VL Becky Hicks in Studio
Laurie Pace in Studio
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VISUAL LANGUAGE contemporary fine art
Top Artists to Watch and Collect
Bob Coonts
Lusitano Stallion, Amuleto VO and Lesley Humphrey
Becky Hicks . Bob Coonts . Lesley Humphrey . Laurie Pace
May 2014 Volume 3 No. 5
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Sunshine in a Cup
Top Artists to Watch and Collect Becky Hicks Bob Coonts Lesley Humphrey Laurie Pace
Visual Language Featured Artists this month delve into the beauty of each of the four different painters and their unique approach to their work. Becky Hicks has a passion for her art and it reflects her passion for life. Bob Coonts travels through his compositions with Surrealism, Fauvism often using Methology. For Lesley Humphrey it is in the silent, authentic, beautiful recesses of our hearts and souls where a true masterpiece is born. Laurie Pace constantly pushes the edge pressing in her work for discovery and celebration; her compositions change with color and dimension setting the pace for a unique painting every time with a new journey. Lusitano Stallion, Amuleto VO and Lesley Humphrey
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Becky Hicks
http://beckyhicksfineart.com/
Passionate about Art Becky Hicks grew up in Breckenridge, Texas. Having spent most of her childhood summers and holidays on her great grandmother’s ranch, it is no surprise that the western culture is at the forefront of her subjects to paint. She began drawing and painting at the age of five and began taking private art lessons when she was thirteen. Always encouraged by her family and friends, she knew early in life that she would one day realize her dream of becoming a full time artist. After studying art in college, Becky married and while raising her family found very little time to paint. Several years ago she left the corporate world and has successfully owned and operated a faux finishing and decorative painting business. Though she has enjoyed creating beautiful spaces for her clients, her passion is creating art. Becky enjoys the adventure of exploring new places, meeting new people, and looks for opportunities to learn and grow as an artist.
Right PageTop: Cookies and Cream 24 x 12 Right Page Bottom Left: Texas Pride 28 x 22 Bottom Left: Just Bull Sit’n 18 x 24 Bottom Right: Some Day 30 x 20
Whether painting landscapes, cows, or cowboys, Becky strives to capture the essence of her subject with light and color, freezing that moment in time. She paints with a limited palette, pushing the edge between realism and impressionism.
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Bob Coonts
http://bobcoonts.com
Fauvism Today A Colorado native and long-time Fort Collins resident, Bob’s painting style reflects his Western Heritage yet is uniquely his own. He strives for an image that is unusual and innovative. His work is often stylized, often whimsical, always colorful and strong in design and composition. Animals, landscapes, people, history and mythology provide him with a wealth of subject matter. He also produces images that are purely abstract or non-objective in nature. Bob works with a color palette reminiscent of the Fauvist movement and often combines both realism and abstraction in one piece. Coonts’ work has been likened to abstract surrealism, realism with an abstract point of view or imagined realism.
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Bob Coonts
http://bobcoonts.com
He paints, sculpts and dreams in his home studio north of Fort Collins, Colorado, where he and his wife Sallie live near a lake with a view of the magnificent Rocky Mountains.
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Lesley Humphrey http://lesleyhumphrey.net
The Silent, Authentic, Beautiful Places in our Hearts Art was always a part of my life, my father being a commercial artist and painter; my youth filled with artistic exploration and inspiration. After 10 years of studying and working in the legal profession, I began my journey with art professionally in 1989. Since then, my training has been directed largely by instinct, as I have traveled the world in search of art and artists that have contributed significantly to my development. I would like to credit here teachers Scott Burdick, Carolyn Anderson, William ‘Skip’ Lawrence, Julia Cameron, and my most beloved mentor to whom I shall be eternally grateful, Dick Turner, who taught me how to see in every way that counts. My art has been deeply influenced by Sir Alfred Munnings, the Russian Itinerants, Fechin, Kandinsky, and most recently Diebenkorn. Lesley offers a comprehensive, free painting curriculum, online at www.lesleyhumphrey.net. She is available for lectures/demonstrations, by appointment. Below: The equine works contain representative images: Perhaps a humble donkey who offers up his back for the delight of children. Right Page Top Right: The story about the great horse Snowman inspired a series dedicated to the ‘Spirit Of Overcoming’. Some of my paintings from this series will be present during the preview/debut of the upcoming movie about Snowman and available for sale at the Keeneland Sporting Art Auction 2014. Right Page Top Left: A beloved racehorse who’s victorious, indomitable spirit wove a tapestry of lives together. Right Page Bottom: Perhaps a fist-pumping jockey aboard his Kentucky Derby winner.
Right: “Beside The Seaside” oil on panel by Lesley Humphrey Below: Lusitano Stallion, Amuleto VO and Lesley Humphrey
“The Timeless Tapestry” by Lesley Humphrey
”Escape Velocity” by Lesley Humphrey
“My expressive works are never about ‘what I saw’; Rather, they are orchestrations that reflect the content of my Spirit: Gestures provide the fugue, lines the lyric, shapes the rhythm, and colors the notes. If my work resonates with you, we are in harmony! I believe that we can all learn how to paint, but it is in the silent, authentic, beautiful recesses of our hearts and souls where a true masterpiece is born. True artistic skill, the courage to interpret the images of that place, and bringing them into the world for you to experience is my goal. Helping you find your own artistic voice is my vocation” Lesley Humphrey
“Victory” The Official Painting/Artwork of the 137th Kentucky Derby, 2011 by Lesley Humphrey
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Laurie Pace
http://lauriepace.com
The Spirit of the Paint Laurie’s journey in life has encompassed many careers from runway model to graphic artist, from musician to singer, from teacher to artist. She believes the greatest influence in her life is God, the ultimate creator and the spirit behind her work. Constantly pushing the edge pressing in her work for discovery and celebration, her compositions change with color and dimension setting the pace for a unique painting every time with a new journey. Viewing a Laurie’s paintings is a rich experience that drips with color and emotion. Her passionate works are alive with movement, boldly created a palette knife and wide brush. She loves working with oils, dramatically carving out the paint and transferring her energy to the canvas and ultimately on to the viewer.Her most highly collected work is that of her painted ponies. Laurie is a co-founder of four working groups of artists, CFAI.co, Artists of Texas, Daily Painters of Texas and the Five Graces. She is Executive Editor/CEO of Visual Language Magazine and an associate member of WAOW and OPA, AWS, Daily Painters, and International Equine Artists. Mirada Fine Art, Colorado The Rare Gallery, Wyoming South Hill Gallery, Kentucky Davis & CO Texas
The Dutch Art Gallery, Texas
Spring Breaking the Ice
www.visuallanguagemagazine.com