005 and then settled in Beijing to engage in artistic creation. Jiang has had solo exhibitions in Italy and at the Songyang Art Museum, 2017.

“The “Mirage Series” is to turn a nihilistic dream into reality. The picture shows the cycle of life and the cross-existence of style in different spaces. The aim is to restore a dreamscape while maintaining a beautiful sense of time and space and building up a space for the soul to be released. Past, present and future come together to create illusion.”

LILI JIANG

Lili

WHAT?

Watercolor and colored pencil on paper 24 x 18 in.

“When I am making art, I am at play. Play can be fun, challenging, confusing, frustrating, liberating and revealing. I find myself strategizing carelessly on a canvas which leads me to this meditative portal that creates stories and presents thoughts. Stories that play with the mind and provoke emotions deep in me. Sometimes I feel like a fish swimming in water in a dream with many chambers of realities. Before I burst out into the open ocean, my mind is empty, yet my state is vast and endless. I want to keep on discovering what’s beyond. I swim along strokes of color and line that feel effortless yet are intentional.”

MICHELLE BOND

michellebondtheartist@artcall.org

Michelle Bond • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Charcoal on paper 690 x 475 mm

“Faced with a sheet of beautiful white paper and a stick of willow charcoal, there are no escape routes, no ways to disguise, no distractions such as colour, and no second chances. Just a purity. The paper can be soft and yielding or hard and brittle, smooth or textured, and the charcoal can glide or drag over it or crumble into it. Fingers can explore the possibilities.”

GLENYS BUZZA

www.glenysbuzza.com

David Edward Johnson • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Punchline

Acrylic, graphite, spray paint, crayon, paper, cardboard, found objects, and household on canvas 18 x 24 in.

“I am an abstract pop artist. My work lies at the intersection of the organic, the geometric, the iconic, and the abstract. I feel like my body of work can be encapsulated in three words; abstraction, definition and deconstruction. I am most interested in exploring belief systems, and especially the birth and death of the American Dream and the validity of those desires.”

David Edward Johnson

“A careful ‘approach’ to something undiscovered. For this artwork, I received an impulse to create. I sat down to let things happen, without any expectations, as always. Sometimes I listen to sounds that activate the creative process. In this case, it happened the other way around. I intuitively created a drawing that activates a subtle sound in my perception. Like many other of my artwork, this one shows me a new atmosphere on an emotional level.”

RACHEL JAG

www.racheljag.com

Rachel

Vision, 2022 Digital media

“I blend realism and abstraction in my art, using oil or acrylic, knife and brush to convey my excitement and interest in the subject with bold and often contrasting marks, colours and textures. I find inspiration in unusual aspects of the human figure, landscapes and manmade or natural objects.”

ROBERT ELLISON

“I try to raise questions about life. Symbolism and colors tickle the observer and direct the compass toward what is essential about existence. How can we grow as human beings? What is true, and what is false? And why are we here on a tiny pinhead in the Universe? Maybe our insight can provide more answers than we can imagine...I paint in oil on canvas.”

MAJ-BRITT NIKLASSON

www.majbrittniklasson.se

Maj-Britt

Self-Portrait of A Fisherman-Painter Acrylic 30 x 40 in.

“I have been fishing and photographing streams and rivers for more than 30 years. I find inspiration there for many of my paintings. These places are imbued with beauty, magic, and memories. Here, the self-portrait is biographical. It brings together my great passions, which are painting and fishing. The point of view is unusual and moves the viewer’s gaze to the foot of the easel, to the non-existent part of the painting.”

PHILIPPE GIROUX

Drawing of Beauty, 2017 Soonji, bunchae, bongchae, ink 58 x 125 cm

South Korean artist, Min-ji Kang is the director of Jisong Folk Painting Research Center, and of the Korean Folk Painting Association. She is also President of Burim Creative Craft Village Association and has exhibited work in over 60 shows. She is an active artist and an important presence in the South Korean arts and crafts community with national and international recognition.

