The Artist Spectrum

ARTisSpectrum
Volume 29 The Chelsea Perspective
Become a World-Famous Artist
The Step-by-Step Guide pg. 21
ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
Profiles of Contemporary Art and Artists
D E LAWA R E C E N T E R F O R THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS

30 Exhibitions Annually, 7 Galleries , 26 Artist Studios, FREE Admission Always
ImPERFECT CITY: A real-time participatory exhibition. Feb 9 - June 16, 2013

This exhibition is made possible by a grant from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Visit the imPERFECT CITY blog to learn more about this exhibition.
http://imperfectcitydcca.wordpress.com/
Tue, Thu, Fri & Sat: 10 to 5 Wed & Sun: 12 to 5 Mon: Closed
200 South Madison Street Wilmington, DE 19801 302.656.6466 www.thedcca.org
SINCE 1986
XXV
CELEBRATING
ATIONAL TOURS: WW PRIVATE GUIDED & EDUC
liam Laziza Kathleen and Wil W.MICROMUSEUM.BIZ
OMG!
ARTISTS WITH FOUNDING
IZA KATHLEEN & WILLIAM LAZ
0132014 2 EXHIBITION DATES
PM (FREE VIEW FROM ST.) LLIAM LAZIZA DAILY 5 - 10 WI BY T OU E SID IN ION VIDEOART PROJECT 12 7 PM $2 PER PERSON
RDAYS EXHIBITION HOURS: SATU

SEUM ON FOLLOW MICROMU
IMPROVISATION MAKE PERFECT March 6 October 28 QUICK DRAW November 2 May 15
S SPECIAL APPOINTMENT & ART SALES

(718) 797-3116
SMALL VENUE
www.micromuseum.com
BIG ART
The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Exhibition

August 16 - September 5, 2013 Reception: Thursday August 22, 2013 6-8 pm
Mia Am Fenster Anne Sedel Sean Arce Cline Bardou Liza Brenner Rebecca Calhoun Airco Caravan Tracey Derrick Kat Elagina Brigitte Garcia Beatriz Gonzlez Hank Gray Michelle Hartney Gudrun Heamgi Dong Whan Kang Jordi Marin-Gest Russell Mehlman Alain Millerand Hlne Mogensen de Monlon Edward Moret Yasuaki Okamoto Alix Pierre Jonathan Popovich Jeffrey Richter Talia Savyone Debbee Sheppard Kristina Siegel Chuck Siler Mark St. Mary Neale Stratford John Szabo Maria Torrendell Swarte Vulpescu Olaru Christina White
Airco Caravan: Motel Slaying, Oil on Canvas, 13 x 13
530 West 25th Street, New York, NY www.Agora-Gallery.com

ARTisSpectrum
Publisher Agora Gallery Editor-in-Chief Angela Di Bello Assistant Editor Sabrina Gilbertson Art Director Julie Wilson Associate Editor Joyce Asper Profiles Editor Karin Maraney Staff Writers Steve Barnes Chloe Eichler Brenna OToole Theresa Sinclair Benjamin Sutton Leah Triplet Contributing Writers Lynne Douglas Kelsey Golder Marissa Mule Jose Antonio Serbia Benjamin Sutton Christine Vittorino
Contents
7 Profile Directory 9 About the Cover 22 How to Become a World Renowned Artist Overnight Benjamin Sutton 27 Spotlight on Berenice Michelow Angela Di Bello 32 Studio Spaces Lynne Douglas 40 The Art of Architecture Christine Vittorino 46 Guide to NY Public Art Kelsey Golder 60 Traveling Studio Jose Antonio Serbia 78 The Humanitarians 84 Art Matters - Why we Collect Art 90 Memorable Receptions from Around the World 100 Fashion Forward Marissa Mule 110 New York City: Evoking the Muse 122 ARTbeat
ARTisSpectrum provides a forum for artists and art professionals. Articles express the opinion and knowledge of the authors and not necessarily that of the magazines management. Artist profiles are written by staff writers or the artists unless otherwise noted. All copyrights are reserved by the authors. The copyrights of all published artwork are retained by the artists. Reproduction of any published material is prohibited without the written permission of the magazines publisher. Suggestions for future articles are welcome. Any topic submitted in writing by an artist, art professional or professionals in the service of the art community will be considered for publication.
Printed by The CPC Group.com
ARTisSpectrum Magazine 530 West 25th Street New York, NY 10001 www.ARTisSpectrum.com 212.226.4151 info@ARTisSpectrum.com
27 32 78
60 46
16 March 9 June 2013

Piccadilly, London www.royalacademy.org.uk Friends of the RA go free
George Bellows, Stag at Sharkeys (detail), 1909. Oil on canvas, 92 x 122.6 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Hinman B. Hurlbut Collection. Photo The Cleveland Museum of Art
Supported by
Profiles
If you like to keep up-to-date with the art world and enjoy spotting talented emerging and established artists, then artists profiles are a great way to do it. These profiles showcase the work, motivations and inspirations of exciting new faces on the international art scene.
51 108 73 57 95 109 96 15 73 14 74 18 18 75 66 121 64 24 94 117 45 119 103 99 109 19 77 14 96 89 102 97 10 51 102 55 76
AnnaMaria Critelli Anne-Marie Crosby April Rimpo Ben Frochisse Biddy Hodgkinson Brady Steward Brenda Ness-Cooper Carlos Hidalgo Caroline Josephs PhD Cordell Taylor Dani Cortez Darlene Adams David Costello David Reinfeld Debbie Klein Donna Shaffer Duan Swalens Eduardo D. Rubin Elena Kozhevnikova Elena Shorokhova-Gayun Elisabeth Schael Fabrizio Valle Fahim Somani Felix Semper Fernando Braune Flavio Pellegrino Francesco Ruspoli Fred Di Vito Fred Mou Gabe Tong Gaby Hahn George Ligon Gerd Rautert Grace Arledge Graham McBride Hara Hiroshi Henri Gueguen
16 104 94 108 67 87 57 69 108 39 54 52 87 98 15 53 65 120 44 97 57 12 65 56 51 67 26 12 105 13 25 105 105 121 120 103 38
Jacques Descoteaux Jean Louis Pauly Jean-Franois Mercier Jerry Anderson Jess Ucls John Loveday Freeman John Wolter Josyane Martinez Julie Fletcher Kaneko Johkoh Koki Morimoto Kozo Takano Kristina Garon Krzis-Lorent FrdriqueK Laura Bedard Lawrence R. Armstrong Leander Fontaine Lola Lonli Lucien Stilss Lynda Pogue Lynne Hudson Mairi Budreau Marianne Eichenbaum Marie Gailland Marisol Rosas Marissa Mule Mark Salevitz Mark Tomczak Marty Maehr Maurizio Yorck Max Werner Micheline De Oliveira Neema Lal Olivia Kapoor Patricia Gilman Patricia Neden Peter F. Carr
59 69 65 58 13 62 24 68 77 38 119 68 63 19 102 89 99 88 56 119 66 120 75 37 107 118 20 25 62 52 95 16 53 74 107 64 106
Rachel Hamburger Ral Lara Naranjo Roger Rutten Roland Behrmann Rosanne Potter Samantha Perreaz SAM Sandra McRae Sandra Mueller-Dick Scott Breeman Shifra Sonal Raje Stuart L. Gordon Sunrise Susan Marx Sylvia Ditchburn PhD Sylvio Tabet TA (Trygve Amundsen) Tamera Lee Tania Doucet Tatiana Davidov Romo Teresa Cabo Terry Kindley Tiril Tom Stewart Tricia Kaman Uriu Veselik Vanida Amiot VroniKaH Violette Cici W.M. Vinci Warren R Mack Wendy Cohen William Mastrogiulio Yasuyuki Ito Yukihiro Murai Zivi Aviraz Zo
ARTisSpectrum
Selected Contributors
Benjamin Sutton is the art news editor at Artinfo. His art criticism and reporting has appeared in Modern Painters, Art+Auction, The L Magazine, Flavorwire, and the New York Press. He also enjoys writing about film, theater, and urbanism. He grew up in France and Canada, and is based in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Kelsey Golder is a Media, Culture, and the Arts major at The Kings College in lower Manhattan. She is focusing her studies on writing and art history with the hope of more actively exploring the connection between the two in whatever career her future holds. Currently, she interns at Agora Gallery and the International Arts Movement in Manhattan. Through her experience in both these positions, she is learning to appreciate beauty in a city so full of it. Marissa Mule is an artist, writer and designer, living and working in New York City. As a fine arts major at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she works on both school and personal projects mainly focusing on abstract painting as she feels its process and freedom opens up a whole new window into her artwork. Influenced by line, she uses a pouring technique to create vibrant, bold and drip-like patterns, built up with layers of thick paint. Jose Antonio Serbia is a passionate, self-taught artist whose works are influenced by his background in architecture and his creative impulses. In addition to his work as an artist he works for FEMA as a Disaster Assistance Reservist, and is regularly deployed to assist at disaster sites all over the country.
Book now Until 12 May 2013
TATE.ORG.UK PIMLICO / WESTMINSTER TATEGALLERY @TATE
Kurt Schwitters EN MORN 1947 DACS 2012 Photo Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Dist. RMN / Bertrand Prvost
About the Cover

by Angela Di Bello, Editor in Chief
What is the question that is on the mind of many emerging artists; how do I become a world renowned artist? In this issue of ARTisSpectrum, the art writer Benjamin Sutton provides invaluable information about the art world and how this world functions. All artists, whether they create works of art for the simple joy of creation or are on a path to becoming world renowned will benefit from reading the rules laid down by the power brokers of the contemporary art market. With respect to the ARTopoly cover image by Keith Butler, I hope that the parody is not lost on anyone. As you may agree, at first the notion of characterizing artistic success as a game may seem trivial. Never the less, all games have strategies, rules, and an element of chance. Well so does achieving success in the art world. Join us as we explore some of the options that will inform, educate and direct artists as to how to play the game.
Gerd Rautert
erman artist Gerd Rautert works with acrylic and ink on canvas, board, and paper to create self-reflective, expressionistic works that explore both the complexity of the human experience and the underlying sense of unity and wholeness that underscores every aspect of life. A strong sense of line dominates each piece, as Rautert combines figurative and abstract elements for a compelling emotive effect. The human face is a central theme, more primitively than figuratively rendered, and often juxtaposed against strong geometric forms. Colors are muted and harmonic, infusing a sense of balance and synchronicity within each piece. Words are incorporated freely as compositional elements, symbolic of the ever-present dialogue that exists both with God and the innermost layers of self. A great source of inspiration for Rauterts art is love: the search for love, the loss of love, and ultimately its realization. Yet for Rautert, the greatest meaning and significance of his paintings involves his search for self, the journey toward exploring and understanding those inexplicable mysteries that lie within. It is here that he is able to expand his awareness, both of the self and also of the greater context of the universe. As he explains, Art is my mirror; the work is a part of me. Within this process of searching for greater comprehension of the mysteries of the soul, a search for greater communion with God emerges as a parallel theme. Rauterts figurative subjects are depicted within various phases of this search for both God and self, whether in deep contemplation or in the throes of greatest longing. This creates an inevitable tension in Rauterts work, which is naturally balanced with the higher purpose of the quest: to attain the most sacred of knowledge. Not surprisingly, for Rautert there is a strong spiritual component to his artistic process, where a dialogue with God and pure intuition come into play on both a conscious and subconscious level. He says, I feel closer to myself and to God when I paint. My energy is concentrated, a dialogue with myself created. I react with colors, lines, the movement, the smell, the feeling. I am closeness and warmth, and I perceive myself while painting as almost home. Gerd Rautert currently lives and works in Flonheim, a small town in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. www.artoffer.com/gerd-rautert www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gerd_Rautert.aspx
A great source of inspiration for Rauterts art is love: the search for love, the loss of love, and ultimately its realization.
Kelchmuster Mixed Media on Canvas 59 x 75
10
Evas Geduld und Adams Qualitat
Acrylic & Ink on Canvas
20 x 20
Vorbergehend
Acrylic & Ink on Canvas
51 x 47 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
11
Mark Tomczak
or Mark Tomczak, color, texture, and pattern are not static, but porous layers that shift and blend over the course of a painting. Though he was originally a realist painter, Tomczak took up abstraction four years ago and immediately began playing with dimensionality and the movement of paint in his work. His paintings begin with a base of fluid color, through which all the subtle and vibrant tones of the rainbow flow. Within the thickness of his paint, Tomczak creates textures scratching streaks or dripping trickles that sometimes clash and sometimes augment one another. To manipulate the acrylic paint, he uses trowels, window tint applicators, and other unconventional tools. The visibility of motion is as much a compositional element as hue or light. Tomczak also allows his patterns a great deal of repetition across the plane of the painting, as if to suggest the passage of time and the advancement of the eye. His work demands the attentiveness of study, but invites the reverie of exploration. Mark Tomczak was born in Buffalo, New York and today lives in Hawaii. In his art, he says, I always try to leave room for the viewers imagination to run free. www.marktomczak.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mark_Tomczak.aspx
Summer Party Acrylic with Gold on Canvas 30 x 20
Mairi Budreau
challenge myself in every painting, says Mairi Budreau. The challenge is to interpret what I find hidden or beaming, beautiful, notable and genuine or raw in a soul living in a physical body. In paintings that she calls man-scapes, the artist uses the male figure as her subject, and her skill at depicting these figures in a way that is at once realistic and expressive gives her works warmth and physicality in equal portions. Using a palette that consists mostly of yellows and browns, Budreau captures scenes that look as if they had been captured by firelight. The artist is an experienced carver and painter of wildlife images, El Matador Oil on Canvas 13 x 19.5 and those skills are brought into play in these paintings. She has a strong sense of sculptural form, using light and shadow to depict bodies that have depth and dimension. In addition, she is good at capturing the various textures of skin, flesh and hair, giving her work a tactile quality. Her compositions mix a reserved, rather objective stance with an intimacy that draws the viewer toward her subjects. But the physicality of these figures is just part of the story. The work takes on the form of portraiture, she says, while I dig for that which is deeper. www.budreau.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mairi_Budreau.aspx
12
Maurizio Yorck
aurizio Yorck uses acrylics to capture the shifting colors and shimmering light of urban landscapes. His mission is to draw attention to the beauty of cities and to portray the delicate emotional landscape that hides behind the veneer of harsh indifference. Very often we live in a near-hypnotic state, following a well-trodden path through the same city streets. What we miss is the beauty around us that arises from a particular light in the moment, from a sudden storm, from a colored umbrella and other shifting factors, he explains. Streets are the frame; whereas lights, color and people become the main actors in my dreamlike vision of the city. Yorck shakes viewers out of complacency with his Murotorto District Acrylic on Canvas 28 x 40 paintings, causing them to reevaluate their everyday experiences in a new light. Using high contrast and a limited palette, he creates liquid reflections on cars and street surfaces that come together to form a magical vision of urban life. While his work shows the influence of the Impressionists, his distinctive style is all his own. Yorck was born in Naples, Italy, and he currently lives in Rome. His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, and he has received many awards. www.maurizioyorck.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Maurizio_Yorck.aspx
Rosanne Potter
wide array of media are used to create Rosanne Potters striking paintings from pencil and ink to oils and casein paint, on surfaces ranging from canvas to paper and cardboard. But the thing that unites all of her images is her consistently adventurous approach, one that employs intense colors and a focused sense of movement and composition. Potter works in the Abstract Expressionist tradition, citing such artists as Rothko, Pollock and Frankenthaler as influences. Like those painters, Potter is more interested in leaving a vital, vivid impression in the viewers mind than in making images that line up precisely with preconceived ideas of representation, She stresses that she is not trying to be like anyone else, just available to whatever is spinning inside of me on the day and Flying Feet Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 24 hour that I pick up the brush or palette knife. Potter adds that her approach is to lay color on and move paint around until something emerges. That sense of spontaneity gives her paintings a freshness and unpredictability. Because of this, the process of reading her paintings is an active, challenging one. It is essential for her that the experience of viewing her paintings remains constantly new, and the energy and skill she puts into those paintings makes that a certainty. www.rosannepotter.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Rosanne_Potter.aspx
13
Fred Di Vito
red Di Vito infuses his urban and pastoral landscapes alike with intimacy and a deftly rendered natural light. Though the views he portrays often stretch miles into the distance, his compositions are edited with unusual strictness, leaving a few clear shapes to direct the eye. The canvas is then filled in with tone: the full range of colors and a bold sense of light sources and reflections, which do as much to guide the viewer around the painting as the actual form of a tree or horizon. Di Vitos palette is infinitely flexible, whether finding the gold in a city sidewalk or depicting the purple in a snowy country rooftop. In these subtle, unexpected shades lives the emotional expressiveness of the artists work. Di Vitos city scenes are populated, with people appearing undistinguished but purposeful, comfortably inhabiting their surroundings. These players provide an element of dynamism. By contrast, Di Vitos country scenes are calm and still. It is the sun and the power of its rays to favor one thing and shun another that creates the tension in these rural paintings. Di Vito grew up in the South Bronx and credits his unique childhood for fueling his artistry early in life. He is accomplished in several fields of industrial design. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Fred_Di_Vito.aspx
Pathway Back
Acrylic on Board
24 x 24
Cordell Taylor
ordell Taylor calls his sculptures investigations of shape, color and texture that define form and space. Working in steel, as well as in stone and wood, Taylor carries out those investigations through constructions that mix a finely developed sense of balance with an impressive ability to get the most out of the possibilities that his materials offer. Having worked as a professional ironworker and fabricator, the artist has a thorough understanding of what steel can do, and how its strength and delicacy can combine to create pieces that simultaneously emphasize and transcend gravity. In his pieces, steel can appear to be solid or delicate, earthbound or airborne. Manipulating shapes and forms is also a central concern for Taylor. I have found that using solid and hollow forms together adds interest and intrigue, he says. The airy outlines of squares will be mixed through a series of heavier shapes in combinations that initially seem precariously arranged. But there is a feeling of natural balance to Taylors sculptures, where, as he says, each shape grows from or supports another. The resulting works are blends of the natural and the modern, bringing together the natural beauty of the American West with the clean lines and formal experimentation of modern architecture. www.cordelltaylor.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Cordell_Taylor.aspx
Geomet Series #154
Steel
18 x 15.5 x 5
14
Carlos Hidalgo
ore than a half-century of armed conflict, unrest, and bloodshed in his country has informed Dominican artist Carlos Hidalgos distinctive style. His compositions are arresting and haunting, and draw on scenes he witnessed regularly in the streets during successive coups, repressive regimes, and a civil war. Jarring though this imagery can be, his paintings remain technically exquisite and formally masterful, drawing viewers in with incredibly intricate figures whose forms are deconstructed into geometric fragments. The resulting aesthetic evokes Picassos Cubist works and de Koonings Expressionist nudes, though Hidalgos hybrid of those styles unleashes a dynamic storm of lines and colors that manages to be beautiful while embodying the pain and suffering that shaped it. The artists oil paintings typically portray solitary figures or pairs, their contours sharply defined, their component parts spinning, swooping and pointing outward at jagged angles. His choice of palette adds another layer of dynamism to each work, ranging from kaleidoscopic patterns to darker compositions dominated by murky blues, dark grays and black. There is a palpable sense of exuberance and resilience in all his works, though often matched with a kind of scarring, a sense of frailty that makes each piece absolutely gripping. www.carloshidalgoart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Carlos_Hidalgo.aspx
Cazadores de Serpientes
Oil on Canvas
50 x 40
Laura Bedard
aura Bedards thoughtful works defy simple categorization they are neither painting nor collage, neither abstract nor representational. Bedard draws inspiration from that which has only been made visible recently, using technological means: distant galactic bodies and microorganisms. The mystery of and apparent visual similarity between these two realms have led Bedard to methods that imbue her work with as much interdependence and unseen movement as a star system or a colony of bacteria. The artist first prepares paper with an ink wash, then builds up translucent acrylic paint and collaged Membrane #2 Ink & Graphite on Paper 10.5 x 17 paper to create an environment unique to each piece. Among the ghost-like washes of earth tones, Bedard scatters both splashes of warmer colors carefully calibrated to complement and draw out the tonal atmosphere of the individual work and textured paper. The resulting work is outstandingly subtle and constantly moving between dark and light. The actual shapes present are indeterminate, resembling an amoeba as much as a star cluster. More important is the shifting depth, as these shadow-worlds dance in and out of the reach of human knowledge. Bedard lives and works in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She describes her work as the creation of the feeling, space, and fluidity within our bodies. www.laurabedard.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Laura_Bedard.aspx
15
Wendy Cohen
n her highly expressionistic paintings, artist Wendy Cohen seeks above all to capture the joy and passion that can be found in the world. Working with a variety of mixed media, Cohen layers her canvases with diverse palettes of rich color thickly applied with fearless brushstrokes. Compositions are both fantastical and adventurous, combining recognizable elements with robust patterns and abstract renderings. What results is artwork bursting with energy and infused with freedom and positivity, which she believes is the natural state of all people. Inspired both by a rich African culture as well as by modern artists such as Picasso, Miro, de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock, Cohen sees herself mostly as a citizen of the world, connected to all life on the planet. Her paintings have a primitive, surrealistic quality to them and often contain glimpses of faces, which she uses as a sculptural tool to symbolize the face of the illusion of life. To Cohen, being a painter is more of a divine calling than anything else. Through each of her works, she seeks to bring fantasy, excitement, love, laughter, and imagination to her audience. Wendy Cohen currently lives and works in Sydney, Australia. www.wendycohen.com.au www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Wendy_Cohen.aspx
Garden of Serendipity
Mixed Media on Canvas
40 x 40
says Jacques Descoteaux. His paintings, done in oils on canvas, are compelling views of that environment Canadas stark landscapes and massive skies. I am interested in exploring color and space, he says, suggesting both the tension and harmony that exist in nature. The vistas in Descoteauxs images offer him many opportunities to carry out those explorations. Whether they are moody and dark, or airy expanses of sun-lit clouds, his skies play dark and light shades off of each other to give each painting a strong physical presence and a quiet sense of movement. But the artists aims go beyond realism. His goal is to capture the atmospherics rather than the specifics of a scene. Descoteaux first painted in watercolors, and that medium has left its mark on his oil paintings. Applying Black and White Series 5 Oil on Canvas 24 x 30 paint in thin layers, he achieves a delicacy that is perfect for embodying air and space. When that lightness combines with the rich tones that oil paint offers, a unique combination is formed, creating a world that is at once familiar and mysterious. I like to lead the viewer, the artist says, but I also need to let them find their own story through my paintings. www.jdcoto.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jacques_Descoteaux.aspx
Painting is my emotional response to my environment,
Jacques Descoteaux
16
...and still create your art?

