A Renaissance Man

For some strange reason I am compelled to use a rather pedestrian metaphor to describe my present mindset, relative to the arts, as a “runaway train” on a track to an unknown destination with an ever-emerging and profound enthusiasm for a new-found passion for painting.

A nascent odyssey that began two years ago as a result of a fairly severe back injury triggered my desire, or need, to find some activity to supplant my normal interests which included a life of active sports involvement. Having attended college on a football scholarship, and having played baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, lifting weights, and jogging for most of my life-after back surgery, I found myself in need of finding a substitute for a very active lifestyle.

I was always interested in the arts and taught myself at an early age to play the guitar and piano by ear. I have played the guitar and sang in front of 1200 people in college and performed as “The Phantom”, singing, “Music of the Night”, as Principal of Community High School in West Chicago for a major fundraiser. I retired eleven years ago after having served as a teacher, Assistant Dean of Students, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, and finally Principal.

For some strange reason I have always had the feeling that I could paint as well. So one cold January afternoon two years ago, I poured myself a glass of wine, began playing some George Winston piano tunes, and began my journey as a budding artist. The drinking came easy and as I cranked up the volume of the music the brush strokes began to flow as well. It seemed like the more I drank the better I painted and the less inhibited I was. I’m still not sure if it’s the painting I enjoy more or the drinking, but it seems like a good combination for me.

I have been blessed with many virtues, qualities and talents in my lifetime. I have a beautiful wife, three wonderful children, two grandchildren, and another on the way. As life progresses and age begins to set in, I have come to realize the importance of continuing to re-invent one’s self. A renaissance if you will that transcends all walks of life.

My art work can be described as “eclectic” as I experiment with various styles, mediums and techniques. The quality of my work continues to evolve with each painting that I complete. Serendipity is my good friend. I am inspired by the great Impressionist painters like Monet, Gauguin, Renoir, Cézanne, etc.

The Theme of my show is “My Kind of Town”….Chicago is. My works include the Chicago Water Tower, Lake Michigan Lighthouse, Marshal Fields Building, Chicago Sky-line, various neighborhoods, Mackinac sailboats, and a variety of other sources.

I have completed over fifty paintings over the past two years and have sold a good portion of them. I offer a 100% guarantee on all commissioned work and charge absolutely nothing if you are not fully satisfied with the completed product.

Contact information: John Art… jhighland12@hotmail.com; 630-649-4167

Farnaz Khosh-Sirat is a light artist and designer, graphic designer, neon artist and sculptor.

Currently she is beginning a new journey of incorporating all mediums into her newly found practice of VJ-ing, and ultimately wishes to combine traditionally Iranian music to be challenged into an experimental scene with all these mediums combined.

Moving away from home to the U.S at a young age, there is a common pattern in her works which are rooted in homesickness and the lack of belonging through immigration. The presence, or rather the invitation of God, with the works is also present in the sculpture and light works. These characteristics have been developed from a solid idea, to a more challenging approach.

The Paradise Series expresses this through the investigation of use of mirror and brokenness, yet still claiming it is a study of Paradise.

Philosophical questions, such as how does one deconstruct the idea of God, of home and of space, in order to shape one's consciousness have been prevalent in the recent works and is currently an ongoing study to combine all mediums in one as these ideas are further challenged.

Esperanza School

Esperanza School dates back to 1969. Our mission is to provide instruction and services to people with developmental disabilities; we help them reach their fullest potential, toward a productive and independent life in the community.

The works in this exhibit have been created by participants at the Esperanza School, the education program of Esperanza Community Services.

Esperanza’s art program rests on four core principles:

Creation in a judgement free environment. This empowers artists to approach their work as pure expression and self-discovery.

Independent decision-making. The creative process creates opportunities for choice, which we encourage artists to fully explore.

Inclusion. The selection and public exhibition of art creates opportunities for artists to stay connected to the community.

Self-purpose. Creating art provides a sense of self-purpose for the artist.