MIN-JI KANG

info@circle-arts.com

A woman over flowers, a person over flowers, a person more precious than flowers

Oil on canvas 73 x 60 cm

“My artistic work emerges beyond cognitive concepts from the body memory that manifests itself in the gesture. I understand the gesture itself with Jean Francois Billeter as a phenomenon of the integration of consciousness into the activity of the body. World knowledge that has sunk into the background of consciousness I experience as a strong, energetic momentum and as intuition, which enables me to work very quickly.” www.instagram.com/ulla_hasen_wien

ULLA HASEN

Liquid Head, 2019, Photograph, print on canvas 40 x 50 cm

In her photographs, Natalie Egger closes up on things and situations she encounters mostly by change. The images are ambiguous and the focus on details is for Natalie, an indication of her subjective focus on the certain scene, from which a new piece emerges, a transformation into something completely unexpected.

NATALIE EGGER

https://www.unisonart.space/

Joy Oh Joy We Are to Be Replaced Pen and ink 28 1/4 x 22 1/4 in.

“Professional artist for over 50 years, creating works in Oils, Drawings, Sculpture, Photography, and Creative Writing. My biggest quest has been why people are the way they are? “Here I am, see me!” This self-affirmation seems to inflict on all of us. To a great degree, the majority find a balance they can relate to, whereas others are left powerless. The piece presented is a part of a pen and ink drawing series titled ‘My Absurd World’ where all images strive to belong and relay a cohesive message on stage, yet, each human action appears to be independent in doing their own thing. These interactions of realism with abstract surrealism, the absurd with the logical, are meant to depict the chaotic cacophony of the human condition and the popular ideations for which we are trying to constantly conform to.”

GEORGE FORGIE

www.georgeforgie.com

Batteries Not Included

Acrylic on canvas 92 x 76 cm

“I simply paint pictures. If you ask where my ideas spring from, I’m unsure. I plan my paintings in detail, using whatever triggers my imagination. The finished work is, hopefully, unorthodox, unconventional and endowed with a sense of humour.”

GEORGE ROWBOTTOM

www.georgerowbottom.com

George Rowbottom • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction Acrylic on linen 61 x 92 cm

“Painting is my lifeline. I explore the themes of fragility and resilience. For me, the expression of the human body becomes the place of exploration of feelings. I work on a very coarse canvas without preparation to keep its texture. Colours surround the subjects, and only some background elements remain. Understanding and representing the sense of solitude connected to this time we are all living is essential to me.”

ELSA EGON

Somewhere in Time

Graphite pencil on paper 23 x 17 in. (Matted and framed)

“Delicate nuance of value and texture become tools in conveying powerful dramatic statements about beautiful earthly beings who are not afraid to wonder, think, dream, and take that one step beyond as they contemplate the awe, majesty and mystery of the heavens.”

JOHN A. CALABRESE

johncalabreseart.com

Acrylic paint and ink on canvas 40 x 30 in.

“I have this idea that a painting can present all perspectives at once. By stepping into the painting and wandering about, your senses become engaged. Sometimes you can look and understand everything, and other times, nothing. It reminds you of other people’s stories and where you were at the time. On a very good day, it makes you a new story if you want it to.”

ROBIN KERR

Hale and Heartfelt

Robin Kerr • Circle

“I find inspiration for my work in the following themes: man, animal, philosophy, and mythology. I want to depict the emotion in people’s lives, the strength and radiance of an animal. So not only the outer but also the inner. In the design process of my sculptures, head, hand, and heart unite into a whole. My recent images are characterized by the special structure, the skin, of the image.”

WILFRIE LINSSEN

www.wilfrielinssen.nl

“In a world where the buzz words now are sustainability and recycling, I felt I needed to respond to this in some way. I have many moulds, for projects I have created over the years, just sitting in my studio. I decided to use them to create something new, something exciting and something entirely different. ‘Fina Giornata’ was born...and I love making them!” www.eleanorswan.com

ELEANOR SWAN

‘Fina Giornata’ Red and Electric Blue Glazed stoneware

Three of Me, For Always I am Here Watercolour on paper 56 x 38 cm

Leili Khabiri (b. 1997) is a British-Iranian artist specialising in handwoven textiles. Of primary interest is the symbolism of process; how a work possesses energy through the making rather than from the use of visuals. Khabiri avoids exerting conceptual or emotional ideas upon the viewer; her aim is to create pieces that are quiet in nature.

