Visual Language Magazine Vol 3 No 10 October 2014 by Visual Language

Visual Language contemporary fine art

VL Rees vlrees.com Features: Hall Groat II . Marzena Oberc-Habzda . VL Rees . Garry Gay . Anthony A Gonzalez . Elaine Valeria . Pat Meyer . Anton Zhou VL October 2014 Volume 3 No. 10

visual language contemporary fine art

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VL Cover Artist

VL Rees Contemporary Realism and Beyond V L Rees is best known for contemporary Realism executed in colorful oils. However, on hot summer afternoons, she has been known to give in to the abstract. She draws inspiration from her appreciation of the beatuy found in the everyday. Unusual angles, dramatic lighting and natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intricacies all capture her attention. Vickiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work is exhibited regionally and is in collection in the South and Midwest. Originally from indianapolis, She moved to North Carolina after a twenty year stop in Kentucky. She and her husband live in downton Raleigh and enjoy being within walking distance ot many of the cities First Friday art venues. This is the second cover VL Rees has had with Visual Language. Her composition and color really attract the eye.

VLRees.com

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Michal Ashkenasi Photography

michalsart.com

content

Cover Artist VL Rees 3 Contemporary Realism and Beyond with VL Rees

Painter’s Keys - Sara Genn 11 VL Artists to Collect - 16 Anthony A. Gonzalez, Elaine Vileria, Pat Meyer, Anton Zhou

CFAI Colors on My Palette 40 Deanna Jaugstetter

Read the up close and personal interviews from CFAI.co Find out more about the artist, their inspirations and how they approach their work.

“Culinary Art Immortalized: From Table to Wall with Hall Groat II” by Francine Butler 46 Hall Groat II has married his classical oil painting style with his appreciation of culinary art, specializing in desserts, by capturing them on canvas.

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VL Artspan Studio Visit Marzena Oberc-Habzda 60 I am captivated, inspired and challenged by various subjects in nature. My main focus is on nature’s delicate yet powerful beauty, remarkable design and perfect color harmony.

Barry Scharf 80

Going to Extremes

VL Artspan Spotlight Interview: VL Rees 88 When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist? Before first grade! I took art classes throughout elementary and high school, dabbled in college and after graduation, then gave it up for nearly 30 years. Approaching retirement I thought about what I wanted to do after a left the corporate world and realized where my heart was. It wasn’t easy to pick up a paint brush after a long break but gradually I began to make paintings that I enjoyed and didn’t make me want to cry.

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content

CFAI.co Artist Showdown 102 First Place Deanna Jaugstetter Second Place Barbara Jones Third Place Carol Jo Smidt

VL Artspan Photographer Garry Gay 116 I started getting serious about photography in 2006 when some friends talked me into shooting a dressage show. What started as a hobby escalated into a profession.Though I have been working as a professional for some years,Â I still consider myself an amateur who creates some nice things once in a while.

Directory of Artists and Galleries 134 In alphabetical order you can easy find all featured artists and advertising artists, along with featured galleries in our index directory.

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Artist of the Day “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” ― Edgar Degas

Hall Groat II Painter Hall Groat II, professor and chair of Art and Design at SUNY Broome Community College, teaches foundation courses in painting, drawing, color theory, and computer graphics. Groat earned a master of fine arts degree in painting and drawing from City University of New York at Brooklyn, a bachelor of arts in art history, minoring in studio art at Binghamton University, and attended graduate and certificate programs at Buffalo State College, Syracuse University, and Savannah College of Art and Design. He also attended summer sessions at Chautauqua School of Art, Chautauqua, NY, and Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vt.