CrumlicMedia is a full service agency devoted to freeing our artist clients to pursue their artistic passions while still attending to their professional advancement.
design a website for your art, keep that art website updated, take pictures of your art, facebook, tweet, instagram, etc... about your art, write about your art, produce videos of you and your art, publish books about your art, design brochures & cards to promote your art, make sure your art looks great everywhere,
Are you able to...
Free yourself to create! Contact us today. See our work at crumlicmedia.com - Call us anytime 646-596-6652 What our clients are saying...
Working with Bill and Keith at CrumlicMedia, for design of my website, video and photography services was a pleasure. Working with them is more than a professional treat. Their energy, creativity and attention to detail made my website, video and book a work of art in and of themselves. I would suggest Bill and Keith of CrumlicMedia to anyone who requires web design, video and photography services, in a flash because I can vouch for their professionalism, dedication and quality. Vibha Nanda, Doha, Qatar Ceramist and painter Bill did a 6 minute video of my opening at Agora Gallery in NYC. It is posted on the web and I have received nothing but great praise for his fine work. Other video professionals have told me how outstanding his editing skills are! Jim Cobb, Philadelphia Artist and painter Bill is an excellent professional. He knows how to make a report remarkable, underlining the outstanding features of any artist and his/her artwork. Very talented in producing any kind of work in the video industry! Andreas Strobel, Madrid, Spain Artist and sculptor ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com 17
Darlene Adams
love the bold and bright colors of nature, Darlene Adams says, and the movement of that comes when I paint. The bold colors that she loves and the sweeping movements with which she applies those colors to her canvases are central to her striking, expressive works. She says that the palette knife is one of her favorite painting tools, and using it gives the surface of her images a unique energy. Working in oils, which she loves for their texture and rich, deep colors, she creates moody, enveloping images that take the power of her style and colors and temper it with a surprising feeling of peacefulness. In Adams paintings, nature and the urban landscape are filtered through a consciousness that is sensitive to the smallest details, from the texture of leaves to the outlines of skyscrapers against a neon-colored city sky. But equally important is the way in which she incorporates those details into patterns of her own design. The artist transforms the world she depicts into scenes that come across as dreamscapes, environments shaped by her own inner spirit. Adams calls herself an experiential painter, one who paints by feeling the subject matter around her. That intensity of feeling, vividly communicated, makes her images unique. www.artwerksbydarlene.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Darlene_Adams.aspx
Look To The Skies Oil on Canvas 36 x 24
David Costello
n David Costellos soft pastel on paper works, the unifying factor is a vividly realized sense of light. Whether through the subtle shades of a horizon or a spiritual, otherworldly radiance, the artist turns light into a physical force that shapes the landscapes and people it comes into contact with. But while the power of light dominates, it is the balance between light and dark colors that gives his work its sense of motion and drama. Combined with a strong sense of line and composition, he uses those juxtapositions of shades to create energetic arcs of motion, always Longing Pastel on Paper 26 x 45 directing the viewers eye toward the light, and the moment of transcendence. Costello says that he is contemplative by nature, and while there is certainly a sense of stillness and peacefulness in his work, the feeling of striving toward a goal that one sees in his images is what gives them their unique power. While a part of his inspiration comes from the outer world he depicts, Costello stresses that his works most important aspect is the way in which it reflects what comes from within him. A successful work of art, in my opinion, he says, is one that draws from the spiritual and in turn touches the spirit within the observer. www.davidcostello.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/David_Costello.aspx
18
Susan Marx
have inherited the soul of Monet, says painter Susan Marx, and a look at her colorful, light-filled images makes this Impressionist connection clear. This is an artist who spent two summers painting in Monets garden in Giverny. Marx loves color and she loves paint. When she paints flowers and foliage they are a mere excuse to paint color. Working en plein air gives her paintings a powerful immediacy, the vivid, tactile sense of nature as experienced directly and emotionally. She may have painted on Monets JapaneseBridge but it is clear that she sees beyond it. Marx takes Impressionism to a new level, using the paint-filled, emotive brushstrokes of the Abstract Expressionists to produce a style she calls Abstract Impressionism. She captures the essence in her paintings, the color and the emotion, and leaves the rest to the viewer, enticing him into the painting. My art is a result of my radical amazement at the visual world around me and my need to turn that visual experience into paint. Nature may be my starting point, but it is not my end result, explains Marx. www.susanmarxartist.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Susan_Marx.aspx
White Irises
Acrylic on Canvas
30 x 24
Flavio Pellegrino
lavio Pellegrino paints with rich, vibrant oils to create moody, whimsical abstract work that projects strong emotions and effortlessly captures the viewers attention. Fragmented geometric shapes mingle with organic brushstrokes; occasionally, loosely rendered subject matter will emerge from the canvas, but whether the subject is distinguishable or not, these paintings are always full of interest, presenting the viewer with a plethora of windows into new perspectives. The communion between a viewer and my work is my heaven and sensations, colors and feelings, my universe, he explains. Each piece is a fresh look at a concept or subject, an impression of the Serenity Oil on Canvas 24 x 36 world that is entirely unique. Yet Pellegrino frequently draws inspiration from everyday experience. The daily life, people, situations, sensations, problems and solutions, dreams and nightmares that you face [on a] daily basis are a special event themselves, he claims, inspiringly. His work continuously evolves as he experiences new things, and this is an artist who always has innovative visions to express. Pellegrino was born in Argentina, and he currently lives in New York City. His work has been well received, and has been exhibited in several solo shows. www.flaviopellegrino.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Flavio_Pellegrino.aspx
19
Vanida Amiot
he Abstract Expressionist paintings of French-Indian artist Vanida Amiot celebrate the mystery and majesty of the process of creation while exploring the very depths of meaning that have come to define our human experience. Born in India and adopted by a French family around the age of three, Amiot has long been entranced by the longstanding traditions and artistic beauty displayed by both cultures. Inspired by a wide range of movements from Realism and Pop Art, to Fauvism, Cubism, and Surrealism Amiot has developed a unique artistic style all her own. Her rich palettes of color pulsate with emotion, creating ambitious compositions both expansive and ethereal. The acrylic paint (which Amiot calls the paint of the moment) is thickly applied with lush brushstrokes, adding texture and depth to the overall effect. Each of Amiots paintings blends the visible with the invisible, inviting the reader into what she calls the Lair of the Worlds: a parallel dimension filled with the dreams, colors, and scents that simultaneously compose the human heart and wound the soul. The layers of meaning in each piece run deep. Over her career, Amiot has been driven by a passion for Greek mythology, and one can trace the symbolism of the timeless legends of mortals and immortals that is also woven through her work. In her artistic process, Amiot doesnt so much paint what she sees or feels but rather engages directly with the paint itself, so that its the paint that captures my emotions and describes to me what to do. Thus, the process becomes completely intuitive and dynamic, guided moment to moment by the way the paint happens to fall, be absorbed, and is drawn across the canvas. For Amiot, this is where she is able to truly delve into the Expressionist moment, to uncover the essence of what it means to be creative and also what it means to be human. It is here, in this diaphanous world where the invisible is made real, that Amiot begins the endless process of uncovering and understanding the mysteries that surround our human consciousness. As Amiot explains, Creation for me is, in fact, not only a revelation of the real or imaginary world, but it is the condition of humanity. www.artvanida.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Vanida_Amiot.aspx
Promethee Ou La Legende Du Feu Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 22
20
Le Sang Des Anges
Acrylic on Canvas
18 x 22
Vanida Amiot
Histoire DHumanite Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 22 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
21
World Renowned Artist Overnight!

By Benjamin Sutton
worse, remains
How to Become a
Photography by Keith Butler
but a fantasy. Not unlike creating a masterful artwork, achieving respect, success and fame in todays art world requires countless hours of hard work. It also takes establishing and nurturing relationships with the right people and groups, and surrounding oneself with like-minded creators and thinkers. Finally, it takes a not-negligible amount of luck, and at some point every artist who has made the jump from good to great has been helped along by factors completely beyond her or his control. No sure formula for a successful career as an artist exists; indeed, even the definition of what constitutes a successful career is different for every artist. Nevertheless, a keen understanding of the factors at play and the agents influencing them are essential to building a rewarding artistic career. 22
he instantaneous triumph promised above, for better or
By way of offering an entry into and pathway through a milieu that can often seem impenetrable from the outside and labyrinthine from within, we have mapped out the art world into eleven key sectors. From museums whose curators and acquisitions committees determine how the history of todays art will be told tomorrow to art fairs where collectors and gallerists determine the demand for their preferred artists and discover the next stars these are the junctures at which creativity, power, influence, and money meet to help push precious few artists forward.
Galleries
The foremost concern among the majority of contemporary artists looking to build a successful career is obtaining gallery representation. The barriers to achieving this goal are many, but so are the benefits that come with it: A solo show of new pieces roughly every two years; gallery staff championing your work in exchanges with curators, critics, and collectors; costs of exhibition promotional materials covered (and in some cases production materials, too); publishing or coordination of artist books, editions, and monographs; an exhaustive and well-maintained online showcase for you work; and more. But gaining representation is no easy feat.
range galleries, whose dealers are more approachable and some of whom even accept portfolio submissions. This is often the first of many stepping-stones toward gaining representation with a major dealer. All these galleries are for-profit businesses, and take a percentage of the sum for which they sell an artists work; this cut varies dramatically, but 50 percent is not uncommon. An artist signing with a gallery will typically have to turn over the details of her or his collectors, so that the gallery can contact potential buyers whenever an exhibition is approaching, or suggest other similar artists from among those they represent. Galleries will often give discounts to entice major collectors whose collections will often end up in major public or private institutions and museum acquisitions groups. Other types of galleries about which every artist should to be informed are secondary market galleries, co-op galleries, and promotional galleries. Promotional galleries offer artists a range of services in exchange for a fee, but lower the commission percentage for the gallery. They offer gallery representation for a pre-determined period and inclusion in exhibitions. Some promotional galleries, such as Agora Gallery, offer artists additional benefits, such as an online profile for a year or longer which often result in sales. The fees cover the costs of exhibitions promotional materials including original press releases, catalogues and postcards, listings and ads in print publications, as well as professional advice regarding artistic direction, pricing, how to frame and advice on shipping nationally and internationally . A promotional gallery also promote artists to a vast database of collectors locally, internationally, and through their websites. For an artist developing his or her career, representation with a promotional gallery can provide the crucial boost needed for career building. Though similar to promotional galleries in some ways, co-op galleries are also different in certain crucial respects. While they typically charge a fee for membership, they ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com 23 continued on page 70
Most artists get their start in small and mid-range galleries, whose dealers are more approachable
Most galleries in the worlds major art hubs Chelsea and the Upper East Side in New York, Mayfair in London, the Marais in Paris, and so on do not accept portfolio submissions. Rather, their staff members monitor exhibitions at smaller galleries, non-profit spaces, major biennials, leading art schools MFA exhibitions, visit open studios, and so on, before approaching an artist to discuss representing her or him. This vetting process can take months, years, even decades, but an artist picked up by a major gallerist like Mary Boone, Sean Kelly, or Paula Cooper will stand a much greater chance of seeing their work acquired by leading collectors and major museums. Most artists, therefore, get their start in small and mid-
Eduardo D. Rubin
n his photographic images, Argentinian-American artist Eduardo D. Rubin focuses primarily on the capturing of solitary moments in time in order to gain a new perspective on reality. In each image, Rubin expertly configures the elements of space and light in fascinating ways, inspiring the viewer to take an entirely new approach to the way they see the world. Compositions are edgy and terse, creating interest and depth, while still displaying all the incredible beauty and wonder there is to be found in everyday forms. With a background in social psychology, Rubin is able to view his subjects through a humanistic lens in which layers of meaning can be found within the Solo Digital Print on Paper 18 x 28 most commonplace of objects. For Rubin, there is an art to finding the perfect shot, to configuring the ideal composition where the subject is captured with defenses lowered: unprotected, bare, raw. Indeed, he considers this an act of voyeurism, of watching without being watched. As he describes his process, If you are in dark and they are in light you are invisible. And this is the secret: being invisible and catching the momentum. Eduardo D. Rubin currently lives and works in south Florida in the United States. www.eduardorubin.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Eduardo_D._Rubin.aspx
Sandra McRae
A Blip on the Landscape
Acrylic on Canvas
17 x 40
truly collide and lines of light and dark streak across the canvas. Form and color are combined in countless, complex ways so that they take on direction and meaning. The strength of these works is that the basic visual elements of image-making are not presented as deconstructed, but make expressions of their own. Some canvases show just a few squares and rectangles of red and black dancing around each other, while others are made up of a hundred little pieces, spanning the rainbow without ever becoming formulaic. McRaes ability to move from paint to collage and still preserve her artistic vocabulary only underscores her idea that shape and color are fundamentally connected. Sandra McRae was born in Australia and today lives and works in New York. She began creating art as an adult, and hopes that her work will evoke visceral responses from the viewers. www.flickr.com/photos/sandrasart www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sandra_McRae.aspx
ith both acrylic paint and paper collage, Sandra McRae finds the fluidity and relationship between seemingly disjointed shapes. McRae builds images out of blocks of color imperfect, varied shapes that manage to be both graphic and appealingly three-dimensional. Maintaining a hand-drawn aesthetic and often shading her colors just enough to add depth, McRae creates playgrounds of color where angles
24
Max Werner
he stunningly realistic paintings of Belgian artist Max Werner offer a sense of immediacy and freshness, as well as the power both to evoke a sense of time and space, and to invite the viewer into that particular moment in time. Werner hopes to convey what he felt when he saw and experienced the landscapes being depicted and to encourage the viewer to reflect on what personal meanings might be discovered there. In each painting, colors are lush and free, compositions are balanced yet interesting, and the use of light and shadow lends depth and Desert Police Station Acrylic on Canvas 25 x 35 meaning to the overall effect. For Werner, there is a sense of adventure and freedom when creating his paintings that enables him to flesh out his realistic approach, to go beyond what is before him to introduce a sense of story and at times even Surrealism into the tableau. It is the surrealistic aspects that Werner finds particularly interesting, appreciating as he does the humor and sense of absurdity that is engendered as a result. As he explains, It is this one step away from reality that is fascinating, a juxtaposition of things, which sometimes also nearly occurs in real life, that attracts me. It is here, in the depths of unexpected reality, that Werners paintings find their deepest meaning. Max Werner currently lives and works in the northeastern United States. www.maxwernerart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Max_Werner.aspx
VroniKaH
he pleasure of playing with colors and textures is my main focus and passion, VroniKaH says of her work, and that pleasure is reflected in the artists open, light-filled paintings. She creates works that unite a broad range of media with an assured painterly hand and an exceptionally strong sense of color. In each of her paintings, she works through the various intensities of a few basic shades, generating a surprising amount of drama and variety from a focused palette. My technique, says VroniKaH, is a continuous research of new visual effects never seen before. Usually starting out with acrylic paints on canvas, she builds many-layered images that include such Triomphe Acrylic & Ink on Canvas 40 x 60 materials as liquid stained glass, ink, ultra-shine varnish and lead thread. But it is not simply those extra elements that give her works their texture and depth. Calling the spatula one of her basic tools, she applies her paint in thick, lush waves, giving her canvases a sensuous, tactile quality and sense of movement that is then expanded by the other materials she uses. A self-taught artist, VroniKaH animates her sharply-conceived visions in style and color with freedom and spontaneity. Most of the time, she says, I let my intuition decide what to do. This sense of freedom reflects the added dimension the art receives from its role as therapy in VroniKaHs battle against anorexia. In November 2012, she was awarded the First Place Jurys Special Prize at the CAPSQ 29th International Visual Art Gala. www.veronikah.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/VeroniKaH.aspx
25
Mark Salevitz
he acrylic on canvas and paper paintings of American artist Mark Salevitz are at once impressionistic and surreal, taking recognizable subjects and forms and transforming them into magical realms filled with color, shape, texture, and a depth of emotive expression. Each piece is expressively dynamic and full of movement, both capturing the essence of the subject and leaving plenty to the interpretation of the viewer as he or she encounters and experiences the work. There is a strong Southwestern influence on Salevitzs art, with elements of both Mexican and Southwest landscape art genres included in his paintings. Many works are in fact based on places the artist has had the opportunity to visit and the unique cultures he has experienced, as well as on many of the pets his family has adopted over the years. What results is a combination of impression and memory, leading the viewer ever inward to find the many meanings contained within the bold lines and forms that compose each piece. Salevitzs paintings are at once light and airy yet contained, with a strong emphasis on geometric form. The brilliance of the colors he uses help to emphasize these forms and they draw the eye across the page. Compositions are flowing and expansive, transmuting familiar scenes into something magical and otherworldly. Indeed, in his work Salevitz is able to capture the essence of his subjects through the medium of stunning color, to bring to life the intangible elements that lie just below the surface. As he explains, I try to capture the spirit of the subject [through the] use of bright, vivid colors. Mark Salevitz currently lives and works in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he is also a pediatric ophthalmologist. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mark_Salevitz.aspx
Mark in his Studio
Inside Looking Out
Acrylic on Paper
24 x 18
Gatekeeper
Acrylic on Canvas
30 x 24
26
Spotlight on Berenice Michelow

By Angela Di Bello
Q: What is your philosophy of art? Painting is not something I do, it is a way of life. Each artist is a distinct individual whose work will exhibit his or her own particular set of assumptions, sensibilities and mannerisms. I found it was necessary to rid myself of the tyranny of the object as it appears and free myself of the restrictive and blunted disciplines. Q: What was your earliest professional artistic experience? I started my career designing stage sets and costumes for the theater, but painting became my real passion. Primarily, I am a painter. I explored the subject of the visual background of everyday lives in the series Everyday Landscape. They were abstracted and reconstructed and were my personal response and perception of the contemporary scene. I began fusing the figure with the environment; I was trying to create a dynamic continuity in space. In these early works I became aware of light - seeing light bouncing through a window onto objects in the corner of a room. This captured my attention and this abstracted light structure has followed through all my future compositions. Although my first interest was painting reality of form based on the re-interpretation of natural form, I later turned to graphics (serigraphs) which was highly successful. This facilitated a new development of hard edge painting which I abandoned after finding it too limiting.
Berenice in her Studio
27
Q: Your Flight series is so compelling, can you tell me what it symbolizes for you? My Flight series followed the Everyday Landscapes. The bird became a frequent recurring symbol for freedom - physically, mentally and spiritually. Painting is a statement about visual reality rather than reality itself. These were in fact an interpretation of reality. Q: What came after the Flight series? Denim jeans, jackets, and wearing apparel were the subject of my next exhibition. I experimented with the concept of fabric revealing more about the subject. This gave me a new visual literacy; the jeans being the symbol in that decade. They defined a more relaxed way of life. A great deal can be learned about people just by looking at their clothing. Q: I am fascinated by your interest in dogs, what can you tell me about that? In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and this influenced the subject of my next exhibition, Dogs. This exhibition was centralized on this theme and the interaction of their innate characteristics with the environment and with human and social behavior. Subsidiary to this theme is an attempt to understand the vandalism of graffiti. My motivation is the challenge to integrate the subject matter with my medium. In my painting of Monument to Freedom, I place my own dog, a German Shepherd, together with graffiti, using the dog and his shadow to create an ambiguous relationship between the dog and the space which it seemingly occupies. The graffiti appears in the background but some of the letters extend over the animal. The color creates the atmosphere and the mood of this painting.
My motivation is the challenge to integrate the subject matter with my medium.

28
Pathways are about choices and their importance to the future, ones personal choices and the countrys choices. Life is full of choices.
Pathways I
Oil on Canvas
39.5 x 39.5 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
29
Q: How has photography influenced your work? With the camera I found a new way of seeing. It seems to have helped me eliminate the non-essentials, not to imitate but to extract and discard the irrelevant. The current events influenced the direction of my work and visions as I became more politically aware. This work became an essay on the political scene, the apartheid regime and their repressive race policies. I wanted to stimulate interest, inspire thought and create an awareness. My Protest paintings and social comments mirrored the political climate. At this stage I realized that I needed recognizable imagery to relate to the viewer. The challenging question was to help the viewer to look anew at familiar objects, so I placed images out of their normal context. This element of surprise I hoped would increase their awareness and aid communication. Q: When did you develop an interest in the plight of children? Democracy came to South Africa in 1994 with a new black government. Nelson Mandelas policy of truth and reconciliation gave birth to a joyous democratic rainbow nation with freedom, a new constitution and a hope of a new future. My painting at this time reflected this positive development. My concern was for the children of this new democratic South Africa, who represented the infrastructure of this burgeoning nation. These children who were disadvantaged, uneducated and living in poverty in a sad environment. My interest in children has continued and has become a frequent subject in my new work. Street Children and Graffiti was my next exhibition. Through light form and symbol I have used these children as the future of their national heritage. Graffiti forms part of these paintings and are part of the environment. There are two issues here. The first is my exploration of graffiti as a form of vandalism and a defacement of the wall surface. On the other hand, these are a form of enlivening the surface on which they appear. As always I was fascinated with the ambiguity of space and planes. I have created a visual paradox. This confounds our interpretation of the space within the paintings of objects to one another in ostensible space. This can been seen and recognized in many of my paintings. Q: You were born in South Africa, when did you emigrate to the US? In 2004, we emigrated to the United States of America to join our children who were settled in America. This marked the beginning of a whole new development in my painting and in my thinking. Q: How did this reference your work? I became strongly aware of the overwhelming patriotism throughout the country and I wanted to interpret these impressions of the country of my adoption. This new phase became a personal essay on my thoughts of life in America. Patriotic Landscapes reflected this phase. I tried to set the scene with dramatic structure, strong light structure and disparate themes. Q: It seems that events in the US deeply affect you and influenced your work, tell me about this? The Pathways series of paintings followed. These paintings relate to the beginning of a new era. Pathways are about choices and their importance to the future, ones personal choices and the countrys choices-life is full of choices. There was the presidential election that year with the choice of a first time president of color. I tried to reflect this climate in my large canvases with strong colors, figures in special ambiguity and paradoxical relationships. Q: Your recent work is a departure from your previous themes, why? Free Spirits (2012) are the concept of the early happy years of carefree youth, placed in ambiguous dissolving space, with no responsibilities of the pressures of world problems and their vision and expectancy of a resplendent future. Unaware of their future in the real world they are as free as birds. I have used bright incandescent colors to create the ambiance and the atmosphere. These paintings depict the halcyon joyful innocent days and the freedom of youth. Q: Do you have a message for emerging artists? In the end, art is about art. The essentials are the challenges, the questions and shifts. According to Matisse, the viewers capacity to see is almost as important as the artists ability to paint. Reflections of our times has been my subject of interest and my direction. Primarily, I am concerned with the basic elements and the development of the structure and light within the picture plane. I have constantly marveled at Maurits Eschers ability to manipulate space and at Francis Bacons excellent use of interior space and his ability to make an image without actually illustrating life. His drama is in his paint not in the narrative.
30
www.michelow.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Berenice_Michelow.aspx
Michelows Free Spirits lll
Oil on Canvas
48 x 60 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
31
S t u d i o S pa c e s :
Ly n n e D o u g l a s
Room for an Art Lover a quiet refuge of inspiration and illumination
I always dreamed of living near the sea the sound of the waves on the shore, the relentlessness of the tide, the never- ending drama of the sky and moods, as varied as my own, an intoxicating mixture. In 2011, I spent six months searching for an old house overlooking the sea with a big garden and space for a studio a place to inspire, a place to create and a place to breathe. I traveled up and down the coastline of Scotland in my 32
search and finally found it in the little village of Blairmore, a ferry ride from my hometown of Glasgow. The place is an old villa built in 1860 when the village of Blairmore was a holiday destination for rich Victorians coming by paddle steamer in their crinolines and paisley shawls; the grand old Waverly still comes in the summer months. Now, on quiet days, at the little pier near the house, all that can be heard is the sound of gently slapping waves, oyster catchers and echoes of times gone by.
The garden behind the house has a steep hill with a winding path and at the top there is a spectacular view up Loch Long and the Clyde Estuary. I am surrounded here by endless coast, dark pools of deep water, mist and fog. When the sun shines, the water on the sea turns soft, hazy turquoise and porpoises skip along in graceful arcs. The colors remind me of the dreamy visions of Monets Water Lily Pond and blues of Renoirs water in The Skiff and Le Pont de Chatou. On stormy days, the palette is black and white with waves crashing on the shore, and the wind blowing fresh and strong; it takes my breath away. The house itself is quaint and charming with decorative cornicing, etched glass windows and a winding staircase. It hints of Charles Renee Macintosh and the Arts and Crafts movement, which was blossoming in Glasgow in the latter half of the 19th century. The main bedroom is breathtaking, I only had to step into the room to know that I belonged here with the water and the history. The room has a large bay window reaching almost to the floor with sloping roof
panels on either side. Waking up in the morning and seeing the rising sun sprinkle a rainbow of colors on the water spurs me on to just grab my camera and rush to the nearest viewpoint. I have always had a passion for Impressionist painters, so it seems very fitting that this place was built around the time they were coming into prominence. Perhaps, who knows, maybe some early work was done here. There is a spirit here, of people who loved art; the house they created has individuality that speaks of an artistic heart and soul. At that time, photographers and painters mingled, and it is easy to imagine them walking the coastline, color wheels in hand, debating how to capture the elusive and captivating Scottish light. Like me, perhaps they were entranced by this space, now my space and my passion until the next artist comes to live here.
www.crionnaphotography.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Lynne_Douglas.aspx
The Studio a peaceful room with a view of the sea at the bottom of the garden
33
34
On location at a ARTisSpectrum nearby loch | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com 35
The house itself is quaint and charming with decorative cornicing, etched glass windows and a winding staircase. It hints of Charles Renee Macintosh and the Arts and Crafts movement, which was blossoming in Glasgow in the latter half of the 19th century.
Lynnes studio home overlooking the sea
On location at a nearby loch where there are fabulous reflections in the still water
36
Tom Stewart
Soaring Gull
Watercolor on Paper
20 x 28
Reef Textures
Watercolor & Cold Wax on Clayboard
12.5 x 15.5
he watercolor paintings of American artist Tom Stewart reflect both the artists personal experience of the magnificence of the ocean and a general reverence and awe for the natural world. Combining transparent, opaque, and sometimes metallic watercolor pigments, Stewart allows his paintings to flow in a spontaneous and intuitive manner, where the watercolor medium steers me as much as I steer it. As he reacts to the flow and independence of the paint, he infuses a vitality and sense of life into the work. The texture and sense of movement so intrinsic to Stewarts paintings result from a combination of passionate brushstrokes and the Tom in his Studio incorporation of acrylics, wax mediums and oil crayons into the process. Initially, his paintings are more abstract expressionistic, and it is only at the end that he adds the details necessary to create a representational effect. What results are paintings that are equally emotive and realistic, encouraging viewers to recall their own visceral experience of the sea. Inspired by a lifelong passion for the sea, Stewart creates paintings as breathtakingly beautiful as they are sensory as he honors the perpetual motion yet immutability of the ocean body that has persisted for billions of years. As he explains, I have vivid memories of taking in the vast ocean experience: the sustained roar of breaking surf, the feel of shifting sand beneath my disappearing feet, and the scintillating light amidst churning waters. I paint from such memories, almost in hopes of soothing a feeling that approaches homesickness. Indeed, Stewarts paintings capture this profound emotionality, reminding the viewer of their own innate connection to the ocean and all the wonders it contains. Tom Stewart currently lives and works in coastal Maine. www.tomstewartstudio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tom_Stewart.aspx
37
Shifra
n her photographs, Shifra says that she is aiming to capture a parallel reality that only exists when it is spotted by the eye, and immortalized by the camera. Her mastery of light and composition is able to vividly communicate that parallel reality. Calling herself an urban photographer, she produces distinctive, evocative images that provide a multi-faceted view of city life capturing its moments of solitude and quiet as well as its hustle and bustle. Shifa creates her unique worlds by striking a balance between the two sides of reality as she sees it. On one hand, she uses the camera to record the objects, people and textures of the physical world with a precise clarity. But on the other, she ingeniously In my Dreams - The Black Series 13 Photographic Print 12 x 16.5 employs the cameras ability to distort what it sees, fracturing a crowd scene into a kaleidoscopic pattern, or turning a solitary figure into a dreamy, cloudlike blur. She also digitally manipulates images to turn the recorded images into moments that exist as she sees them in her minds eye. I would like my moments to add beauty, she says, and maybe change the way my viewers see the world that surrounds them. Shifra is an award-winning artist who has had an album of her works published and has exhibited in both group and solo exhibitions. www.shifrart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Shifra.aspx
eter F. Carrs quiet landscapes show, in the artists words, where mankind and nature meet. As rendered by Carr, with the aid of two essential artistic tools, the transition is seamless. His first technical feat is that of composition: his houses, stone walls, and churches fold seamlessly into their environment, whether it is the hills of the Italian countryside or a pristine lakeshore. Carr positions his buildings with a kind of comfortable intimacy, placing them in the middle distance and making great use of the angles and internal framing of manmade construction to create intricate views. Greenery, both potted and wild, crowds the edges of each piece, reminding the viewer that nature is never far away. Misty morning, Varenna, Lake Como Oil on Board 12 x 16 Carrs other great tool is his command of light and the way that it affects atmosphere. In his airy pictures showing rooftops, trees, and rolling fields, all tinted with the same early-morning sun and glazed with the same dew, he shows us that above all else, man, flora, and fauna are united by the very air we breathe. Peter F. Carr is Australian-born and works exclusively in oil on board or canvas. He begins with plein air sketches and photos, and then moves to the studio to create his paintings using his own slow, thoughtful creative method. www.peterfcarr.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Peter_F._Carr.aspx
Peter F. Carr
38
Kaneko Johkoh
Nothing And Heart II
Sumi Ink on Paper
26 x 34.5
Kaneko in her Studio
Observer
Sumi Ink on Paper
25 x 37
hen asked about the most important event in her life as an artist, Kaneko Johkoh says that it was her discovery of Bokusho, a form of Japanese ink painting that infuses the elegance of traditional calligraphy with a free-form, abstract spirit. Having previously worked in oil paints, Johkoh was so impressed by this form of expression that she immediately immersed herself in it, turning out 200 works in a flurry of activity an effort that left her unconscious after completing them. For the artist, speed is an essential feature of Bokusho. I must make up my mind, she says, and then draw before my feeling and motivation expires. The speed and energy in Johkohs work are readily apparent, but there is nothing careless about her images. She has a refined sense of composition that harnesses her energies and gives them a compelling force. Brushstrokes swirl across her works with a freedom that communicates a strong artistic personality. However, the arcs which those brushstrokes follow possess a symmetry and balance that give her paintings a contemplative feeling. Calmness, often represented by Zen, is also a major part of my personality, she notes. Johkoh animates the forms of calligraphy through the creative, unorthodox use of her materials. Some of her images are in Sumi (carbon ink) on plain Japanese rice paper, but for others she will pre-paint the paper with colorful patterns before applying the ink, or place small objects such as origami figures on the images to add an additional dimension to otherwise two-dimensional paintings. The resulting works have a depth and texture that bring calligraphy and ink painting into a new, open-ended world. My art is not the result of pursuing a pre-determined theme, she explains. I want people interpreting my paintings in any way they want to. www.kanekojohkoh.wordpress.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Kaneko_Johkoh.aspx
39
The Art of Architecture