LEILI KHABIRI

www.leilikhabiri.com

Carl Pinnington is an internationally acclaimed and published fashion, beauty and fine art photographer who works closely with collaboration in its widest context. New ways of seeing inform his practice; technical, aesthetic and traditional craftsmanship are all key elements within his artistry. Recent works explore the notion of mental health, identity, visual codes, conventions and securing a positive message.

CARL PINNINGTON

www.carlpinnington.com

Carl Pinnington • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Roar Digital capture Hahnemühle photo rag ® Matt Fine Art - Smooth 308gsm 100% cotton 50 x 60cm. Model: Dan, Casting: Jennifer

Untamed, 2022 Acrylic, denim, and paper collage on wood panel 36 x 48 in.

“Collage is emblematic of the interconnectedness of the African Diaspora. Just as the dispersed people are tied together by the thread of ancestry, in collage disjointed pieces are fused to communicate one story. In my work, I draw from images of people from across the Diaspora— deconstructing, layering, bonding, and resignifying small parts to assemble new faces and forms that communicate identity and shared experiences.”

PAULA MANS

Intersection

Ceramics 24 x 24 x 24 in.

“In my work, I explore the elusiveness of dreams and memory by joining together molded forms in unlikely combinations. I transform kitsch elements into complex pieces with a rich and relevant focus. The juxtaposition of shapes in my sculptures may at first seem haphazard but is intentionally crafted to mimic the illusiveness of memory as it advances and recedes over time. I make art because, for me, it is the most authentic form of expression and communication. When I think about the purpose of art and artist today, I am reminded of a Pablo Picasso quote, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”

PANCHO JIMÉNEZ

www.panchojimenez.com

Pancho Jiménez • Circle

“Foremost, I’m a felt maker, then a fashion designer. Much of my work is inspired by women’s issues. ‘Dragonskin’ was created for wearable art fashion shows. This work speaks to the hidden strength every woman holds. As far back as I can recall, my hands and mind have worked together to create with abandon. My preferred medium of late is fusing sheer fabrics with wool, hand-dying or painting and finishing with bead embroidery.”

PATTI BARKER

www.pattibarker.com

Dragonskin

Wearable fiber sculpture

“Contemplation of beautiful nature, paying tribute to the subject while connecting the viewer sensually to it. This is the connecting thread of my work, memorializing old master’s oil techniques. The search for the inspiring object, figure, animal, or landscape and the artistic challenge immerses me in a new composition, always with the aim to integrate contemporary vision and traditional techniques with intensity, sobriety along with an emphasis on fine craftsmanship.”

GUY-ANNE MASSICOTTE (GAMA)

https://www.guyannemassicotte.com

Délicieuse Rouge Sortie du Sac Oil on panel 24 x 24 in.

Guy-Anne Massicotte (Gama) • Circle Quarterly Art Review

“Like an axis of a vortex, the light was always there as my work rushed turbulently around it. I always approach this topic emotionally as it is not definable logically nor verbally. The question for me is not how we see or what we think of light/art. It is how it feels: both about the emotions born by the state of light and the light born by the emotional state.”

DONCHO ZAHARIEV

donchozahariev@abv.bg

Grüner Engel

Acrylic on paper 70 x 100 cm

“Old and new cultural signs and symbols keep secrets that we also find in dreams. Inspired by imagination and inventiveness, I express this in an artistic process of eternal transformation. Again and again, I select thematic content and contexts of meaning in order to intuitively convey very individual messages with painterly means and with a wonderful sense of color. My basic theme, ‘Dreams’ finds its expression in the floating of the figures and ornamental elements.”

HANNELORE HEIDER

www.Hannelore-Heider-Kunst.de

Hannelore Heider

“I am interested in the way we perceive light and time. Light is always important in visual art, but I paint light as an object and time as the present, where memories of the past and the currently visible merge. The themes I work on are formed around this core. I like to use laconic colors and combine them with linear logic and subtle tonality.”