HallGroat.com

artistofthedayvl.blogspot.com

If you want to be featured as an Artist of the Day, contact Visual Language Magazine. VisualLanguageMagazine@gmail.com

Contemporary Abstract Art in Acrylics and Mixed Media

“Near the Equinox” 24” x 30” Acrylic on Canvas

Jana Kappeler janakappelerstudio.com janakappelerstudio@live.com

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visual language magazine Contemporary Fine Art

Visual Language Magazine Staff Editorial Editor -in-Chief Laurie Pace Executive Editor Ashley Thompson Executive Editor Lisa Kreymborg Contributing Editor Lisa Neison-Smith Consulting Editor Nancy Medina Feature Contributor Sara Genn Painterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Keys CFAI Contributor Kimberly Conrad Feature Editor Art Reviews Hall Groat II Feature Contributer 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 Vol 3 No 9

http://lesliesealey.com

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Anthony A Gonzalez DandCGallery.com

http://loganbauer.com

Robert Genn’s Studio Book

Letters to a young artist

In Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926) counsels a pen pal to “have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart” and to “live in the question.” These letters were published in 1929. In 2006, American actor and playwright Anna Deavere Smith wrote a book called Letters to a Young Artist - an updated homage and remake of sorts to Rilke’s original. “You can’t teach talent. You can’t teach inspiration,” says Anna. “You can teach people critical facilities. You can give them techniques. You can teach discipline. And you can teach them about the business.” In Letters to a Young Artist, Anna writes to a fictional young painter called BZ. “Art should take what is complex and render it simply,” she advises. “It takes a lot of skill, human understanding, stamina, courage, energy, and heart to do that.” Anna describes a desire for “wide-awakeness.” “Do you want to be an artist so that the whole world will look at you, or do you want to be an artist because you would like to use your ability to attract attention, to have the world see itself through you differently?” she asks. In her version, Anna calls for action. In response to those feeling concerned or even despairing about the risk of art becoming a popularity contest rather than a profession, Anna advises that it’s best to choose another line of work. “Your desire to communicate must be bigger than your relationship with the chaotic and unfair realities,” she says.

The Painter’s Keys - Sara Genn

The Painter’s Keys Robert and Sara Genn

On the importance of artists taking control of destiny, Anna implores us to plan our lives - to be the authors. “Be more than ready. Be present in your discipline. Remember your gift. Be grateful for your gift and treat it like a gift. Cherish it, take care of it, and pass it on. Use your time to bathe yourself in that gift. Move your hand across the canvas. Go to museums. Make this into an obsession.” Sincerely, Sara PS: “I live my life in widening circles that reach out across the world.” (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Esoterica: These days, Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke is a bestseller. He suffered the death of an infant sister, the divorce of his parents, and then he fell in love with a married woman. He was conscripted during the First World War and roved Europe continuously before settling in Switzerland and dying of leukemia at the age of 51. His personal and intense lyrical writings have elevated him to the status of mystic - comforting and inspiring artists worldwide. Anna Deavere Smith is artist-in-residence at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, and teaches at New York University. An inventor of new paths, Anna addresses today’s social issues in her art and shares insights with her students. “What you are will show, ultimately. Start now, every day, becoming, in your actions, your regular actions, what you would like to become in the bigger scheme of things.”

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Howard Tweedie A Passion for Plein Air

howardtweedie.com Right Page: “Greenwich Spring” Left Page: “French Village”

HowardTweedie.com

howardtweedie.com

Jonelle T. McCoy

jonellemccoy.com Rhythm and Hooves Series “Flamenco” at Sweet Earth Studio Mingle Gallery sweetearthok.com/events/

www.caroljosmidt.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Carved in Stone"

carol@caroljosmidt.com

Gouache

16 x 20

Artists to Watch and Collect

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Anthony A. GonzĂĄlez Elaine Vileria Pat Meyer Anton Zhou

Visual Language Magazine Featured Artists this month each delve into the beauty of their art. Discover the unique individual approach in their stories and their art. Anthony A Gonzalez paints expressions and attitudes, right now focusing on the female figure. Elaine Vileria enjoys working in both genres of abstraction and realism, her style in the past couple of years has taken a turn toward surrealism and fantasy. Pat Meyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal when painting is to do it beautifully with each stroke of the brush. To let the viewer see what she sees and experience the feelings that were happening at the time of the painting. Anton Zhou, at age 16, is an artist to really watch as he develops. As a Signature Member of Artists of Texas, Anton has had a brush or pencil in his hand from an early age. He feels that the early pioneers of art bequeathed their styles and techniques to present day artists, along with their passion and love for the field of art.