By Christine Vittorino
What principles have informed your art and architecture? In the interest of drawing a connection between the approach and execution of these two disciplines, we invited four prominent Agora Gallery artists,Lawrence R. Armstrong, Anders Lidholm, FrdriqueKandGeorge Oommen, all former and current architects by trade, to answer this one question. In my research, I found an immense amount of literature around this very topic, bridging the worlds of art and architecture, which have historically been classified under one school of plastic arts. In theNew York Timesarticle Architect as Artist, Benjamin Genocchio opens with the names of prominent Baroque and Renaissance artists, as Lorenzo Bernini and Michelangelo, whose professional trades were in painting, sculpture and architecture alike.1Such renowned artists gained their reputation as creative geniuses due to their ability to be multidisciplinary. Looking forward to the Twentieth and Twenty-First centuries, we continue to unite design communities while recognizing and celebrating the individual artistic processes involved. Through retrospective such as, Frank Gehry: On Line at the Princeton University Art Museum and Architecture of Invention: A Bertrand Goldberg Retrospective at the Art Institute of Chicago, we elevate preliminary designs and sketches to works of art. However, none other was as direct in linking art and architecture asThe Bauhaus School of Building of the early to mid-Twentieth century. The Bauhaus model promoted a rounded approach to design education, drawing together the Academy of Art and the School of Arts and Crafts. Under the direction of Walter Gropius, as well as two succeeding directors, the Bauhaus acted as a laboratory for modern interior design, typography and architecture, to name a few. It was best described by historian and critic Sigfried Giedon as made to unite art and industry, art and daily life, using architecture as an intermediary.2 Giedon went on to parallel the architecture of the Bauhaus building at Dessau with Cubist art of Pablo Picasso, in particularLArlesienne, for their similar treatment of and foundation on formal elements. They furthermore applied the concept of deconstructing and uniting: Bauhaus in its wide spectrum of art concentrations under one roof and Cubism in its multiplicity of perspectives on one plane. While the two specializations are indeed separate, the fundamental practicalities and products of art and architecture are notably comparable, as many of our artists expand on in this article. The direct influences that extend architecture from being purely functional to art are undeniable. The following responses from Agora Gallery artists to the question What principles have informed your art and architecture?present a range of contemporary perspectives builton professional experiences and applied knowledge. 40
Lawrence R. Armstrong An ongoing in-depth exploration of the concept of layers informs both my progression as an architect and my growth as an artist. To me, layers are not only spatially physical, but also emotional, spiritual, sensory, intellectual, and philosophical. In approaching an architectural commission, I try to draw layered influence from the immediate environment surrounding a building site, as well as the programmatic functions that are intended for the project. Layers are provided by the clients philosophy and collaborative input, and by the contractors, users, and jurisdictional agencies. Moreover, light, sound and ambiance naturally provide influential layering in a structure. Derived axes emanate externally, describe the facade, and penetrate through the work. In similar ways, layers inform my artistic studies. Although I am freer from client or jurisdictional layers, the physical layers in my work tend to take on an architectural and structural quality. This is manifested in the way that the materials are composed in three dimensions, and geometries are again perceived to penetrate through the work. Solid/void and figure/ground compositional qualities become very critical. Atmospheric layers become more important. Layered Architectural philosophies pervade my artistic work. Layered Artistic philosophies have begun to free my architectural compositions. Anders Lidholm My thesis for my Masters degree in Architecture focused on Decoration And Ornamentation In Architecture. In this, I tried to scientifically see the different functions of decoration and ornamentation in architecture. For example, I look at them as points of attraction for the human consciousness, as collective stories told, as expressions of emotions and as adornments on constructions. I discovered that there were a lot of layers in the definition of the subject. I never found a single definition for decoration and ornamentation, and that is equally true for defining architecture and art in general. The complexity is far too great. I discovered that, although architecture can be treated as a science and technology, the true essence of architecture is art. Since then, I have relied on intuition when creating art as well as in the early stages of architectural planning. My art-making process is one of discovery where I apply brushstrokes, colors and forms, constantly asking myself Does this feel right?It is a process of trial and error relying on an inner critical consciousness as well as momentary impulses. The process is the same when I am designing architecture; however, more considerate of collective, practical and functional requirements. As an architect, I want to expand the purely functional, pragmatic part of creating buildings into art. The main
41
goal in my creating process is that of reaching a multidimensional end result. I like the principle of controlled chaos: letting the circumstances evolve into interesting compositions where I, as an executioner, am evaluating the final outcomes. With my artwork, I seldom have a preconceived idea of what will be produced, but in architecture you usually have the ideas of the client, the building codes and site specific considerations, and so on, to start with. I try to modify these conditions to a unique functional, constructive and artistically form. The interpretation relies on my inner feeling.Sometimes I can be inspired by conceptual ideas, such as with this house (see image).I saw a sculpture with interlaced parts on television, at a time when I was intensely practicing yoga, which inspired me to sketch this house evolved from the ideas of knots later realizing that it also could express the idea of an advanced yoga position. It is all a symbiotic play.
FrdriqueK
To respond to the question concerning principles of architecture and painting, in my own personal case, I would explain it in the following manner. There are two possible analyses:I - Technical AnalysisandII - Instinctive Analysis I. - Technical Analysis It is evident to everyone that an architect, when designing a building, must respect certain fundamental rules such as adapted structures, construction of adapted spatial volumes, adaptation of colors to the environment, and so forth. This strictly limits the ability of the architect to express a different look. II. Instinctive Analysis An architect, when painting, is liberated from some of the constraints such as format, client expectations and colors. 42
Nevertheless, the human being is created in such a way that, instinctively, he oscillates between the desire to more freely express himself and the innate Pavlovian reflex experienced in his work. Consider, for example, my paintings. By instinct, the central point of my portraits is the look. This is an instinctive concession made during my architectural training. On the other hand, the body, with its flowing clothes, the material with which I clothe my models, are a means of avoiding the architectural straightjacket. Even in this domain, I keep returning to my first instinct. I cannot prevent myself from building while reducing the masses of colors and the clothes that I want to represent. Every self-respecting painter knows that his internal construction will always influence his creation, and the more he tries to escape it, the less he will succeed in doing so. George Oommen Good architecture is when it is used by people. -Benjamin Thompson, Architect Good art is when it moves you. -Sundaram Tagore, Sundaram Tagore Gallery If we were to combine the philosophies of Thompson and Sundaram, that is where my artwork lies. As a trainedarchitect from The Harvard Graduate School of Design and painter from The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, my professional projects have naturally married the two disciplines. In my role as Project Manager at Harvard, I was placed in charge of selecting all consultants, and overseeing the design and construction of multiple projects. I was fortunate to have worked closely with New York based artist Janet Nolan on a series of installation pieces, one in particular being Nightingale. Nolan was commissioned to create a sculpture for the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building at the Harvard School of Public Health in order to better utilize and engage the vertical space of the seven-story atrium. The final product was lightweight, easily maintainable and visually ethereal. The site-specific sculpture both enhanced the visitors visual
experience, and, as it was integrated with the architecture, created an active space. Through my artwork, I conversely try to bring architectural elements to a two dimensional plane. As a native of Kerala, Southwest India, I draw upon my experience with and knowledge of traditional Kerala architecture to introduce movement and perspective to my art. One critical architectural element in Kerala is a rolled screen made of bamboo that is hung at the exterior edge of verandas. This screen is rolled down during rain and monsoon season to protect the interior from rain and to reduce the glare from the summer sun. The slits between the bamboo frame the natural landscape and create multiple views. I sometimes incorporate this architectural element into my paintings to create an illusion of depth. When photographing my artwork, the camera has difficulty focusing on both the layered vertical/horizontal lines of the bamboo partition and the interplay of color, light and shadow that lie in between. Similarly, the viewer is challenged, actively looking at and engaging with the canvas.
Genocchio, Benjamin. Architect as Artist.New York Times. 21 Nov 2008. Web. 17 March 2013 <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/nyregion/new-jersey/23artsnj.html?_r=0>. Giedon, Sigfried. Space, Time and Architecture: The Growth of a New Tradition. p. 489. Google Books. 17 March 2013. <http://books.google.com/books?id=ZHZnmKx kGMwC&pg=PA489&lpg=PA489&dq=Sigfried+Giedion+%B+bauhaus&source=bl&ots=LwDr6OCvA7&sig=63NUcRgDzSZOErY-WLnyevkH0qs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=gkU-UcK6H6Wu2QXiv4GYBw&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Sigfried%20Giedion%20%2B%20bauhaus&f=false>
1 2
43
Lucien Stilss
talian-Dutch artist Lucien Stilss has created a unique artistic universe characterized by dreamlike references, and a distinct mix of eroticism and spirituality. With a focus on the female body and its relationship with both the natural and spiritual planes, Stilss merges decidedly modern, recognizable portraits of celebrities and other notable personalities with a traditional Italian Renaissance approach and style. A hallmark of her art is a careful attention to detail combined with a freedom of execution that renders the painting more fantastical than figurative and adds a surrealistic element to the overall effect. Indeed, to Stilss, Every painting is a door, a door that allows us to go into a fantastic world.
Every painting is a door, a door that allows us to go into a fantastic world.

Working primarily with oil on canvas as well as with other experimental techniques, Stilss strives in each piece to capture all the beauty there is to be found in the human form. To her, the human spirit is contained in human shapes, particularly the eyes. Colors are muted and much emphasis is placed on line and form, which draws attention to the figurative aspects of her portraits. In this way, Stilss is able to represent people, looking for their innate divine beauty which comes from God. But what perhaps is the most memorable aspect of Stilss paintings is the way that modern pop culture is juxtaposed so naturally against a backdrop filled with recognizable Renaissance themes, palettes, and forms. Background creatures seem to emerge from a dream world, with nymphs, angels, and mythological creatures populating the canvas. The effect is not jarring but rather poignant, infusing new layers of meaning into the tableau. Here, the viewer is invited to question what they know, to begin to find new relevance and interconnections between modern and antiquated modalities of expression. www.lucydt.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Lucien_ Stilss.aspx
Leonardo Di Caprio With Dog
Oil on Canvas
50 x 59
Prince William
Oil on Canvas
47 x 51
Lucien Stilss
44
Elisabeth Schael
he lush, emotive abstract paintings of German artist Elisabeth Schael are as spontaneous as they are profound. Working with a variety of materials (including acrylic paint, pigments, stone dust, chalk, ink, and sand) and using brushes, sponges, and the spatula, Schael dedicates herself to developing and pursuing unique creative forms that join elements of color, line, and composition in new and unexpected ways. Rather than committing to a particular style or technique, Schael allows her creativity to flow, unleashing a visual world of raw expressionism and deep emotive renderings. Schaels approach to her art is highly versatile, meaning she seeks to play with the process to find the technique and media that best fit the mood or emotive element she is trying to convey in the piece. Each painting is done in phases (with a single painting taking several weeks to complete), which results in a layering effect that adds depth and interest to the composition. Brushstrokes are elaborate, and colors add additional emotional elements. Schael explains her process as such: I see my works as snapshots. I find clues and experiment with ideas. By mixing different techniques and materials, I am able to find my own creative form of mixed media. When confronted with a Schael painting, the viewer is transported to another world altogether. While glimpses of recognizable forms can be seen in each piece, the emotionality of color, line, and brushstroke works to distort the familiar and open up new experiential spaces. It is here that the viewer is invited to see and experience the veils of perspective and emotion that ultimately color and define the way humans come to experience the world in which we live. Elisabeth Schael currently lives and works in her studio Art-Schael, in Grobundenbach, Germany. www.art-schael.de www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Elisabeth_ Schael.aspx
Elisabeth in her Studio
Skyline 1
Acrylic on Canvas
31.5 x 31.5
Skyline 2
31.5 x 31.5
45
GUIDE TO NY PUBLIC ART