DITA LUSE

Wandering Oil on canvas 150 x 150 cm

ANGELA BANKS

“I am largely influenced by what I consider beautiful and want to inspire people to look more carefully at the world around them to discover charm in unusual places. By focusing on the relationship between man, animal, and nature and its very delicate balance, I am able to soothe the lack of control I feel when I look at the state our world finds itself in. I hope to create an almost alternative reality where things work very differently, and life becomes a type of dream. This too, is what I wish for the viewer—to be lost in imagination when standing in front of a painting, to slow down and be focused on the possible narratives only their minds could ever make up.” www.angelabanks.co.za

Wilderness

Beziehung auf dem Sofa (Relationship on the Soda) Oil on canvas 100 x 120 cm

“I believe in the beautiful self. My work is about relationships and encounters. I am very aware that relationships are the basis of human existence and life. I show these reflections and the emotions of the people behind them. When gazing at each painting, you may also recognize your relationship levels. An essential part of my work involves the interplay between painting and photography. I create special snapshots showing unique personalities, whose innermost being I bring to light. My pictures invite you to look, to discover your own strengths, to feel your uniqueness and let your light shine.”

MILA VELJAC’A

www.milaveljaca.com

Cipher Oil on canvas 48 x 41 in.

DUANE DITTY

https://www.duaneditty.com/

Duane

“I believe the importance of art is to not periodically adapt to what is fashion but to emphasize and make understandable the things that interest the individual artist. In this way, artists can create something that is culturally significant; art which is both considered and understood within its own boundaries. People see within my work something about their own environment that they can relate to, something they can consider, a meaning that is not explicit but yet can be understood.”

Pearl White Acrylic & oil on canvas 60 x 50 cm

“Unlike in traditional art, my paintings are not windows into other realities. I want my work to connect to its surrounding space and be present in the moment. Like nature, like music. There’s no reference, no story, no goal. My art is purely about being.”

HENK HOLSHEIMER

https://henkholsheimer.com

Dry

Henk Holsheimer •

Henk Holsheimer

Dog Day Afternoons

13.5 x 10.75 in.

“I draw unconventional subjects in a representational style. Some have described my work as “imagination on paper” or “snapshots from untold stories.” My drawings illustrate all these characteristics while providing sneak previews into fantasy worlds, with an emphasis on light, shadow and detail. They are intended to be thought-provoking and entertaining. This definitely isn’t hospitality art.”

WILLIAM CHARUHAS

https://www.williamcharuhas.art

William Charuhas

Pinks and Whites on Gray

“Making art is my anchor, keeping me grounded as I travel through life. There is no past in my studio—no present, no future. There is only the present...and the present is where I’m meant to be.”

JILL KRASNER

Jill Krasner • Circle

Better as Time Passes

Mixed media 40 x 30 in.

“My guiding principle of “seeing with my heart” lures the viewer to enter an abstract, a landscape, or a female form to experience calmness with movement, peacefulness with spaciousness, and tranquility with optimism. Art can revitalize our appreciation for nature. This painting has embedded tree bark, stones and discarded objects to transform the physical earth into a creation of beauty, which is always my ultimate goal.”

HARRIE HANDLER

https://www.artbyharrie.com

Harrie

From Which Paradise Were You Stolen?

Mixed media 8 x 10 in.

“I have great friends in my heart, imagination, unconscious and my body in general that take me to and beyond many frontiers. Dream, myth, astrology, astronomy, Nature and personal experience are my main strands of artistic exploration and expression. I cut and paste fragments by hand and my spirit guides the rest. What else does one need?”

JULIA A. STILL

www.journeyartbyjulia.wordpress.com

Dio Nostalgia I Oil on canvas 77 x 77 cm

“In my series of paintings, ‘Tech-Nostalgia,’ I am trying to tell the story of time slipping away. By using transparent colour schemes, abstract geometric shapes and mixed perspectives of the object, I intend to show how these technical objects are gradually disappearing from our apprehension. They are, in a way, becoming abstracts both in our lives and on canvas.”

ILZE HELGELAND

www.ilzehelgeland.com

Bottle And No Rocks Digital, staged photograph

“This work accelerates and embellishes natural forms of accumulation and erosion. While it could be said that they are emulating nature, specific methods and materials are used to disrupt the relationship between our earth-bound perception and evoke the true synthetic characteristics within each piece. Jarring color changes and manic tooling are employed to convey alien topography while the reflective surface disrupts the immediate association to scenery that we collectively understand.”

