The Artist's Magazine - April 2014

As you may know I am one of the co-founders of the blog Women Painting Women.  We have been working since March of 2009 to create an online resource that highlights the incredible work of some of today's best figurative painters (that just happen to be women).  We have also worked tirelessly to organize multiple exhibitions to further gain exposure for these artists.  Women Painting Women begs us to question whether women see and therefore paint the female figure differently than has been been traditionally represented through out history.  Can women be represented as more than mere passive subjects, icons of beauty?  There has been a wonderful article written by Louise Hafesh in the April 2014 edition of The Artist's Magazine on the history and development of Women Painting Women.  I am honored to have both my efforts towards WPW's goals, as well as my own work featured in this eight page article.  Make sure you pick up your copy at a newsstand or bookstore near you.  I've also heard digital copies are also available thru an online subscription.  More info on The Artist's Magazine can be found at www.artistsmagazine.com    

Paintings by Alexandra Tyng, Zoey Frank and Ellen Eagle are but a few of the great works shared in this expansive article.  I am honored that the editors chose to share my painting Rising Tide as well.  More on the thoughts that went into that painting can be read on this blog just a few posts down, or by clicking here.  Many thanks to writer Louise Hafesh and also to all the fine folks at The Artist's Magazine.  Thank you for the great support!

Outside the Box Award

I am honored to share that the Portrait Society of America has given my painting Rising Tide a 6th Merit Award for the Outside the Box category for their annual Member's Only Competition.  Thank you Portrait Society for the recognition!

Rising Tide, oil on panel, 34" x 54", 2013

Converge

I am super honored to be included in the exhibition titled Converge: Where Classical & Contemporary Art Collide curated by Allison Malafronte, former editor of American Artist Magazine.  Here is just a brief quote from her curator's statement which can be read in full on the website for the exhibition (and while there take a peek at all the work included in the exhibition).  www.convergeartnyc.com 

"If modernism took too drastic a turn from traditional order and beauty and if the post-modern resurgence of classicism went too far into static technical prowess, we are now feeling the push and pull of art being brought back to center—and the artists coming to the surface embody the best of both worlds. The exhibition "Converge" will capture this movement by highlighting painters who demonstrate both the skill and tradition of the classical world and the content and critical thinking of the contemporary world. Rather than looking in confusion or disdain at a particular approach, “Converge” aims to bridge the divide between the classical and the contemporary by bringing high-level paintings in various styles and subject matter together for mutual acknowledgement."

Allison has brought together a stellar roster of artists, most of whom will be in attendance (including yours truly) for the Opening Reception on Thursday, November 15th from 6-9pm.  Come by, see the work and say hello if you are in the big apple!  If you can't make the exhibition, there is a catalog available for purchase on line.  For more information on the catalog visit the Contact page of the website or Click Here.

CONVERGE: Where Classical & Contemporary Art Collide

25CPW Gallery

November 15-27, 2012

Opening Reception: Thurs. Nov. 15th, 6-9pm

25 Central Park West, at 62nd St.
New York, NY 11231
212.203.0250
www.25cpw.org
Converge2012NYC@gmail.com

www.convergeartnyc.com

Home Work

Home Work - Domestic Narratives in Contemporary Art

Green Hill Center for NC Art

September 14 - November 3, 2012

I am super honored to have several paintings included in this group exhibition curated by Edie Carpenter.  Focusing on the themes of repose, nourishment, pastimes and chores, this exhibition examines artists’ depictions of everyday life as explored in sculpture, installations, paintings, printmaking, photography, video and artist books.  This is a must see exhibition which is up for just over one more week.  Get to Greensboro North Carolina if you can.

