Visual Language Magazine Vol 4 No 4 April 2015

Visual Language contemporary fine art

• • • • • •

My Bad Boyfriend . Sara Genn All in Vain . Barry Scharf Passion and Gifts . Kathleen Dunphy Leap of Faith . Nancy Medina Wide Eyed . Jasmine Becket-Griffith 36 International Artist Profiles

VL April 2015 Volume 4 No. 4

VL

visual language contemporary fine art

VisualLanguageMagazine.com Subscribe Free Today. http://visuallanguagemagazine.com/subscribe.html

March 2015 Vol 4 No 4 ŠGraphicsOneDesign1998-2015

Painter . Writer . Teacher Annie O’Brien Gonzales studied painting and art history at Oregon State University. Proficient in oil, acrylic, and mixed media, she is a colorist who creates expressive images inspired by nature.

She has appeared in numerous shows throughout the West and her work is in private collections across the country

http://www.annieobriengonzales.com/

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 3

VL Cover Artist

Annie O’Brien Gonzales

Niki Gulley

C o n t e m p o r

r a r y

I m p r e s s i o n i s t

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 5

N I K I G U L L E Y. C O M

VL

Visual Language Magazine contemporary fine art

Visual Language Magazine Staff Editorial Editor -in-Chief Laurie Pace Contributing Editor Lisa Neison-Smith Consulting Editor Nancy Medina Feature Contributor Sara Genn Painter’s Keys Feature Writer Dave Justus Feature Editor Art Reviews Hall Groat II Feature Contributor Barry Scharf VL Sponsor ARTSPAN Eric Sparre Advertising Contact: VisualLanguageMagazine@gmail.com Marketing and Development Executive Director Business/Management Stacey Hendren All Artwork is Copyrighted by the Individual Artists.

Visual Language Magazine Vol 4 No 4

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

http://www.strangeling.com/

content Cover Artist Annie Gonzales 3 Painter . Writer . Teacher

Painter’s Keys - Sara Genn 8 My Bad Boyfriend

Barry Scharf 16

All in Vain.

Of Vanity Galleries and Paid Competitions

Kathleen Dunphy 28

Plein Air Painting . Passion and Gifts

Nancy Medina 48 Floral Painter Leap of Faith

Jasmine Becket-Griffith 62 Whimsical Wide Eyed

36 International Artists Profiles 90 8 Represented Countries

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 7

Painter’s Keys: Letter from Sara Genn

My Bad Boyfriend On last night’s flight from New York, I read Amy Poehler’s memoir, “Yes Please. “An actress, writer, director and producer, Amy describes the distinction between that thing you do as an artist and your career as one. “Creativity is connected to passion -- that light inside that drives you.” On the other hand your career, writes Amy, is simply a series of opportunities and jobs, and should be treated with some ambivalence. “Learn to let go of wanting it. Treat your career like a bad boyfriend.”

I’m pleased to report that I am the top earner of rejection letters amongst my peers. My early twenties were spent painting, writing impassioned cover letters and compiling slide packs for galleries of international repute. In theatre, this is called a “cold audition.” I had misinterpreted what it meant to take responsibility for how my brilliant ideas would be shared with the world. On top of this, somewhere along

the line I’d taken on board the idea I had some control over the design of it all.

Instead, something else happened. I call it, “Organic Plodding with Joy.” I learned that the healthiest relationships are mutual, and the best galleries are as equally invested in finding you as you are in being with them. Amy writes that people don’t want to hear about the fifteen years of doing small shows while you work hard to improve your craft. Add to this that there are better ways to stick your neck out than dropping your script on a famous person’s lap while on the train, or building a vision board to hang above your workless desk. Cold auditions of any kind most often amount to not very much. “Almost every job I have ever gotten was due to someone knowing my work and seeing me in something else,” writes Amy. Better just to keep busy while waiting for something to happen.

“It likes it when you don’t depend on it. It will reward you every time you don’t act needy. It will chase you when you act like other things (passion, friendship, family, longevity) are more important to you.

If your career is a bad boyfriend, it is healthy to remember you can always leave and go sleep with somebody else.” (Amy Poehler)

8 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

I filed my rejections and went to my easel for real. When I emerged some years later I found I truly had something to love, something to do, and somewhere to be. Amy was teaching improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade and bringing her comedy sketches to the table readings at her new job at Saturday Night Live.

I was delivering my paintings to a new neighbourhood, the Park Avenue moon smiling down on another grateful hustler. Some days I even had a little walking around money -slip through the hole in my pocket to jangle around in the hem of my coat.

Sincerely, Sara

Esoterica: Letting go and caring less about that thing you want so badly is a tricky feat. Amy sums it up like this: “Care about the work you do but not about the result.

Care about how good you are, but not how good people think you are. It’s a hard one, but organic plodding with joy might just get you where you really want to go. Mix in public opinion and past regrets. Add a dash of future panic and a whole lot of financial uncertainty. Career is something that fools you into thinking you are in control and then takes pleasure in reminding you that you aren’t. Career is the thing that will not fill you up and will never make you truly whole.” Creativity, however -- and that light inside that drives you -- is the love of your life.

The Painter’s Keys Robert and Sara Genn www.clicks.robertgenn.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 9

Colorado Homes & Lifestyles BEST

ART GALLERY, 2010 & 2012 - 5280

TOP 24 GALLERIES IN THE USA, 2012, 2013 &

Artwork (l to r): Laurie Justus Pace, ‘The Gathering One’- Original Oil on Canvas, 3

miradafineart.com Svetlana Shalygina, ‘Silhousettes De Versailles’ - Mixed Media on Canvas, 36” x 36”

Bruce Marion, ‘The Adventure Begins’- Original Acrylic on Canvas, 36” x 48”; Allen

Magazine

A ‘STYLE-MAKER’

& 2014 - American Art Awards

- Luxe Magazine

‘STUNNING’

‘ART LOVER’S ESCAPE’

- Denver Life

5490 Parmalee Gulch Rd. Indian Hills, CO 80454 (only minutes from Denver) www.miradafineart.com 303-697-9006 info@miradafineart.com

32” x 48”; Larisa Aukon, ‘Continental Divide’ - Original Oil on Panel 24” x 36”; ”; Dominique Samyn, ‘Sage’- Acryilc & Venetian Plaster on Panel, 40” x 32”; n Wynn, ‘Joy Ride’ - Mixed Media Sculpture, 26” x 32” x 9”

Jonelle T. McCoy

“Splish Splashed my Paint” 18” x 24” Gallery Wrap

Playful free flowing textural lines, dots and splotches help create a fun and whimsical dual eye colored pinto paso fino horse portrait.

jonellemccoy.com

“The Guardian"

Oil

www.caroljosmidt.com

16" x 20"

carol@caroljosmidt.com

Aspen S P A C E S

Moonlit Sanctuary 48 x 36 (c) Lelija Roy

Lelija Roy

aspenspaces.com

aspen.spaces@gmail.com

Sanda Manuila sandamanuila.artspan.com

“Ghost Series, Jessica� Mixed Media, Pastel and Gouache 14 1/4 in x 14in

Barry W. Scharf

All in Vain Of Vanity Galleries and Paid Competitions As Artists we all need to have our work seen; we need to share our visions with others; we need to communicate our ideas to see if we can impact change and influence the thinking of society. We artists need to feel that we are relevant and can generate a living from the fruits of our labors. We spend resources on our education and skills we buy materials and paint to support our venture. We spend countless years developing our skills to improve the meaning and content of our artworks. We are honest and kind; we are passionate and caring; we are dedicated to our artistic life and eager to hear feedback and so we are also gullible.