by Kelsey Golder
There are times when a museum setting is just too limiting. Walls, roof, and a floor can leave a viewer feeling constrained. New York City is a place defined by its freedom. Its a place where people of both genders feel no shame in walking down the street sporting neon hair and twenty piercings. Itcomes as no surprise that just like its fashion, New York Citys public art is uniquelyunrestrained. The city is, arguably,theicon for the public art world. People often forget that, along with its thousands of temporary exhibits, which get most of the art worlds attention, New York is home to a diverse collection of permanent public art, from graffiti to Picasso sculptures. For visitors with a limited amount of time, the seemingly unending list of options can be a little overwhelming. Heres a list of 10 of some of the best public art exhibits around the city in mixed locations and media. 1) Although crowds of tourists usually surround it,and often try to get a picture with their head between its legs, the Wall Street Bull is one of New Yorks more obviously iconic pieces and worth a visit. The Bull, which stands at 1 Bowling Green near Broadway, has gradually adopted different meanings over time, from a confident embodiment of the capitalist work ethic to an oppressive beast charging over the 99 percent. Whatever the connotation, the Bull now stands as the face of the larger Financial District. It is one of the only artist funded public art projects in the city. Italian artist Arturo Di Modica dropped his Charging Bull in front of the New York Stock Exchange, with a complete lack of regard for city permit laws. The sculpture is 11ft tall and 16ft long made of 7100lbs of solid bronze. The bull represents power and strength and is now a 46
symbol ofprosperity in the stock market. Di Modica worked on the piece for two years before he left it on the doorstep of the Stock Exchange as a Christmas present to the city of New York in 1989. The police seized it with the plan of impounding it, but, after much public protest, it was reinstalled a few blocks down in Bowling Green Park where it remains today. The surrounding area also allows for great views of Brooklyn across the water and the Statue of Liberty.1
2) Just a few skips away from the Bull, also in the Lower Manhattan area, stands Fritz KoeingsThe Sphere. Just another sculpture? Take a closer look. Koeings work earned its place as a part of the citys history on a tragic day that changed New Yorks history forever.Originally installed in the plaza between the two towers,The Spheresuffered damage on September 11, 2011 from the falling debris surrounding it. When the rescue crew entered the wreckage that day, one of the only objects that maintained its basic structure wasThe Sphere. After the rubble was cleaned up, local volunteers came in and helped restore the sculpture. It was temporarily moved to Battery Park until decisions on further restoration and placement could be reached. Several months later Mayor Bloomberg announced the park would be its permanent home. The dents and cracks were left as reminders of that day and the regenerative abilities of New Yorkers.2 3)The Masstransiscopeis a perfect outlet for those visitors of the more exploratory spirit. Within the deep dark tunnels of Myrtle Avenue Flatbush subway station, a pleasant surprise awaits passengers of Manhattan-bound B and Q trains.The Masstransiscopeis a set of 228 wall paintings that line the walls of the tunnel. As the train whizzes by the brightly colored, geometrically decorated panels morph together to create an effect similar to that of a flip book. The firstMasstransiscopewas installed with the opening of the original subway station in 1980 as a Creative Time Project. Inspired by the old fashioned zoetrope, the view from the train car window takes viewers minds back to an old film reel splaying out before them.The Masstransiscope,sadly, was heavily vandalized, and for a while, was not as beautiful as it had been in other years. In 2008, Bill Brand brought it back with a restoration project known city-wide, and as part of a film experiment. The display is a bit of a hike but well worth the journey. As a side note, the area outside of the station is a fun place to explore for the local coffee shop and small concert-loving crowd.3 4) Ironically, a hidden treasure unknown to even most localswas created by an artist whose name resonates worldwide. Pablo PicassosThe Portrait of Sylvettesculpture in Greenwich Village is one of the only two colossal concrete structures by Picasso. The sculpture resides in the courtyard of NYUs Silver Towers residence at 110 Bleeker Street. It was created from a sketchPicasso made of a girl he met in France in 1953. The sculpture has proven itself a keeper to the city, protected by a 2008 act in which the real Sylvette David was involved. This piece is highly worth a visit, and hardly the last thing to do in Greenwich Village.Take a tour of Bob Dylans studio, see an off-Broadway play, or visit the house of a favorite poet; this is what New York is about.4
Bright Ideas Design LLC. The Charging Bull. The Charging Bull. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2013. Dunlap, David W. Could the Sphere Go Here? Web log post. City Room. The New York Times, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/could-the-sphere-go-here/>. Brand, Bill. Masstransiscope. Masstransiscope. N.p., 2009. Web. 1 Mar. 2013. 4 Lee, Jennifer. A Picasso Muse Wants to Protect Pei Towers. Web log post. City Room A Picasso Muse Wants to Protect Pei Towers Comments. The New York Times, 24 June 2008. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes. com/2008/06/24/a-picasso-muse-wants-to-protect-pei-towers/>.
1 2 3
47
5) From the flea markets and subway performers to the coffee shops and sparkling stores, Union Square is another perfect taste of the New York experience. Presently, passers-by can view a chrome sculpture of Andy Warhol. Madison Square Park, a few blocks north of the square, always has intriguing projects in the works. Just take a short walk through the downtown region, and it would be hard to miss the large 3D mural on the building facet of One Union Square South. The Metronome was designed to remind passersby of the intangible elements of time. At first glance the circular waves of brick and smoking hole in the center does not announce that it is depicting a metronome. Gold surrounds the hole in the middle and extends out into the brick in a splash-like effect. The arm of The Metronome comes diagonally through the piece resembling a stick that has created a ripple effect in a pool of water. To the side of the metronome is a digital counter counting the 24 hours in the day while at the same time subtracting the days remaining time. The Metronome is one of the largest privately funded art projects in the history of New York, totaling 3 million dollars. Over 200 project ideas were screened before selecting this work by Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel5.
48
Flegenheimer, Matt. In Union Square, 15 Numbers Add Up, Once Again, to Time. Web log post. City Room In Union Square 15 Numbers Add Up Once Again to Time Comments. The New York Times, 13 June 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http:// cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/13/in-union-square-15-numbers-add-up-once-again-to-time/>.
6) For the young at heart, Central Park is home to a collection of bronze Alice and Wonderland characters as well as a statue of Balto, the famous Alaskan canine hero. On East 74th Street, children often can be found climbing on the larger than life Alice and friends, from her beloved adventures in Wonderland. Artist Jose De Creeft designed the Alice collection in 1959. The work was commissioned by George Delacourte, who wanted the Lewis Caroll tale never to be forgotten and thus provided a new way for children to experience it6. 7) Sculptor Fernando Botero cannot disguise his oversized semi-Mannerist style. His work is known for its voluptuous curves and over-exaggerated, plump human forms.AdamandEve, the Botero sculptures located in the Time Warner Center at 60 Columbus Circle between 59th and Broadway, are no exception. AdamandEvewere created in 1990, and have large, round curvatures that attenuate their bulbous stomachs and stalky arms. For the more risqu tourist, its common to have a photo taken next to the statues. Apart from unique tourist traditions, viewing Botero is an experience all on its own. The sculptures use of curves and lines pulls the viewers eye along the beautifully smoothed bronze in a mesmerizing way. Columbia native Botero moved to New York in 1960 after spending some time in Spain. He came to refer to himself as the most Colombian artist of artists.There are Botero pieces sprinkled throughout the city at various art auctions, such as the Smoking Woman, which was sold to a private buyer at Christies, on 59th Street. The region around the Time Warner Center and statues, Columbus Circle, is great for walking on a sunny day7. 8) Looking for a lesser-known art destination in Chelsea? Marco Brambillas Civilization is housed in a space not commonly checked for exhibitions the elevator of The Standard Hotel located at 848 Washington Street. Hop in and go for a ride up and down the 18 floors to get a little taste of Heaven and Hell. Civilization is a video mural inspired by DantesInfernoand specifically made for The Standard Hotel. The video takes elevator passengers on a trip starting in the depths of Hell and ending on the top floor at the gates of Heaven. Guests make the journey up the building and through Purgatory, to the gates of Heaven, where they are let out to sip wine on the rooftop in paradise. Outside of the elevator and the pits of Hell, the immediate neighborhood is always full of life. This part of Chelsea is also a fertile crescent of great little restaurants and bars, Sea Thai being one of them8. 9) Naturalsoil is not a commonly found element in New York, except when its an art project. In 1977, Walter De Maria created The New York Earth Room. It consists of 280,000 pounds ofsoil spread across 3,600 square feet of floor space. This is the third earth room the artist assembled, the idea having originated in Germany. It is the only one out of the three that is still open. The New York Earth Room, 535 W 22nd Street, opened in 1980. It was commissioned by the Dia Art Foundation, which still maintains it to the present day. The room is meant to be a sculpture of internal earth. Visitors are not allowed to enter the exhibit, but may observe and remember the importance of protecting the planet. After a visit to the New York Earth Room, an exploration of SoHos great collection of boutiques and local eateries will most assuredly lead to the discovery of more temporary art exhibits along the way9. 10) Robert IndianasLOVEsculpture has come to be a copied symbol all over the world. The original, however, was designed in New York. It has become an iconic pop art image for weddings and similar events. During his first campaign for office, President Obama asked Mr. Indiana to create a HOPE version of the sculpture, maintaining the same shape and form of LOVE. Indiana first began playing with the idea for LOVE in 1958 while experimenting with the arrangement of some letters in poetry. Eventually he produced paintings of the idea which the MoMA commissioned. The LO rests on the bottom VE portion of thesculpture, giving it unique meaning and structure. A version of the LOVE sculpture still stands in New York at 1350 6th Avenue, and is not only a hot spot for profile-picture hunters, but also exists as a wonderful testament to New Yorks public art scene, and the impact it has made on public art around the world10.
Alice in Wonderland. General CentralParkcom. Greensward Group LLC, 2013. Web.26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.centralpark.com/guide/attractions/alice-in-wonderland.html>. Newman, Andy. An Attention-Getter, Irresistibly Interactive. Web log post. City Room An AttentionGetter Irresistibly Interactive Comments. The New York Times, 21 Oct. 2010. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes. com/2010/10/21/an-attention-getter-irresistibly-interactive/>. 8 Marco Brambilla: Civilization | Motionographer. Web log post. Motionographer RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://motionographer.com/theater/marco-brambilla-civilization/>. 9 Walter De Maria, The New York Earth Room. Dia Art Foundation. Dia Art Foundation, 2012. Web. 26 Mar. 2013. <http://www.diaart.org/sites/main/earthroom>. 10 Wilde, Megan. Masterpieces: Robert Indianas LOVE. Mental Floss. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2013. <http://mentalfloss.com/article/25276/masterpieces-robert-indianas-love>.
6 7
49
Few attractions unite New Yorks locals and visitors better than its plethora of permanent public art. With a few intentional choices and a bit of research, the citys overwhelming number of exhibit options can be easily navigated. Choose a piece of interest, research attractions in the surrounding area and any nearby art, then go and have an adventure. There are hundreds of hidden gems holding varying stories and years of history just waiting to be discovered.
50
AnnaMaria Critelli
nnaMaria Critellis playful work relies on free-flowing patterns, unexpected materials, and otherworldly colors to create movement through light and space. Critelli crafts textures both two- and threedimensionally. She begins with a central motif swirling lines or a certain repetition of colors and modulates tone on top with subtlety and a willingness to experiment. The next layer, of what she calls raw materials and embellishments, can comprise anything from glass beads to shards of patterned plastic. Each mix of materials is unique, to best reflect the works emotional truth. When it is representational Critellis work is inspired by the natural world, from the mingled shapes of butterflies in a flower field to a figure surrounded by stars. AnnaMaria Critelli was born in Jersey City and has exhibited across the United States. www.artbyannamaria04.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/AnnaMaria_Critelli.aspx
Supernova Oil & Acrylic with Mixed Media on Canvas 24 x 30
luidity and rhythm in Marisol Rosas work mark intuitive and stylish movements which use technology as a means of expression to bring the artists inner vision to life, creating colorful imaginary worlds. Tension between background and foreground becomes palpable, as the prints vibrate with animated vitality, darkness and light which invest these intricate abstractions with an astonishing richness of depth and tone. Linear movements found in these works move erratically through the composition, creating a lively composition that gives complexity and visual interest. Rosas works are currently printed on canvas, but she has also used other printing materials such as copper and handcraft paper, as part of her search for a different form of expression. www.marisolrosas.com/venta.htm www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Marisol_Rosas.aspx
Forest Digital Print on Canvas 35 x 47
Marisol Rosas
race Arledge produces work in a wide variety of styles, and her choice of media ranges from colored pencil to acrylics, and from ink to watercolor. She paints architecture, people, landscapes, flowers many different subjects pique her interest and inspire her to make a statement. Her goal is to convey her enthusiasm for her subjects to others. I use representational art so the subject is in your face, she explains. I want people to see the world through my eyes I want to convey joy, humor, nature, beauty, and a glimpse of the soul, since sometimes these things are lacking in our modern world. Grace Arledge has participated in exhibitions in Chicago and Atlanta, and she plans to pursue a degree in the fine arts. www.gracearledgefinearts.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Grace_Arledge.aspx
Garden Grove, Bahamas Watercolor on Board 16 x 20
Grace Arledge
51
W.M. Vinci
.M. Vinci creates a richly textured world in his vibrant abstract paintings. I would like my art to bridge the gap between art and science, he says, and like a scientist, he experiments with many materials to achieve his effects. Vinci says that nature is a major source of inspiration for his images, and he allows erosion and entropy to come into play as he lets his materials play off of one another. In addition to acrylic paints, he uses gels, sand, wood, metal and many other media to create works whose energy seems to be barely contained by the canvas. The artist says that his colors pop as they fly off the edge of the canvas and the reasons for that can Blue Sky Temple Acrylic & Glass on Canvas 30 x 48 be found in both the reds, yellows and blues of his color palette and the energy with which he applies those colors. I seldom use brushes, he admits. I pour the paint. The resulting images have an air of spontaneity, but are also carefully composed. Vinci takes care to ensure that his paintings read well from any distance, organizing their flowing rhythms with a finely tuned eye for balance and proportion. I delight, he says, in layering meaning and innuendo between each liquid pour. www.wmvinci.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/W.M._Vinci.aspx
Kozo Takano
imple yet deep, abstract yet narrative, graphic yet appealingly handmade, Kozo Takanos acrylic paintings mix wry humor with an expertly wrangled artistic vocabulary. Takanos work goes beyond visual puns or even scenes to get to something more universal: the feeling of a captured moment, taken from occasions as grand and essential as the rise of the moon or the sea meeting the shore. The palette may be blaring, artificial tones or merely grays or browns. Using only a few swaths of color and one or two giant geometrical shapes crowding the frame, Takano evokes the grace of the natural world. By pinning it to the canvas, he asks the viewer how it relates to us as humans, both on our scale and Sea Acrylic on Board 14 x 20 as the environment in which we live. By translating the natural elements into a purely visual language rectangles, circles, and triangles that exist only on a two-dimensional plane Takano proves to us that we may understand and appreciate our surroundings in our own way, though we cannot control them. Takano was born in Kawasaki, Japan and today lives in Yokohama. His inspirations include the work of Picasso and Klee. www.home.m03.itscom.net/kozotaka/index.html www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Kozo_Takano.aspx
52
Lawrence R. Armstrong
he extensive study of layers in an abstract form is how Lawrence R. Armstrong describes his work. That interest in layers takes several different forms in his pieces. In addition to creating convincing illusions of levels and space in his paintings and prints, the artist also constructs sculptural pieces that are an intriguing mix of two- and three-dimensional imagery. Armstrongs paintings, freely executed in bright, dense strokes of acrylics on both canvas and aluminum, let the individual strands of paint weave through and around each other, giving the viewer a vivid sense of a multi-layered picture plane. In his three-dimensional works, carefully arranged grids of glass break up the images across a series of geometrically aligned planes, resulting in an effect that is at once kaleidoscopic and harmoniously centered and organized. Part of Armstrongs interest in layers and constructed spaces undoubtedly stems from his training as a designer and architect. I draw inspiration from compositions in nature and the built environment, he says, and his works grow from his natural ability to pick up on the subtleties of those compositions. Noting that he wants his art to be utilized to enhance modern space, Armstrong makes pieces that also challenge and transform our conceptions of that space.
amor 1.1 Glass 24 x 18 x 12
www.lraart.com w w w. A g o ra - G a l l e r y. co m / A r t i s t Pa g e / La w r e n ce _ R . _ Armstrong.aspx
William Mastrogiulio
ative NYC artist William Mastrogiulio creates large-format, lively combinations of color and texture that are drenched with shifting light, fluid movement, and raw emotion. Occasionally incorporating outside objects, such as scraps of paper, his dynamic, high-interest acrylic paintings explore the visual contradictions between harmony and dissonance, beauty and ugliness, and create a forum in which these contrasts can coexist. From the beginning, experimentation has always entered into my creative process, and I will use whatever media I think a piece needs in order to bring it to fruition, he explains. I like the idea of saturating a work with as much color, form, and movement as possible. In this way, Mastrogiulios work is perhaps an artistic expression of the intense, frenzied digital world we are constantly bombarded Kissing Rapunzel Acrylic & Paper on Canvas 78 x 96 with high-color images and movement, and his paintings distill that experience. Inspired by the post-war Abstract Expressionists, Mastrogiulios philosophy is simple he wants to make art that he wants to look at. Yet that modest tenet leads to art that is anything but simple. His non-objective work allows viewers to reflect on the pure emotional tone of each piece. William Mastrogiulio currently resides and works in New York City. www.williammastrogiulio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/William_Mastrogiulio.aspx 53
Koki Morimoto
oki Morimotos roiling black-and-white paintings seek the complexities of nature in an exceedingly stark aesthetic. Morimoto pares down everything in his technique composition, tone, line, and detail to make images shrouded in mystery. A swirling line or two against a blank background is often enough to suggest a shape, and from there it is left to Morimotos expert manipulation of texture to create depth and energy. This is achieved with sinuous, layered brushstrokes whose visibility is very much part of the point: each work is built out of interlocking streaks of opposite tones rather than shades of gray. The technique is an expression of Morimotos own belief that drawing, like the spontaneous existence of life in nature, is an act of growth in which one line brings the next line trying to take its shape on the canvas. By framing his shapes in close-up and often painting on a large scale, Morimoto imbues his work with a sense of monumentality and urgency. Because the forms are so ambiguously characterized, many works seem to depict pure action. The subject becomes less important than the movement, always caught at a crucial moment in time. Morimotos work is abstracted but he does capture the universal features of natural forms, such as one might see in Art Nouveau or Romantic art. His shapes undulate, bend, and adapt; they are fluid, never brittle, and always resilient. He also has several series with titles that do entertain specific themes, including his Memory of a Seed and Beans Sprout paintings. Morimoto was born in Hiroshima and has exhibited in several cities in Japan, where he still resides. He views his work as a connection to the infinity and inevitableness of nature, in the air and on the ground. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Koki_ Morimoto.aspx
Koki Morimoto
Memory of a Seed 12-1 29 Acrylic on Canvas 54 ARTisSpectrum | Volume | artisspectrum.com
39 x 28
Memory of a Seed 12-2
Acrylic on Canvas
39 x 28
Hara Hiroshi
apanese artist Hara Hiroshi creates mysterious, surreal, and entirely organic images using Japanese Sumi ink and handmade Washi (a special kind of Japanese paper). Raised by a father whose job was to create the Washi paper with intense care, Hiroshi has drawn on his heritage and made this trademark paper a centerpiece of his work. Indeed, his ink drawings convey a beauty and warmth that is reflective both of Hiroshis cultural lineage and a deep respect for the natural world. Part of the genius of Hiroshis work is the way he carefully balances and limits his brushstroke work so as not to detract from the beauty of the Washi itself. He begins with various transparent brushstroke lines applied in a rhythmic motion, and then expands on those lines with delicate shading and texture. Through this subtle approach, the artist is able to pay tribute to the beauty of the paper, and the medium in turn enhances his art by welcoming light into the image and then diffusing it. As Hiroshi elaborates, The paper and the ink work together to create the work I have in mind. A hallmark of Hiroshis work is the expression of great beauty captured in the midst of utter Summer Solstice simplicity. Inspired by the graceful and subtle Autumn Equinox Sumi Ink on Paper 71 x 36 lines and forms of the natural world, Hiroshi Sumi Ink on Paper 71 x 36 strives to use the simplest technique and the least amount of color to express feelings of speculation and meditation. It is here, in this space, that the viewer is invited to re-experience familiar themes and tropes in utterly new ways, to find the magic in natural phenomena. In the end, Hiroshi hopes that his art inspires his viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature and to remember the importance of living and working in balance with the natural world. www.monohouse.org www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Hara_Hiroshi.aspx
Hara in his Studio
Hara making Washi | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com ARTisSpectrum
55
Marie Gailland
orking across media using deconstructionist techniques and mythological references, Marie Gailland creates work both enticingly familiar and tantalizingly inscrutable. Gailland depicts openended imagery in a swirl of ambiguous atmospherics in order to create a narrative that rejects a neat conclusion. In her abstract work, a few simple shapes connect on the canvas, while around them roars a color wash, built textures, and a maze of painted shadows. A field of black and beige is broken up by a single pinpoint of red, suggesting everything from a sunset to a detail of a Braque painting. In her figurative work Gailland is even more intricate. Her work is infused with an all-encompassing vigor that captures movements and interactions Les Pavots Acrylic on Canvas 51 x 75 seemingly as they happen. Each composition calls for a different emotion, every one conjured with sensitivity by the artist. Depictions of horses recall ancient cave paintings. A diverse body of self-portraits shows the delicacy of Renoir in one piece and the visceral energy of Goya at his darkest in the next. Gailland was born in Martigny, Switzerland, where she continues to live today. She works in acrylic, pastel, oil,photography,video, writingand a variety of mixed media. www.mariegailland.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Marie_Gailland.aspx
Tania Doucet
y work is intended to be a refuge, Tania Doucet says of her colorful paintings, a world of simplicity and whimsy, where beauty never fades and where magic is tangible. Using acrylics in a rainbow of bright shades on canvas, Doucet has a talent for creating realistic imagery, but she is not confined by traditional notions of realism. The balance she finds between realism and magic is what gives her paintings their power. She says that she is aiming for an exaggeration of the beauty experienced in our physical world, and that exaggeration takes on many forms in her work. Houses swoon on their foundations, skies glow with an otherworldly aura and boats sail on a sea of grass. But Doucets sure sense of composition and ability to render a variety of textures convincingly make her magical world one that the viewer can believe in. The Old Switcheroo Acrylic on Canvas 24 x 30 The intense colors in her works are strongly tied to a humorous, childlike undercurrent. There is never a sense of unease about the distortions in her images. Rather, they express the artists freedom and her ability to create engaging scenes in which anything can happen. Even though the works are somewhat surreal, Doucet says, I am told repeatedly that it still feels like home. www.gggallery.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tania_Doucet.aspx
56
John Wolter
ohn Wolters works take shaped pieces of metals and turn them into bodies whose motions defy gravity. Forming his works by hand, he revels in the physical aspect of making art, using hammers, grinders, torches and welding to bring to life expressive curved forms from the pieces of cold, hard steel. That physicality finds expression in the exuberant movements of his figures dancers and gymnasts whose grace is reflected in the delicacy Wolter elicits from his materials. The artist, a native New Zealander, says that music is also an inspiration to him, and one of his goals is to capture its essence in physical form. With their dynamic forms and balanced compositions, his works embody the energy and control of music, and communicate that feeling vividly to the viewer. www.wolterartstudio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/John_Wolter.aspx
Ride That Moa Blackened Steel 15 x 13 x 5
ibrant color harmonizes into richly poetic paintings in Australian artist Lynne Hudsons works. Her palette sophisticatedly diverse, Hudson is a masterful colorist, allowing the tones and hues of her paintings to come alive through her brilliant aesthetic sense. The human figure is a common motif for this artist, who imbues ancient themes with a contemporary verve. Her figuration encapsulates her exceptional ability to incorporate classic symbols with contemporary abstraction, and the forms demonstrate her dexterity as an artist. The classic beauty of Renaissance painting is as palpable as the soul of an AbstractExpressionist in these works. Using quick, brushy strokes, Hudson sparks spirit within timeless, traditional subjects. Hudson has been a professional painter for decades, and regularly exhibits her works to wide critical acclaim. She lives in her native Australia. www.lynnehudson.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Lynne_Hudson.aspx
47 x 39
Lynne Hudson
The Delphic Sybil Acrylic on Canvas
elgian artist Ben Frochisse paints in a captivating and precise style that he has dubbed figurative Symbolism, and which evokes pre-eminent Surrealists like his countryman Magritte, Dal, and de Chirico. His spectacular images, which are often set within uncanny desert vistas punctuated by mysterious architectural fragments, are populated by fascinatingly seductive yet inscrutable details whose symbolic meaning remains unknown. These dramatic compositions, dominated by yellows, browns, and blues, juxtapose icons of life and death, growth and decay, antiquity and modernity, each rendered in an incredibly fine, hyper-realistic style. With so many elements at play, often portrayed suspended above the desert sands as if in flight, Frochisses paintings have a dreamlike quality that makes them endlessly fascinating to pore over and ponder. www.benfrochisse.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Ben_Frochisse.aspx
The Awakening Oil on Canvas 24 x 20 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
Ben Frochisse
57
Roland Behrmann
Abgestellt - Im Schatten der Geschichte Photograph Silver Gelatin Print 10 x 15
Roland in his Studio
Schutzraum Und Falle
Photograph Silver Gelatin Print
10 x 15
n a world in which most photographers make many copies of each image, Roland Behrmann and his work are unusual. Limiting nearly all of his photographs to an edition of one single image, Behrmann gives each of his works a weight and singularity that make a powerful play for the viewers attention. That power has its roots in the photographers sure, steady eye and his ability to tease a whole rainbow of shades and tones from black-and-white film. The greys have the kind of softness often found in historical photographs, while the blacks are exceptionally deep. Behrmann incorporates his rich vocabulary into elegant compositions that balance a complex, many-faceted built world with the quiet aura of abandoned spaces. I dont show spectacular or provocative objects in my photographs, he says. The displayed objects should be seen as symbols standing for events, conflicts and forms of existence. This approach results in photographs with an elusive, mysterious sense of drama that goes far beyond the scenes being depicted. The photographer has a strong ability to elicit the echoes of past wars and violence in his contemporary scenes, letting his stance as a restrained, objective observer reveal the stories and historical resonances that lie within his subjects. And even though most of the scenes he photographs are, at most, scantly populated, humanity is central to Behrmanns project. My theme is man, he says. Even if you cant see man in my pictures, hes still there. His presence is shown by absence. And whether he is showing us tombstones in an old graveyard or a modern building in which people pass by oblivious to the camera, what he excels at is capturing the traces that we leave behind us. Having grown up in the German Democratic Republic, Roland Behrmann now lives and works in Mannheim. www.behrmann-fotografie.de www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Roland_Behrmann.aspx 58
Rachel Hamburger
achel Hamburgers delicately wrought oil paintings hinge on the balance between specificity and universality. Hamburgers specialty is in probing perspective and playing planes off of one another. Her studies of monolithic buildings hovering over covered arcades and flimsy laundry lines flying against multihued facades highlight the fundamental geometry of urban life. A door, slightly ajar, creates a sudden, splayed line, a curtain billows unexpectedly, and the canvas becomes a pattern energized by its contrasts. To intensify the sensation that everything in view is connected within a single fabric, scenes and objects are framed tightly and the color palette is subtle and scrupulous in sticking to a central naturalistic light source.
Rachel in her Studio
my work is a musical journey filled with vibrant colors and movement which voices and expresses my thoughts and feelings
Within such meticulous detailing and editing of information lies the other side of Hamburgers atmosphere: the specificity. Through layers of observation, she creates cityscapes that put the viewer in a particular moment of time in an almostrecognizable place, even while drawing attention to the formal aspects of the work. With this skill of precision, Hamburger moves freely between times of day, crowds and emptiness, and large and small spaces. She is equally adept at exploring the spatial texture of rural settings, in paintings of wooded paths and the dense canopies of life that make up a forest. These close-up glimpses of nature act as an intimate take on the landscape tradition. Hamburger, a self-taught artist who has also worked with photography, was born in Tel Aviv and currently lives in Pardesiya, Israel, where she serves as the CEO of Portofino Coffee in addition to creating art. She describes painting as both a serene refuge from the busy day-to-day and a musical journey filled with vibrant colors and movement which voices and expresses my thoughts and feelings.
Laundry on a Wall Oil on Canvas 24 x 47
Laundry
Oil & Charcoal on Canvas
47 x 47
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Rachel_ Hamburger.aspx
59
Traveling Studio
by Jose Antonio Serbia
I work for FEMA and spend the vast majority of my time on deployments all over the US and I am seldom home. The work involves long hours - six or seven days a week for months at a time, during which I live in hotels. I also paint at every opportunity, and this usually involves re-arranging furniture and using whatever is available to hold paint, brushes and canvasses. Ive learned to paint fast and a little sneaky since the hotel staff frowns on paint splatters and pin holes in the walls. Finding art supplies can be a challenge so the canvasses may be from a drop cloth purchased at a hardware store and paints and gesso may have to be homemade or mixed from bargain store brands. Ive even resorted to cutting my own hairs on occasion for a makeshift brush (pathetic, but useful). I work with any medium I have on hand because the only thing that matters when I get the urge to be creative is that it gets expressed somewhere (a habit which labeled me as a juvenile delinquent back in Brooklyn). Im much more careful these days with how I express myself, although, I will admit, its still hard to resist going into abandoned and dangerous places. These often provide the best muse. There is never a shortage of interesting places or people and as soon as practicable, I begin exploring. In Alabama, I met an extraordinary artist who had a backwoods museum of curiosities and art that was weird and amazing, and I painted a portrait of his friend Mr. Henry, a venerable old black gentleman with an extraordinary face who lived in an old weather-beaten shack on this property. In South
60
Dakota, I gathered notes and rendered drawings while riding in a farmers combine, while he harvested his field at sunrise. He was also the Mayor. And perhaps the greatest of these traveling studio events occurred recently in New York when I discovered what I believe to be some of JeanMichele Basquiats graffiti in old forgotten places (SAMO). I utilize mediums that include everything from chalk, markers, oils and acrylics. And I paint in a broad spectrum of disjointed schemes that include landscapes, animal and human portraits and abstracts that have underlying, often hidden messages, symbols and rhetoric that speaks of intense and sublime ideas. There is no particular theme in my work, though there is an agenda of expressions of the human condition. I am deeply offended by the inequities I observe in this world, saddened by its tragedies, and charmed by the complexities of human sentiment.
Im originally from Brooklyn. I grew up in a soupy mix of cultures, races, food and music. I spent three hours a day riding the subway and buses from the time I was in the fifth grade. I got assaulted by gangs, ran from perverts and muggers, rode the cyclone in Coney Island and stood in awe on the Brooklyn Bridge as I gazed at the Manhattan skyline. It all inspires me, the colors, shapes, and the people from all the places I travel. I do have a studio which is located in the middle of the Ocala National Forest in Florida. Its a combination stickbuilt building and 1947 RV. Some creative type built it a long time ago. Unfortunately, I dont get to spend much time there. So most of the time, my studio is in my mind, and its everywhere I go.
I got assaulted by gangs, ran from perverts and muggers, rode the cyclone in Coney Island and stood in awe on the Brooklyn Bridge as I gazed at the Manhattan skyline.
61
Violette Cici
y process, says Violette Cici, begins with choosing an image one that I love, one that inspires me. The images that she loves take on many forms, from historical photographs to computer graphics to images framed in such a way that they become abstractions. The artist then performs her personal magic upon those images, using a creatively applied color palette. I am very sensitive to colors, she notes, and I feel the colors in my art allow me to vibrate to another level. In her work, she achieves a complex balance between color and composition. A historical image will be transformed by a psychedelic color scheme, while other images take on a ghostly appearance by being rendered in black and white. Cicis gicle prints have such varied inspirations as emoticons and old movies, but they all share a feeling of openness and spontaneity. The transformation, she says, has to be quick, like when you take a photo. The resulting images mix freedom with a sense of symmetry and proportion, creating a world that brims with the artists energy, but leaves the viewer space to find his or her own meaning. To stay open to others realities, to always leave a question mark, she says, is part of my message. www.theurbangallaxy.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Violette_Cici.aspx
LSD Emoticons Divided
Giclee Print on Paper
15 x 15
Rose Noire
Acrylic & Paper on Canvas
47 x 39.5
he unique acrylic and paper collages of Samantha Perreaz (SAM) delve into the mystery and sensuousness of the natural world. SAM pares her work down to a few essential, bold strokes that function across several levels. Each piece has a dramatic threedimensional structure, varying from collaged relief on canvas to pure sculpture made from paper and wire. She maintains a reduced palette, often using no more than one or two tones and exploring the effect of opposing colors on emotional and compositional movement. It is in subject that this pared-down aesthetic is at its most deceptive. SAM places one carefully chosen image at the center of her frame and invites us to pay attention; to see all the symbolic possibilities within and consider the relevance of the shape to the real world. One work shows the murky silhouette of a woman crawling out of a broken heart; another is simply a collection of beautiful paper poppies, perfectly constructed to be both poetic and strangely uniform. SAM takes organic forms and abstracts them even further, to combine natures eloquence with mans curiosity. SAM was born in France, of Swiss origin, and today lives in Geneva, where she has recently begun to exhibit her work. www.swiss-art-modern.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Samantha_Perreaz. aspx
Samantha Perreaz SAM
62
Sunrise
he colorful, bold abstract works of Chinese artist Sunrise seem to jump off the page and literally pulsate with life. The colors, lines, and rhythms contained within each painting sing with the richness of pure Expressionism while simultaneously maintaining a strong sense of composition, balance, and form. Rather than taking on geometric forms, the way the swirls of colors fall onto the canvas is more sensual a spontaneous expression of the heart. From this compelling display of colors, images emerge and recede, and perspective becomes transitory yet limitless. What results are enchanting paintings that are more dream than reality, inviting the viewer on a fascinating journey into the world of the subconscious mind and eternal heart. While Sunrises art has a decidedly modernist bent and is influenced by 20th century Chinese ink paintings, it also has deeper roots. The work is in part inspired by the principles of Taoism, with its main themes of intuition, simplicity, spontaneity, balance and the way of nature. Indeed, the flowing power of Tao reverberates through her work and the intrinsic balance of the Yin and the Yang pervades the depth of each layer of color and form.
Sunrise
you can perceive the images of milky ways, galaxies, black holes in the universe, flowers, frost, and the four seasons on Earth. In a word, it is about life!
Sunrises greatest hope for her work is to transport the viewer into another dimension, a space in which all the diversity life has to offer can be fully felt and appreciated, and one is able to indulge the imagination in new ways. As she explains, in her work you can perceive the images of milky ways, galaxies, black holes in the universe, flowers, frost, and the four seasons on Earth. In a word, it is about life! Sunrise was born in Beijing, where she owned a gallery, participated in prestigious exhibitions and received a number of awards. She currently lives and works in Clifton, New Jersey, where she is very active in the art world, expressing her compassionate nature through running and teaching at an art school and studio as well as creating her own work. www.sunriseart.net www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sunrise. aspx
Warrior
Oil on Canvas
56 x 72
Sun At the Speed of Light
Oil on Canvas
51 x 73
63
Duan Swalens
he natural world conjured up in Duan Swalens ethereal macrophotography has a powerful quality of mystery that both intrigues and excites. Using the traditional form of the botanical study, Swalens plays with aperture, extreme close-up, and diffused light to suggest an entire universe within the petals of a single flower. Rich color and dynamic movement enhance each photographs narrative, while questioning the line between representational and abstract imagery. Swalens draws out one tiny part of the whole to focus on a lone bud, or perhaps just a pistil and stamen and blurs the rest in a cloud of soothing pastels, suggesting infinite space to be traversed. Another technique has the artist contrasting a brightly-lit leaf against a black background, so that the plant appears both more alive Bio 0202 and tangible by contrast, yet also to be glowing. When Inkjet Print on Hahnemhle FineArt Photo Rag Ultra Smooth 20 x 28 cropped and lit so dramatically, the common flower becomes something completely unfamiliar. Its presence expands, its personality outgrows itself, and what is usually taken for a symbol of fragility and fleetingness transforms into something strong. Swalens was born in the Czech Republic and has lived for several years in Brussels, Belgium. He considers his work a conversation-starter on human relations and mans attitude toward nature and the universe. www.swalens.eu www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Dusan_Swalens.aspx
s she creates her expressively tactile and vivid explorations in paint, Zivi Aviraz brings a joyous sense of freedom and confidence to her works through the strength of her marks and her bold hues. The artists passion is apparent in the care and dedication shown in her paintings, as she devotes herself fully to each piece, developing every stroke and motion with practiced skill and patient attention. A sweeping vertical motion runs throughout much of Avirazs art, binding her rough and textural brushstrokes together as they surge upwards across her surfaces. Amidst the broad, choppy marks, one discovers bright bursts contrasting like jewels against The Band Mixed Media on Canvas 30 x 48 the pigments. Now and then figural forms emerge from within the abstraction of this lively dance of color, hinting at narratives and emotional connections. Aviraz creates her works in a blend of acrylic paints, collage, and mixed media on canvas, occasionally presenting her paintings grouped as triptychs. Born and raised in Israel, Aviraz came to the United States as an emissary to the Jewish Community Center and eventually settled permanently in Pittsburgh. Now an award-winning artist, she is an active member of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists and of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh exhibiting in group and solo shows both regionally and online. www.ziviart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Zivi_Aviraz.aspx
Zivi Aviraz
64
arianne Eichenbaum uses warm colors and smooth brushstrokes to create non-representational oil paintings that evoke a strong sense of mood. Her work has a distinctive presence; these abstract paintings exhibit a languid, flowing movement and shapes that are inspired by the natural world. We live in a very colorful world, where nature itself provides us with so much inspiration to paint, she notes. For me it is not only to put color on the canvas, but also [to] produce a recognizable meaning behind the painting. Eichenbaums work presents a series of emotional landscapes that invite viewers to pause and contemplate the deeper meaning behind each piece. Marianne Eichenbaum was born in Germany, and she moved to the United States as a young adult. She currently resides in California. www.mariestudios.com w w w. A g o r a - G a l l e r y. co m / A r t i s t p a g e / M a r i a n n e _ Eichenbaum.aspx
Marianne Eichenbaum
Enchanted Forrest
Acrylic & Charcoal on Canvas
16 x 20
Curve
Acrylic on Linen
39.5 x 79
oger Ruttens paintings are unique among abstracts: works that rely on expressive line and assertive mark-making to offer joy without aggression. Working in a variety of media including a mixture of acrylic and airbrushing, Rutten paints with the elemental energy of wind blowing. Lines and colors are bold, often swirling into curving, organic shapes. Compositions are not spare, but precise each painting focuses on one idea, be it formal or atmospheric, and focuses on it with clarity. Above all Rutten is flexible in his technique, exploring large, unwieldy marks on one canvas and delicate drips on the next. Rutten was born in the Netherlands, where he maintains a studio today. His goal in his work is to send positive energy to anybody that looks at it. www.rogerrutten.nl www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Roger_Rutten.aspx
Roger Rutten
uick, unpredictable, yet exquisitely composed, Leander Fontaines ink drawings are gems of perfectly concentrated dynamism. With brush and pen, Fontaine paints animals some real, some mythical in motion, black blurs against empty backgrounds. His animals contain absolutely no detail, yet their form and pose are unmistakable and perfect in their imperfections: a ruffle of fur out of place, or a tentacle cock-eyed just so. Fontaine scrawls, splatters, and smears his ink to create shapes, suggesting a variety of motions through the use of such different techniques. His creatures, like the brushstrokes that comprise them, practically jump off the page. Fontaine was born near the Germany-France border and today lives in Pennsylvania. He has been working as an illustrator and cartoonist for over thirty years. www.leanderfontaine.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Leander_Fontaine.aspx
Unicorn, Annoyed Ink on Rice Paper 20 x 11
Leander Fontaine
65
Debbie Klein
ebbie Kleins dazzling prints combine the best of graphic design, landscape photography, and vivid post-Pop Art imagery to make a body of work bursting with energy. Kleins works can be simple two or three strokes of color, arranged in a beguiling geometric pattern or elegantly intricate, with layers of crisp photos woven in with nonrepresentational flourishes. Urban facades might be cropped to become graphic symbols in and of themselves, lined up and tinted to highlight a single tone or light effect. Elsewhere, bare treetops may be used as a black and white pattern upon which Klein can spread sprawling, translucent red circles: one of natures textures meeting a manmade texture. The artist encourages us to realize that visual rhythms are everywhere in modern life, from the sequence of windows on an overlooked building to the vivid graffiti on a wall. Kleins unique method of mixing, augmenting, and re-purposing her original photography is itself a way of finding patterns in an utterly contemporary medium. Klein was born in Oklahoma and currently lives in Dallas, Texas. She considers her work to be an exploration of the many different kinds of space. www.debbiekleinart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Debbie_Klein.aspx
Vertical City 1 Digital Print on Aluminum Substrate
60 x 40
eresa Cabos paintings exude a passion for both the environment and people of her native Uruguay. In her portraits of her countrys people, she says that the goal is to reflect with figurative shapes the diverse cultural manifestations of my country. And while these paintings vividly bring her subjects and their culture to life, that is far from their only source of appeal. Cabos distinctive brushstrokes create dreamily textured images that lend the people an iconic status, while remaining thoroughly realistic. Placing her subjects against slightly mysterious backgrounds, the artist makes the most of her ability to subtly manipulate contrasts between light and dark. The resulting works have depth and lushness, a tactile sense that gives them a physical power. Cabo also makes mixed media works that celebrate Transformacin Permanente Mixed Media on Canvas 16 x 20 nature. She incorporates recycled materials into those images to materialize her concern for the care of the environment. These works exhibit the same dynamic range and powerful balance of colors as her portraits. The two threads of her work form a unified whole, making a strong statement. For Cabo, the opportunity to express her ideas is one of the things she loves most about painting. There is a quote of Albert Einsteins that she finds inspiring: Art is the expression of the deepest thoughts, in the simplest way. Cabo, in turn, has developed this idea. I believe, she says, that art can be an instrument of change. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Teresa_Cabo.aspx
Teresa Cabo
66
Marissa Mule
allow myself to work freely and expressively, says Marissa Mule, in the heart of the moment, without any references. That sense of openness extends across all the aspects of the artists work from her ingenious use of a wide variety of materials, to her bright color palette, to her distinctive painting style and sense of composition. Working with acrylics and house paint as well as Japanese paper, duct tape and such found materials as wine corks and bottle caps, she creates works with a strong surface energy and texture. Mules painting style is highly physical and dynamic. Often using a pouring technique to apply her paints, she creates vibrant drip-like patterns that add to the feeling of spontaneity in her work. But that spontaneity is expressed in precise, geometric Shattered Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 36 x 48 terms. Early in her career, Mule discovered her ability to use line and movement to unique effect. I found, she notes, that through color, texture and composition, I could depict free-flowing lines by using different skills and techniques to create patterns, line quality and geometric shapes. In that combination of emotion and order, she achieves a highly personal style. In my paintings, she says, each line, drip and collage expresses emotion. My paintings are an escape into freedom. www.marissamuleart.wix.com/marissamuleart
Jess Ucls
s he creates images of wonder and delight filled with a surrealistic symbolism, Jess Ucls draws inspiration from the art of Picasso, Miro, and other Modernist artists while discovering a path which is purely his own. Self-taught as an artist, Ucls brings a freshness and purity of expression to his paintings, unencumbered by the boundaries of rules and traditions. The artists style is playfully bright and appealing, drawing viewers deep into the marvelous mysteries of his imagination. Building a brilliant dream world inhabited by curious birds, animals, and humanlike forms, these paintings come alive in an improvisational dance of color and freedom. Ucls builds his art in acrylic paints, latex, ink, and watercolor on paper, occasionally adding elements of mixed media to give extra meaning and texture to his vibrant surfaces. Creating his works without any preconceived ideas, he allows his lyrical narratives to develop organically in an energetic outpouring of vitality and life. Born in Valencia, Spain and currently living in Barcelona, Jess Ucls studied Civil Engineering and now works managing the department of Road Maintenance High Capacity. He has received much attention for his art in recent years, with numerous group and solo shows and wide exposure through posters and publications. www.jesusucles.es www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jesus_Ucles.aspx
Perfil de Crisis Acrylic & Mixed Media on Paper 27 x 20
67
Stuart L. Gordon
or Stuart L. Gordon, capturing extraordinary light is the basis of photography. Because of that, his images have their beginnings in finding just the right light. Most often, he says, that means the light of sunset and sunrise, as well as before and after storms. It is only after discovering that light that he searches for subject material, locating the places and people that can be best illuminated by it. Shooting primarily in natural light, he focuses on communicating the essence of the landscapes he photographs. With a finely balanced sense of composition and a strong ability to use color and light for dramatic impact, Gordon successfully captures those landscapes as well as transforming Mist Rising Photographic Print on Fine Art Paper 16 x 24 them into pieces of his personal vision. A self-taught photographer, Gordon is well versed in all aspects of the medium from the filters he uses to bring high-contrast images into the range of his camera to the techniques involved in combining several images together into a multiple exposure. But though he is adept at employing post-processing software such as Photoshop, he only uses it to heighten the qualities found in the raw footage he shoots. My goal, he says, is to share with the viewer my deepest emotional response to the scene. www.chasingthelight.zenfolio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Stuart_L._Gordon.aspx
he rock formations along the Maine coast provide a starting point for Sandra Mueller-Dicks new paintings. But the artist moves far past that beginning by transforming those rugged landscapes into striking abstract images. Using oils and acrylics on wood and paper, she creates rhythmic patterns, taking the energy found in nature and re-making it into something personal and emotional. Those emotions are never firmly set, however. There is an open-endedness to them, a freedom that allows the viewer to become an active participant in creating the meaning of each image. My goal, she says, is always both to portray and evoke emotion, encouraging viewers to interpret what they see for themselves and experience their own emotional response. Life Line Mixed Media on Paper 24 x 32 Mueller-Dick achieves that goal by making images that speak directly to our innermost realizations, addressing those thoughts and feelings that mold our world. She employs a bold color palette, setting up strong contrasts that generate powerful vibrations. She then matches the power of her colors with the strength of her compositions, engaging the senses in a way that is constantly surprising. Having been a gallery instructor at Bostons Museum of Fine Arts for many years, she has developed a strong talent for communicating, one which finds a fitting outlet in these images. www.mueller-dick.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sandra_Mueller__Dick.aspx
Sandra Mueller-Dick
68
Josyane Martinez
nspired by ancient events, historical figures, and the impact of other eras on our own, Josyane Martinez paints the past in a defiantly contemporary way. Martinez paints in oil with a gentle realist technique, framing her subjects at middle distance and editing out extraneous background detail. Her work is not about tricky artistic flourishes, but rather action, pure and simple what is happening in the painting, who is doing it, and what it means for the viewer looking at the canvas today. Martinezs works are pure expressions of cause and effect. Though she has depicted everything from Al Capones gang, to the Kaaba in Mecca, to the pyramids of Egypt, one of Martinezs most enduring subjects is Nostradamus, in whom she became interested while growing up in the town where he once lived. With deftness and a deceptive simplicity of composition, Martinez shows the self-proclaimed prophet beside a painterly split-screen that literally compresses time, an act in which the audience itself engages each time the work is viewed. One of her paintings featuring Nostradamus was accepted by the Museum of Nostradamus. Martinez was born in Algeria, of French and Spanish origin, and currently lives in Senegal. She describes her style as an eloquent surrealism, with a nod to trompe-loeil.
Hommage Dali
Oil on Canvas
51 x 35.5
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Josyane_Martinez.aspx
Ral Lara Naranjo
al Lara Naranjo started out working in oils, developing his style through reading, studying and painting many hours in front of countless canvases. The result of those explorations is a body of work that combines a strong eye for balance and composition with a unique approach to texture and color. Citing influences that run from Caravaggio to the contemporary Spanish abstract painter Miquel Barcel, he creates images that bring those influences into his own distinctive world. His paintings combine elements of classical painting and abstraction, bringing that mixture to life with the innovative use of a variety of media. The artists works begin as image transfers applied to the canvas. He then creates what he calls crumpled paper reliefs of those transfers, painting over them with oils, acrylics, pastels and various inks. The interaction between the underlying images he uses and the textures he places over them result in multi-layered works that have a vivid sense of conflict and energy. But that energy is tempered with a subtle color palette that brings the delicate shades Protesta Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 59 x 59 of frescoes to mind. That special mix of the current and the classic lets the freshness of his observations of modern life come through while also placing them in a refined, yet compelling, setting. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Raul_Lara_Naranjo.aspx
69
continued from page 21
also require that artists who join put in hours at the gallery, which ensures a more local selection of participants. Co-op galleries are generally non-profits, and rely on grants and fundraising. Secondary market galleries, lastly, deal exclusively in works that have already been bought at least once, and whose current owner wants to sell, possibly to turn a profit on an investment. Secondary market galleries very rarely deal with works by living artists instead they specialize in various periods and movements from art history and when they do its only with artists in the uppermost reaches of the art market like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, or Gerhard Richter.
interest. Rather famously, MoMA turned down a donation from Andy Warhol in 1956, letting the pre-fame Pop artist down gently by telling him that the decision was motivated chiefly by a lack of storage and gallery space. MoMA now has 168 works by Warhol in its permanent collection. In other words, even the worlds most respected museums are not infallible, and may eventually show interest in artists they originally turned down. Museum curators rarely select living artists without gallery representation for group and solo exhibitions. Though factors like favoritism, museums relationships with collectors who buy certain artists from certain galleries, and so on, can influence the process, curators tend towards represented artists because, in a sense, they have already earned the approval of their dealers and collectors, and they are producing a steady output of work that will be capable of sustaining a major exhibition. There are of course counter-examples of artists who work entirely outside the commercial system with tremendous support from institutions and non-profits, but they are exceptions to the rule.
Museums
The ultimate measure of any great artist remains the number of her or his works that can be found hanging on the walls of the worlds major museums. While institutions like the Tate, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Centre Pompidou or Metropolitan Museum of Art may have millions of objects in their collections, joining those hallowed ranks is no easy feat. Several sets of gatekeepers bring new artworks into institutions collections: the museums curators; its trustees, who are most likely collectors and members of multiple museums to which they will probably donate (or promise to donate upon their deaths) portions of their collections; and its acquisitions committees, which can be divided by region and medium, and are typically made up of curators, administrators, and other art professionals. Some museums will also accept artworks gifted directly by artists, although this practice typically concerns wellknown artists in whom the institution has already shown 70 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
For an artist developing their career, a stint with a promotional gallery can provide the crucial boost needed to reach the next level
The entire art market, reduced to its most basic elements, consists of a set of middle men and middle women, seeking to connect artists and their creations with collectors. Galleries, fairs, auction houses, and art advisors all serve this function. Once a collector shows interest in an artist, though, the ensuing relationship can sustain the aesthetic interests of both, while providing the latters livelihood, for years or even decades. In addition to this type of career-long patronage, having pieces acquired by important collectors is one of the most common ways in which artists work enters museum collections. Most major collectors are trustees or board members of
Collectors
into this tight-knit circle can ensure an artist patronage and support for the rest of her or his life.
Art Schools
Though the category of outsider artists which includes the self-taught and those with limited formal training continues to gain traction in the art world, the lions share of artists making their way in the worlds major art capitals have not only Bachelors of Fine Arts, but also a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA). Like the sometimes-long process of gaining gallery representation, the investments of time, money, and energy required to obtain an MFA serve a gatekeeping function that helps to separate the passionate and dedicated artists from the less skilled or devoted. one or several major museums, and will gift works to their permanent collections, leave large sections of their personal holdings to the institutions in their wills or, in a few cases, establish their own private museums where their collections are destined to live on intact. The artist-collector relationship, therefore, is much more of a collaboration than a pure transaction, and many great artists have survived thanks to the support of one or a few devoted and discerning collectors. Such programs are certainly not for everyone, nor are their price tags insignificant (they often exceed $30,000), but they also offer some enormous benefits. Chief among these are the formal skills acquired, the analytical skills instilled, the art historical knowledge absorbed, and access
Art Fairs
Over the last decade art fairs have emerged as the most important venues for the buying and selling of contemporary art, with many dealers noting that they do more business in the few days they spend at each of a dozen major fairs around the world than the rest of the year working out of their brick-and-mortar spaces. Fairs, at least the ones worth showing ones work in, cater exclusively to galleries, so any artist hoping to show in a fair will need to secure representation with a participating gallery first. (Occasionally a gallery will test an artist not on its roster by including their work in an art fair booth, although such space is typically reserved for artists who have signed with the gallery.) A strong showing and major sales at one of the worlds top fairs can help boost an artists career or secure a museum show, as trustees, acquisitions committee members, curators, and directors of the worlds leading museums are typically in attendance institutions purchases make up
to faculty members, many of whom especially at the leading art schools like Cal Arts, Yale, the Rhode Island School of Design, or Goldsmiths are major contemporary artists themselves. Less tangible, but just as important, are the connections such programs offer students in the art world beyond campus through alumni, vast support networks, or simply thanks to a well-reputed MFA programs capacity for opening doors to galleries, fellowships, residency programs, and other opportunities that would ordinarily be harder to pass through.
Auction Houses
a small but not insignificant portion of the business done at most fairs. The worlds leading fairs, like New Yorks Armory Show, Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach, Frieze London and Frieze New York, and the FIAC in Paris, are first and foremost venues for the worlds leading collectors to see the newest work by their favorite artists. Breaking
Until relatively recently art auctioneers had very little to do with living artists, and dealt exclusively in the better tested markets for antiquities, Old Masters and Renaissance paintings, and Modern art. But as the worlds two dominant houses, Christies and Sothebys, have increasingly moved into direct competition with galleries, they have begun trading in works by contemporary artists, achieving multi-million dollar records with pieces by the likes of Cindy Sherman, Gerhard Richter, and Anish Kapoor. Still, such sales draw from the secondary market ie. works that have already passed out of the artists hands and into those of at least one dealer or collector and are essentially out of the control of their creators. To date the only exception to this rule is Damien Hirst, who in 2008 cut out his dealers and organized a solo auction of all-new work at Sothebys, netting himself nearly $200 million in one night. This happened just as the art market bubble burst, ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com 71
and nothing similar has been attempted since.
Art Advisers
Curators
In addition to parsing the rosters of artists represented by leading galleries, curators whether independent or affiliated with museums or non-profit spaces tend to rely on the same spaces and venues that dealers use to discover artists. These range from exhibitions at smaller galleries and non-commercial spaces, to residency programs, respected art schools MFA showcases, recurring bellwether exhibitions like the Whitney Biennial, Documenta, Manifesta, and so on, and art fairs. Since most curators are not concerned with the salability of the work they show, they are typically more open to showing, promoting, and championing artists whose works are unconventional, unwieldy, or go against current trends.
Though they rarely interact directly with artists, art advisers add a fourth notch to the artist-gallery-collector equation, acting as mediators between buyers and dealers. Not all collectors hire art advisers: in 2006 the New York Times reported that between 10 and 30 percent of contemporary art sales at major galleries were brokered by advisers, and that it was a growing trend. However, they
Non-Profits
Being by and large though not entirely outside the art market puts non-profit and artist-run galleries in an advantageous if precarious position: They are not dependent on the tastes of an often-overly cautious art market, but they are also at the mercy of the broader economy as their budgets are covered chiefly by grants and donations. Freed of the necessity to turn a profit, they are able to show artists who are not market-tested, or whose work doesnt conform to the flavor of the day, and such spaces curators tend to encourage artists to undertake projects from which profit-driven galleries might shy away. The rest of the art world also closely monitors them, so that despite being cordoned off from the art market, a strong showing at a non-profit space can often help an artist
wield enough influence to effect immediate demand for and long-term interest in an artists work with novice and seasoned collectors alike.
Cities
Though it may seem obvious, it bears reiterating: There are reasons why artists flock to and pay the expensive rents for apartments and studios in major art world capitals like New York, London, Berlin, Los Angeles, and so on. All the individuals, groups, businesses, and institutions enumerated above are concentrated in such places. Though there are certainly outlying nodes of power and the internet has slightly eroded the importance of optimal urban location within the art world, artists based in these cities have a distinct advantage over those based elsewhere simply by virtue of having more direct access to countless gallerists, curators, critics, and other artists.
The Payoff
All of this is to say that the art world contains many groups and types of players, each with their own agendas, tastes, and interests. It is an environment governed by informal relationships, pliable rules, inscrutable patterns, and erratic trends. Difficult as it may seem to navigate, and though no two artists ever follow the same trajectory toward success, knowing the types of people, institutions, businesses, and factors that play a part in this manyarmed and multinational enterprise remains an essential step towards making it work for you.
secure commercial gallery representation, connect with collectors, or gain the attention of museum curators.
Critics
The role of a critic in an artists career is two-fold: In the immediate, positive or negative press in response to a work or an exhibition can influence the likelihood of future shows, and sway the interest of curators, museums, and galleries; in the long-term it can help secure an artists place in art history, or at worst doom her or him to obscurity. However, the relationship between an artists critical and commercial receptions remains less predictable. Successful artists will often remain popular even if an exhibition or work of theirs is poorly received, and collectors tastes often trump critical evaluations, at least as far as the market is concerned. 72 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
Caroline Josephs PhD