 Home Maker, 48" x 36", oil on panel

Allison at Mirror, 26" x 16", oil on panel

Love, 5" x 7", oil on panel

 Kitchen Window, 48" x 36", oil on panel

Green Hill Center for NC Art

200 North Davie St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
336.333.7460

http://www.greenhillcenter.org/ 

Workshop - Natural Object Still Life Painting

Nest, oil on panel, 8" x 8"

Natural Object Still Life Painting Workshop

at Townsend Atelier

June 8, 9, 10th 2012

9-5pm

$350

with Special Demonstration & Gallery Talk at  

The Hunter Museum of American Art 

Thursday June 7th 5-8pm

I am so stoked to be headed to lovely Chattanooga, TN in June to teach a wonderful painting workshop.  I hope you will be able to join me.  I also have the great honor of being invited to give a demonstration at the Hunter Museum of American Art.  If you can't make the whole workshop, I hope you will at least be able to enjoy the evening demonstration and gallery talk.  Here is the official description and a few links.  Please contact the lovely, helpful folks at Townsend Atelier if you want to sign up or need help finding accommodations. 

This course will cover the essentials of oil painting from proper surface preparation to color mixing, with a primarily earth tone palette.  Using direct observation, students will learn about composition, color theory and paint application as well as gain skills and confidence in representing what they see.   Students will be encouraged to select their own items that will enable them to develop personal narratives or meanings within a still life painting.  This three day oil painting class will start with an optional walk to experience and connect with nature, as well as to collect the natural found objects that the student will bring back to the studio to paint.   Students who choose to skip the morning walk will be encouraged to bring their own natural form discoveries such as various botanical items, seed pods, skulls, feathers, bugs – whatever it is from nature that you are inspired by!  The teacher will also bring such items from her own collection to share.

Townsend Atelier

201 West Main Street Suite 107
Chattanooga, TN

423-266-2712
or toll free: 1-877-903-1488
www.townsendatelier.com

info@townsendatelier.com

The Hunter Museum of American Art

10 Bluff View

Chattanooga, TN 37403 

(423) 267-0968

www.huntermuseum.org

The Expedition & Beyond continued

This past weekend a dozen women from across the US (unfortunately our Canadian contingent Kate Stone could not join us this time) traveled to Alexandria, VA for the opening reception of The Expedition & Beyond at Principle Gallery.  It was a fantastic evening event filled with meeting new collectors and other artists.  Thank you to all the folks that came from near and far to join us for this lovely exhibition!  You can read more about this exhibit both HERE and on the WPW site.  Also, a few bloggers have offered nice write ups about the exhibit: Matthew Innis on the Underpaintings Blog  and Tricia Ratliff on Agile Arts Blog.  Thank you both!  (You can also see more photos of the reception on my facebook page).

I went back the next morning to take a few installation shots.  Then, most of us headed to rural Pennsylvania for a short painting retreat at the home of Catherine Prescott.  I will post more about that soon...  In the mean time, enjoy taking a look through these photos.  The exhibition is up through May 15, 2012.

Terry Strickland: The Three Fates; Mia Bergeron: Silence

Diane Feissel: Where the Land Meets the Water; Alia El-Bermani: Diane with Kitten

 Alexandra Tyng: Elemental Balance; Rachel Constantine: Departure/ Arrival

 (over fireplace) Stefani Tewes: The Stillness Beneath

 

 Alia El-Bermani: Becoming;  Catherine Prescott: Northern Interior

 

Alia El-Bermani: Becoming

(foreground) Cindy Procious: Jewels of the Ocean; Sadie Valeri: Self Portrait at 39 

 Rachel Constantine: Self Portrait with a Man

Stefani Tewes: Embrace

 Alexandra Tyng: Hot Enough

Cindy Procious: Where's the Tobasco;  Mia Bergeron: Away; Linda Tracey Brandon: China Frog and Red Peonies; Catherine Prescott: Death is Not a Domesticated Pet;  Linda Tracey Brandon: Mia in a White Turban

   (far right) Katherine Stone: Lucie in the Wind; Sadie Valeri: Undersea

Katherine Stone: Vanitas

Principle Gallery

208 King St

Alexandria, VA  22314

703-739-9326

www.principlegallery.com

Stories of Contemporary Reaslism

Several of my works are included in the innovative online exhibition and sale titled Stories of Contemporary Realism at The Brigham Galleries.  This exhibit was guest curated by artist Kyle Thomas.  "Stories" opened for viewing on March 27th and continues thru May 31, 2012.  