We want to know that others approve of our work and that they would if they could support us in our efforts to achieve our goals.

Now it’s time to get the work out there so we search for competitions and calls to enter. We see that they offer prizes, cash awards and if you are chosen to be the top picks they will post your work in an online website or give you a show somewhere. You will get the exposure you seek. You could win a prize of cash or equipment being offered by their sponsors. It looks promising and on the up and up. So go ahead and enter. As you read the fine print you find the fee to enter, you see that each piece can cost somewhere between $10 to $50 or more to enter. So instead of 6 pieces you choose

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/

16 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

one and cut your chances. Further you see that these types of calls for entry are open to every artist worldwide and the jury is whom? The kicker is that their word is final and soon you get the notice that you have been rejected but it was a close call…better luck next time.

Recently I was surprised by an email from a big-named New York Chelsea gallery (I wont say who). It was a personal email.

They were looking for an artist of my experience and caliber and wanted to add artwork just like mine to their stable of artists. They told me that they discovered my paintings through a recommendation to view my website, a collector recommended me to them (no name mentioned). They are currently building their 2015 show schedule and would I please submit a portfolio for review quickly to see if I will be accepted into their gallery.

If I am selected it will come with a promise of a show date, the promotion of my wall space in a show and to a vast list of collectors that my work will be offered to these. “Vanity Galleries” use any reason to get an artist interested. It is all so promising and tempting, artists are flattered and so they send in the resume and portfolio with the hope that they will be chosen. It isn’t long before the reply that we, us, our work is exactly what they are looking for. Our work is superb and colorful adjectives’ abound and we are thrilled by all the flowery words and floating on cloud 9.

Cactus Creek

Barry W. Scharf

All in Vain Albeit there is a catch… “The bait is taken”, you are on the hook and being reeled in. At this point it is revealed that there is price for this representation which includes an up front payment in the thousands of dollars for curatorial representation. In addition you will be responsible for all cost of crating, insuring and shipping your work to and from the gallery. Now if you live far away (but of course you do that’s why you were selected) this can be a considerable cost and an investment of this magnitude could break most artists struggling to get by.

Is it a scam? Yes and no. There is a remote chance that they could sell something; in addition you can add a prestigious show name in New York to your resume, and you can say you belong to a real gallery.

However, it is more likely and doubtful that you will see any return on your investment beyond vanity kudos. The let down after all the expense, effort and wasted energy, can be overwhelming.

Now not all galleries or competitions fall into the category of predator. There are many that are good and mean well. I felt a need to write this article because artists need to be on the lookout not so trusting of every promise. We need to ask questions about intentions; we need to evaluate cost verses outcome. If we do we can avoid the web that draws on ego and vanity. Just be careful out there.

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/

18 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Receiving

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 19

Annie O’Brien Gonzales CONTEMPORARY EXPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS

annieobriengonzales.com Red Sky Studios 1519 Upper Canyon Road #9 Santa Fe New Mexico, 87501-6135

Roses Bloom

Ivory Tulips

Bouquet and VIolets

Daffadils and Mandarins

Pink Peach Roses and Green Spots

Annie O’Brien Gonzales

Shirley Anderson

Painting Landscapes and Florals in Pastel

Forgotten Bridge

shirleyandersonart.com

Colorful. Sensitive. Bold.

Willow

shirleyandersonart.com filomenabooth.com

Corey Watson

facebook.com/coreywatson.art coreywatson.art@gmail.com phone: 209-352-7943

Kit Hevron Mahoney Brushstrokes Studio Gallery LLP

River’s Bend 68 x 44

www.kithevronmahoney.com

www.kithevronmahoney.blogspot.com phone: 303-871-0800

BAUER Logan Bauer Landscapes, Life Drawings, Still Life, Figurative Portraits

Logan Bauer spent much of his elementary and secondary school years overseas. He took his first painting class in London, England, at the age of 13 years old. Upon his return to Arizona, he continued to take art classes at Phoenix College, and it was not until recently that painting stopped being a part time endeavor or hobby, but became a full time commitment.

He presently paints out of his studio located in Northern Arizona near Prescott.

LoganBauer.com

Pastel, Landscape and Figurative Paintings

The Northeast Corridor

RichardLevine.net artisanrichard@gmail.com

Pastel Davis & CO Art Gallery . Houston

Richard Levine

Plein Air

Kathleen Dunphy

Passion and Gifts Kathleen Dunphy’s rapid success in the competitive art world was predicted when American Artist Magazine recognized her as one of the Top Ten Emerging Artists in 1998, just 2 years after she had closed her floral design business to devote herself full-time to painting. She is one of those rare people who has true passion, dedication, and a gift for transposing nature’s beauty to canvas.

Kathleen’s early art education included workshops by Kevin MacPherson and Dan Gerhartz. In 2000, Kathleen was awarded a full scholarship at the renown Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She maintains strong ties to the Academy, where she has been offered a faculty appointment and participates in the annual Alumni Auction. Further study with Scott Christensen and T. Allen Lawson helped hone her skills and refine her own unique style of painting.

In 2003, Kathleen designed and built her own studio in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California, where the pristine setting of her new home provides endless inspiration for her work. Kathleen’s landscape paintings can now be found in galleries from coast to coast. Her honors are considerable and include important juried shows in California, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, and Maine; Best of Show from the American Impressionist Society; an

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

28 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Award of Excellence from the Oil Painters of America; ten California Art Club Gold Medal Shows; eight magazine articles including being featured in Southwest Art’s plein air issues in 2009 and 2013; the Federal Duck Stamp Competition; Birds in Art; Arts for the Parks; Grand Prize at the Acadia Invitational Exhibition in Bar Harbor, Maine; and many others. In 2014, Kathleen’s painting “The Flotilla” was purchased by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum for inclusion in their permanent collection. Kathleen has attained signature status with the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, Laguna Plein Air Painters, the American Society of Marine Artists and Artists for Conservation. Her highest honor to date came in 2013 when she was elected to join the prestigious Plein Air Painters of America as one of only 35 Signature Members. In a short period of time, she has earned an impressive and growing reputation with galleries, private collectors, and art magazines across the United States.

In the spirit of passing on the gifts of her artistic abilities, Kathleen began teaching in 2005 and is a much sought-after workshop instructor. Her engaging style of teaching and one-on-one instruction garners high accolades from her student artists.