These pieces speak to the talents and abilities of the artists, and we hope that they remind you of our similarities and our shared experiences. For more information or to get involved, please visit esperanzacommunity.org or @art_Esperanza on Instagram and Twitter.

Rock Stars of the 27 Club

For over a decade, artist Brenan Sharp has tackled Pop Art and Fauvism with the whim of his brush, adding the occasional statement thrown in for good measure. Brenan feels re-invention is the key to staying fresh, and he tries to do so with every new show. He has sold over 1,000 paintings throughout his career—painting landscapes, portraits and abstracts in oil, acrylic and mixed media. Though he now resides and shows mostly in Chicago, he has remained a mainstay in Nashville’s art scene and was voted Best Local Visual Artist in 2004, 2006 and 2007 in the Nashville Scene (sister publication to the Village Voice). Formerly art director for Maxim.com, he is the design director of the American Bar Association Journal here in Chicago and recently won the Peter Lisagor Award for Best Illustration as presented by the Chicago Headline Club in association with the Society of Professional Journalists.

Education B.A. in Studio Fine Art
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Contact
www.ArtByBrenan.com
Brenan@ArtByBrenan.com
Twitter/Instagram: @ArtByBrenan

My work can be described as having a unique perspective on everyday life. I try to capture people, architecture, and landscapes in a way that is original yet identifiable.
I try not to limit myself to one subject in case I see something ‘different’ that I think would make a strong painting. I do, however, have specific themes in my work, whether they are architectural cityscapes, people interacting in their environment, or natural still life’s. I use color schemes, compositions and social commentary to produce striking paintings.

As an artist, I look for light and how it reflects on architecture and nature. Compositionally there needs to be a strong sense of perspective and a few objects that frame or move the eye around the image. I am drawn to architecture and its interaction with nature, as well as the effects that nature has on man made objects. I try to represent locations from an original perspective. Over the past five years, I have started to use my painting as a medium for social commentary. I want the viewer to spend time asking questions about why I did certain things with each piece.

My gallery is located in a great part of Lincoln Park. It’s very close to the park and lake, plus it’s on a great street with a mix of commercial spaces and residential homes. I am very excited to take this big step in my career as I realized the exposure to everyone in Chicago is what my business needs. I have successfully built my career as an artist over the years with steady sales, corporate collections, gallery representation, etc. Now it is time to make sure everyone knows about it. I have something for everyone, please come take a look.

joshmoultonfineart.com

photographic badass

born in tx. live in austin. learned scuba at 10. swam with stingrays. fed cheeze whiz to an 8" green moray eel. competitive swimmer. have 3 plates and 22 screws holding my hip together. graduated from southwest tx state in marketing. made geological survey maps. built houses. worked at dell for 5 days. never been fired. moved to la (twice). played basketball with kevin costner. saved the dog in pearl harbor. angelina played my mom in true women. wrote a screenplay. published a magazine. scuba dove in honduras. learned to surf in el salvador. continue to surf in costa rica. rode horses through san miguel. still can't speak spanish. played guitar with ray wylie hubbard. rigged lights for music videos. climbed to the top of the astrodome. my shoes are flip flops. love to read christopher moore books. can't get enough traveling. never missed a flight. left brained. right handed. left footed. and took lots of pictures along the way.

some of his awards

3rd place National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year 2017

1st place Scuba Diving Magazine photography contest 2017

Hon. Mention Siena Int. Photo Awards 2017

1st place Scuba Diving Magazine photography contest 2016

1st place Deep Indonesia Surf Photography 2015

2nd place Deep Indonesia Surf Photography 2015

rodneybursiel.com

From the Corners of My Mind

Born in 1960 in Montreal, L’OR discovered the pleasure of painting at a very young age. Her appreciation of color and the human form were already evident in her paintings and would remain her passion. “My father, a cardiologist, taught me to embrace emotions and understand impact on human behavior and my grandfather, a hockey player for the Canadiens was my inspiration to capture the grace of human movement.

L’OR studied Art and Graphic Design at Concordia University and later developed as a portrait and figure artist. Winner of 14 awards, she has exhibited widely in Canada and internationally. Her works have been exhibited in more than one gallery in New York, France and at the famous Carrousel du Louvre in Paris and most recently in Chicago.