 Cary Ann, oil on panel, 18" x 14"

Each artist was asked to give the back story of each piece or grouping.  In my usual fashion, I got a bit wordy...

"This query forced me to see how my works are inter-connected. What I realized in looking back, is that these works very clearly represent my life and the changes that have occurred for me in the last few years.  Starting with the painting of my friend Cary Ann, which was painted from life in my former Pasadena, CA studio thru to the large nude that was literally JUST finished here in my new home in North Carolina, you can clearly follow how my life's recent changes have affected my work. I consider figurative painting my first love. Painting people defines who I am and how I process this world, so when this recent move to the South made me NOT want to paint the people around me, that was a huge deal for me. Feelings of being foreign and disconnected from the people here, forced me to turn to different inspirations for my work. I became fascinated with the often overlooked, very common southern plants and the abundance of green that now surrounds me. It was through researching these Southern Weeds (as I call the series) that I started to learn about the South and started to gain a connection to the history of this place and its people. I have been able to return to my first love of figurative painting. Now, I do feel a deeper connection and understanding of the people around me. Though it seems my paintings are merely a direct response to the experiences of my life as they happen, my hope is that there is some universal truths that we can all share in the work. Honestly representing the emotions, content and characters of my life is the only way I know how to express these universal human truths."

Nest, oil on panel, 8" x 8"

Globe Sedge, oil on panel, 16" x 16"

Goldenrod, oil on panel, 24" x 24"

 Study of Kat, oil on panel, 12" x 9"

Threshold, oil on panel, 64" x 48"

Artist included in the exhibit are:

Greg Bennett

Robert Bodem

Candice Bohannon

Stephen Cefalo

Marc Dalessio

Matt Dickson

Michelle Dunaway

Alia El-Bermani

Frank Gardner

Ignat Ignatov

Tara Juneao

Michael Lierly

Leo Mancini-Hresko

Alfred Paredes

Scott Prior

Tony Pro

Mario Robinson

Richard Scott

Kyle Thomas

Ray Vargas

Katie Whipple

You can also view a video preview and discussion of this online exhibition on The Brigham Galleries blog here.

Featured in American Art Collector

I am so honored and pleased to share that my work is featured in the current April 2012 edition of the magazine American Art Collector!  The article acts as a preview for the upcoming The Expedition & Beyond show at Principle Gallery, which opens Friday the 13th.  My painting Becoming can be seen on a nearly full page spread.  Thank you to American Art Collector for featuring the exhibition - it is a lovely article.  You can purchase a copy of this magazine at any Barnes and Nobles or other book store near you. 

Principle Gallery - The Expedition & Beyond

Becoming, oil on panel, 24" x 24"

I am honored and excited to share that three of my paintings will be included in an exhibition at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, VA.  The Expedition & Beyond will showcase the works of thirteen incredible figurative artists.  I am so happy to be sharing these esteemed walls with this talented group.  

The Expedition & Beyond

April 13 - May 15, 2012

Opening Reception: Friday April 13th from 6:30-9pm

Principle Gallery

208 King St.

Alexandria, VA

703-739-9326

Artists included are:

Alexandra Tyng – Narberth, PA

Alia El-Bermani – Cary, NC

Catherine Prescott – Harrisburg, PA

Cindy Procious – Chattanooga, TN

Diane Feissel – Philadelphia, PA

Linda Tracey Brandon – Phoenix, AZ

Mia Bergeron – Chattanooga, TN

Rachel Constantine – Philadelphia, PA

Sadie Valeri – San Francisco, CA

Stefani Tewes–Laguna Beach, CA

Terry Strickland- Pelham, AL

Shannon Runquist, Charleston, SC

 Diane with Kitten, oil on panel, 20" x 16"

 The Gibbes Mausoleum, oil on linen on panel, 10” x 8”

This exhibition is a direct result of the Women Painting Women blog, which I helped to co-found, the subsequent 2010 exhibition of the same name at Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, SC and the painting retreat we called "On Expedition" that coincided with that initial exhibition of over 54 international artists.  This time around, The Expedition & Beyond  focuses on the work created and inspired by that week long retreat of a baker's dozen like minded artists.  We will each exhibit one study that was painted on location as well as 2 works that were created in our studios after the retreat. 