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

Plein Air

Kathleen Dunphy

A Private Conversation

Azure

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

30 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Compadres

Dawning

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 31

Plein Air

Kathleen Dunphy

Deep in December

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

32 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

The Flotilla

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 33

Plein Air

Kathleen Dunphy

Lawn Mowers

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/

34 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Neap Tide

San Pasqual Valley Overlook

http://www.kathleendunphy.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 35

discover art . inspire collectors engage discussion . celebrate life

Rainer Andreesen

DAVIS&CO f i n e a r t g a l l e r y Home is where the art is. dandcgallery.com

dandcgallery.com

dandcgallery.com

TRAVERS Valerie Travers Seascapes, Landscapes, Abstract and Floral

”Splendour” - Oil on Canvas 40 x 30 inches

“Gone but not Forgotten” - Oil on Canvas 30 x 20 inches

“Heavenly Feelings” - Oil on Canvas 30 x 20 inches

COONTS Bob Coonts

Prancer

www.bobcoonts.com

Sugar

“Prancer II”, 36”x60”, Acryllic on Canvas

Tetons

www.bobcoonts.com

Title: March Morning, Horseshoe Bay, Southampton, Bermuda Size: 30x36�

Medium: Oil on Linen

John Whitton Bria JohnBria.com

Laurie Justus Pace

The Power of Three The Spirit of the Paint Viewing a Laurie Pace painting is a rich experience that drips with color and emotion. Her passionate works are alive with movement, boldly created with a wide brush and a palette knife. She loves working with oils, dramatically carving out the paint and transferring her energy to the canvas and ultimately on to the viewer.

LauriePace.com

The Power of Three 30 x 40 Oil on Canvas

Mirada Fine Art . Denver The La Jolla Gallery . La Jolla Davis & CO . Houston Dutch Art Gallery . Dallas Rare Gallery . Jackson Hole Texas Trails . Nocona Robert Kelly Gallery . Park City

Eric Bodtker

Les Alpilles and Olive Trees in Saint Remy de Provence

ericbodtker.com

Vickie REES

Mint Milk Shake 24 x 12

Visit my website. vlrees.com TippingPaintGallery.com

Flowers

Nancy Medina

Leap of Faith I suspect when we are truly artists, there is really no escape from the destiny of making art and creating. When I was young and flitting about the country trying on different careers, the one thing that never changed was a constant need to create. I remember quite clearly the day I was deciding on a major for College and my parents told me not to choose art because I would starve. And so I became a journalist. (This is the part of the story where all the underpaid journalists in the room laugh).

My parents were speaking out of fear and out of a desire to protect me from the big bad world out there, but in reality being an artist is a calling, and I could only ignore the calling for so long. One year ago, at the age of 51, I gave up my job as the director of a national magazine to paint and teach full time. My boss’ jaw dropped when I told him I was leaving this cherry position with its six-figure salary and nice office. I would caution, however, I didn’t leap off the corporate cliff with no preparation into some blissful artistic abyss. I was strategic and careful and I slowly but surely built my art business over time, balancing two careers until I felt fairly certain I could pay the light bill with my art. I would get home from work at 5:30 pm, take care of the pugs, clean house, and be in the stu-

http://www.nancymedina.com/

48 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

dio by 6:30 pm each evening. I would paint until midnight and be at work the next day at 7:30 am sharp. I did this every day for over 7 years.

And now, at the end of my first year as a full-time artist, I have more than doubled my old salary in corporate America. How was this possible? When you do what you love, you succeed.

I wake up each morning and I am filled with happiness. Now that I set my own hours, choose my own places to teach, decide each morning what I want to paint, and basically control my own destiny, I understand more clearly the concept of “freedom to create.” I can write an article for a magazine at 11 pm at night, and not worry about the board of director’s meeting at 8 am the next morning, for example. My coworkers have four feet and leave squeaky toys around the studio. My boss tosses a ball at my leg and barks at me when it’s time to take a break. I have conference calls with videographers and website gurus in my business casual bathrobe. Most importantly, I control my own success. Strangely, I work more hours now than I did when I had two jobs. I work 7 days a week, every day and every night. But I love every minute of my life.

Through the Gate Bougainvillea Path 16X12 http://www.nancymedina.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 49

Flowers

Nancy Medina

An important factor in my motivation to be a successful artist was not to make money, but to create. When you open yourself up to the creative force, your artistic calling, that thing out there that is much bigger than us all, you eliminate the toxic barriers and distractions between yourself and your muse.

Now, I find myself trying to rehabilitate friends who are unhappy in their careers, by telling them to launch their own cottage industry. If you have a hobby, a skill, or something you really enjoy doing, I say, find a way to make a side business out of it. Build your business over time.

If you work very hard, if you are very passionate about it, if you enjoy what you are doing, growth and success is inevitable. How do you know when it’s time to take the leap? Life is so very short. Don’t give control to someone else; you have the power to paint your own destiny.

Garden Remnants Geraniums and Pansies 14X14

http://www.nancymedina.com/

50 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

“I am pursuing a dream.

The return on investment is joy.”

Circle of Friends Tulips

http://www.nancymedina.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 51

Flowers

Nancy Medina

Life’s a Breeze Peonies 14X14

http://www.nancymedina.com/

52 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

A Brush With Summer - Sunflowers 16X20

http://www.nancymedina.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 53

Flowers

Nancy Medina

Poppy Tango

http://www.nancymedina.com/

54 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Fall Sunday Sunflowers 20 x 16

http://www.nancymedina.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 55

Flowers

Nancy Medina

Nancy Medina is a master signature artist and instructor for the Dallas Arboretum who teaches floral and landscape painting across the US, and in France and Italy. Her paintings are collected around the world. You can learn more about her at www.nancymedina.com

http://www.nancymedina.com/

56 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

http://www.nancymedina.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 57

“Phalaenopsis� Pastel

Richard Levine Pastel Painter Landscape and Figurative

www.richardlevine.net

Davis & CO Fine Art

email: artisanrichard@gmail.com

dandcgallery.com

Mark Yearwood

Fire and Rain 48’’x36’’ Mixed Media on Canvas

MarkYearwood.com Select Prints available at Nuvango.com/markyearwood

Barbara Haviland

Wildflowers

Barb’s Garden Art https://barbara-haviland-art.squarespace.com/ www.BarbaraHavilandFineArt.com

Laura Reed Horizons

laurareed.artspan.com April 7 – May 4 The Gallery at Plymouth Harbor on Sarasota Bay Reception April 7, 4:30 til 6:00 pm.

Whimsical

Jasmine Becket-Griffith

Wide Eyed Jasmine Becket-Griffith was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1979. The oldest of three daughters, she spent a lot of her childhood reading, drawing & painting, and playing with her two sisters. She always had a bit of an overactive imagination, which no doubt led to her further development as a fantasy artist.

Jasmine’s favourite artwork early in life mostly consisted of book illustrations and animation (she’s always been a big Disney fan!). Jasmine’s own large eyes and round face often worked their way into her many drawings - she has always been one to focus on self-portraits. She was also drawn to the “big eyed” mass-marketed prints of

Three Little Birds http://www.strangeling.com/

62 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

children and “pity kitties” by Keane and Gig that were advertised in the back of the old comic books she read (there were boxes of old 1960s comics in the attic). Jasmine’s father introduced her to the surreal worlds of Salvador Dali and HR Giger, which probably helped form the “darker side” in some of her work. In addition he showed her the book “Gnomes” by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet and of course “Faeries” by Brian Froud and Alan Lee - both of which helped spur an early interest in the faery folk and the artwork inspired by them.