Her currant series, « From the Corners of My Mind » has consumed her the past three years. It has won acclaim in her native Montreal. This project reflects her love of the two cities and devotion of her and husband, a native Chicagoan. See Magazin’Art spring edition 2016 https://magazinart.com/lor-peindre-les-recoins-de-son-esprit/.

As a product consultant for a major Canadian art materials retailer she became familiar with a revolutionary new painting surface, Terraskin. Now an advisor to the distributor, she presents her works on this versatile processed hard stone surface, that seems to have been created with her ingenious talent in mind.
 

lorartiste.com

instagram.com/lorartiste/

Chicago - As I See it!

I am an educator who has spent 49 years in education, primarily at the middle school and university levels. I have had a life-long interest in the arts and photography and incorporated them into my teaching whenever possible. As I went on, I became serious about photography and that has led me to interests in digital art.

Although I have had some minor showings and some of my work has been published in literary magazines, this is my first serious showing. I photograph a variety of topics, but my favorites are Chicago and architectural studies. Chicago presents a myriad of possibilities with fascinating views tucked away from casual observation. I am particularly fond of shooting buildings and monuments whenever I travel. I like to look at things a little differently which is why I call my work, “As I See it!”

I hope to expand my views of Chicago and explore the architecture of the different neighborhoods, as well as to expand to foreign architecture. I am interested in preserving images of those things that may not be around much longer.

In this showing, almost all of the photos are displayed and offered for sale for the first time. Production will be limited. I can also produce the photos in this exhibit in different sizes to suit personal preferences.

Thank you for coming and please enjoy the showing. 

Contact me at: kennethcarlson70@gmail.com

Katie M. Puenner

I aim to express form through organic fluidity and vibrant colors of my paintings.

My work explores both the drama and pleasures of life. I blend vivid colors and vibrancy to convey experiences that make up the fabrics of my life. The goal of my art is to express myself by creating a fantastical world from the ordinary life. 

Jimmy Newton is best known for his bold brush strokes executed in an impressionistic style, cleverly choosing colors to evoke and awaken mood, and truly capturing the essence and spontaneity of Watercolor. Newton's love of the city often leads him through various historic Chicago neighborhoods and inspires him to create many of his paintings en plein air.

Newton studied art and design at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Upon completion of his formal education he studied under internationally acclaimed Watercolorist, Tony Van Hasselt. Newton has worked exclusively with Transparent Media for the last 20 years, all the while incorporating his creative designs and marketing ideas. His extensive knowledge, passion and trained eye, have not only fueled the success of his own business, but also a multitude of his other artistic endeavors: designing a hand painted clothing line, airbrushing motorcycles and working extensively with graffiti art. Newton is often privately commissioned by independent buyers in the Chicago area. Further accomplishments include the selection of Newton's works for Chicago’s Dearborn Garden Walk posters. Newton has been featured as an Artist of the Month in various local publications and his works have been featured in publications such as Chicago’s Windy City Guide. Most recent accomplishments include the usage and purchasing of his works for several motion pictures and the new television series, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.

Today, Jimmy Newton is an established name on the local Chicago Watercolor scene and continues his reinvention of the urban landscape.

Jason Kronenwald grew up in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997. Currently he lives in Toronto with his wife Samantha, daughter Sadie and son Milo, making portraits out of chewed bubblegum called Gum Blondes. The first Gum Blonde (see image Gum Blonde I) was completed in 1996. Each Gum Blonde is 100% chewed bubblegum on a plywood backing. No paint or dye is used - the colour is inherent to the gum. Colour mixing takes place inside the mouth during chewing, using an endless variety of flavours made by an endless variety of companies. Kronenwald has a dedicated team of chewers and prefers the texture of Trident and Bubblicious.

He doesn’t chew gum himself unless necessary.

gumblondes.com

"I take photos for a living. It doesn't suck."

toddrphoto.com

Steven E. Gross has greatly influenced the business of wedding photography. He helped pioneer a photojournalistic style approach to traditional nuptials. He is also known for his candid editorial, commercial and portrait photography.