Difiso Paint, gypsum powder, resin 12 x 15 x 5 in. johnralstonv.net

JOHN RALSTON V

John Ralston V • Circle Quarterly Art

Xaruchite

Paint, gypsum powder, resin 13 x 19 x 4 in.

Via Mocht

Paint, gypsum powder, resin 14 x 20 x 4 in. johnralstonv.net

John Ralston is an artist and carpenter operating out of Baltimore, MD. He was born in Virginia, where he attended Old Dominion University and later moved to Baltimore to complete a fine art graduate program at Maryland Institute College of Art. While in the Mount Royal program, he was mentored by artists Frances Barth, Alice Aycock, and Luca Buvoli. Some of his major artistic influences include Tony Cragg, Ursula Von Rydingsvard, Ron Nagle, Carol Bove, and, of course, Bram Bogart.

JOHN RALSTON V

John Ralston V • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Shifting Plates of Teschak Paint, gypsum powder, resin 15 x 13 x 5 in.

Currently, he manages renovation projects throughout the Baltimore area and uses the materials and methodologies in his everyday job to inform his studio practice. His studio practice has developed over years of physical experimentation and he feels a deep devotion to the well-crafted object, whether it be in art or design. He is pursuing funding for the acquisition of historic property in downtown Baltimore to be purpose-built for artist studios and strengthen the artistic community by creating an epicenter before the fundamental changes take place in the rapidly transforming metro area.

Monstera

Paperquilling 8 x 10 in.

“I started paper quilling when I was in a graduate program for my MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. While studying and working full-time, I found that I needed something to ground myself while also helping to take away the excess anxiety and stress. What started as a way for me to wind down is now something I love to do and, moreover, something to share with others.”

VICTORIA LI

www.nerdypaperartist.com

“This work is from my current series that is inspired by both night and day dreams of my interaction with the individual and their work. My work is my only voice in this wilderness of noise.”

BOB CONGE

A Kokoschka Night Mixed media mono-print 27 x 41 in.

Digital Inkjet print 20 x 20 in.

“Strength and vulnerability are the recurring themes in my photography. The fragility of the human form against rugged landscapes or the beautiful shapes and angles created in the studio. I strive to capture my subjects in a classical, sensual way, presenting the human form as an extension of or in juxtaposition to nature or utilizing studio lighting to create a mysterious, moody atmosphere.”

LINDA HOLLINGER

http://lambie07064b53.myportfolio.com

Linda Hollinger • Circle

“Divine art is empowering and illuminates the world with LOVE. I am in tune with the Frequency of the Divine, called “Love,” as you are too. My artist vita is made visible through the entire body of work. The process of creation has woken me up to become aware of the unconscious space called “Love” and to appreciate this spiritual development as the true expression of life.”

PETRONILLA HOHENWARTER

https://petronillahohenwarter.com/en/

Russel the Basset Hound Is Listening | Detachment Series, 2021 Assemblage on wooden box, acrylic, pigment, cotton 50 x 50 x 5 cm

Pflanzenwelt Blau (Plant world, Blue) Mixed media, collage, paper, soil, canvas D. 50 cm

“I’ve been dealing with nature, the environment, landscapes and plants for a long time. I don’t just depict reduced, abstract landscapes and changes in nature but also include my feelings during the painting process. To do this, I combine found objects with self-colored paper as collages and several layers of colors and earth on the canvas. This creates a haptic that you can feel as soon as you touch the image.”

KATHLEEN KILCHENMANN

www.kathleen-kilchenmann.de

Kathleen Kilchenmann • Circle Quarterly Art

LEAH NIETZ

“I draw inspiration from God’s creations and I love symmetry. However, sometimes glass just has to do its own thing. There are no mistakes in art, only opportunities to change your perspective.”

Harmony Rhapsody Mandala Glass, D. 63 mm

Marjorie and Bob Moskowitz created a new persona (MB Mosk) when they began collaborating, separate from their individual studio practices. These works are a curious hybrid, only slightly resembling each of their independent work. The process attempts to create a seamless blending to appear as if a single artist has produced the painting. They draw on their shared approach to looking at the peculiar nature of people and the world. Their sense of irony and humor is a vehicle to allude to a more profound meaning below the surface.