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Anthony A. Gonzรกlez

http://www.obra-de-gonzalez.com

Expressions and Attitudes Painting for over 30 years has been intriguing and rewarding. I have studied with a few outstanding teachers and have spent countless hours working independently in my studio. I understood the importance of drawing early in my career which gave me the skills needed to paint in any medium. After drawing, I pursued first watercolor painting and then later oil painting. I have studied in Madrid, Spain, taking classes in oil painting and painting from life models. It was a great experience and an enjoyable one. I have returned many times to paint and visit with my Spanish friends. At the moment, the female figure is my main subject. Through many years of painting from models, I have learned to recognize expressions and attitudes that help me portray the uniqueness that comes from life. This uniqueness tells a story for me and for the viewer as well. The energy and persona of the model is essential and evident in my work. Painting has been enjoyable and fulfilling for all these years, and I look forward to the many years to come.

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Blue Ribbon

Captivating

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Ready

Servant to None

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Elaine Vileria

http://elainevileria.artspan.com

Over the years, I have had the fortune to teach art, to students pre-K through 12th grade. As far back as I can remember, I knew that art would be a major relevance in my life. My favorite Christmas present of all time, was an art instruction book, complete with drawing paper and pencils, to help me learn to draw. Although I enjoy working in both genres of abstraction and realism, my style in the past couple of years, has taken a turn toward surrealism and fantasy. In addition to this style, I have developed a fondness for the technique of pointillism, where the intensity of a color fades, as you lessen the dots, or, you simply meld them together with another color. I have been asked more than once, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do you come up with these ideas? How do you envision the subjects that you draw?â&#x20AC;? I guess it would be compared to an author writing a fiction or fantasy book, but the idea is created in the mind of an artist - and that visualization is transformed through the hand and tools of the artist. I received my Masters degree from Nazareth College, in Rochester, NY. My work has been in exhibitions throughout the United States, as well as in France. I have also solely developed and coordinated three art exhibitions for cancer survivors.

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Ladies in Blue 20” x 16”

Web of Lies (21" x 17")

Santa Fe II (16” x 12”) VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 21

Elaine Vileria

http://elainevileria.artspan.com

Celestial Reincarnation (23â&#x20AC;? x 17â&#x20AC;?)

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Octopus’s Garden (20” x 13”)

East Coast Pier (20” x 13”)

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Pat Meyer

http://patmeyer-artist.com

Painting Life Beautifully Life has many chapters and my goal in this chapter of life is to experience it through painting what I see, feel, hear and endure. When you stand before the empty canvas your heart reaches out and starts to speak. With each brush stroke you apply a little of your soul with paint. Your brain engages more and more with your subject until you become totally submerged in your painting. My goal when painting is to do it beautifully with each stroke of the brush. To let the viewer see what I saw and experience the feelings that were happening at the time of the painting. Each painting should tell a short story even if it is a still life. Some element of surprise that makes you stop and think what was the artist thinking and feeling at the moment of conception of this piece. If you as the viewer are excited by the colors, composition, brushwork and story then my job as an artist is fulfilled. SIGNATURE MEMBER ARTIST OF TEXAS, OIL PAINTERS OF AMERICA, OUTDOOR PAINTERS SOCIETY

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Signs of Spring

Anything but a Rose

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Pat Meyer

http://patmeyer-artist.com

Sunny Sunflowers

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Fall Harvest

Sunny Delight

Vibration in Color

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Anton Zhou

http://www.antonzhouartwork.com/ http://antonzhou.blogspot.com/

Following a Passion I grew up finding my passion for art at a really young age, holding a brush or pencil in my hand ever since I was a small kid. I was born and raised in Houston by my loving parents, who have supported my art career till this point as I am currently 15 years of age. As the years have gone by, our world has seen new trends in art emerge, but I tend to stick with the traditional aspects of an impressionist, being very loose and daring with my colors and strokes. In my works, I strive to elicit the very nature or beauty of the scenery, sometimes the unique, vibrant characteristics of a face, or perhaps a conceptual idea revolving around an abstract frame. Through my eyes, I feel that the early pioneers of art bequeathed their styles and techniques to us, their passion and love for the field of art - all of which I have incorporated into my artistic personality. In conjunction with the traditional motives displayed in my art, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve mixed up my collection to exhibit a wide range of skills and knowledge of vast mediums and styles. My school art curriculum has greatly benefited my maturity as an artist as I came to appreciate and admire the different generations of art, and ultimately, the idea of how visual arts has evolved. Being a member of the Texas Artists Association and Contemporary Fine Art International is quite a privilege for a young artist like me, and has defined my emergence as a professional artist. Right Page: House of China 30 x 24 Oil