Gross served in the U.S. Air Force and traveled abroad before studying photography at Columbia College. He established Steven E. Gross and Associates in 1982 and Real Life Weddings in 1995. He brings a distinct sense of composition and timing to all of his work.

Gross’ approach to photography has caught the eye of ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Fox TV and PBS. His work has been featured in Esquire, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Magazine and numerous publications both nationally & abroad. His book projects include Zhou Brothers, In The Studio and Black and White, Defining Moments of Weddings and Marriage.

An avid biker, camper and sea kayaker, he lives in Chicago with his wife and two children.

stevengross.com

Award-winning Chicago painter, Nancie King Mertz has work in corporate and private collections worldwide.
 
In 2014 she was named a Master Pastelist in 3 international pastel organizations:  Pastel Society of America, Chicago Pastel Society and International Association of Pastel Societies. 
Her painting is on the cover of the Feb. 2015 Pastel Journal, which also features a 7 page article on her work.  Several magazines have chosen her paintings as "best-of" over the years.

She was twice named “Artist of the Year” by the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau, and her work is featured on many Chicago-based television shows including "The Good Wife" & "Chicago Fire".  She is a  a member of Oil Painters of America,  Pastel Society of America, Chicago Plein Air Painters, Chicago Pastel Painters, Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Degas Pastel Society, Int'l Assoc. of Pastel Societies, and American Impressionists Society.

Ms Mertz has a Masters degree in Painting from Eastern IL University where she taught for 3 years. Her BFA in Painting is from the Urbana campus of the University of IL, where she was a James Scholar.

Producing 100 paintings annually, Nancie’s work varies in theme from urban to landscape, figurative to interior, much of it painted on-site.  She has traveled to over 20 countries to paint plein air and has offered more than 60 one-person shows of her “destination” work since 1988.  Her work has won awards in several international gallery & magazine competitions and she has been invited to paint in, and jury, plein air competitions across the US.  In 2011 she was an Artist-In-Residence for the National Park System

While a graduate painting student, Nancie began a framing company downstate which she transferred to Chicago in 1987.  The framing business grew into a gallery where she & her husband, Ron, offer Giclée prints of her work along with her originals & framing.  ArtDeTriumph & Artful Framer Studios has won 3 prestigious awards in Chicago:  Woman Entrepreneur of 1999, Small Business of 2000, and Business Person of 2008.  Nancie was named a Distinguished Alum by the Graduate School of EIU, where she sits on the Graduate Advisory Board, and was recently named a Charter Member of the Hall of Fame by her high school in Arcola, IL.  She serves on various art & philanthropic boards in Chicago. 

My formal education is in Advertising and Marketing. These areas have given me the opportunity to work with exceptionally talented and creative individuals who ignited my imagination and spirit.

As a child, photography was always my passion…my camera was an extension of my body. I taught myself the basic techniques, exposed many miles of film and spent endless hours in my darkroom. I have taken various workshops and seminars in Europe, NY, Santa Fe, Los Angeles and Chicago from some of the industries most respected and talented photographers.

In 2001 I started exhibiting my photography at Chicago’s juried fine art festivals and have won numerous awards from juried art festivals including but not limited to Chicago’s Gold Coast Art Festival.

anamiyares.com

Rex Sexton is a Surrealist painter represented by Gruen Gallery, Chicago, Illinois since 1986. His art has been televised on PBS, written about in newspapers, reproduced in magazines, and included in national and international exhibitions. They are a prominent part of numerous private and corporate collections. Throughout his career, the artist has also published an extensive body of Poe-like stories and poems.