MARJORIE AND BOB MOSKOWITZ

Marjorie and Bob Moskowitz

Miguel E, born in Lisbon, currently lives in Warsaw, Poland, and is a member of the SNBA (National Society of Fine Arts). For him, art forces us to feel something, giving no room for indifference. His work deals with the deep emotions of the feminine soul. Miguel E is collected and has exhibited work in Portugal, Spain, Italy, USA, Switzerland, Greece, Sweden and Poland. miguelepainting.com

MIGUEL E

TimeKeeper

Acrylic and pencils on canvas 30 x 40 cm

Milena Zdravkova holds a Master’s degree in Art and is a painter and textile designer. Her multidisciplinary practice explores the mystical and imaginary through abstraction and symbolism. The piece here, “TimeKeeper” reflects on the idea of measuring something unmeasurable, catching something uncatchable. “Time has a different meaning in the universe and for each and every one of us.”

MILENA ZDRAVKOVA

Milena Zdravkova • Circle Quarterly Art Review

What We Leave Behind Watercolour on paper, wooden panel 60 x 60 cm

“Captivated by the ebb and flow in nature, I create work that is in a state of flux by exploring mediums that have an altered appearance when viewed from different angles. My work depicts not only the beauty of the natural environment but also draws attention to its fragility and deterioration by natural occurrences and human interaction.”

DIANE KAZAKIS

https://linktr.ee/dartemisia

Sunlight and Shadows

Soft pastels on 300g cold-pressed cotton paper with deckle edges 76 x 56 cm www.kristinholmdybvig.com

KRISTIN HOLM DYBVIG

Kristin Holm Dybvig • Circle Quarterly Art Review

“My work is a mixture of lyrical landscapes and abstract color poetry based on memories and flashbacks. The motifs are dissolved into color moods that remain in the abstract and transform the retrospection into wonderful experiences that the viewer can immerse themselves in.”

Blue Vessel

Soft pastels on 300g cold pressed cotton paper with deckle edges 76 x 56 cm

Kristin Holm Dybvig

Magic of Lights (Lichterzauber) Oil and limited print

“The variety of colors and shapes of flowers, trees, and leaves has fascinated me since I was a child. The power of the sun and its play with light and shadow in nature are characterized by: grace, joy of life, confidence, peace and serenity. With images, you can capture the beauties of nature. Because what you love, you also protect. Therefore, my motto for my pictures is: “Save the Earth!”

KATJA LÜHRS

Katja Lührs • Circle Quarterly Art

Trailerpark

Acrylic 40 x 60 in.

“I am happiest when a photograph, sculpture, or painting turns out the way I wanted it to. In general, a finished work represents what I see in my mind’s eye, and/or it has the impact I think a work of art should have.”

KENT GORDON

Georg Douglas

“I am inspired by the small, bright wildflowers of Iceland. After a working life in Earth Science, I also appreciate the beauty of life at the microscopic and molecular level and have increasingly woven features not normally visible to us into my paintings. I ignore scale and mix features such as petals, protein and collagen chains, producing a painting that can be quite abstract and sometimes puzzling. I feel that this is closer to the complexity of nature than a purely representative work.”

“I am fascinated by nature’s continuous shifting cycle of growth, disintegration, decay, and regrowth, from cut tree trunks to emerging fungi living off their rot. I echo this transformation through the juxtaposition of materials and techniques to create my tactile collage paintings. The many stages of this process are guided by observation and intuition, reflecting on nature’s organic forms and patterns.”

SAMU RAATIKAINEN

Samu Raatikainen • Circle Quarterly Art

Rouge

Acrylic on canvas 63 x 51 in.

“Emulating the contemporary woman in all her beauty, power and diversity is what inspires me. Depicting who I feel represents my generation and highlighting her inherent strength and confidence is my sole focus. The integration of women and florals speaks to our intimate connection with nature and the power they both hold, individually and together.”

Illusions of My Childhood No. 8 72 x 96 in.