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Anton Zhou

http://www.antonzhouartwork.com/ http://antonzhou.blogspot.com/

Lisbon Lakeshore 18 x 24 Oil

German Folk Valley 24 x 30 Oil

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The End of a Season 48 x 36 Oil

Water Lily 36 x 36 Oil

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BAUER Logan Bauer Landscapes, Life drawings, Still life, Figurative Portraits.

LoganBauer.com

Autumn in the Park

Judy Wilder Dalton Contemporary Fine Art

Finding Life in Art and Art in Life judywilderdalton.com

Aspen S P A C E S

Lelija Roy

aspenspaces.com

aspen.spaces@gmail.com

Richard Levine

Pastel Painter Landscape and Figurative

"Still Life With Blue Table"

www.richardlevine.net

Davis & CO Fine Art

email: artisanrichard@gmail.com

dandcgallery.com

Janet Broussard

“Table at Galatoire’s” 12” x 16” Oi on canvas

janetbroussard.com

Isabelle Gautier French Contemporary Flair

La Rivage I

24 x 48

www.isabellegautieronline.com

Leslie Sealey f i n e a r t

“Blue Lily With Stars”

16 x 16

Oil

The Lily Series LeslieSealey.com

CFAI.co Colors On My Palette

Deanna Jaugstetter http://deannajaugstetter.com http://www.cfai.co/#!colors-on-my-palette-interview/cy2z

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be ‘an artist’? At the age of 6 years, I was doodling with a pencil while I was supposed to be listening to my first grade teacher! I was chosen to do all posters for the school year. There was an awareness that this activity is where the joy came from. Who has been the greatest influence from your past to mentor you to this career? The person who has had the most influence in my continuing to pursue art has been my husband, Patrick! He’s the wonderful guy who critiques my work here in the studio, loads the car for exhibits, plein air outings and helps me prepare for painting workshops! There have been several painting workshop instructors who have encouraged me to continue in the study of my mediums of oil, acrylic, and watercolor. Who is your mentor today, or another artist you admire and why? So many fine artists have inspired me and continue to do so through attending their workshops. At the start I would study the paintings of Andrew Wyeth, enoying the rugged, earthy, feeling of his work! Being from a small town, I identified with the subject matter depicted in the paintings of Norman Rockwell. Both the oil paintings and watercolor work of John Singer Sargent are thrilling to look at. I have always loved the French Impressionists work, especially the pointillist paintings of Georges-Pierre Seurat. What is your favorite surface to paint on? Describe it if you make it yourself. A high quality double primed cotton stretched canvas, primed linen on gatorboard, or primed cotton canvas on gatorboard. What brand of paints do you use? Most of my paint tubes are Windsor Newton for oil and watercolor mediums. I also use a few oil paints of Vasari, Gamlin, Sennelier, and Holland. There are certain colors in American Journey watercolors that I enjoy. For abstract work, I use some Windsor Newton and Golden acrylics in the larger containers. Do you have a favorite color palette? You will find two to three paints of a cool temperature and the same number of paints of a warm temperature in each hue on my palette, when working with oil, watercolor, or acrylic mediums. Changing the palette a bit now and then keeps my color fresh! What is your favorite color in your clothes closet? Black, White, and intense colors are favorites for my style of dressing!

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Fort Screven Cottage

Read more at http://www.cfai.co/#!colors-on-my-palette-interview/cy2z VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 41

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Helen Buck

Pretty in Pink Poppy. 20â&#x20AC;? x 20â&#x20AC;?. Acrylic on canvas. $550.00

Helen Buck creates two and three dimensional images as a working artist in Austin, Texas. She completed her Studio Art Studies at the University of Cincinnati, opening her first professional art studio at the Pendleton in Cincinnati. She is represented by galleries in Texas and Ohio.