Jasmine began her “professional” career at the age of 5 years old, going door-to-door to sell her drawings and paintings.

http://www.strangeling.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 63

Whimsical

Jasmine Becket-Griffith

Alice and Snow White http://www.strangeling.com/

64 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

As her style developed, Jasmine began reading more fantasy books - anything she could get her hands on at the public library - notably the “Dragonlance” series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. At age 12 she received the book “The Art of the Dragonlance Saga” as a gift and thus began her interest in contemporary fantasy artwork. Inspired by the magical paintings of Larry Elmore and Keith Parkinson, she began to consider the world of fantasy art as a potential career.

At age 13 Jasmine won a bunch of money from the National Spelling Bee. The vast majority of the money was spent on art supplies, as it was at that time she began taking her artwork “seriously.”

Of course in 8th grade that mostly meant buying Bob Ross instructional videos. After teaching herself the basics of paint handling and realism she began incorporating her more “cartoon like” characters into her paintings. Her style was further refined - a blend of realism and wide-eyed wonder, usually featuring the big-eyed characters inspired by her own self-portraits.

As time wore on, Jasmine doodled and painted her way through high school and finally finished up with that nonsense. In 1997 at the age of 17 she met her future husband Matt Becket on the internet and wowed him with her sketchbooks.

Or something like that. Matt gave her the nickname Strangeling (a combination of “strange” and

“changeling”) and being the dotcom decade, she registered the website www.strangeling.com to showcase her artwork. She dipped her toes into the professional artworld at age 18 with some online sales and galleries. As time wore on she began gaining more and more of an internet fanbase through her original paintings and commissioned works, and by the age of 22 she was able to “quit her day job” and support herself fully with her artwork. Her name and recognition spread as she continued painting non-stop - books were published, contracts were signed, hundreds of products were licensed, and shortly after her husband Matt was able to devote himself to Jasmine’s career full-time as her personal assistant while pursuing his own writing career.

As the Jasmine Becket-Griffith brand has grown into a multi-million dollar annual industry, the company has also expanded to half a dozen employees (Jasmine’s two sisters, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, mohter, step-sister) who handle the production, printing, packaging & shipping of Jasmine’s prints and original paintings sold through the Strangeling.com website. The team also helps set up conventions & art fairs (including Jasmine’s personal appearances at conventions such as Dragon*Con, MegaCon and FaerieCon), processing internet orders, and taking care of the computer aspects of the business, leaving Jasmine with more time to paint.

http://www.strangeling.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 65

Whimsical

Jasmine Becket-Griffith

Bosch Circus

http://www.strangeling.com/

66 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Right Page: Portrait of Ophelia

http://www.strangeling.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 67

Whimsical

Jasmine Becket-Griffith

Jasmine very happy to be able to support herself painting what she loves. She paints typically between 8-16 hours per day, only breaking for travel or personal appearances. She lives in the Disney-created city of Celebration, Florida (near her primary gallery - Pop Gallery at Downtown Disney), and also divides her time between her secondary home studios in London, England and in her hometown of Kansas City. She has three cats, Mama Wolf, Tigrillo, and Sunshine. When not painting she enjoys traveling, spending time in nature, reading and vegetarian cooking.

Jasmine’s artwork appears in countless books (her books “Gothic Art Now” and “Vampire Art Now,” “The World of Faery” with Alan Lee, ‘The Art of Faery” with Brian Froud, “Big Eye Art,” “The Fantasy Art Bible,” “The Oracle of the Shapeshifters, “The Oracle of Shadows and Light”, “Les Vampires Oracle,” “Myths and Mermaids Oracle,” “Beautiful Creatures Tarot,” “Lowbrow Art,” “Lowbrow Cats,” regular issues of the annual “Spectrum,” and Art Renewal’s annual ARC Salons, as well as her solo art books including “Fairy: the Art of Jasmine

http://www.strangeling.com/

68 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Becket-Griffith,” “Jasmine Becket-Griffith: Portfolio Volume I,” “Portfolio Volume II,” “Portfolio Volume III,” and the new “Strangeling: The Art of Jasmine Becket-Griffith”, TV shows & movies, lines of licensed merchandise products, and very notably her co-brands and character contract work with the Walt Disney Company. Jasmine’s internet and social media presence is one of the highest status online of any living artist, with millions of internet hits and a Facebook fanpage exceeding 800,000 fans.

Jasmine’s paintings are all created the traditional way - hand painted acrylic paintings on wood or masonite panels. No computers, no airbrushes, no digital enhancements. Jasmine’s work weaves traditional “Old Masters” style techniques and realistic detail with contemporary themes and characters, creating a timeless feel that appeals to all ages. Her original paintings and fine art can be found at the WonderGround Gallery at Disneyland in Anaheim, the Pop Gallery at Walt Disney World in Florida, and the Disney Marketplace Co-Op at Downtown Disney in Florida.

Right Page: Darling Dragonling

http://www.strangeling.com/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 69

Roseanne Snyder

Lavender Sky

roseannesnyder.blogspot.com

“Yellow and Blue”

Suzy Pal Powell suzypal.blogspot.com Bluecanvas.com/suzypal

Phyllis DeQuevedo “A Work in Progress”

Katie

JP Foucart

mantikstudio.com

Joy Shared

Nancy Medina Painting Under the Tuscan Sun A Painting Dream Getaway During the Peak of Poppy Bloom Season June 6-13, 2015 Tuscany, Italy

www.nancymedina.com

“Celebrating the stories and legends of Texas and the Great Southwest through original art, prints and books.�

601 E Hwy. 82 - Nocona, Texas 76255 . 940-825-7226 www.TexasTrailArtGallery.com . Facebook: Texas Trails Art Gallery Tuesday through Saturday 10 to 6 . Sunday 1 to 5 . Closed Mondays.

Lisa McKinney

Had I Known

78 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Lisa-McKinney.com

lisamckinneyartprints.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 79

PROFILES

36

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS f r o m 8 c ou n t r i e s

80 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

01

Yelena Dyumin

13

Australia 02

Slav Krivoshiev

Brian Croft

14

Angela Hardy

15

Michal Askhenasi

16

Alejandro Castanon

17

Aixa Oliveras

18

Valerie Travers

19

Vincent Wray

20

Gerald Barnes

21

JoAnn Peralta

22

Morgan Weistling United States of America

Elaine Vileria

Rainer Andreesen

Tigran Tsitoghdzya

Mark Yearwood

Lisa McKinney

23

Robert Huckestein

30

Anthony A. Gonzalez United States of America

Deran Wright United States of America

31

Felicia Marshall United States of America

32

Ray Maines United States of America

33

Barry Scharf United States of America

34

Mary Jo Zorad United States of America

35

United States of America 24

Denise Bossarte United States of America

United States of America

United States of America 12

29

United States of America

United States of America 11

Diane Whitehead

Debbie Grayson Lincoln United States of America

United States of America

United Kingdom 10

28

United States of America

United Kingdom 09

Jeanne Illenye

David Blow United States of America

United States of America

Puerto Rico 08

27

United States of America

Mexico 07

Isabelle Gautier

Clayton Gardinier United States of America

United States of America

Israel 06

26

United States of America

Canada 05

Kimberly Conrad

Anton Zhou United States of America

United States of America

Canada 04

25

United States of America

Bulgaria 03

Andrew Baird

Roberta McGowan United States of America

36

Laurie Pace United States of America

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 81

01

Australia

Yelena Dyumin

Paper Pigeons Art is, by its nature, a reflection of the way we think and feel. My paintings express my thoughts and emotion blended with an interpretation of our physical world. Vibrant colors and a strong design sense co-exist with humor and compassion to create varied pieces with a universal and timeless appeal. I’m most passionate about painting and drawing and have been involved with the two since childhood. I’ve always loved the experience of losing myself in thought and diving into the world of art and imagination. This creative introspection allows me to produce art that is not only beautiful, but one-of-a-kind. I’ve been told again and again that this uncanny ability to illustrate the exceptional beauty of everyday life is what makes my artwork lovable.