“Illusions of My Childhood No. 8” confronts the artist’s Southern heritage through the lens of white privilege. With a current day portrait of his grandson as an overlay to a background inspired by an iconic photograph from the 1960’s Civil Rights movement, the painting reflects the artist’s DNA.

STEPHEN MANGUM

www.stephenmangumartist.com

Stephen Mangum • Circle

Lysol Lady Egg tempera and gold leaf 16 x 16 x 1 in.

“Strongly influenced by the storytelling power of its intense, highly specialized and symbolic painting techniques, I employ elements of traditional icon painting to explore a contemporary, secular and personal vocabulary. Using traditionally bold colors, textures and gold leaf, I place narrative fragments from historical icons in a theatrical mise-en-scene that includes pop culture references, religious archetypes, and dream imagery to evoke an emotional contemplation of contemporary life.”

ROBERTA LEVITOW

www.robertalevitow.com

Portrait of H. 2005 Pastel on card 20 x 15 in.

MATHEW TUDOR

“My work focuses mainly on two subjects; the crucifixion and portraits. These images are attempts to subvert these grand narratives in European painting and hopefully create a new secular language.” mathewtudor.com

King Charles Digital media

Rusty Bridge NY

Oil on canvas 48 x 72 in.

“My inspiration conceptually dwells in the urban industrial landscape, where my eyes are playing with different surfaces, such as disintegrated concrete, rusty metals and detached paint. Light and permanent transformation, penetrating all creations of humans, is the most current topic throughout my work. I concentrate on realistic details, seeking to evoke the idea of antiquity and life left behind. In order to achieve these effects, I build the surface of the canvas with textured acrylic media and, after it dries out, I continue with oils. I can rest only when painting starts talking.”

LORETTA PETRAITIS

www.lorettapetraitis.com

Loretta Petraitis • Circle Quarterly Art

“At the center of my research is architecture. Buildings have always accompanied humanity, and investigating their expressive language is a necessity I don’t want to give up on. In my work, I try to narrate architecture by highlighting its expressive qualities and the essentiality of the forms. Painting architecture is painting beauty and innovation, trying to understand the changes that the city undergoes. The artwork ‘Cinecittà,’ which is part of the ‘Roma’ series, is a tribute to the architect Gino Peressutti who designed and built the Cinecittà Film Studios in Rome, between 1936 - 1939.”

MARILENA RAMADORI

www.marilenaramadori.it

Afternoon in Rome

Watercolour on paper 28 x 20 in.

THOMAS W SCHALLER

“Why we paint is far more important than how or even what we paint. It is always my aim to paint the expressive experience of my inspirations rather than any physical reality. My work is always a study in contrasts: light/dark, vertical/horizontal, warm/cool, real/imagined, and elements of the past, present, and future. I love to design with these conflicting elements, allowing them to find balance and resolution on the surface of the paper in surprising and expressive ways. I try to never to paint just what I look at, but rather how it is that I see.” www.thomaswschaller.com

Thomas W Schaller • Circle Quarterly Art Review

Treehouses Without Trees Watercolour on paper 24 x 18 in.

Schaller

Conspiring Oil on canvas 44 x 62 in.

“I like to paint people or things around me. Such as the painting ‘Conspiring.’ The four people in the painting were my classmates at the New York Academy of Art. They come from different places: Texas, North Carolina, Georgia (Country), and Australia. And they have completely different personalities. For me, it was pretty interesting to put them together on canvas. I made the light different and painted different expressions on their faces and different body language to reflect their characters and thoughts at that moment.”

SHICHENG ZHAO

www.instagram.com/sc_zhao/

Shicheng Zhao

Finnish Male Oil on wood panel 11 x 9 in, (The original image has been cropped to fit)

Circle Quarterly Art Review 9 • Shicheng Zhao

Zigui’s Juvenile Bronze sculpture 60 x 29 x 34 cm

FANG XIN

“I think about the relationship between the universe, life, wisdom, society and spirit. I think art is a unique language, which can convey information that words can not express. I just use this language to communicate my cosmological view. My works employ a contemporary context to re-read the known, reshape history on the axis of time, and reshape our cognitive structure.” www.fx-art.com

An Examination of Current Trends & Original Practices in Visual Art

Published by Circle Foundation For the Arts Cover Image Brian McClear