A beautiful catalog accompanies this exciting exhibition which not only shares all the paintings that will be on exhibit, but also includes stories and pictures from the retreat itself.  With a lovely foreword by John O'Hern,  American Art Collector, Santa Fe Editor,  the very talented folks at Matter Deep Publishing have done a fantastic job.  This catalog can be previewed and purchased by visiting HERE.

A preview video was also created by Matter Deep Publishing which you can view below:

You may also read a very nice blog post by Matthew Innis of the wonderful and always informative Underpaintings blog by clicking HERE.  

Lastly, today I found a nice mention in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine's March-April 2012 issue.  It is currently on newsstands. 

If you are in the Alexandria, VA area on Friday April 13th we all hope you will be able to come to the Opening Reception between 6:30-9pm.  Most of the artists (including yours truly) will be in attendance.

ONLINE STORE!

Hello folks.  I am happy to announce I have opened my very first online store.  This shop will feature original oil studies that were done exclusively from life.  Because they are usually small and quick, I can offer these paintings at a much more affordable price point.  Please check out my first three offerings by clicking the following:

 Alia Fine Art - ONLINE STORE!

I am very grateful to those who continue to support me in my artistic endeavors.  Thank you!

As always, if you are interested in larger and more finished works, please contact either Sullivan Goss - An American Gallery in Santa Barbara, CA or Loft Galeria in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Art Renewal Center Awards

I am so pleased and honored to share that my painting Space Between has been chosen as a finalist for the prestigious

2010-2011 ARC Salon Competition. 

There are so many amazing works by artists I've long admired amongst the winners.
Congratulations to you all!

 Space Between, oil on panel, 36" x 48"

You can see a High Resolution image of the painting HERE.

You can see the all finalists by clicking HERE.

June Figure Drawing Class - RICA

I am pleased to announce that I will be teaching Figure Drawing this summer at Raleigh Institute of Contemporary Art.  In the summers, RICA offers 2 weeks sessions (to more easily accommodate those who wish to go on vacation).  Starting in June, I will be teaching 2 week sessions of Figure Drawing on Sundays.  Here is the class description:

Working from the live model, students will develop an understanding of proper proportions, structure and basic anatomy of the human figure. We will use a variety of short gesture poses and work toward longer sustained poses. Basic principles of drawing will be discussed to explore the use of line variation, and methods of blocking in of volumetric forms to represent the expressive qualities of the human figure. This class with strengthen your drawing ability whether you are an absolute beginner or advanced student.

June Sessions:

Sundays June 5 & 12 1-4pm

Sundays June 19 & 26 1-4pm

You can sign up by visiting the Class 2011 page or by calling 919-800-0208

Also, the un-instructed Open Figure Drawing sessions will continue every Thursday night 7-10pm.  This is a good way to practice what you learn for only $10/ night or $8 for currently enrolled RICA students. 

Raleigh Institute of Contemporary Art

424 S. Dawson St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

919-800-0208

www.ricanc.com

Southern Weeds - Opening

 

Last night was the Opening Reception for my Southern Weeds exhibition at Artspace in Raleigh NC.  It was a fun night seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  Here are a few shots from the evening.  

 

Friends Sue Lyon and Scott Burdick drove all the way from 

Winston-Salem area just to see my weeds!  Thanks :)

Winding down the evening.

Southern Weeds 

is on exhibition thru May 28th

Artspace

210 E. Davie St.

Raleigh, NC 27601

www.artspacenc.org

My artist statement can be read by clicking here or by clicking on the "botanical" label.

Thank you to everyone who came to show love and support, especially to the very special family members who traveled some distance.  It means a great deal that you were there.  And a very Happy Birthday to my favorite 7 year old.  Thank you for sharing your special day with me.