dyuminart.com 82 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Bulgaria

02

Slav Krivoshiev

Who Stole the Fairy Tales Style: mythological constructivism. I define art that is created as a social myth. Constructive basis is the mythological story, a fragment or a reference to certain mythological hero, passage or detail, but considered in the problems of the modern social environment, resulting in a new mythological experience, a new reflection, the result of a new social environment, where a person lives, seeking and developing. Or the environment in which man is obliged to live, according to the circumstances, are obviously controlled social power but he often monitor and control them (the circumstances). Psycho-social myth of modern man. Art which has claim does not give the answer, and asks precise questions to the problems of modern life.

slavkk.in.gallerix.ru/ VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 83

03

Canada

Angela Hardy

Metamorphosis

angelahardyart.com

Angela Hardy’s portrait and figurative paintings have been widely published, graced covers and featured articles of many international magazines and can be found in collections in both North America and Europe by Prestigious Collectors such as Howard Tullman, Internationally Famed photographer, Dr Andy Gotts MBE MA FBIPP and Canadian Collector, Bob Buckingham. “Angela Hardy’s work is simply breathtaking. It oozes depth and feeling and gets under the skin of her subjects. Each brush stroke adds another layer of passion and feeling from this amazing artist and I am proud to have her work in my collection.” Says photographer Dr .Andy Gotts. Bob Buckingham, Lawyer, collector: “Angela’s pieces, whether they be a soft, sensuous still life or bold portraits of her avant-garde friends all reflect the magnificent colors she was infused with as a child raised under the aurora borealis of Labrador.”

84 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Canada

04

Brian Croft

Theatre Row, Granville - 1962 Brian Croft is a former fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces. Today he is a widely recognized artist whose work emanates from the beautiful locales surrounding Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has introduced a historical and heritage perspective into his work and this has become the focal element and trademark of his various collections.

Brian’s major works are now rendered on canvas and his meticulous research and paint process continues to produce highly detailed and evocative paintings of our past. He resides in Langley, B.C. and has created over 380 works.

briancroft.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 85

05

Isarel

Michal Askhenasi

Metamorphosis Michal Ashkenasi was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Israel after World War II. She graduated from her art studies at Haifa University in 1983 and worked for several years with different artists. Ashkenasi moved to the Artist Colony in Sefad, Israel in 1990 and became a member. She is a member of the Israeli Association of Painters and Sculptors since 1987. From 1987 she did one-man shows almost every year in Israel and Europe, and participated in groups exhibitions as well. Many private art lovers all over the world have purchased her works. She currently works at her home in the center of Israel and was accepted to the “Salon Des Artistes Francais 2003” for the juried International Show in Paris, France, where she received the Medaille de Bronze 2003 for her work and was awarded the Grande Medaille d’Or in the juried International Art Festival 2004 in Cannes , France.

michalsart.com

86 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Mexico

06

Alejandro Castanon

Magnificent Born in Torreon, Mexico, in 1983, Alejandro soon moved overseas and spent most of his youth in Spain and Germany. His interest in art began at an early age and grew into a passion in his late teens. A self-taught artist he has explored many styles and mediums of art such as realism, abstract and use of graphite and charcoal. After serving eight years in the U.S Air Force he chose to move to San Angelo, TX to be present in his daughter’s life.

In less than a year he opened the Vino Dipinte Art Gallery and began his artist career. His secret to acheiving such an incredible pace of success: “I don’t stop dreaming even when I’m awake, every event is an opportunity and every obstacle a new door waiting for me to walk through it. Attitude is everything and there is no such thing as a prayer answered without hard work”.

alejandrocastanon.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 87

07

Puerto Rico

Aixa Oliveras

Ascension Aixa Oliveras is a Puerto Rican artist who has participated in several group exhibitions in venues such as Foro Galería, Galería Peroni and OBRA Galería Alegría. Also, one of her paintings is included in the Reyes-Veray Collection. Born in Bayamόn, Puerto Rico, Aixa graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas in 2007. She has studied traditional drawing and painting techniques in a scholarship program with the artists Luis Borrero and Amber Lia-Kloppel. She lives and works in Old San Juan, PR. ”My paintings center on the space between the conscious and unconscious self. I juxtapose the human figure (conveyed in a figurative, realist style) against a dreamlike narrative, which in turn conveys a sense of unreality, mystery and displacement. Through my paintings I endeavor to express the idea of the extraordinary amidst what may seem ordinary.”

aixaoliveras.com

88 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United Kingdom

08

Valerie Travers

Romance

Painting is a massive part of my life and I work in the studio for several hours each day if possible. Surrounded by sea it is natural to be touched by such changing beauty and this I aim to capture in my work. Seascapes and skies have moved me for as long as I can remember, forever changing, and always inspirational. Sometimes soft, gentle and almost childlike. Other times fierce, strong and dramatic. “I love the creative process from beginning to end, seeing a creation emerge and grow often with quite surprising results. I try not to be too rigid in my approach and let the creative juices flow and develop. I paint what gives me pleasure, pure and simple but at the same time it makes me happy when I know that what I create is also giving pleasure to others. It is impossible for one’s work to be liked by everyone, we all have preferences, so I tend to follow my instincts and paint what comes naturally. valerietravers.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 89

09

United Kingdom

Vincent Wray

Bunny Boom

My Art, my passion. Acrylic on wood panel with stair varnish (oil based) and flame.

The stair varnish was a gift from someone who saw a guy wondering around the neighborhood trying to sell it. The varnish burns really well once dry. I tried burning it whilst still wet and nearly burned the house down. The varnish allows the heat to effect the layers of paint below before liquefying. I still have a lot to learn about the process but it is a lot of fun, as long as you don’t touch the panel while it’s hot. I have done it so many times with blistered fingers as the result.

facebook.com/theartofvincentjwray

90 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

10

Gerald Barnes

Steadfast 30” x 48” x 1.5” Canvas

Numbers Series No. 34 Like many artists, my career was interrupted by the realities of having to make a living.