samizdat.com/sexton

Arnor G. Bieltvedt is an artist whose intuitive, expressionistic abstract paintings have a connection to the landscapes of Iceland, the country of his birth, and southern California, where he currently resides. Born in Akureyri, Iceland, its second largest city, he spent his youth in Reykjavik, both cities known for seaside beauty. To further his education he moved to Europe, and then the United States, receiving a degree in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Augsburg, Germany and a B.S. degree in Marketing and a M.S. degree in Managerial Technology at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I.  In 1989, Bieltvedt switched his interest to art, and received a B.F.A. degree in Painting from the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and M.F.A. degree in Painting from Washington University in St. Louis, MO.  Bieltvedt's paintings are in private and public collections in the United States, Europe and Asia, including the collections of the Akureyri Art Museum and Reykjavik Art Museum, Iceland. His work is represented by Galerie Beeldkracth, the Netherlands, Gallery Bakari, Reykjavik, Galleri Tornby, Denmark and Anne Loucks Gallery in Glencoe, Illinois. Currently Bieltvedt serves as Visual Arts Department Chair and Gallery Director at Polytechnic School in Pasadena, California. He lives and works in Pasadena, California.

http://www.artistarnor.com/

Darra's exclusive method of glass mosaic and fusion results in its celebrated artwork. These one-of-a-kind glass mosaic creations combine Roman and Byzantine classical methods with modern research and innovation. Darra invented their mosaic technique in 1994, and they are the only ones in the world using this method. Darra applies its various mosaic techniques to windows, exterior and interior doors, art, sconces, tables and room dividers as well as kitchen and bath accessories. 

Additionally, the distinctive fusion process initiated by the Darra studio has triggered a fresh style of glass art, sculpture, tile, countertops, vessels, tables, giftware and jewelry. Raffaele's artistic innovation of sketches on glass also continues to garner international praise. 

Darra's global acclaim has spread to markets throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South America. Collaborating with the German designer Bikemberg, Darra created the designer's new logo, which earned the studio a coveted position in the Louvre in 2001.

xexchicago.com

Chank was born Charles Anderson, but neighbors called him "Chanky," after Spanky from the Little Rascals. The childhood name evolved to "Chank" as he grew up, and "Anderson" became "Andermack" when Chank married and combined his last name with that of his wife. He is a well known hockey guru.

Chank was educated at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He began designing typefaces when he was Creative Director for the alternative music magazine CAKE. During this time, he road-tripped back and forth across the country visiting designers at various record companies and earning himself the nickname "The Traveling Font Salesman." His fonts appeared on a number of album covers. Chank established his type foundry, Chank Fonts, in 1996, which he now operates from his home office in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He creates primarily display typefaces; typefaces with more personality than would usually be suitable for large bodies of text. His customers range from average computer users to professional designers. Chank creates custom fonts for corporations wanting exclusive rights to custom designed fonts, leading to his fonts' use on Taco Bell wrappers, Honeycomb cereal boxes, Tanqueray billboards, bottles of Ocean Spray cranberry drink, and movie posters for James and the Giant Peach. Chank sells his fonts (and also distributes free fonts) from his website, Chank.com. In addition to designing fonts, Chank conducts font workshops, where he explains the process of font design and creates new fonts with the help of attendees.

Some of Chank's fonts were featured in the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum as “important examples of contemporary typography” in 1996. He was profiled in the Wall Street Journal in 1997. In 2008, he was featured in The New York Times article "Down With Helvetica: Design Your Own Font."

In addition to being a font designer, Chank is also a painter.

I'm a dream-maker, storyteller, illustrator, composer, puppeteer, volunteer, imagination engineer, who aims to inspire people to follow their dreams.

jdryerart.com

Tom Torluemke (born, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois) is an Indiana based, contemporary American artist. His practice spans 30 years and includes works in painting, drawing, sculpture and installations in a variety of mediums. He is known for his powerful, no holds barred approach to subject matter relating to socio-political, ethical and humanistic themes.

