Greetings, you are receiving this newsletter because you are registered for our Artist Round Table Bi-Monthly Zoom Sessions. We will be sending a follow-up newsletter like this after each session to highlight the key points discussed during the roundtable. First, we would like to welcome three new members to the group: Timothy Barr, Lois Pluskey, and Samuel K Wilson.
Timothy Barr’s oeuvre celebrates the structural and elemental components of Luminism and the Barbizon School much like the great Frederic E. Church and Albert Bierstadt before him. His paintings resonate with a marriage of color and light that work spatially to create the sublime characteristics of Luminism. Special attention is given to his use of paint on the picture surface. His technique renders the application of thin layers, or glazes, of oil paint, which creates a luminous glow. His love and understanding of nature are strikingly represented in each of his paintings. His subjects include the colorful Pennsylvania countryside, the serene environment of Martha’s Vineyard, the Chesapeake Bay, the vast Adirondack Mountains, and the beautiful British Virgin Islands. Barr’s technique celebrates realism and an art movement called Luminism.
"They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This has always been true within the art community. I thrive on creating art that conveys a feeling and message to engage with people on a personal and relatable level. As a retired graphic designer, I am working on re-establishing a presence within the art community by creating original pieces that are the heart of my greatest love - art! "
Sam Wilson is an oil painter based in San Antonio, TX whose main focus is realism. Born in 1986 originally from Wichita KS Sam was interested in art from a young age. In high school, Sam took a number of art classes but his main focus was on ceramics. After high school, Sam attended Butler Community College with a small scholarship for art. There he took a few design classes as well as sculpture. From there he attended The University of Kansas with a focus on Marketing Communications. After a year at KU at the age of 23, Sam took a break from the university during which he painted his first oil painting under the guidance of his father, Kent Wilson. From that point on he never looked back and has since shown in a number of galleries and participated in competitions around the United States.
Congratulations to Debra Keirce! Her painting Finding My Way (16x20", Oil on Panel) was accepted into the Academic Artists Association 72nd Exhibition of Traditional Realism. Founded by Springfield artist Harriet R. Lumis in 1949 in response to the developing trend in the art world away from representational work, Academic Artists Association has remained true to Lumis’ founding principles. Each year, the Association has sponsored a show representing the finest of realism in art.
Thank you, Stanley Rayfield, for sharing a shot of his work in progress. The drawing is 40x50"! We can not wait to see the finished work!
In January 2022, the state of Virginia unveiled Governor Northam’s Official Gubernatorial Portrait. The portrait by Virginia-based Stanley Rayfield It pays homage to Virginia’s social justice reforms, economic strength, and nation-leading COVID-19 response. ( We feel that it is also important to acknowledge that Stanley is the first African American to paint a Governor in the state of Virginia! ) There is a lot of meaning in this portrait; please take a moment and read THIS article that explains why Stanley chose to paint certain details.
There is still time to sign up for Color Bootcamp - A Practical Guide to Dynamic Color Workshop with Julie Beck. This three-day in-person workshop will dive into the complex world of color mixing, perception and relationships. While color mixing can seem overwhelming or complicated, this approach is all about being logical, and easy to understand. The start date is July 29, 2022. Location: Academy of Realist Art Boston, MA.
Besides being busy with all her teaching commitments Julie has a few of her works on display right now. Man Overboard (18x9", Oil on Panel) and Conservation of Energy (12x10", Oil on Panel) are both at the Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery, Madison, CT. A Vessel with Two Hands (36x24", Oil on Panel) is part of the Duxbury Art Association 49th Annual Winter Juried Show. This show will be on display until May 15th, 2022.
Robert Lange studios present The Listening Room - Paintings Born from the Music We love. Julie beck, Anthony Waichulis, and Diane Davich Craig are all part of this show. The exhibit is a wonderful opportunity for artists to explore the place where music and visual art intersect in their process. The show is on view from April 1st to 28th, 2022.
We are so proud of Ani Art Academies Apprentice Paige Martin! Two of her drawings were accepted into the Drawn 2022 Exhibition at Manifest Gallery, Cincinnati, OH. The artists who formed Manifest Gallery in 2004 knew that despite their diverging career paths (architecture, art history, painting, industrial design, photography) they were brought together because of their connection to drawing and their mutually intense but multi-faceted pursuit of this fundamental discipline. Paige’s drawings Leaves of Fortune (9x9.5" Charcoal on paper) and Pushing Up Daisies (13x9.5", Color Pastel on paper) will be on display starting April 15th until May 13th, 2022.
We were excited to learn about Shawna’s new video series: Acrilyc Painting in a Minute!!! Fun, one-minute-long videos of Shawna painting a work that usually takes 5 to 7 hours to complete. Please check her YouTube channel out!
For anyone who is interested in learning more about Michelle"s Jader painting process that was referenced this week in regard to the aforementioned Robert Lange Gallery Listening Room exhibition, please follow the LINK.
“My work is painted on semi-transparent, stacked, acrylic panels. Each layer holds a different image that reinforces the sense of movement that comes with change. My models are dancers, gymnasts, and trapeze artists that jump on trampolines for my reference images.”
Michelle Jader
There is also a great article on Smartermarx where artist Beth Sistrunk shared her creative process (…her secrets:) with the members. In a fashion similar to Michelle Jader, Beth creates beautifully dimensional work on translucent acrylic panels. She layers the panels so as to create a sense of depth and atmosphere unseen in much oil work.
As to the color mixing software that was mentioned this week, below are two resources that were referenced.
Online tool based on Zsolt Kovacs’ software
Zsolt Kovacs’ Color Mixing Tool (software to be installed)
Below are the links to two papers that Anthony referenced during the last session:
- Aesthetic Preferences in the Size of Images of Real-World Objects. by Stephen E. Palmer et al.
- The Peak Shift Principle (NEUROLOGICAL THEORIES OF AESTHETIC FOR COMPUTER GRAPHICS) further explains the “Peak Shift” principle (deliberate exaggerations) with neuroscientist VS Ramachandran (Page 3, Section 0.1)
In between our bi-weekly Artist Round Table Sessions feel free to come and join the discussions on Smartermarx.