Now that I am retired, I have finally come back to making art and moving in quite a new direction. My past work consisted mainly of acrylic narrative paintings on artboard and canvas 30”X40” while my current work is in mixed media on wood panels and wooden forms.

geraldbarnes.artspan.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 91

11

United States of America

JoAnn Peralta

Girl with Flowers JoAnn Peralta, as a very young girl, was inspired by paintings that sparked her creative inner spirit. Peralta found Vincent Van Gogh paintings affected her in such a deeply aesthetic way that she began to pursue oil painting and drawing on her own. “There was never anyone really encouraging me to do this. I just knew I had to do it.” Peralta adds, “As a teenager I would hang out at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and take in the beautiful fine art while studying my favorite pieces”. Peralta didn’t receive artistic training until her early 20’s when she received a full-scholarship to Art Center College of Design, in Pasadena, California, which she attended for four years as an illustration/fine arts major.

jperalta.com

92 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

12

Morgan Weistling

Steadfast 30” x 48” x 1.5” Canvas

The Vineyard Girl After being art-directed for years, Morgan Weistling decided to paint for himself. He took time out to produce a painting of two children and brought it to Scottsdale Arizona on the advice of long time friend, Julio Pro . The first gallery he walked into signed him on the spot, Trailside Galleries. Co-owner Maryvonne Leshe was quick to spot new talent.

She was soon proven right. “He would send his paintings to us un-framed and before we could get them hung, they would be sold,” quips Maryvonne. Soon a “draw” system for Weistling’s paintings became necessary. His first one-man show had 26 paintings and all were sold opening night. Since then, Morgan has had five more one-man shows and they sold -out opening night as well. Also interested in depicting his Christian faith, Morgan has portrayed the life of Christ in many of his paintings. Those images can be found in the best selling book, The Image of Christ, with paintings and text by Morgan. morganweistling.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 93

13

United States of America

Andy Baird

Scarlett

Andy Baird’s large drip-painted portraits are especially entertaining because of their dynamic palette and controlled use of color values, pulling together a subject that is startlingly recognizable.

Says Baird: “Each time I visit the painting, I drip paint either to lose the image or strengthen it. I build layers of color until I see in the painting that perfect quality that I’m looking for.

The process is intriguing to me, especially when each painting takes on a life of its own, and the end result surprises and fascinates me.”

Bairdstudios.com

94 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

14

Kimberly Conrad

A Song from the Gulf Gull “Art and music are to my soul, as food and water are to my body. I believe that they are two of God’s most precious gifts to His children. As the author and giver of creativity, through these gifts, He has given us a portion of Himself. He created the very first canvas, magnificently painted it, and brought it to life.” I am a full-time artist, dividing my time between painting and teaching in my Colorado studio. Having painted on most every surface imaginable, at this time I work primarily on canvas, board, and paper. Though my style remains quite diverse, I believe I have the heart of an Abstract Expressionist, or even more accurately, an Action Expressionist, as I am most definitely an “action painter”. My preferred application, used in my landscape, seascapes and aspens is to “pour” my paint, manipulating the flow with water and body movement.” kimberlyconradfineart.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 95

15

United States of America

Isabelle Gautier

Before the Snow Isabelle Gautier was born and grew up in Normandy, just a few miles from The Mont Saint Michel in north-western France. Her early artistic development was inspired by a love of nature, color and design. Her extensive travels across all continents have left a lasting impression on her oeuvre, making her artwork both personal and universal. Influenced by the French impressionist artists of the 19th century, Gautier also has a strong passion for 20th century expressionist painters as well. Represented by Muse and Co in Atlanta, she was selected by HGTV as the main artist for their Smart Home in 2013. In 1991 she attended l’Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, but is mostly self-taught. Working as a professional artist over the past twenty years, she has paused long enough to raise her children. Isabelle Gautier moved to Atlanta in 1999 with her husband and two sons where she lives and works today.

Isaabellegautiersart.com

96 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

16

Jeanne Illenye

Blossoms with Bluebirds Jeanne has begun to periodically lighten her palette and occasionally alter the perspective on her subjects, yet always relying on her classical roots such as employing the Hogarth Curve in varying forms within her compositions, sensitivity to light and shadow, a base of earth tones applied in thin glazes, to ultimately produce larger, fresher paintings. It is in these newest works where simplification of format and intensification of focus continue to reveal lighter, more emphatic paintings that simultaneously retain a delicacy of touch and sensitivity of spirit for which Jeanne is recognized. Perennial inspiration from her bountiful gardens, a reverence for nature and an acute awareness of the effects of time upon her subjects are what identify Jeanne Illenye’s work as both endearing and enduring as she captures nature’s transient beauty.

jeanneillenye.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 97

17

United States of America

Diane Whitehead

Moose Animals are my muse. The scratch of the paw, pounce of a hoof, gesture of the head, alert ear, quiet stride, powerful shape, ancient wisdom. All come to play with the shapes I see as I paint.

I am drawn to the natural beauty and coloring of an animal and am aware of how it must adapt to it’s surroundings, to become invisible to the hunter, visible to the same species to mate, and powerful enough to scare off predators. The bold color I see is like an animal aura, with such energy and emotion, it is difficult for me to ever tone down my color palette.

dianewhitehead.com

98 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

18

Elaine Vileria

Celestial Reincarnation Elaine received her Masters Degree from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY. She has been an art teacher for students from pre-K, through high school, as well as adult instruction.

She has coordinated and curated numerous art exhibitions. After facing breast cancer in 1996, she coordinated three art shows for cancer survivors.

Her artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States, as well as in France, and has been published in “Quilting Today Magazine”. She has also written and illustrated a children’s book, “The Legend of Old Mr. Clarke”.

eleainvileria.artspan.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 99

19

United States of America

Rainer Andreesen

Whoopi New York and all my travels provided a life so far from where I came from and full of inspiration and adventure. My modeling career was going very well working for the top designers such as Armani, Valentino, Zegna and Gucci. I ended up with a contract with Saks 5th ave in New York while working for J.Crew, LL. Bean and Eddie Bauer and many other catalog companies. Eventually I found myself missing the actual painting of portraits, although I kept a sketch book throughout my travels, nothing was as satisfying as painting for me.

After six years in New York, I took a break from modeling and moved to Los Angeles with my partner Victor Garber and concentrated on my paintings of portraiture. With all my adventures and inspiration from my travels, the brush became my guide to paint what I had built up inside me.

rainerart.com

100 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

20

Tigran Tsitoghdzyan

Mirror Series Tigran Tsitoghdzyan was born in 1976 in Yerevan, Armenia. Since he was very young he passed his days painting and drawing. He found his universe when he discovered the oil paints at the age of 5. Very soon he was noticed by Henrik Iguitian, an art critic, founder and director of Modern Art Museum and Children Art Museum in Yerevan. He organized Tigran’s first personal exhibition with one hundred works when Tigran was ten years old.