helenbuckstudio.com

Roseanne Snyder

“Lavender Sky” 20 x 24

roseannesnyder.blogspot.com

VL Rees

clairebullfineart.com vlrees.com http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/claire-bull.html tippingpaintgallery.com

Culinary Art Immortalized: From table to wall with Hall Groat II By Francine Butler

HallGroat.com

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Brownie Ala mode 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II HallGroat.com

VL Culinary Art Immortalized: From table to wall with Hall Groat II. By Francine Butler, freelance writer Culinary chefs understand the importance of presentation and how often have they heard that their food is almost a shame to eat. New York artist Hall Groat II has married his classical oil painting style with his appreciation of culinary art, specializing in desserts, by capturing them on canvas. He has been specializing in this genre of art for the last eight years and has avid collectors of this from all over the world. Most collectors say they hang them in the kitchen and dining rooms where they evoke a warm welcoming feeling – making company feel at ease along with being aesthetically pleasing. They are often hung in groups. San Francisco collector, Terasa Ng states, “I love the chocolate Truffles piece that I purchased; I hung the piece in my kitchen grouped with other chocolate desserts from other artists. The family came over for Thanksgiving and they love the pieces and it has inspired my family to display desserts in their kitchens.” Another collector in Palm Beach states, “I hung two of the pastry paintings in my kitchen, one below the other. Not only do the colors in the paintings match the tones in my banquet room but I get the added bonus of having a couple of pastries without putting on weight.” A prominent collector from Dubai, UAE during the summer of 2014 purchased two of Groat’s major dessert paintings, including lemon meringue pie HallGroat.com

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and a banana split. The collector states, “Some twenty years ago we travelled a lot to Italy and my husband and kids would always eat a banana split while I would have an expresso. It became a joke that I had to watch the family eat goodies while I saved!” Many collectors have expressed that they like the colors and how the paintings become a lighthearted topic of conversation during dinner parties at their homes. Groat has created a couple hundred dessert paintings since 2006, ranging in size from tiny, six inch slices of cheese cake, all the way to gargantuan forty inch tall jelly-filled donuts. He has painted nearly every dessert one can imagine, from iconic banana splits and chocolate sundaes to popular culture brands, such as Tastykake cupcakes and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream cones. “Painting sweets early in the morning will curb your sugar addiction for the rest of the day” the artist claims. His studio drawers are filled with a variety of desserts that have been collected through the years that he uses as props to paint from. The sugar preserves them quite well. The artist insists, “Both creating and looking at paintings is cathartic. When people think creatively and keep their minds busy, they often forget that they are hungry. So for your next dessert try taking a bite out of a mouth-watering oil painting of a raspberry tart, rather than being seduced by that fat filled chocolate pie at your local supermarket.

Lemon Meringue Pie 18x24 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II

Chocolate Raspberry Tarts 18x24 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II HallGroat.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 49

Hall Groat II

Cherry Pie 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II HallGroat.com

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Banana Split 16x20 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II

Chocolate Raspberry Tarts 18x24 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II HallGroat.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 51

Hall Groat II

Carrot Cake 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II.jpg

Strawberry Short cake 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II HallGroat.com

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Vanilla Ice cream Cone 14x11 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II

HallGroat.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 53

Hall Groat II

Crème Brûlée with Berries & Cream 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II

HallGroat.com

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Baklava 8x10 in. Oil on Canvas by Hall Groat II

HallGroat.com VisualLanguageMagazine.com - VL Magazine | 55

discover art . inspire collectors

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

engage discussion . celebrate life

dandcgallery.com

Anthony A Gonzalez at Davis&Co

Bob Coonts

"Glory", Acrylic on Canvas, 24”x24”

www.bobcoonts.com

"Sugar", Acrylic on canvas, 18"x26".

www.bobcoonts.com

Artspan Studio Visit Marzena Oberc-Habzda

http://www.oberc-habzda.com

Paeonia

http://www.oberc-habzda.com

Artspan Studio Visit Marzena Oberc-Habzda

I was born in Poland, where I lived in historic city of Krakow. My favorite activities as a child were drawing, painting and creating figures from clay. I could always be found at my desk consumed by my latest art project. I participated in various art competitions, winning various awards. My grammar school teacher encouraged me to focus on art as a future career. During high school at Liceum Plastyczne, I studied drawing, painting, sculpture and restoration of historic wall frescoes.

perature, manipulating edges and texture to create a desired effect with ease. Because of their quick drying time, acrylics offer instant visual gratification and result.