Solo and group exhibition highlights include: “Fearsome Fable – Tolerable Truth” at the Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago; “After Glow” at The Chicago Cultural Center; “The Inland See: Contemporary Art Around Lake Michigan”, curated by James Yood; “Critic’s Choice” at Jan Cicero Gallery in Chicago; “Present” at the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago; “In the Company of Strangers” at the Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso, Indiana; “Bounce” at the South Bend Regional Museum of Art in South Bend, Indiana; “Peace in the Arts” Baíhai International Peace Conference in San Francisco; “The Alabama Watercolor Society Exhibition” at the Birmingham Museum of Art; and the “In Indiana” series at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

In 2013, he was a featured speaker at TEDx PurdueU at Purdue University. In 2008, he was a winner of the Great Ideas Competition of the Arts Council of Indianapolis with his project “Light The Way” completed in December 2008 and named a recipient of the Efroymson Contemporary Arts Fellowship (Central Indiana Community Foundation) for the period of April 2007 – April 2008.

With over 20 public art commissions throughout the Midwest, they serve as a testament to the relevance and scope of his ideas, and his ability to present them in a meaningful context within their communities.

tomtorluemke.com

Lives and works in Chicago, IL and resident at the Cornelia Arts Building.

I am a painter exploring contemporary issues in perception, place, landscape, travel, and memory.  I graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007 with a BFA in painting and drawing.

My painting and drawing projects have focused on perception and ideas of place and placelessness. I always loved how the experience of a location reveals complexity and depth beyond the physical. I am fascinated by the way a single image, or it's context in a series, can communicate an idea with a viewer. My work slips between painting, illustration, and photography, but I've always been most interested in painting for it's visceral quality and reductive ability to connect our memories, psychology, and longing to form, color, and space. I am drawn to art and design that embraces and captures this type of energy and moment away from the current. It can found in small moments of the everyday or ephemeral passages through time.

sarahboyle.squarespace.com

I was born in France and raised in West Africa. I came to the United States in 1988, with a sense of opportunity to discover my potential. It is through painting that this has begun to manifest.

Having experienced the influence of both cultures, French and African, it is here in this land that I am able to have clarity of their connection.

Although both seem to view the splendor of nature through a different eye, in me they have united in a unique experience which fuels and challenges my creativity.

I am moved by the desire to create texture and luminescence in my paintings, feeling challenged to put on canvas what has impressed me in nature.

I paint to create a visual feel of the elements and I would describe my style as a mix of Contemporary Impressionism and Realism with an abstract quality rendered by the composition.

As the viewer stands close to the painting, the image dissociates in abstract shapes of colors, rendering the sense of Impressionism. Further away and the image tightens into a lifelike Realism.

Water is my subject, I study its transparency, reflections and movement.The focus is the symbiosis between the light and the movement of the water, hence reflections and translucence.I work with an acrylic gel applied with a knife in many layers and paint in between the coats. The technique consists of superimposing zones of colors as the image is somehow being “sculpted on canvas.

My paintings come to life, flow, reflect the very essence of creation for me. I am self-taught and started painting in 2004. It has been quite an adventure in so many ways and the warm responses from the public has allowed me to continue onto this journey.

carina-art.com

The composition of my paintings comes from my background, which is rooted in the rich culture of Brazil.

In my art, I create a balance between serenity and the strength of independence. Serenity is reflected in my use of circular harmony and warm, rich tones. Independence is represented by my use of brilliant contrast and division of space. Within this balance flows a sensual tension from my subtle fusion of strength and femininity.

My creations are inspired by specific moments that I find awesome and profound. I infuse my work with the responsibility and positivity that I see and feel in the world.

Rich Lo, founder of Artclicker, is a professional artist that can combine technical excellence with uncompromising imagination. The result is a compilation of works that are both rich in tradition and pertinent to today’s trends and styles. His work can be found on packaging and ads for national brands, published books, large installations in public buildings and assorted prints in retail stores across the country. View Rich Lo’s recent work on his blog.

dereknielsenphotography.com

After September 11, 2001, I was laid off from my corporate sales job of 18 years. It was at that time I "thought" I heard a voice within me to paint. Strange as the voice was (I have never painted before), I listened and gave over all my future corporate energies to make a bold move and pursue my new dream of being a self taught artist....risky, eh? Well, much to my surprise (as well as that of my family and friends), my art career took off in ways unimaginable. I say, “if you don't believe in the voice of God or being connected to your inner spirit...we need to talk.” I have seen first hand countless doors of opportunity fly wide open for me, what laid beyond those doors was this new person, this artist inside I never ever knew existed... all because I took the chance of listening to that small voice inside.