r. Caroline Josephs creates universes within her work by mixing sacred symbolism, ancient tradition, and jolting contemporary iconography. Josephs artistic work grew out of her doctoral studies in oral storytelling especially of the Indigenous Australian people of Australia (as well as Zen, Judaic, and Inuit storytelling traditions), all of which have touched her life in various ways. Seized with the idea that a shared history is passed on via images and narrative, Josephs seeks to shed light on the modern experience with her highly energized, emblem-laden paintings. She unites disparate elements with improbable ease The Artist Leaps into New York Acrylic on Canvas 46 x 76 almost as if by the magic of the sacred under one narrative. In managing to tell a story in an instant with only images, Josephs realizes in solid form the crucial visual component of storytelling and enters the tradition herself. Her latest work focuses on her own cultural collision with New York City, focusing on deeply-felt city images as she approaches her artist-in-residency in Manhattan in May 2013. Some of the images are world-renowned icons, including the Statue of Liberty, and others are part of the everyday, including a recurring image of the map of the island of Manhattan. Josephs was born in Sydney, and continues to draw her art from the ancient sense of Country of Australian Aborigines meeting her own ancestral migrant sensibility. www.carolinejosephs.com.au www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Caroline_Josephs_PhD.aspx
April Rimpo
pril Rimpo paints with watercolors and fluid acrylics to create elegant, lyrical compositions full of color and vigor. Using the capricious nature of watercolor to her advantage, her work has a freshness and vibrancy that is arresting, reminiscent of the Impressionists in the quality of light and the looseness with which she renders her subjects. Color and texture are critical design elements I use to catch the viewers eye, she explains. I use non-traditional textural approaches to enhance interest. In my current work my goal is to portray a moment-in-time that allows the viewer to define their own story. Street Car Watercolor on Paper 14 x 22 This openness to her medium does not mean that the artist fails to plan, however. Rimpo has a vision for her work, and she has a specific affect in mind she wants to achieve the same richness of color that she experienced when she used oils, and she succeeds in this challenging goal. Her work pulses with lush color, and the natural transparency and unpredictability of water media lends interest to her work. April Rimpo was born in Massachusetts, and she currently lives in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, and she has also been the recipient of many awards. www.april.rimpo.org www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/April_Rimpo.aspx
73
Dani Cortez
razilian artist Dani Cortez finds inspiration in the colors, shades and brilliance of the natural world, which she harnesses and layers into her splendid abstract paintings. Through the build-up of acrylic and oil paints, applied using a variety of techniques including monoprints with lace, she achieves an effect akin to trapping light beneath a translucent surface. Her works glow with both vibrant and muted tones that seem to emit an inner light that breaks through between areas of thick pigment. She cites the influences of Gerhard Richter and Mark Rothko, and the parallels between her compositions and the latters Color Field works or the formers striped and vivid squeegee paintings are quite apparent. Cortez adds formal touches like grids, quasi-Pointillist dots and cloud-like forms, which add texture and definition to each piece. Her manner of accumulating layers and stripping or scraping them away creates unexpected patterns and shapes that give her works the rich character of a gothic ruin, with structures falling away to reveal gloomy interiors and sun-splashed exteriors. This effect transfixes the viewer and makes for images that are sparkling and animated from a distance and, upon closer inspection, full of exquisite details and unexpected flourishes. www.danicortez.com.br www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Dani_Cortez.aspx
Untitled 2
51 x 39
Yasuyuki Ito
or most visual artists, severe eyesight problems would be an insurmountable obstacle in the path toward realizing their artistic vision. But Yasuyuki Itos interior world is so strong and colorful that it has allowed him to create paintings in which bright shades, strong lines and dynamic compositions combine to form an appealing, unique universe. Starting with what he calls the original beauty of the color, he creates images that bring mosaics or stained-glass windows to mind. He simply but subtly mixes his paints in a way that gives every separate shade a vividly three-dimensional appearance. Each dot or band seems to glow with a light that comes from within. When these individual blocks of color are put together, compositions of surprising depth and complexity Dancing Butterfly Oil on Canvas 36 x 46 emerge. The dynamic relationship between all of the layers and levels of space give the canvases a sense of constant motion, a flow that juxtaposes nicely with the solidity of each separate unit. That combination succeeds in bringing the interior world that is so important to the artist vividly to life. As opposed to depicting an outside world in which material wealth is the only source of values, he strives to make art which connects with richness of the heart. www.skyship55.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Yasuyuki_Ito.aspx
74
Tiril
crylic painter Tiril combines the raw power of Abstract Expressionism with an unexpected compositional restraint, to produce works that seem to be made of pure, concentrated energy. Tiril is versatile in palette, technique, and organization, but her work relies on the emotional power of one element at a time. A painting is often made from only two or three colors two of which may simply be black and white and each motion of the brush is allowed to speak for itself. One forceful stroke may tangle across the canvas, or the same drip technique layer in upon itself to produce a field of texture that suggests both dynamism and Power Acrylic on Canvas 40 x 60 contemplation. The pieces are large-scale, yet each acts as a close-up on a few key shapes rather than including too much and losing focus. Movement is integral to the work: movement made visible, movement as narrative, emotion, and form. The artist calls this use of color, shape, and line language in its purest form. Tiril was born in London and has in recent years lived and worked in Alabama. She has exhibited around the United States and Europe. www.artbytiril.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tiril.aspx
David Reinfeld
ver the course of his career, American fine art photographer and artist David Reinfeld has continued to ask the question: What makes a picture come alive? In his quest to photograph a wide range of genres, from graffiti-filled urban landscapes to stunning natural terrains, Reinfeld strives to look deeper, beyond the surface of his subject. This is how he is able to find and reveal those intricate yet sometimes hidden connections between the emotional world that composes human experience and the physical forms that surround us. Using pigment ink and digital technology, Reinfeld builds on the original image, infusing it with colors, textures, and unexpected forms. This adds an unexpected depth of meaning for the viewer as it invites us into a visual world that is entirely new. As the artist explains, I have to remind myself not to remain at the surface, [to create images] that are full of life and charm, frozen in time, kept alive by human connection. David Reinfeld currently lives and works in northern New Jersey. He received his MFA at the Rhode Island School of Design. He has taught photography to inner city children, and is currently completing a book about the creative moment and image making as a fine art aesthetic. www.davidreinfeld.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/David_Reinfeld.aspx
American Southwest Series #3, 2011 Pigment Ink Digital Print 22 x 16
75
Henri Gueguen
or many years, Henri Gueguen says, I have wanted to honor famous women of the twentieth century. His images honor women in two distinct, yet complementary ways. He honors individual women in a series of striking portraits that cover a broad range of personalities from Anne Frank to Rosa Parks to such iconic film stars as Marilyn Monroe (whom Gueguen paints as a nurse) and Rita Hayworth. While those portraits are notable for their ability to capture the personalities of the women and their strong graphic compositions, what is perhaps most unique about them is the unconventional selection of media that the artist uses as a backdrop. His images of Ivanka Trump and Julia Roberts are done in lacquer on a geometrically precise field of Bic pens. The concept of the Bic pens, the artist says, is to create many linear, vertical and hexagonal readings. A portrait of Princess Diana is painted on a background of neon tubes. In all of these works, the artist challenges us, complicating the depiction of his famous subjects, and making the process of reading his images one in which the viewer must take an active role. Gueguen says that his goal is to perpetuate the memories of these women, and his images give them a new dimension and sense of life. Gueguen also honors women by honoring the clothes they wear, painting elegant scenes of the fashion world. In these works, the painters sense of line, color and proportion are reminiscent of a designers sketchbook, but they are also something much more. He incorporates groups of stylishly clothed models (exemplifications of his ideal of the tall, slim lady) into seductive abstract patterns that take fashion as their inspiration but move into another realm entirely one in which beauty is celebrated in its many forms. www.henrigueguen.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Henri-Gueguen. aspx
Henri Gueguen
Anne Frank
Lacquer on Bic Pen
40 x 40
Maria Callas
Wood & Glass
36 x 27
76
Scott Breeman
he natural beauty of Gods creation is the root from which Scott Breemans paintings grow. Whether he is depicting a field of stars, an underwater environment or a stormy sky, Breeman lets natures power come to the surface. With a dynamic color sense and a remarkable ability to capture the effects of light, he gives his paintings movement and depth. The artist has a special affinity for yellow, which he says represents light and life in his work. The light-filled images he creates bridge the domains of abstraction and representation in a way that reflects his highly personal approach. I want to express moments in a way that children would express them, he explains, vivid and understandable, but free from rules and realism. Breemans painting technique is just as individual as Milkyway 2 Acrylic on Canvas 30 x 41 his thematic approach. Working in acrylics, he gives his images the kind of liquid feel that is most commonly associated with watercolors, adding another layer of detail by pouring what he calls soft flowing lines of color onto his paintings just before they dry. The resulting works have an appealing spontaneity as well as a calm, centered quality that encapsulates the artists harmonious view of the world. www.artofscott.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Scott_Breeman.aspx
Francesco Ruspoli
rancesco Ruspolis paintings reveal a dynamic, abstract vision of the human figure. Drawing inspiration from the Surrealist movement as well as artists such as Francis Bacon and Frank Auerbach, his work is a fresh interpretation of the human condition. The main subjects of Ruspolis paintings appear most frequently in groups of three, a number which both hints at spirituality and gives him the flexibility to suggest a wide range of social dynamics and emotions. His subjects exist in abstract worlds, in a whirl of brushstrokes and color that are suggestive of settings, yet remain ambiguous, leaving it ultimately up to the viewers interpretation. My art explores the dynamic frontier between abstraction Harmony And Friendship Oil on Canvas 30 x 40 and figuration, Ruspoli explains. This fertile area keeps alive the infinite possibilities of being human. He carefully renders his subjects with rich, powerful colors to capture varying moods, and surrounds them with a bold, black outline. These outlines sharply define the figures shapes, separating them from the rest of the piece yet their eyes are empty, revealing the world behind them and within them. These blank stares challenge viewers to reexamine themselves and the world around them. Francesco Ruspolis work has received many awards and accolades from all over the world. www.francesco-ruspoli.com/home.html www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Francesco_Ruspoli.aspx 77
Meet three special artists whose contribution to a humanitarian cause has brought welcome relief and assistance to people in need.
The Humanitarians
Gaby Hahn
My interest in Africa is longstanding; my husband and I traveled extensively throughout Africa and bought our first small farm in South Africa in the early seventies; in 1997 we acquired Mugie ranch (www.Mugieranch.com), a 50,000 acre ranch in Kenya on the high plateau of Laikipia, ca 180 miles north of Nairobi, where we also live for part of the year. What started as a farming venture combined with coexisting wildlife, Mugie ranch has become a major center for predator studies in preservation of the delicate ecosystem: half of the farm is now completely dedicated to a wild animal sanctuary, protecting endangered animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, the rare Grevy zebra, and many more. Mugie plays an integral part in the local economy, employing many and providing medical care to the surrounding tribes. The ranch is proud to house the Mugie Primary School, a primary school with grades K 8, which my husband and I built and funded to benefit the local community. It has grown from 50 to well over 150 children, and from the worst to the best in the district. We have not only made a home for 20 physically handicapped orphaned girls, but have sent the graduating class to boarding schools at the secondary level and/or to trade schools. All of the proceeds for the sales of my paintings support Mugie Primary School.
I am fascinated by the African landscape, by the animals and the various tribes. I sketch and write during my visits and my paintings develop from these sketches. I attempt to bring to life Africas light, atmosphere, its tribal customs, the hard work of its people, their deep connection with nature, their dignity and evident joy of life. 78
A recent trip to Lake Turkana in the north of Kenya put me in contact with the amazing lake and tribal people living there in extreme conditions: in a barren landscape, in boiling heat dependent on fishing in the lake. Among them were the Turkanas, Rendilis and el Molos, whose portraits I painted. I also painted portraits of the tribal people of the Omo River in south Ethiopia, after first seeing photos by the well known German photographer Hans Sylvester, then traveling to the Omo River with my family and observing the people personally. The very existence of the people living around the Omo River and Lake Turkana into which it flows is threatened by the constructions of several dams. The huge Give III hydro power dam will dramatically alter the Omo Rivers flood cycle, affecting ecosystems and the livelihoods of more than 500,000 people, resulting in a human catastrophe in the region all for the production of electricity. No proper environmental studies preceded the funding of the dam. The river banks will collapse and the water level of Lake Turkana will drop by up to 30 feet. The water will become so saline that all the fish will die. The very rare riparian forests and its shy animals and flora will disappear forever. Thus my art has acquired a political nature. Through my art and philanthropic efforts, I wish to make the world aware of this huge impending disaster, which will result in the loss of the very life line and thus the culture of so many tribal peoples. I am always striving to introduce an unfamiliar public to the fascinating, rich and ancient culture of Africa, to a strange and colorful world. which appeals to all the senses. Sadly this world is under attack.
Gaby Hahn: Elephant III
Acrylic on Canvas
48 x 36
79
Mike Elliot
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didnt do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream, discover. -Mark Twain In our journey through life, there are many experiences that help shape our emotions. For some of us, these experiences find their way to canvas through the medium of paint. One recent such experience for me occurred in late September of last year, when, to paraphrase Mark Twain, I, along with a group of others sailed away from safe harbor on a five week journey to Nepal with the objective to reach Mt. Everest Base Camp. When the subject of this trip first arose, my initial thoughts were one of adventure; however as time went on, there was something calling within me to see what I could do in lending a helping hand for others, specifically the Sherpa people. In my reading of the area, these people appeared to do so much in ensuring that others dreams were fulfilled, but, in return, seemed to receive such little recognition. This led to my seeking out the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation, and the incredible work that they have done for the region. The Foundation identified a number of areas where assistance could be lent to the needs of the Zeke OConnor School, which, consisting of 150 students, opened in 2011 in the very remote and underprivileged village of Phaplu, Nepal. The Foundation recognized a number of needs for this school, one of which was a computer lab and assistance with the ongoing operational costs. Budgeted costs for the computer lab were $20,000. Having never led such a fund raising initiative, raising $20,000 for the lab seemed a daunting task, but then, so was the entire journey! With the funding target established, our team proceeded to raise $25,000 for the school from a number of remarkable supporters. Having surpassed the original target, the additional money will help fund the operating expenses of the school, which in April 2013 will be adding 30 new students in Grade 8, giving top priority to girl students from poor and disadvantaged groups in the area. The school will also be upgraded to facilitate a Grade 10 class.
The team at Annapurna
80
Mount Everest
Kids on their way home from school
One the most profound memories of this journey was the walk along the Bagmati River, which runs through Kathmandu with the Pashupatinath Temple beside it. The Hindus and Buddhists consider the Bagmati as a holy river where the spirits of the people are purified. Along the walk, I was taken by the many vivid colors of which orange will forever be remembered.
Mike Elliot: Taken by the Bagmati Acrylic on Canvas 60 x 60
81
As for the trip, our original plan was to begin a trek over 12 days with the objective to reach Mt. Everest Base Camp. Unfortunately, this was not possible, as on the morning of our arrival in Kathmandu, we found that 19 people had tragically died on a flight to Lukla, the place used as a starting point. This tragedy, in addition to poor weather conditions, meant we had to make some tough decisions regarding alternative options. As a team, we decided to redirect our objective to reach the Annapurna Base Camp instead, which we did over a period of 12 days. On our return, 3 of the 10 people, including myself, elected to remain in Kathmandu, and to fly into Lukla via helicopter, where we made a 9 day trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp. Between the two treks, a distance of over 250 kilometers was hiked, and while this experience was incredible, it was far surpassed by the beauty of the people, their kindness and the helping hand they held back to us to ensure that our journey was one with memories to last a lifetime.
Annapurna Trek
82
Ariane Blais
The Project ScolioTIK is a project that is dedicated to raising funds for idiopathic scoliosis research while educating the public and raising awareness. I work in collaboration with numerous individuals affected by the condition. Recently, I was able to draw great inspiration from one of these individuals whose life was saved by a surgical operation. The surgery this patient underwent aims to straighten the spine by fusing one or two metal stems to the front of each impacted vertebra. I used the x-rays to create multidimensional images, which became the start of my new series, The Project ScolioTIK 1st Series. The Project ScolioTIK 1st Series incorporates a diverse scope of mediums such as plaster, acrylic and epoxy. Some of its paintings contain pieces of metal shrapnel that highlight the war-like intensity of the struggle of individuals with scoliosis who undergo surgery. I mix color and texture by incorporating a variety of materials to illustrate the uniqueness of each scoliosis patients story. The whole series is presented on traditional canvases, but also on wooden mounts. We have teamed up with The Ste-Justine UHC Foundation and will be launching this series in the spring of 2013 as part of a special fund raising event for Scoliosis. I am very excited to be holding this visually stimulating event where the works of art will be available for purchase by auction, and all proceeds will be donated to further Scoliosis research.
83
Art Matters - why we collect art