Toward the end of high school, I moved with my family to the U.S. After graduation, I attended the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, for Continuing Education. I also attended Pair Collage of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, where I studied Graphic Design.

I am representational artist, therefore my painting style requires a specific canvas texture in order to maintain certain control and manipulate the paint to accomplish the desired effect. My favorite painting surface is the Cleassens #13, oil primed, fine weave linen panel by Source Tek.

I am captivated, inspired and challenged by various subjects in nature. My main focus is on natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicate yet powerful beauty, remarkable design and perfect color harmony. I am driven by a need to explore and capture a certain sense of light to evoke desired emotion and inner feeling not easily captured and expressed in words. I am fascinated with perfect unity, relationship of shapes and harmony of color that nature delivers with such ease and perfection. This creates constant excitement, drive and spontaneous approach to the subject. Inspiration for every painting comes from seeing and experiencing something beautiful, something so captivating that it takes my breath away. I love painting with acrylics! For health reasons, a while ago, I had to switch from oils to acrylics. Once I discovered Golden Open Acrylics I never looked back. They offer slower drying time, therefore an ability to be manipulated with ease in order to create oil like appearance. My painting technique does not require blending of colors, therefore transition from oils was rather quick and easy. I paint with small tiles for color gradually banding them to a desired value, warm or cool tem-

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I love the gliding ability of Golden Open Acrylics on panel surface. Acrylics allow me to paint faster with very satisfying results. The colors are brilliant, pure and easy to mix and manipulate. The feeling I am trying to convey is accomplished in a quick and satisfying manner. I tend to favor cool colors; i.e; blues, purples. My very favorite color now is Naples Yellow. There are many incredible artists that I admire as most of us do. However, there are two artists of the past that made a very strong impression on me when I was still a young child. First is a wonderful Russian painter of late 1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Ivan Shishkin, and the other, Franz A. Bischoff. There are so many wonderful artists today that I love and greatly admire, like Richard Schmid, David A. Leffel, Morgan Waistling, Huihan Liu, Dan Gerhartz, Quang Ho, Sherrie Mc Graw, Karthryn Stats, Jeffery Watts and Scott Tallman Powers just to name a few. I am very grateful to all of them for there willing to share their knowledge and experiences with the rest of us, therefore helping us become better artists and bystep some of the common mistakes and learning errors.

Floral Symphony

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Artspan Studio Visit Marzena Oberc-Habzda

On the Rocks

http://www.oberc-habzda.com

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In the Spotlight

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

Artspan Studio Visit Marzena Oberc-Habzda

Elder Plant

Tiger Lillies

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Spring Colors Spectrum

Blue Heaven Orchids

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Connie Dines

“Pomegranate”

“Star Magnolia”

www.artfulexposures.com

Artful Exposures One Frame At A Time

“Amaryllis”

www.artfulexposures.com

Eric Bodtker

“Bonnieux Lavender Field”

ericbodtker.com

Joyce Pihl

Fall in the Woods. 18” x 24”. Acrylic on canvas.

Autumn 4. 18” x 24”. Acrylic on canvas.

“I don’t try to paint exactly what I see, but heighten colour and simplify shapes to create my interpretation of reality.”

joycebpihl.org

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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”; en Wynn, ‘Joy Ride’ - Mixed Media Sculpture, 26” x 32” x 9”

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www.equineartist.com

www.moosepantsstudio.com

www.tracymillerfineart.com www.internationalequineartists.com

Valerie Travers

“Happy Blues”

Atmospheric Seascape and Landscape Scenes, Abstract Art, Guernsey Artist, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK.

valerietravers.com

Behind my Eyes, 13.5â&#x20AC;? x 11â&#x20AC;? gouache and pastel on paper

Sanda Manuila sandamanuila.artspan.com

Mary Jo Zorad contemporary fine art

ZoradArt.com

Barry W. Scharf

Going to Extremes.