The exhibition started in Yerevan, and then continued in the cities of Spain and USA. In the following years Tigran had numerous exhibitions in Armenia, Russia, West Europe and United States. He was awarded by different governmental organizations and foundations in Armenia and Russia. Hundreds of articles were written, interviews and 2 documentaries were made. His paintings were included in the catalogues of the modern Armenian artists.

ttigran.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 101

21

United States of America

Mark Yearwood

Infusion Yearwood’s fine art is all about line and form, a little geometry, architectural aspects, and organic design. He has been influenced along the way by Native American art and culture, the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, and the quality of the work of contemporary Santa Fe artists. Previously the artist always had to suit his sign and graphic design customers and abide by the images they had in mind. Now he wants to work for himself, following his own inspiration in its purest form. What is inside is being released in the abstract form; it is not representational, allowing for a co-creation of meaning between artist and viewer. His goals: to make better and better art, to explore, to evolve, not to be stale nor easily pigeonholed. Yearwood is currently known for the interesting texture of his work, one piece even containing parts of a salvaged Cello. markyearwood.com

102 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

22

Lisa McKinney

Morning Dew

Lisa McKinney is the daughter of an internationally collected wildlife and western painter and a renowned biotech director. The mix of the creative and the logical always felt like a pull of two very conflicted worlds. As a child, Lisa found the quiet solitude of creating art was a welcome reprieve from a rambunctious house with three brothers. Lisa’s drawings and paintings were chosen each year to be displayed in the elementary school art shows at the local opera house. However, art was soon left behind and replaced by college, studying for a career in social work. After a very rewarding time working with troubled teens, Lisa realized that the color of creativity was a crucial part of her soul. Searching for a path that would lead to the perfect blend of right and left brain culminated in her current full time career as a mixed media artist, photographer, and graphic designer. She finds her artistic inspiration comes from nature, as well as quiet days spent in her studio in the mountains overlooking the rugged, rocky Oregon Coast. lisamckinneyartprints.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 103

23

United States of America

Robert Huckestein

See and Sew I am living my dream as a full-time artist. The paintings and drawings I create are a result of all those years spent honing my artistic skills, and studying techniques of past artists, as well as contemporary artists of today. My early paintings were experiments of many different styles from abstract to photorealism. But, I always returned to drawing and painting in a realistic style of which my work is now recognized for. These realistic paintings and drawings are of the architecture, and the people of the city and surrounding small towns that are distinct of Western Pennsylvania. I also use objects that relate to my life or to things of the past that help me to create my still life’s.

roberthuckestein.com

104 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

Anthony A Gonzalez

Servant to None Anthony takes every opportunity to expand and develop his skills and personal style. He draws and paints from life often to continually perfect his skills. He attended The Art Institute in Texas and Academia Atrium in Madrid, Spain and taken numerous workshops with nationally know artists although much of his technique is self-taught.

Gonzalez says, “Each women has a uniqueness of her own and with the use of form and color my goal is to capture her expression and attitude and convey that to the viewer.

Their expressions and attitudes present me with endless creative possibilities and this is what inspires me to paint.�

obra-de-gonzalez.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 105

24

25

United States of America

Anton Zhou

House of China There are many museums that I have been to, and a lot of them have artworks from famous artists such as Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso. Seeing a whole set of their art, especially in Europe, inspired me to reach their level of skill, and maybe extend beyond as a young impressionist. I didn’t want to be the next Picasso or anything. I just wanted to be me, the first member of the Zhou family to reach the ultimate goal - becoming a professional artist.

antonzhouartwork.com

106 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

26

Clayton Gardinier

Abandoned Church . Chappell Hill, Texas I am interested in the likenesses we make of ourselves and what it possibly says about us as human beings. My work includes abstract, landscape, environmental, black and white photography, expressionist, architectural and nature photography.

claytongardinierphotography.blogspot.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 107

27

United States of America

David Blow

Winter Chapel #2 David Blow is an artist and a photographer from North Texas. He is a Professor, Emeritus, at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. David’s photography steps past the given into a realm of story telling and often fantasy. Using the basic elements of art and design, his work weaves a story before the viewer’s eyes.

davidblow.net

108 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

28

Debbie Lincoln

White Bull I believe that artists possess a talent to soften the heart of a society that seems to be slowing losing its soul. I am a very literal painter, but as I paint I always construct stories – not only about the painting itself, but also about the type of person who may like it or be attracted or touched by it. Art has a way of making people feel not so alone in the universe.

“Yes! I feel the same way about that subject!” or “I have been in that same place/mood/ situation, too!” It’s a way of connecting.

I simply paint what I love and admire – and in my case, since I am surrounded by farm and ranch land, and the people who care for the earth and many of God’s animals, that’s what I paint.

nowornever-debbie.blogspot.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 109

29

United States of America

Denise Bossarte

Reflection My photography is in the Miksang Contemplative Photography style. Miksang photography is a Shambhala Buddhist Contemplative practice that focuses on direct perception of the world, without conceptualizations; it is photography that connects the photographer with non-conceptual awareness. Often with this type of photography, the photographer will be stopped in their tracks by perceptions that completely interrupt the flow of mental activity, that freeze them in the moment. The craft is to capture that moment with the camera so that people viewing the photographs can then have the same experience.

With Miksang photography, there is no staging; no altering of the environment, the shot, or the images before, during, or after the shot is taken. What you see in these images is what I saw at the moment I took the pictures. foundworlds.com

110 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

30

Deran Wright

Grand Ol Pachyderm During a family vacation in New Mexico, my parents ran into a well known western sculptor/painter, and asked him to look at my work (the sketchpad was never far away).

Their question was, should they sign me up for art lessons? His reply was “Certainly not.

This kid sees 3 dimensionally, you can tell from his drawings, and at this point art lessons could only do more harm than good.”

He gave me a rectangular box, and said, “Here kid. You’ll need this some day.” The box contained a strange wooden utensil, and was mostly full of some very mysterious dark material. My first sculpture tool and a block of wax. It went under the bed for the next 7 years. While sitting around on the beach, I decided to make a sand castle. The sand was just right, and the castle became a sculpture of a girl. Not a very good one, but good enough at the time. From this day forward I live life dimensionally.

deranwright.com

VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 111

31

United States of America

Felicia Marshall

Alone I am an artist, mom, wife, and teacher. Since 2008, I have undertaken the challenge of being a daily painter. I continue to be rewarded by the process. I live in Texas and enjoy being able to spend my life surrounded by art. I have always known I was an artist. I was lucky to be able to attend a high school that focused on visual arts. There I was introduced to many different art materials which included acrylic paint. In college, I had a little bit more freedom to choose the materials that I wanted to work with. I found myself naturally drawn to the versatility of acrylic paint. I have considered myself a painter ever since. I keep art fresh by taking more photographs and pushing myself to make them in a different way or from a different perspective. I don’t have any techniques for burnout. I wish I did. I get burnout often. It’s mostly about issues concerning time. I get overly ambitious about what I can accomplish in the time that I have. feliciamarshall.blogspot.com

112 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

32

Ray Maines

Tree A photographer with a BS degree in Illustrative Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology, who studied with fine art instructors such as Minor White, Ralph Hattersley and Charles Arnold. My current work is digital format in both black and white and color.

While most of my work is digital, many film negatives have also been scanned so that they might be printed. Images are found where ever travel takes me. My eye tends to see images which are abstract or which can be abstracted through the digital process. Fragments and details of objects and areas also attract my attention. I am very aware of light and try to utilize it to best enhance the effect on the final image.