Something about it touched me in a profound and beautiful way / It reminded me of the many summers I spent with my family visiting the beach / I felt that it was calling me in a way / We had to have it / It helped me to understand what sacrifice really means / My decision to purchase the painting had something to do with the death of my mother / It enchanted me from the very first time I saw it. Why are we drawn toward one piece of art and not another? It is as though the artwork, be it a painting, a photograph or a sculpture, is at the moment of connecting with it, recognized as a missing part of you. A part that carries a profound desire, a void which can only be filled, like Klimts embrace in The Lovers, through the acquisition of an unforgettable, must have, work of art! Artworks and Collectors: Doha Coloured Balls Gold DCBGA11 by Jennifer Pinder in the collection of C.Clews Human Nature by Nelida Diaz de DAmato Collector / Illinois Unbound by Claude Charlebois in the collection of V. Lyn Woman and a Martini Glass by Todd Krasovetz in the collection of L. Foo Why were you attracted to this particular artwork? Collector / Illinois: I was immediately attracted to Human Nature as it reminded me of the joy felt by our three children when they play together. It was a perfect fit in terms of our childrens ages and the dynamics of their relationships. V. Lyn: My immediate reaction was how at peace and serene the woman was, and then as I really started paying attention to the beauty and rapture of the work it transported me to that feeling of an enlightened tranquility. Did you first see the artwork online? C.Clews: No Collector / Illinois: No, it was in the gallery. V. Lyn: No L. Foo: No How did the style, color, size and price influence your selection? C. Clews: The style and colorinfluenced me greatly as it resonated with a memory of when I was younger, of old fashioned carnival colors. The size was a key factor as I like big pieces and had a particular space that I wanted to fill. What was pleasing was that the shape being oblong, it complimented the area. When I saw the painting I was not aware how much it would cost, I 84
think it is fair to say I fell in love with the piece and where it would go in advance of knowing the price, always dangerous but as I buy art for pleasure and investment I think it is important to first love a piece. In commenting on the price I was actually pleasantly surprised. Collector / Illinois:The painting appeared to be made for the space above the fireplace in our family room. I liked that it brought in new color influences. V. Lyn: Style, color, size and price didnt really influence my selection. The colors certainly resonated with me, but as for the price I thought it was going to cost much more, so I was happy about that. L. Foo: This is a giclee print hence it is much more affordable than any of the artists original works, yet nonetheless, a noteworthy piece. The colors are simple and elegant, and the warm tones leave a very soothing feeling. It came gorgeously framed, and now sits nicely in my apartment. Did you have a particular space in mind for the artwork before you purchased it? . C. Clews: Yes, absolutely. As I mentioned, the space was the wall behind an antique day bed that I bought when we were living in Singapore. My home has an Asian feel to it and I wanted to use this painting to compliment the area, and to bring a more contemporary feel to the living room amongst the Asian furniture and ornaments. Due to the elongated shape, it framed up my day bed perfectly. Collector / Illinois: We definitely needed a larger work for this space, but we werent searching for something at the time. It all just came together! V. Lyn: No particular space. It required a special space as I have so many different types of artwork.
L. Foo: Yes, it had to be where house guests can enjoy the painting as well.
Were you familiar with the artist before you made your selection? C. Clews: I was not familiar with her work until I saw her art on display in her home and as soon as I saw the piece, I knew it was right for my home and the way I wanted to frame up the daybed. Collector / Illinois: No, but I have enjoyed learning about Nelida Diaz de DAmato, and why and how she creates her paintings. V. Lyn: No, I was not.. L. Foo: Not at all. However during the purchase, I had the luxury to speak to the artist about his works and have learned a lot. Does the artwork still resonate with you and why? C. Clews: Yes, it does, as it changes throughout the day depending on the light, so I always find it interesting. I like art that you can look into. My 7 year old daughter made the comment that it sparks up the room. It is not old so it will be as beautiful as when we bought it, it is like a shining star during the night, that is why we love it Collector / Illinois: I believe Human Nature will always resonate with me. I dont think I could have commissioned a painting that would have been so spot on. It will forever bring joy to my heart. V. Lyn: The artwork still resonates with me. I recently just returned from China - Wudang Mountain studying Tai Chi with the Wudang Priests, a truly majestic and magical place and Unbound gives me that same feeling! L. Foo: Always. It reminds me of how fond I am of New York City How did you learn of Agora Gallery? C. Clews: I connected with Agora Gallery though my interest in purchasing this painting. I then took the time to look at a number of other artists works there and found a number of pieces that I really liked and in fact still have one on my wish list.
85
Collector / Illinois: The concierge at The New York Palace Hotel. I was just planning to wander through some New York galleries, and voila! V. Lyn: I learned about the gallery through a very dear friend, Ellen Mann, a close associate of Claude Charlebois. L. Foo: I was strolling along the streets in Chelsea, and came across the gallery. I spoke to the gallery director as well as staff from Agora, who were all very helpful and warm., which made the purchase a pleasant experience. Do you have any other comments? C. Clews: I continue to enjoy this piece of art and it has surprised me with its changeability. When sitting down to write this response my daughter was beside me. It was lovely to hear her comments on how the painting made her feel and as I reflected on another thing she said it makes you happy when you are in a bad mood I thought she is absolutely right, I love it and it makes me happy. V. Lyn: Im very happy that I purchased this piece of artwork.
86
John Loveday Freeman
ood is a natural healer, says John Loveday Freeman. It is magical, organic & alive; it never dies. Freeman, a skilled finishing carpenter, brings those magical qualities of wood to the surface in his elegant works. He finds the materials for his sculptures among what he calls the elders of British Columbias forests. Its treasure hunting, he says. They are becoming extremely rare. Once he has found the relics, his process is centered on letting them tell their own story. I try and keep them as I have found them, explains Freeman. The transformations that the artist makes to the wood are subtle but powerful, taking the inherent textures and curves he finds and refining them, bringing classic shapes and tantalizing hints of imagery into view. After air-drying the wood for years, then sanding it to soften to the touch, he applies coats of oil, enhancing the beauty of the multi-colored grains and heightening the sense of structure and line. He then places the pieces on simple bases of steel or granite, once again emphasizing the purity and elegance of their forms. The sculptor says that he feels honored to bring these elders back for what he calls their second debut, and that his goal is for viewers to feel their powerful, soulful presence. www. johnsmarvels.com/gallery.html www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/John_Loveday_Freeman.aspx
Sage
Wood & Steel
60 x 36 x 30
Kristina Garon
reating art just comes to me naturally, says Kristina Garon of her dynamic paintings. When I start the creative process, I open myself to all possibilities. That openness is expressed in works that cross the boundary between abstraction and representation. In the world she creates, precise renderings of human faces and figures are placed within swirling, energetic patterns. Each figure tells a story, explains the artist, and the uniqueness of her work lies in the way those stories coexist with her daring experiments in color and texture. Using acrylics, which she favors for their fluidity, Garon works quickly. I cant wait to see what comes to my canvas, she notes. Garons style balances that kind of vibrant energy with an exacting sense of control. She wants her paintings to be a combination of bold, aggressive strokes and gentle, intricate details, and that combination gives her images a sense of movement that is powerful yet controlled. Her color palette is varied as well, juxtaposing bright and happy colors with more sober blues to reflect the combination of joy and sorrow that she strives to communicate. One of her main goals, she says, is to let my inner world create my outer world, a goal that she achieves to highly distinctive effect. www kristinagaronart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Kristina_Garon.aspx
Muse Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 36
87
Agora Gallery is a proud sponsor of Cameras for Kids www.Agora-Gallery.com
Tamera Lee
or Tamera Lee, art is more than a visual medium. My current work, she says, focuses on multiple layers of imagery, color and movement, all inspired by and attributed to my interpretation of music. Using materials that include latex and acrylic paints, charcoal and pastels, she creates images that have their roots in the sounds that she immerses herself in as she works. The composition of her pieces is based on swirling lines and undulating curves that seem Changing Vibrations Mixed Media on Canvas 48 x 96 x 2 to sway to an unheard beat. And, like music, her paintings combine those fluid lines with a strong sense of harmony. The artist says her canvases are conduits for channeling the emotional current of the music, and that feeling of power comes vividly across. The colors in the paintings, as well as the varied textures, also contribute to their rhythm and flow. Lee says that producing an interplay of colors that move the eye is central to her images. Her controlled yet vibrant palette generates that interplay by juxtaposing shades to create a visual counterpoint to the dynamic shapes and lines. When that interplay of colors combines with the interaction between textures, a multi-layered world results one in which the artist succeeds at her goal of being a messenger of energy. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tamera_Lee.aspx
88
Sylvio Tabet
ylvio Tabet describes his lively photography as a portrayal of suspended reality in which everything visible a splash of color, a head turned just so, a repetition or juxtaposition of images has rich meaning. Tabets main subjects are the natural world and the everyday scenes of our modern world. His shots are carefully composed and studiously focused, usually looking at a single object at close range. The photo then goes through an exacting editing process of deleting background noise, layering images, and adding and enhancing colors, until what is left is a beautifully streamlined and yet heightened version of the real thing. All of these images are perfectly recognizable. Yet Heat Archival Inkjet Print on Matte Paper 29.5 x 39.5 the way in which the artist approaches and deals with each of his subjects makes the works into something significant, even challenging. Each piece represents a specific message or idea which Tabet subtly introduces through images which are enticing for their visual effect alone. Tabets recent explorations into the diptych composition allow him to play with doubling and contrasting even more confrontationally, and with a more intense emotional palette. Tabet was born in Beirut, Lebanon and today, after much traveling, lives and works in Los Angeles. He is also an accomplished director. www.ateliersylviotabet.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sylvio_Tabet.aspx
Gabe Tong
os Angeles-based artist Gabe Tong was born with eyesight problems that might have resulted in blindness, but instead his unique vision has allowed him to develop what he calls 3D Cubism, a startling take on the 20th century movement augmented with a kaleidoscopic palette and the dynamism of Futurism. In oil compositions whose subjects span classical imagery like musicians, portraits and still lifes to more contemporary fodder like motorcycles, racers and Hollywood cinema, he turns Cubisms characteristic flatness on its head, imbuing each painting with texture, curvature and eye-popping dimensionality. Through effects like shading and gradients, he sets his arrangements of geometric forms into thrilling motion. Indeed, the moniker 3D Cubism couldnt be more apt, as Tongs paintings not only restore motion to the typically stilled style, but also inject depth into a traditionally flat aesthetic. Full of folds, joints and crevices, his works often trick the viewer into initially mistaking them for bas-relief sculptures. His powerful manipulation of light is partly responsible for this optical sleight of hand, with the sharp contrast between bright and dark and muted and bold sections suggesting shadows and reflections playing off projecting surfaces. Tong brings Cubism into the 21st century. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gabe_Tong.aspx
Playground at Sandyhook
Oil on Canvas
48 x 36
89
MEMORABLE RECEPTIONS from around the world