By Barry W. Scharf

It’s not easy to get out of my comfort space. Often I like to sit within what I know is familiar. I rest in the knowledge I have obtained. Practicing what I have learned works well, I get really good at repeating known skills and routines. Hurdles are often sidestepped whenever possible. Now I don’t mean this is the state of affairs for everyone or even for me to any meaningful depth.

covering the beauty of seeing something for the first time excites me. I know you are wondering where this might be, but that‘s not the point. It’s more about the new... not the exotic. Obviously exotic has it’s draw but it is often remote and beyond most of our resources. Far away places can be an excuse to do nothing.

But sooner or later we all fall into the trap of the easy way out. I have been guilty of this from time to time, as I am sure these words ring true for most. This does not happen often but when it does it’s depressing, just getting into a routine and going with the flow becomes annoying to me, not exerting more energy then needed, not going the extra mile says I am not involved. Comfortable makes me uncomfortable!

I am thinking of some places that are far away, but also many that are close to home but overlooked. Some of these places I can reach in a weekend, others I may need longer. Some I can find by driving others by flying. All will be new all will hold a mystery I am searching to reveal, some places can be explored by day and others by night. I am use to being up in the day so I will also stay up at night. If need be I will watch the dawn sun unfold the day.

As I am getting older now and my years seem to place some limits on me I wonder if I have been doing this a bit to much. I want to create new pathways, change my thought patterns and make new synapses in my brain. I think this year will be my year to challenge myself again. Check of some things from a long bucket list. I am going on an adventure that will force me out of that comfort zone and place me squarely on the edge of my capabilities. I love the idea of travel and adventure to new places I have not yet seen. Dis-

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/

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I will document my new discoveries with my artistic expression. I will learn again what a good composition is. I will do things differently. Change my creative routine and use my old skills in new ways. So it is time to start planning, get out the maps, check resources and capabilities and get out there, it is all waiting to be discovered.

Above: Going to Extremes by Barry W Scharf Below: Birds by Barry W Scharf Left: No More Blues by Barry W Scharf

http://barrywscharf.squarespace.com/

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Carol Mitchell

“Fall Marsh”

“Rising Tide Baldhead”

carolmitchellfineart.com

Landscapes from Texas, Maryland and The Carolinas

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sunset Marshâ&#x20AC;?

carolmitchellfineart.com

Laurie Justus Pace Cutaway Under the Moon 24 x 36 Oil on Canvas

LauriePace.com http://www.ellepace.com/paintings-for-sale/ available paintings

kwoodfineart.com

Kyle Wood

kylewoodfineart.blogspot.com 86 | VL Magazine - VisualLanguageMagazine.com

kwoodfineart.com

"Beyond The Gate II" 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight Interview VL Rees

Pies - 2013 - 24 x 24

http://www.oberc-habzda.com

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Decisions 30 x 24

http://www.oberc-habzda.com

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Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight VL Rees

When did you realize you loved art and wanted to be an artist? Before first grade! I took art classes throughout elementary and high school, dabbled in college and after graduation, then gave it up for nearly 30 years. Approaching retirement I thought about what I wanted to do after I left the corporate world and realized where my heart was. It wasn’t easy to pick up a paint brush after a long break but gradually I began to make paintings that I enjoyed and didn’t make me want to cry. Who has been your mentor, or greatest influence to date? My first art teacher: Michiko Boorman. She came to this country after WWII and raised a family while she studied and practiced art. She taught me the basics in such a supportive way. Who is another living artist you admire and why? I’ve yet to a meet an artist in the Triangle who doesn’t inspire me in some way. That said, I would pick Dan Nelson, plein aire painter extraordinaire. His work is beautiful and often done under extreme conditions. I love plein aire paintings but as a mosquito magnet, I don’t aspire to it.

Dylan - 2014 - 12 x 12

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Morning, Sunshine - 2014 - 30 x 24

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Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight VL Rees

What is your favorite surface to create work on or to work with? Describe it if you make it yourself. Stretched canvas with a colored ground. What are your favorite materials to use? Oil paints. I especially love using a palette knife for abstracts. Using Winsor & Newton’s Liquin Impasto gives a great sheen and helps layers adhere to one another. It also stretches the paint. How often do you work on your artwork? How many hours a week? I would like to say every day and sometimes that happens! Currently I am planning a studio where, for the first time, I will have natural light, HVAC, and plumbing. Once I’m no longer in “the dungeon”, I hope to devote 40+ hours a week.