All of the finished work is produced in a digital darkroom. The usual photographic techniques are applied digitally. In addition, some of the images are further manipulated in Photoshop and other software using techniques only available in the digital format. t-r-maines.fineartamerica.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 113

33

United States of America

Barry Scharf

Receiving Along with a lifetime of personal artwork in painting, sculpture and photographic travels, I am an instructor at the Art Institute of Seattle. My focus there is teaching the next generation of artists digital imaging theory and practice.

As an artist who is centered in seeing the spiritual within nature, I am moved to express visions by both abstract imagery and narrative reality. In this way my work allows the viewer to experience feelings as imagery, sound as color, prayer as a composition.

barryshcarf.squarespace.com

114 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

34

Mary Jo Zorad

Mustang Mary Jo now lives live in Olympia Washington, a wonderland of nature and landscape scenery. She ventures outside daily with her dogs to explore nature just as she did as a young child. She continues to find these excursions enlivening and spiritually inspiring.

With digital camera in hand she documents the seasons and occasionally the wildlife.

During these excursions she has encountered wild bears, deer, coyote and the plentiful hopping rabbits, observed cougar tracks in the mud and snow, and watched the wildflower seasons come and go. Zorad’s paintings step further than the visible eye can see bringing in basic spirit. Of all the paintings that Mary Jo creates she explaines that the animals are the most exhilarating to paint. She is most fond of the domestic animals such as cats, dogs and horses. Additionally, the North American wildlife, such as elk, deer, bears and birds warm her heart. maryjozorad.blogspot.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 115

35

United States of America

Roberta McGowan

Storm Cloud Roberta McGowan founded Visual West Photography in 1998 in Colorado following a successful career on the US East Coast as a photojournalist, corporate photographer, and portrait specialist. Her images of horses, cowgirls, cowboys, and the wild west are photographed with reverence for the spirits of the animals and people presented. From her earliest years with a point and shoot camera to professional newspaper photographer to corporate photojournalist, Roberta has carried with her the joy of capturing those very special fragile moments.

Roberta entered the world of horse photography with the goal of honoring the Western spirit. Her interpretive images help define find that rare energy which survives and thrives in the Rocky Mountains. visualwestphotography.com

116 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

United States of America

Laurie Justus Pace

Grazomg As splintering light fractions into thousands of colors, 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 her faith. A degree in Art, ten years with an advertising agency, and thirty five years teaching art has come full circle to top honors at international art shows and representation from top galleries. Constantly pushing the edge, Laurie presses in her work for discovery and celebration. Compositions change with color and dimension setting the pace for a unique painting every time with a new journey. Viewing a Laurie Justus Pace painting is a rich experience that drips with color and emotion. Her passionate works are alive with movement, boldly created with a wide brush and a palette knife. She loves working with oils, dramatically carving out the paint and transferring her energy to the canvas and ultimately on to the viewer. lauriepace.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 117

36

Judy Mackey

“Patience” Oil on Canvas

“Patience 2” Oil on Canvas

“Patience 3” Oil on Canvas

“Patience 5” Oil on Canvas

www.JudyMackey.com

Judy Mackey

“No Worries” Oil on Canvas

www.JudyMackey.com

LADY L

Colors Make Me Happy

Small Blessings 24 x 30 inches Acrylic on Canvas

ellepace.com/lady-l-artist ladylart.blogspot.com

She began painting at age 2 on small pieces and by age 3 moved up to full size canvas. Lady L is the granddaughter of Texas Artist Laurie Pace.

Palette Knife Painters

Paletteknifepainters.blogspot.com

Paletteknifepainters.org

Kimberly Conrad “Pouring Color Into Your Life”

Moving Metals Cerulean B-6 18” x 18”

KimberlyConradFineArt.com

Moving Metals

Moving Metals Cerulean B-5 18 “ x 18�

KimberlyConradFineArt.com

DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com

Carol A. McIntyre “Floating Winds, “ 28x21, Oil on Canvas

DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com

DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY

DianeWhitehead.com

Diane Whitehead “Animals are my muse. The scratch of the paw, pounce of a hoof, gesture of the head, alert ear, quiet stride, powerful shape, ancient wisdom.

All come to play with the shapes I see as I paint.�

DianeWhitehead.com

Alejandro Castanon

www.vinodipinte.com Vino Dipinte Art Gallery 602 Orient St

San Angelo, TX 76903

alejandrocastanon.com

Artists of Texas

artistsoftexas.org

NO WHERE BUT TEXAS

artistsoftexas.blogspot.com dailypaintersoftexas.blogspot.com

Felicia Marshall

“Dressed Up”

“Alone”

Left page: “Sunshine on Hope”

FeliciaMarshall.blogspot.com

ZoradArt.com

Red Earth Red

Lyrical #122A Red

Mary Jo Zorad contemporary fine art

ZoradArt.com

Index of Features and Advertisers

Aixa Oliveras 88 Alejandro Castanon 87, 132-133 Angela Hardy 84 Annie O-Brien Gonzales 3, 20-21 Anthony A Gonzalez 105 Anton Zhou 106 Andy Baird 94 Art Treks 124-125 Artists of Texas 134-135 Barbara Haviland 60 Barry Scharf 16-19, 114 Bob Coonts 40-41 Brian Croft 85 Carol Jo Smidt 13 Clayton Gardinier 107 Corey Watson 24 Daily Painters 140-141 Daily Painters Abstract Gallery 128-129 David Blow 108 Davis & CO Gallery 36-37 Debbie Lincoln 109 Denise Bossarte 110 Deran Wright 111

Diane Whitehead 98, 130-131 Elaine Vileria 99 Eric Bodtker 46 Felicia Marshall 112, 136-137 Gerald Barnes 91 Index of Artists 142 Isabelle Gautier 96 Jasmine Becket-Griffith Jeanne Illenye 97 JoAnn Peralta 92 John Whitton Bria 42-43 Jonelle T McCoy 12 Judy Mackey 118-119 Kathleen Dunphy 28-35 Kimberly Conrad 95, 126-127 Kit Hevron Mahoney 25 Lady L 120-121 Laura Reed 61 Laurie Pace 44-45, 117 Lelija Roy 14 Lisa McKinney 78-79, 103 Logan Bauer 26 Mark Yearwood 59, 102 Mary Jo Zorad 115, 138-139

Michal Askhenasi 86 Mirada 10-11 Morgan Weistling 93 Nancy Medina 48-57, 74-75 Nathalie Kelly 143 Niki Gulley 4-5 Painters Keys, Sara Genn 8-9 Palette Knife painters 122-123 Phyllis DeQuevedo 72-73 Rainer Andreesen 100 Ray Maines 113 Richards Levine 27, 58 Robert Huckestein 104 Roberta McGowan 116 Roseanne Snyder 70 Sanda Manuila 15 Shirley Anderson 22-23 Slav Krivoshiev 83 Suzy Pal Powell 71 Texas Trails Gallery 76-77 Tigran Tsitoghdzyan 101 Valeries Travers 38-39, 89 Vickie Rees 47 Vincent Wray 90

VisualLanguageMagazine.com

142 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

Nathalie Kelley

“The Neighbor�

nathaliekelleyart.com

visuallanguagemagazine.com 144 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com