FROM TOP: 1) Sonal Nashik, Raje India: (second from R) with Hungarian artists and Director of Art Indulge (R) at the opening reception of group show 2) Tenerife, Spain: (sixth of her Maria from most Pisaca L) and recent
friends at the opening exhibition in CIRCULO DE BELLAS ARTES de Tenerife
11
2
90
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1) Helsinki, Finland: (L) Natali Karppinen
with one of her models at exhibition opening in Galleria 4kuus 2) Miami, Florida, USA: Artist Amparo de Flrez with Gallery Director William Braemer at her recent exhibition at Art Fusions Gallery 3) Singapore: Artist Rofi at his exhibition at the Volvo Art Loft 4) Buenos Aires, Argentina: Danisa Glusevic and her artwork at the Feria al Sur del Sur Exhibition, Centro Cultural Recoleta 5) Barcelona, Spain: Salome de Cambra and guests at her exhibition GeoGraphics2
4
91
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 1) Monterrey, Mexico : Beln Juregui at her exhibition Amelia, Italy: from R) at Galera Arte4 2) Fornole, Umbria, (third recent 3) Sternath
Roberto Del Fabbro with visitors at his exhibition Karl (StemsiArt) Bermuda:
at his recent exhibition at Bermuda Society for the Arts (BSOA) 4) De Schwetzingen, Gerardo at his Gioia Germany:
recent exhibition in Castle bei Henri Schwetzingen Heidelberg 5) France: Gueguen
Penmarch,
with his work at his
exhibition at the Vieux Phare de Penmarch, Brittany
4
92
CLOCKWISE TOP LEFT:
FROM
1) Redding, CA, USA: Jane Magarigal at the West Coast Biennial Art Exhibition, Turtle Bay Museum 2) Bologna, Italy: with Little Trevisan Bernardita Gerd curator Rautert Paola by
Trevisian at the exhibit Treasures International Garib (L)
Art 3) Santiago, Chile: at her exhibition, De La Calle at Galera Art Labb 4) Sydney, Australia: Zoe Paterson at her solo exhibition of paintings and poems, Eden Colours Preeminent with Italy: at of 7) the his collector Marco at Breathing 5) Gallery
New York, NY, USA: baseball Brian Arezzo, Fallani in SC, painter Dick Perez (R) Dempsey 6)
inauguration sculpture
Piazza San Francesco Greenwood, USA: George Lignon at his recent exhibition (photo by Lance Austin) 8) Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia: Lynne Hudson (M) at her exhibition with family at Robina Art Gallery
5
93
Elena Kozhevnikova
ussian artist Elena Kozhevnikova characterizes her rich and abstract mixed media paintings as her innermost impulses and ideas made manifest in paint, pastel and collage. Its not me who creates, but my subconscious, she explains. The deepest corners of my soul open and burst out onto the canvas, making me experience the feelings and emotions that were caged deep inside. The resulting imagery, appropriately, is redolent with visual power and energy, and the variation from one work to the next stuns the observant viewer. Equally adept at working with bold colors or grayscale palettes, Kozhevnikova weaves intricate compositions based around repeating patterns of abstract lines and shapes that at times evoke Cubism and the built-up forms of Abstract Expressionism. In her most boldly colorful paintings, Kozhevnikovas visions seem to literally explode onto the canvas, creating images evocative of natural subjects stretching dynamically outward. Her comparatively more muted monochrome paintings have a practically analytical quality, as though she is attempting to isolate some purified and essential quality of light or form. The aspect of her work that unites both her most saturated and most subdued paintings is the incredible diversity of detailing each contains. The wealth of textures and brushstrokes rewards distant and close inspection with countless and surprising variations. www.elena-kozhevnikova.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Elena_Kozhevnikova.aspx
Broadway
40 x 28
Jean Franois Mercier

sing his keen eye and vivid imagination, French photographer Jean Franois Mercier is able to transform his low altitude aerial landscape shots into unique and compelling abstract compositions that are more painting than photograph. Focusing on vertical perspectives of the natural environment, Mercier captures all of the beauty and diversity of the landscape, so that the elements of colors, lines, and forms can be seen in the context of the terrain but also as abstract elements standing on their own. What results are dreamy, magical images, where much is left to the viewers imagination. What makes Merciers photographs so compelling is the versatility of the images that can be perceived within each composition. One can choose to marvel at Arabesque Photographic Print on Fine Art Paper on Dibond 24 x 32 the aerial view of the landscape and majesty of all the richness that nature has to offer, or to become lost in the abstraction of the image, finding the magic in surreal, uninhibited forms without real-life concerns. Overall, Mercier seeks to challenge his viewers perception of their natural world, to find an unsuspected realism in everyday forms. As he explains, I am putting to the test the imagination of humans. www.jeanfrancois-mercier.odexpo.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jean_Francois_Mercier.aspx
94
Warren R Mack
arren R Macks intricate ink paintings are multidimensional in both subject and form. In large, airy compositions, Mack stretches ink to the height of its transparency and the deepest of colors. Though he uses a variety of techniques, from splatter to wet blending to the fine deployment of a painters brush, no mark is made without the utmost precision. Formally, Macks work vibrates with energy and unexpected choices. In subject matter, each painting is even more complex. Macks style is abstract but not nonrepresentational. When depicting a car driving at dusk, the tangible and the intangible are equally represented. The vehicle is present as a collection of colors and weight, the ghost of its metal body and wheels visible. But just as important is the dusk Excavation Ink on Paper 12 x 16 painted as patches of dark blue and black lines, as opposed to a simple sky and the movement of the car depicted as shining lines of pure white roaring across the canvas. The image is comprehensive, offering a true experience of the scene. Mack was born in Toronto, where he continues to live and work. In addition to the fine arts he is an accomplished architect, and co-founder of an independent architecture firm. www.warrenrmack.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Warren_R_Mack.aspx
Biddy Hodgkinson
n Biddy Hodgkinsons paintings, the concept of decay takes on a second life, becoming not a simple sign of decline, but rather an invigorating, inspiring source of renewal and beauty. Hodgkinson is fascinated by the luminosity that exists in decay, finding unexpected and often startlingly beautiful patterns in the process of decomposition. She combines acrylic paints with both industrial and natural materials in her works, punctuating her palette of subtle rust and earth tones with unexpected hints of reds and greens. The resulting works, while muted in tone, have a unique sense of depth and texture, a tactile quality that makes the viewer want to reach out and touch their surfaces. Hodgkinson does not simply allude to decay in her works, however. She allows the process of decay to become an integral part of her technique. Using harmful agents such as acids to eat away swathes of color from her paintings, the artist creates works that are compelling embodiments of the process of change, at times appearing to be on the route to negating themselves. My interest is the endless metamorphic process, she notes, and her skill at making that process come alive gives her paintings a strong, seductive appeal. www.biddyhodgkinson.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Biddy_Hodgkinson.aspx
2nd Lifeline Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 59 x 47
95
Fred Mou
red Mous airy acrylic paintings combine flowing, organic subject matter with exact, mathematical techniques. Mous unique background he was trained in architecture, and is inspired by the natural world has led to a body of work full of juxtapositions and thoughtful contradictions. His interests are wide, from lifelike portrayals of people and animals to symbolic representations of wind and water. But even the most grounded subjects are transformed into beautiful, textile-like tableaux in Mous hands. The palette is gentle and malleable, with one color often bleeding into the next, and blank space on the canvas is effectively used as just another compositional element. Mou compresses depth and embraces the artists tool of a universal, impossible light. He filters his subjects through repetition, abstraction, and close-up to conjure an atmosphere: the ocean becomes a collection of stylized jellyfish, or a woman is represented as just a face among a cloud of fabric ruffles. In these unreal visions, Mou reveals the joy of the everyday. Fred Mou was born in Switzerland and has traversed the terrains of Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and the Middle East for inspiration. He hopes to express what he calls my optimism in his work. www.fredmou.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Fred_Mou.aspx
Miss Liberty Wants to Fly Acrylic on Canvas 55 x 47
Brenda Ness-Cooper
ach time I set out to paint a scene, Brenda Ness-Cooper says, the challenge for me is to capture the beautiful image that I see in my mind. The images that Ness-Cooper captures depict a variety of locales from the American Southwest to the Mediterranean coast but the artist creates a unified world. Each painting, she notes, tells a clear story of what was happening at the very moment I captured the image. The clarity of her scenes comes from the carefully planned elements of her technique. One is a precise sense of line and composition. Then, within the elegant frameworks she sets up for each painting, the artist renders a variety of textures. Working in watercolors, she mixes the delicacy and lightness of that medium with intense colors to bring her images to life. The quality Ness-Cooper gets from her watercolors is the result of a meticulous process that combines nicely with the spontaneous, open air impression of her works. Starting by creating sketches on paper, she works through the possibilities of each image before rendering it on Aquabord, a watercolor art board that she says allows her to produce paintings with vibrant color on a paper-like finish images that change the boundaries of what watercolors can do.
Paradise
Watercolor on Board
20 x 16
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Brenda_Ness__Cooper.aspx
96
George Ligon
Water Lilly 1
Metallic Print on Paper
13 x 18.5
herever I travel, whether at home or abroad says photographer George Ligon, I try to look for interesting images. With a substantial career in fashion and commercial photography, Ligon is now applying his well-developed eye for color and composition to images that distill the essence of natures beauty in locales from Florida to New Zealand. In these photographs, the colors and shapes found in nature take on a formal clarity that lifts them out of the environments in which they are found and gives them an artistic identity that is all their own. Printing on such materials as stretched satin as well as photographic paper adds a distinctive texture and presence to his images.
Ligon says that he approaches the art of photography as if he were a painter, calling the camera and lens his paintbrush, and his eyes the canvas. Highly skilled at manipulating light and exposure to pull out the desired details of whatever he is photographing whether it is a single leaf or the vista of a tropical sunset he makes images that balance the cameras inherent realism with the artists ability to depict a more personal world. His photographs, while possessing an elegant and appealing simplicity, have a complexity and depth that give them resonance and power. www.gligon.zenfolio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/George_Ligon.aspx
Lynda Pogue
hen a viewer stands before my work, Lynda Pogue says, I want something visceral to happen to them. Her paintings easily elicit that kind of instinctive emotional response, using vivid colors, dynamic compositions and an impressive array of textures to put together a vibrantly physical world. Pogue aims for a style in which she can make the paint glide and connect, and there is a spontaneity in her images that makes their surfaces come alive. She combines that freedom with a finely developed sense of balance in works that range from pure abstraction to still lifes and landscapes. She plays bright shades off against darker hues to give even her most abstract paintings a solid, threedimensional feel. Texture also assumes an important place in Pogues work from the glowing threads of paint that form the stems of flowers to the way that fields of color are animated by her brushstrokes. While she predominantly works in acrylics, the artist provides even more levels of texture by adding elements of collage to some pieces, and using encaustic for others. But whatever medium she works in, Pogue has her eye on creating a direct connection with her viewers. My fervent desire, she says, is that my work leaves them wanting more. www.lyndapogue.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Lynda_Pogue.aspx
Scandal
Acrylic on Canvas
48 x 24
97
Krzis-Lorent FrdriqueK
Miroir
Oil on Canvas
36 x 29
Gossip
Oil on Canvas
59 x 59
he figurative oil on canvas paintings of French artist Krzis-Lorent FrdriqueK combine a range of artistic influences to create something utterly new. FrdriqueKs work has been influenced in part by Greek sculpture and the particular ways these ancient artists had of looking at the human body: achieving perfect balance and serenity through a sincere appreciation of the human form. Although her figurative renderings are set in modern contexts, there is still a careful attention to the basics of the human form, to the innate symmetry and balance that underscore every posture, every expression, every movement. Other influences on FrdriqueKs work include many elements that characterized the Italian Renaissance period, including compositional elements, the frankness of the colors, the brilliance of the paint, and the thematic rendering of the female in a variety of contexts. She also finds inspiration in Vermeers use of light, as well as in the work of the Post Impressionists and the texture and depth they were able to infuse into the canvas. Other instructive forces include the Abstract Expressionists (particularly Rothko) and the Russian Constructivists (whose principles dovetail with her own background in architecture). To encounter a FrdriqueK painting is to be ushered into an entirely new world in which forms are explored in new ways and every line and hue is infused with emotive expression and meaning. Faces and bodies that reveal a profound depth of thought and feeling are set against dreamy, sometimes abstract backgrounds, adding an entire new level of complexity to the work. Krzis-Lorent FrdriqueK Regardless of context, each female subject betrays a depth of emotion that reminds us all of the truth of what it is to be human in this world. Krzis-Lorent FrdriqueK currently lives and works in Loos, France, where she devotes her time to creating art. She draws on her experience in teaching art and working as an art therapist. www.frederiquek.fr www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/FrederiqueK.aspx
98
Felix Semper
Mascara Thoughts
Oil on Canvas
20 x 16
uban-born, North Carolina-based artist Felix Semper portrays strange and surreal spaces inhabited by human characters at once fantastical and deeply empathetic. Their stylized and altered features alternately evoke Picassos Cubist portraits and Egon Schieles emaciated early Expressionist nudes, though Semper tends to substitute rounded lines for those forbears geometric contours and features. Many of the resulting images manage to be simultaneously playful and sober, their loopy, rounded characters, rendered in oil pastel or charcoal, standing out against ambiguous, dim or empty backdrops often made up of fragments of other bodies. Theres a palpable sense of melancholy in many of the works that stands in stark contrast to the figures apparent exuberance and Sempers often bold palette. The powerful symbolism of his paintings suggests many possible interpretations, from a desire for calm in an increasingly chaotic environment, to the universally relatable experience of being an outsider in a new and strange place. I find myself applying a particular painting style depending on my mood or a particular message I want to relate, Semper explains. Indeed, each piece has a very immediate emotional charge echoed in the formal play of textures, tones and forms. www.felixsemper.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Felix_Semper.aspx
TA (Trygve Amundsen)
A (Trygve Amundsen) calls his work semiabstract. Blending natural details into starkly graphic environments, he creates a world that sits on the border between abstraction and representation. Having worked as an art director and graphic designer, TA has a keen eye for proportion and scale, creating images that direct the viewers eye and possess a clear dramatic focus. A flower may dissolve into a field of color, or a solitary apple seem to sit forlornly in a monochromatic landscape. I love to add either a dynamic movement or total melancholy into my work, he says, in a manner that makes the spectator think and live with my art. But the artists interest in crossing boundaries goes beyond his mixture of realism and abstraction. Working mostly in oil paints on canvas, he uses some unconventional tools to apply those paints, including a shopping bag and a credit card. The resulting images have a wide variety of textures, creating a sense of depth and giving his canvases a strong physical presence. A color palette of reds, blacks and grays The Red Rose Oil on Canvas 39.5 x 39.5 lends those images clarity and precision that adds to their power. I hate it if my art disappears on the walls, says TA, and the strength of his images definitely precludes that. www.trygveart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Trygve_Amundsen.aspx
99
Do you know what fascinated me most about Charlotte on Sex and the City? The fact that she was the director of a gallery, and knew exactly how to dress for it. Her style wasnt over the top, however; she played around with different colors and textures just like a painter does. Her sophistication and love for the arts showed true to her personality and throughout her outfit choices. If youre an artist preparing to spend the evening at a Chelsea reception, whether your own or someone elses, or gallery hopping from one to another, this is something to bear in mind. Alexander McQueen was known to have said that his clothing was an expression of his emotional life without regard to the person who was wearing it. The most fashion-active time of year has finally arrived. New York offers an endless survey of traditional, modern and contemporary exhibitions in its lively gallery scene, especially throughout the spring season. The Thursday night crowd can come and finally enjoy the fabulous weather, a glass of wine and of course, art. Its officially that time of year again the time of year to put away the pea-coats and knee-high boots, and pull out the wedged sandals and sunglasses. As the gallery scene in Chelsea continues to prosper, so does the eclectic fashion and style that come along with it. However, if youre not on top of your trend forecasting this season, Im here to help. Coco Chanel decreed, Wear metallic shoes they function like neutrals, but are more interesting than black. When it comes to the art world, this quote surely rings true in what to wear and what not to wear to a gallery or museum opening. The art world is a creative environment that bleeds emotion and expression, so its important to reflect your surroundings by looking like a walking piece of art. New York Fashion Week saw a lot of metallic-finish fabrics used as accents or for entire outfits. Michael Kors is at the forefront when it comes to incorporating metal accessories to dresses, his focus being on belts. You can pair a belt with a dress or flowy silk blouse, and what you get in the end is a powerful and funky look. One plus about the art world scene is that every trend is different. Explore flea markets, vintage and thrift shops, as well as your mother and grandmothers attic and jewelry boxes. Have a go-to Little Black Dress, as it can be both dressed up and down. But, maybe the simple LBD is a little too clich for your style. So, what do you wear then to an art gallery or museum opening? Simple. You can wear a variation on the little black dress theme. This season, color blocking is a huge trend on the fashion forefront, and perfect for an opening. As the well-known sack dress evolved in the 1960s, Yves Saint Laurent realized that the form of the dress was ideal for color blocking. Knowing the flat planes of the 1960s canvases achieved by contemporary artist Mondrian, Saint Laurent made history in creating this artist-inspired piece of fashion. If youre a fan of artist Keith Haring, take a walk on the graphic side, as modesty is gone for both women and men. The 100
Fashion Forward
by Marissa Mule
slouchy, cool-girl shorts that were all over the New York runways this season are perfect for every girl who never felt like she could pull off those cheek-baring cutoffs so beloved on every social media site. Theyre ultra chic, gallery and museumfriendly, and flattering; seriously, whats not to love? For male gallery-goers, choose your favorite color out of the 64-pack of Crayola crayons and wear it vibrant neons and loud colors are a huge hit this season and never seem to disappoint. Wearing bold colors allows you to light up the art scene, creating an inviting aura around yourself to seem approachable. If you really hate suits, wearing something you feel comfortable in, which looks both modish and stylish, is also perfect for the occasion. However, the most important thing in creating a statement for yourself in the art world is your personality and interaction with potential buyers. Here, you would want to wear something that makes YOU feel good. It is more then okay to buy a new outfit for an opening something that expresses your unique style and relates to your own artwork in some way. Allow yourself to appear approachable by making your wardrobe inspiring and attention grabbing with its modern aesthetic. Remember, fashion and art intersect, and play a huge role in our daily lives. Fashion, like art, is forever changing and timeless, and celebrates youth and diversity. Dressing for a gallery and/or museum opening is only limited by the depth of your imagination. Peace, love, art, and fashion.
101
Graham McBride
raham McBrides paintings bridge the worlds of representation and abstraction. I am particularly interested in the idea of place, he says, and in the different ways it is created and conceived. His images successfully capture the essence of the places they depict, but the artists approach moves from the world of depiction and into the realm of pure form and hue. McBride has an exceptional eye for color. His palette runs a wide range from the subtle tones he finds in oil paints to the vividness he draws from acrylics. And while his lines and brushstrokes have an appealing sense of freedom, he successfully incorporates that freedom into carefully controlled compositions. I engage with concepts of balance in its many guises, he notes. What we see and what we can imagine. www.grahammcbrideart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Graham_McBride.aspx
Untitled 125 Mixed Media on Canvas 28 x 20
Gaby Hahn
Turkana Girl With Fish
Oil on Canvas
18 x 18
art intimate portraiture, part living document of the people of the Omo River and Lake Turkana basin, Gaby Hahns paintings are vibrant, sensitive studies of a little-known region. Hahn paints the cultures of southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and Sudan with an eye finely tuned to ritual and social structure. Her work is straightforward in presentation tightly framed groups of people, use of the classic bust format, emphasis on shape and line but her expert use of detail grounds the work in its unique setting. Hahn is careful to include details of dress, objects, and most importantly, the beauty of the landscape; the most prominent player in these pastoralist societies. Gaby Hahn splits her time between California and Kenya. She works in both acrylic and oil and all the proceeds from the sale of her artwork benefit the Mugie school, based on the ranch she and her husband own in Kenya. www.gabyhahn.org www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Gaby_Hahn.aspx
Sylvia Ditchburn PhD
plein air painter who takes full advantage of the astounding terrain of her native Australia, Sylvia Ditchburns paintings capture the landscape at its most glowing. Ditchburn is interested in views both large and small: the shades of red in a range of desert rock formations, and every wrinkle on a single palm tree trunk, blowing in the wind. With a vivid palette and quick, decisive brushstrokes, each part of nature is whipped into life. Ditchburns work shows the vitality and personality that exists in the land without any relation to humans. It is not ornamental or functional, but moving to its own rhythm. Ditchburn currently lives in tropical North Queensland and considers her passion for nature a motivational force in her work. She works in acrylic and gouache. www.sylviaditchburn.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Sylvia_Ditchburn_PhD. aspx
Tropical Pandanus Giclee Print on Canvas 31.5 x 25.2
102
Fahim Somani
Script 1
Acrylic & Resin on Canvas
40 x 30
rts function as a connective tissue bringing disparate cultures together is crucial to the artistic practice of Pakistani-born, Houston-based painter Fahim Somani. His technique finds him mixing the visual lexicon of traditional Islamic calligraphy with a contemporary sensibility to create works that are at once reverent and fresh. His fluency in calligraphic technique allows him to experiment with acrylic paints and other materials. He creates bold-hued, thickly-layered compositions that alternately focus attention on his elegant lettering, or let the text slip in and out of the surrounding abstract forms. This flexibility in style and palette is also apparent in Somanis calligraphy itself, which ranges from ornate and classical to sparse, modern and geometric. The artists mastery of the traditional Islamic characters helps make the paintings accessible to well-versed and unfamiliar viewers alike. He manages to focus our attention on the text while allowing it to function as a potentially abstract component of each work. This use of characters as something both legible and pictorial, which evokes Basquiat, lets Somani explore different typographic styles while also permitting the calligraphy to occasionally dissolve into a field of abstract lines and colors. Thus, his paintings address the dual viewership attracted to his works form and its content. www.fahimsomani.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Fahim_Somani.aspx
Patricia Neden
atricia Nedens evocative oil abstracts explore nature in its wildest, most vital state. Nedens primary inspiration is the landscape around her: the skies, forests, stones, plains, and waters of Canada. She is a close observer of form, presenting sweeping lands with an awareness of details such as a single tuft of grass or branch of a tree. Nedens framing can be so tight that it becomes a method of abstraction in itself, as when the silhouette of a flower is cropped out and only the pattern of undulating pinks across the petals remains. In her purest abstractions, she evokes the warmth of sunlight or the scent of a plant through a tangle of paint dabs. The rise and fall of the thick oil paint on the paintings surface is a crucial element in Nedens construction of a world on canvas. But her sharpest and most enthralling observations are those of color; this is an artist who can extract sky blue from a stone wall and lime green from a ray of sunlight, and still manage to create something wholly real. Patricia Neden was born in Lachine, Quebec and continues to live and work in Canada. She also silkscreens her paintings and has practiced etching and linocut, among other techniques. www.patricianeden.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Patricia_Neden.aspx
Rockface
Oil on Canvas
60 x 40
103
Jean Louis Pauly