Apples vs Oranges - 2013 - 18 x 24

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Wrightsville Morning - 2013 - 24 x 24

Yellow Daylily - 2010 - 12 x 12

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Artist Spotlight VL Rees

Artist Spotlight

July Corn - 2013 - 18 x 24

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Pies - 2013 - 24 x 24

What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for? Personally, that I was there for my family, friends, and colleagues. As a painter, that I showed the beauty in ordinary objects. There are many culprits that can crush creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure. What tends to stand in the way of your creativity? In every painting there comes that “uh oh” moment. I call it buyer’s remorse. It’s when you think, “what was I thinking?” for choosing that subject, that size/shape canvas, that color palette, etc. How do you overcome these obstacles? Practice, practice, practice. Over the years I’ve learned when to just keep at it and when to put it aside to ponder where I go next. It’s also helpful to know that one can paint over the real disasters. What are your inspirations for your work? The interplay of light and shadow, and looking at everyday objects from a new perspective.

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Artist Spotlight

Artist Spotlight VL Rees

Getting to Know the Artist Q&A

What is your favorite color in your closet? Royal blue What book are you reading this week? “Creativity, Inc.” by Ed Catmull Do you have a favorite television show? “The Big Bang Theory” What is your favorite food? My husband’s homemade pizza What are you most proud of in your life? My marriage to the world’s best husband, chef, and parallel-parker Who would you love to interview? If I could time travel, I always wanted to meet Helen Keller Do you have a passion or hobby other than painting? What is it? Reading, and I hope to get back to gardening

Cupcakes - 2013 - 18 x 24

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Who would you love to paint? I’m not a portraitist so it would be a what – the canals of Venice If you were an animal what would you be and why? A raptor, either an eagle or falcon, because I would love to fly and because top of the food chain is always best If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take three things, what would they be? My husband, an unlimited supply of sunscreen, and my Sony Xperia tablet Share something with us that few people know about you. I’m very shy If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? New York City – I traveled there regularly for work for over 20 years and love the variety of everything imaginable

Sproing! - 2014 - 30 x 24

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Kimberly Conrad

“Winds Grow Strong” 36”x48”x1.5” Poured Acrylic on Canvas

“Pouring Color Into Your Life”

KimberlyConradFineArt.com

The Crossing 30” x 48” diptych oil on canvas

Victoria Kwasinski

Interpretive Abstract Fine Artist and Instructor www.victoriakwasinski.com

CFAI.co Artist Showdown

CFAI.co Artist Showdown July 2014 - Still Life Art

http://www.cfai.co/#!showdown-winners/cb0j

First Place

Deanna Jaugstetter Kaleidoscope http://deannajaugstetter.com

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http://www.cfai.co/#!showdown-winners/cb0j

Porch Tu Ere

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CFAI.co Artist Showdown

http://www.cfai.co/#!showdown-winners/cb0j

Second Place

Barbara Jones The Clay Pot http://barbarajonesfineart.com

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http://www.cfai.co/#!showdown-winners/cb0j

Third Place

Carol Jo Smidt Trio http://caroljosmidt.com

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DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY

“Thankful” 36”x48”x2.0” Oil on Canvas

DailyPaintersAbstract.blogspot.com

Dawn Reinfeld

DAILY PAINTERS ABSTRACT GALLERY

DianeWhitehead.com

Diane Whitehead â&#x20AC;&#x153;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. â&#x20AC;&#x153;

DianeWhitehead.com DianeWhitehead.com

Lary Lemons

theartgallerysaintjo.com

CFAI.co September Artist Showdown “Do you have what it takes?”

Annie O’Brien Gonzales

“Transportation Art” www.cfai.co/#!artist-showdown/chic

cfai.co

Fall 2014 Juried Competition

Diane Whitehead Dawn Reinfeld

The World Outdoors

Landscapes, Waterscapes, Wildlife, and Western

$500 in total cash prizes Plus much more! www.cfai.co/#!juried-shows/c19ne

Lisa McKinney

Lisa-McKinney.com

lisamckinneyfineart.blogspot.com