I deconstruct and reconstruct layers of roofing tar, plaster, found objects, metals, symbols, rich acrylic colors and words to create an inspirational and emotionally driven paintings. Sometimes playful, gritty or with an urban feel, my paintings capture the essence of what an individuals dreammight look like if inspired to take that leap of faith.

armandopedroso.com

I have loved color for as long as I can remember. My artwork is rather eclectic in style, and many of my pieces have taken years to complete. I use sketchbooks for preliminary studies with extensive notes about what I am working on at the time. I use a variety of media that can inspire subject matter or transform the emotional quality of a subject. I often refer to one subject several times, changing the style and medium to alter its expression. For inspiration and for points of reference I often turn to old family photos, photography from my travels, photo collages, printed fabrics, biblical stories, and artworks created by various masters. I love to experiment, using various paints and collage. To generate ideas, I use long lengths of fabric, photo collages and photography from my travels.

tomstella.com

Xavier Nuez’s photographs have been featured in solo and group exhibitions in museums and galleries internationally, including the Illinois State Museum in Chicago, IL; the Marin Museum of Contemporary Art in California; the Attleboro Art Museum in Massachusetts; the San Diego Art Institute; and Galerie Lichtblick in Cologne, Germany.

His work is in numerous public, corporate and private collections, including those of the University of Richmond Museum in Virginia; the University of Michigan; the Norfolk Southern Collection; the Vicente Fox Center Library and Museum in Guanajuato, Mexico; Mr. Danny DeVito; and Ms. Angela Lansbury.

Xavier’s family is from Spain; he was born in Montreal and lives in Chicago. Two or three nights a week he can be found at Johnny’s IceHouse playing hockey.

He also likes to sing a song or two.

nuez.com

I take my cues from nature. We are constantly surrounded by a visual abstraction which, because our minds are so quick to understand it, we rarely appreciate. I am inspired by the natural world’s movement through time; its colors, its layers, its residues, its variables. I feel compelled not to duplicate it, but to imitate it. 

The medium of oil paint is its own element in my work; my paintings are as much abstract formal structures as they are “landscapes”.  Taoists say that to apply a name to something leads to forgetting what it is. Through the re-focusing of my sources and in solving the problems of painting, I re-see these things I’d similarly named and neglected

Kim Curtis moved to Illinois following from a career in costume design, a second degree in painting, and a landscape of ocean and mountains.  For thirteen years, Ms. Curtis designed and constructed costumes for theaters throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including a six-year stint as Master Craftsperson for the San Francisco Opera Costume Shop.  At the Opera, Curtis constructed the armor, jewelry headdresses and masks for some of the world’s most renowned singers and designers.  She then returned to the California College of the Arts where she further developed the style she had honed through years of costume sketching.  Ms. Curtis holds a degree from UC Berkeley in History of Art as well as in Painting from California College of the Arts.  Both her costume work and her study of art have brought her to work extensively abroad, mainly in Italy and Germany. She now paints full-time in her studio in rural Urbana, where her work reflects the effect of this very different place on a Painter exploring the switch from figure to landscape, vertical to horizontal and urban to agricultural.

kasiakaygallery.com/kim-curtis

Instead of  becoming a LIFE magazine photographer, my boyhood dream, I became part of the first generation of Television News Cameramen for CBS News and 60:minutes.

That work always gave me the “best seat in the house” to witness, and document, many of the important events of the second-half of the 20th Century - From Popes, to Presidents, from Viet Nam, to the Vatican and beyond, as well as a National Emmy for cinematography with Charles Kuralt

Author Richard Campanella chronicled that career in his book, “The Photojournalism of Del Hall”, on sale now.

Most of the B/W photos made while I was on television assignments, are now part of a curated collection acquired by the New Orleans Museum of Art. Other photographs are in private and corporate collections.

Its all about people, my favorite subject for photographs.