rench artist Jean Louis Pauly creates sublime, moving landscapes that are at once figurative in scope yet bordering on the surreal. Using a distinct combination of powerful lines, mystical light, and transparent color, Pauly transforms recognizable Parisian monuments and everyday terrains into something quite extraordinary. By employing a unique range of techniques and mediums, he breathes life into his subjects, creating a vision and ambiance that is entirely new. What results are images characterized by juxtapositions, strong impressionistic elements, and experiential vibrancy. Born in the countryside in the South of Larc de Triomphe au Printemps Acrylic & Crayon on Canvas France, Pauly has long been entranced and inspired, like masters such as Cezanne, Picasso, and Dali before him, by magical light and powerful color. He is attracted to both natural and manmade subjects around which he mixes elements of the strange and surreal. Often one finds scenes centered around a monument of Paris painted almost transparently on a colorful foreground. In his work, the artist has developed an innovative process that allows him to stage subjects, colors, and materials in unusual and intriguing ways. Central to his style is the creation of strong contrasts between colors, lines and Le Mont St Michel Acrylic & Crayon on Canvas 8 x 16 form to create a compelling impression. He has also developed a transparent glazing technique applied with a knife to add atmosphere and depth to each image. The inclusion of new mediums such as crayon in his acrylic on canvas pieces creates complexity and interest within familiar forms. In each painting, Pauly works to move away from his original subject in an effort to escape the strictly figurative and transform the image into something that is much more. In his works, the viewer is invited into a maze of color, depth, transparency, and movement. Within each piece there exists an imaginative space, where a little bit of the magical can be found in Le Sacr Cur Acrylic on Canvas 16 x 31.5 the real. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jean_Louis_Pauly.aspx
12 x 24
104
he playful spirit of Neema Lals art comes alive in a lively dance of color, as figures, spirals, and geometric designs emerge from within a raucous explosion of pigment and mark. As she paints, Lal develops a fluid spontaneity in her abstractions, fueled by an expressive freedom and vitality. These vibrantly rich and meditative works draw inspiration from Indian culture, Picasso, and Danish abstract artists, expressing the limitless possibilities and wonder of existence. The artist builds her works in a variety of mediums, combining acrylic paints, collage, and mixed media on canvas with an intuitive and looping motion. Born in the Himalayan mountains and raised in a desert region, Lal now lives in Gurgaon , India, receiving widespread exposure for her art as she exhibits throughout India and Europe, and more recently worldwide. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Neema_Lal.aspx
Camac Acrylic & Collage on Canvas 39 x 23
Neema Lal
arty Maehr works in oils on canvas, and his style makes the most of the richness of color and subtlety of shade and tone that the medium provides. My hope, he says, is to find a true blue, a deep red, a heartfelt orange. In Maehrs paintings, all of those shades appear, infused with light in a way that brings stained-glass windows to mind. But his free sense of line and dynamic sense of movement take his images into another realm. While each image has its basis in the real world a bird, a tree, a wellspring Maehr transforms each subject, breaking it up into separate areas of color. The resulting works communicate the artists ties to the natural world and illustrate his distinctive sense of form, hue and composition. www.maehrcreations.net www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Marty_Maehr.aspx
Free Spirit Rooster Oil on Canvas 48 x 24
Marty Maehr
icheline De Oliveiras ethereal acrylic and mixed media work diffuses color, light, and form to create abstracts that dare the viewer to define their content. De Oliveiras colors are alternately dabbed, scraped, or allowed to blossom softly across the canvas, resembling anything from a rain-streaked window to a colossal nebula. Forms are organic and spontaneous; the palette follows the logic of natural light. The paintings could depict images, emotions, energy, events their tonal combinations are infinitely complicated. De Oliveiras skill is to capture so much that we recognize as truth, yet still allow for wonder and mystery. De Oliveira was born in Luxembourg, where she continues to live and work today. She appreciates both the making and viewing of art as an antidote to stress. www.konschtportal.lu/gal-m-de-oliveira.html www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Micheline_De_Oliveira. aspx
Micheline De Oliveira
Zoo Acrylic & Collage on Canvas 31.5 x 24 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
105
Zo
n her mixed media paintings, Australian, Taiwanese-born artist Zo seeks beauty in a variety of subjects, from female forms, animals, and landscapes, to more abstract compositional elements. Using, ink, oils, pencils, and a variety of other materials, she traces the beauty of the physical while capturing the wildness and rawness of the internal human experience. For Zo, painting is a fusion of paint, canvas, and mental imagery, enabling the creation of another elevated reality as she allows the image to evolve as it may. Completed in a single sitting, these paintings contain a freshness and immediacy not often seen in the fine art world, as well as a vibrant life force that erupts from the canvas. Colors are muted and highly emotive, highlighting an implicit tension between geometrical and organic shapes and forms. Alongside her painting, Zo also writes poetry which both echoes and inspires her visual work, composing at night in that mystical and subliminal time between wakefulness and sleep. For Zo, her paintings and writings spontaneously express themselves across the page and the canvas, evoking the deep internal mysteries of the human spirit. For me, art is a process whereby some kind of magic takes place. The canvas is my confessional, a waking dream where I am able to both create and experience my state of reality at the same time It is something that comes from very deep inside me. Based in Sydney, Australia, where she also works as an attorney, Zo is a rising art star, both locally and internationally. She has had several solo exhibitions (see page 93 for a photo of her solo Sydney exhibition this year) and her paintings form part of private and corporate collections throughout Australia and Malaysia. She was Delicate Mixed Media on Canvas 40 x 30 the selected artist of 2013 for the annual Artist Series by Malaysian fashion designers Shen-Tel and Sereni, and her paintings were reproduced on exclusive design textiles.Her work will be at Agora Gallery from October 29 to November 19, with the opening reception on November 7.
Dont Hide the Madness, Follow Your Inner Moonlight Oil on Canvas 30 x 40
Zo
www.artbyzoe.org www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Zoe_Paterson.aspx 106

Tricia Kaman
he portrait and figurative paintings of Tricia Kaman are strong in detail and rich in emotive expression. Working directly from live models, Kaman has developed an artistic process by which she gathers information via an unspoken dialog between painter and subject. In this way, she is able to glean glimpses of that persons soul, resulting in paintings that capture the unique personal, physical, and spiritual qualities inherent in every human. Compositional elements add emotional depth to Kamans renderings of the figure. She is masterful at using light and shadow to create ambience and expressionistic appeal. Above all, Kaman is able to capture beauty and elegance, using the dimensions of the physical body a choice made all the more powerful and complex by the strong energy that emanates from each subject. As she explains, Working with living models adds a sacred dimension to my painting. It allows me to witness the beauty of the human form and the divine element of the human soul. Tricia Kamans work has won awards in both national and international competitions, and has been featured in major art publications. She also served for eight years as the Ohio Ambassador for the Portrait Society of America.
Brendas Miraculous Medal Oil on Canvas 48 x 36
www.triciakaman.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tricia_Kaman.aspx
Yukihiro Murai
ukihiro Murais surreal and otherworldly aesthetic results from a confluence of formative influences, including Renaissance paintings, traditional Japanese art, and contemporary Manga comics. His imagery therefore maintains a historical tenor while also being very modern, juxtaposing signs of divergent periods such as calligraphy and neon light lettering, mythical creatures with cartoon-like characters, and works in monochrome tones with others that ripple in glowing, saturated hues. Through his dazzling compositions, Murai taps into a very powerful and evocative modern notion of being simultaneously in the past, present and future, of feeling the influence of history all the while hurtling into the unknown. His enigmatic digital prints are typically structured around a central figure surrounded by secondary forms and constellation-like patterns of jewels, eyes, leaves and flowers. This rich, information-filled imagery fuses such temporally and culturally disjointed elements into complex and endlessly fascinating works whose incredible levels of detail add immeasurably to their immediate appeal. He creates works that are both playful and engaging by bringing the irreverent humor of Pop art into dialogue with the mysticism of traditional calligraphy. The densely packed and precisely rendered layers of visual information in Murais prints offer an immersive and unpredictable journey through time. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Yukihiro_Murai.aspx
bosats
Digital Print on Metallic Paper
14.5 x 10
107
erry Andersons arresting acrylic paintings meld the intimate and the majestic to create images that are more vision than reality. Anderson pares down sweeping desert landscapes and monumental figure studies to a few graphic contours and primary colors, with a flattened perspective and an expertly balanced composition of warm and cool. His unique spiritual atmosphere, at once endearing and grand, comes from his personal approach of combining what he calls female and masculine energies the female through curvilinear and flowing forms and the male through bold colors and strong contrasts. In this way he creates a peak that arcs like a womans back, and a figure that bestrides the world like a colossus. Anderson lives in northern California. His work has been exhibited across the United States and in Europe. www.jerryanderson-art.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jerry_Anderson.aspx
Jerry Anderson
Shifting Sands
Acrylic on Canvas
24 x 36
Anne-Marie Crosby
nne-Marie Crosby says that the world in her paintings is real enough so that the viewer recognizes what he is looking at and impressionistic enough to feed my soul. Crosbys landscapes are dominated by skies in an astonishing array of colors. Each sky is a mix of shades that she orchestrates to create a feeling of depth, air and space. The wispiness of clouds, the subtleties of light playing across the horizon and the areas that seem to recede into the distance all come vividly to life. Working mostly in oils on panel, Crosby uses the intensity of oil paints with a sure hand. But she says that formal effort alone cannot explain her technique, which she calls as unconsciously accomplished when I work as is breathing. www.anne-mariecrosby.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Anne__Marie_Crosby.aspx
Infinity 1
Oil on Panel
36 x 36
Julie Fletcher
ustralian photographer Julie Fletcher captures the exquisite essence of nature through her electrically-colored photographs. Allowing her innate sense of adventure to direct her to her subjects, Fletcher follows her spirit throughout all the corners of Australia in order to create her vivid, arrestingly evocative landscape photographs. Saturated, glowing colors permeate these works, with the dynamic energy of the wild made palpable and alluring. Using a digital camera, low light and long exposures, Fletcher creates her masterpieces out of a deeply reverent respect for nature. My passion for photography centers on my love for Australia, adventure and the great outdoors, she explains. Julie Fletcher has been a professional photographer for many years and currently works as a Getty Images photographer. She has exhibited her artistic photographs throughout her native Australia, where she currently lives and works. www.juliefletcherphotography.com.au www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Julie_Fletcher.aspx
Milky Way
Photograph on Glossy Paper
12 x 20
108
Brady Steward
etting the work to speak, Brady Steward says, you really have to take it to the edge and then some. Stewards innovative art, which encompasses glass sculptures and mixed media works that incorporate wood and industrial materials, provides vivid examples of his boundarybreaking philosophy. His sculptures combine elemental intensity with a freedom of approach, delicacy of touch and a well-developed eye for color and construction to create a highly original world. I like the sculpture to be fluid and abstract, he notes, though his abstractions have a strong physical quality. His interest in water and fluidity is tied to the physicality of the human body (veins look like rivers and arroyos, he says), resulting in pieces that seem to exist on several different levels at once. Net Series Mixed Media 32.5 x 32 x 24.5 Stewards pieces in glass give that material an unusual degree of weight and density by letting dark colors dominate, with only occasional hints of light and transparency peeking through. He uses a wide variety of techniques, including sculpture molds and cast glass as well as free-form and spontaneous blown glass. His mixed media pieces deftly mix a variety of textures and shapes. But whatever technique or materials he uses, the artist exhibits a raw power that takes him, and the viewer, into uncharted territory. www.bradysteward.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Brady_Steward.aspx
Fernando Braune
he artistic process of Brazilian artist Fernando Braune may begin with photographs, but the work that goes into each piece involves much more than conventional photography. Capturing each shot many of which portray street scenes from Rio de Janeiro, where he is based is only the beginning; thereafter he creates black and white prints of his images, which he transforms using watercolors, crayons and pastels. He then digitizes the resulting mixed media works, transforming and tweaking them further, before printing the resulting compositions on 100% cotton paper. Braunes images combine multiple photographs and other visual elements for an effect that is Element Y Photograph on Hahnemhle Paper 20 x 28 distinctly urban and contemporary, echoing his multidisciplinary process. Overlaid fragments of photos superimpose street scenes, architectural details, portraits, and more, to which his painted and pastel modifications add surprising bursts of color and bold chunks of text. The interactions between these disparate elements are made all the more dramatic by Braunes choice of palette, which varies radically with black and white sections that approach a chiaroscuro effect evocative of film noir, while other areas glow with bright, saturated tones. The finished works, hybrids of digital and analog, modern and traditional methods, are full of sharp contrasts and disjointed formal elements, yet achieve an original and attractive balance. www.fernandobraune.com.br www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Fernando_Braune.aspx
109
Image by Catherine Gaillard Perez
New York City: Evoking the Muse

The Muse - she was once the female platonic ideal, a deity, a sage, a goddess; and for hundreds of years the blessing of a Muse was essential for the creation of art. For many artists, the Muse is alive and well, infusing the psyche with a gust of the divine, to inspire not imitation but new insights. For many years Agora Gallerys Director Angela di Bello has privately addressed the issue of new art forms with artists from every corner of the world. This dialogue has culminated in her theory that todays muse is often either a physical place or a place in the heart. Over the past ten years artists have discussed with her the inspiration that becomes manifest when they are exposed to the spirit and energy of New York City. In Evoking the Muse artists share their experiences of the city. Angela would like to thank Judy, Wendy, Therese, Tatiana, Anna and Bharati for their evocative and powerful contributions, and encourage others to share their experiences with us for the November 2013 issue of ARTisSpectrum.
110
Judy Talacko
I was awed and touched by the resilience, strength and respect felt at Ground Zero.
In four days we visited the Chelsea Market, Ground Zero, Staten Island, Times Square, walked the streets of New York, and went to the Top of the Rock on the evening of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting. We went to the Picasso exhibition at the Guggenheim. We also spent much time exploring Central Park, and, of course, attended the splendid exhibition opening at Agora Gallery on the twenty-ninth of November. We also saw two shows on Broadway, The Heiress and Nice Work if You Can Get It. The latter is strongly recommended! Brilliant production, I loved it. I have been greatly touched by this journey. I found myself trying to take as many photos as possible, including photos featuring the United States flag. The biggest impressions on me have been the friendliness of the people, which started from the minute we boarded the plane in London. I have been emotionally moved over and over. I was awed and touched by the resilience, strength and respect felt at Ground Zero. The Freedom Tower is inspirational, as it rises beside the footprints of the Twin Towers. From the Remembrance Park, it rises, giving hope and faith for the future and, for me, emphasizes the strength of the nation based on the liberty and fraternity which is the hallmark of the USA. You can see I am greatly moved by it all. It was an amazing four days and I hope I shall return again. Many thanks to all at Agora once again for adding to the enjoyment of our stay. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Judy_Talacko.aspx
111
I could have sat in the great lobby all day staring at the magnificent ceilings.
Wendy Carmichael Bauld
My exhibition Degrees of Abstraction with so many other talented artists was going to be the highlight of a trip to New York I had been planning with my husband, daughter and friends, for months. We decided to stay at The Plaza which was an experience in and of itself with its ornate architecture, design and ambiance of an era where many great people have stayed. I could have sat in the great lobby all day staring at the magnificent ceilings and wow - they must hold so many secrets - if they could only speak about the people who have walked beneath them, theyd certainly have a story or two to tell! The night before my exhibition we were thrilled to be able to go to see Letterman. What an experience because on television The Letterman Show, in what was formerly the old Ed Sullivan theater, appears to be this massive place, but once inside, its actually much smaller, which makes for a much more intimate setting. We found this fascinating, especially the array of lighting, camera, audio / video equipment which looked chaotic and unorganized, but once the show went live the production came together like a fine tuned orchestra. Dave was sharp, warm and welcoming and as always, I found his quick wit quite entertaining. After the theater was emptied, we were truly thrilled to be able to go up on stage for a bit of a tour. Then we checked out the old Green Room with photos displayed of many other famous stars from the past. It was truly a walk down history lane. We even had a few minutes for a photo op. My husband sat in Daves chair and I guess you could say I was his guest sitting in the chair beside him. Very surreal, but what a thrill! The following night was my opening reception at Agora Gallery. I truly am in awe of these amazing people, who I call my New York family. They are supportive, articulate and each one top notch in their particular field. In other words, they know their stuff! Their constant guidance, knowledge and expertise helps all of us as artists to fulfill our dreams, and to be the best we can be. The Agora team were truly thrilled to see us succeed and just as thrilled to be of service to not only artists, but the other end of the spectrum of designers, and professionals who may be in need of the many services that they provide. Its all a win-win situation, and, from my exhibit in New York, I will take away a renewed perspective on how I will portray my appreciation for this experience in my work. My experience has been life-changing, and New York cannot help but be a part of that influence. Agora Gallery, your product is art, your strength is your people! Many thanks! www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Wendy_Carmichael__Bauld.aspx
112
Therese Obergottsberger
I could feel the past, present and future of this wonderful city
I have lived in small communities in Washington my whole life. Hearing stories about New York, my experience was one of fascination. The city has a vibration that hit me as soon as I came out on 34th Street from Penn Station. I could feel the past, present and future of this wonderful city and everyones hopes and dreams. I was interested in the real New York, the small communities and how people lived in this vertical city. I was fortunate to be able to stay with a young family with two children. I was inspired by the fact that they have the world at their fingertips and so many opportunities at hand just by stepping out their door. They also have a closeness - each minute spent together is cherished. On the plane, I met a gentleman who was an engineer and helped build the Twin Towers. He had just laid off two hundred people a couple of days before the tragedy, and was in a meeting at a building next door and saw it happen. He has never been back to the site, which I understand; I lost my son on the same day a year after the tragedy, but I had to go and pay my respects. I had every emotion there: anger, disbelief, and then pride hit me. This city is a symbol to the world, which makes it America. It is a symbol of everything we as Americans believe in: freedom to express ourselves in so many different ways. I was impressed with the way the city flows so effortlessly, it seems, but in reality everyone works together to make that happen. From the NYPD to the street clean up crews to the venders, if I needed anything, all I had to do was ask. Thank you to all the people who made my first experience in New York a great one, from the gentleman who helped me with my first subway ticket purchase, to the TSA Agent who took her job seriously but smiled beautifully when she saw how long my name was, and to everyone at Agora Gallery - you gave me my chance to fulfill my dream. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Therese_Obergottsberger.aspx
113
everything begins here in New York!
Tatiana Davidov Romo
MY MUSE IS NEW YORK! This was my very first time in New York, and I have to say that I absolutely loved its never-ending vibrant energy, elegant and chic, contrasting yet harmonious architectural style of older brick buildings and modern glorious skyscrapers, bright street lights, cultural diversity and of course its well known art scene. New York is a Muse that influences art all over the world: it inspires, supports, sustains and gives birth to new artistic concepts. In other words - everything begins here in New York! My first collective exhibition at Agora Gallery brought me here, and I had an incredible opportunity to explore the city. It was hard to believe that Hurricane Sandy was here not so long ago. I am sure it wasnt easy, but New Yorkers, with their great spirit and appreciation for this city, brought it back to its best in no time! Broadway, theater, museums, Central Park and 5th Avenue and many more of New Yorks alluring tourist attractions invite you into an unforgettable journey. I loved it! I also had an amazing opportunity to see the art of Edward Munch, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall and Wassily Kandinsky at MoMA. Seeing these works in person was an incredibly mesmerizing and memorable experience - a highlight of my trip. I hope to return to New York in the near future to join artists from all over the world for another collective exhibition at Agora Gallery, and to explore even more of New Yorks fine art scene. Agora Gallery really impressed me! Its team gave so much thought, care and attention to smallest details that went into representing each artist from all over the world in this fabulous city! Talented and highly professional, they exceeded my expectations and went above and beyond to make this magic happen! Thank you Agora Gallery! www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Tatiana_Davidov_Romo.aspx
114
Anna Narday
I started seeing the city that would inspire me to paint in a way I had not done in years
I traveled to New York City in the fall of 2011 to celebrate a birthday. We planned a visit to the MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a night at Birdland jazz club, and plenty of good cuisine. I guess you could say our trip was all pretty stereotypical for a weekend in the Big Apple. Seeing great art, hearing great music and eating great food are all so easy to do in New York City! When visiting the city, its hard not to feel as though you already know the city, as films, television and music have all influenced my impressions. Our itinerary for the trip read like a page out of a guide book, and I suppose all these things inspired me as an artist when I started painting from pictures I had taken during my visit. However, the true inspiration was the city itself. In a spur of the moment decision, we took a tour of the city on one of the Yellow Bus Line tours, and there on the upper deck of a double decker bus, I started seeing the city that would inspire me to paint in a way I had not done in years. It was a brilliant day. Sunny, cloudless blue skies and the incredible architecture of old and new, both modest and ostentatious, stood out in stark relief at times and quietly drew my eye at other times. Iconic images of New York comfortably rub shoulders with ordinary life, and hold their own with recent contemporary designs: towering skyscrapers that make you dizzy as you put your head straight back to take in their precipitous heights, the majesty of the Brooklyn Bridge standing like an ancient gateway, ready to rebuff all foes if necessary, and the Neo-Gothic beauty of St. Patricks Cathedral. The ride through New York, left me breathless at times. Block after block offered up the most beautiful or sometimes jarring images: the quiet, untold story of an open doorway in a field of red brick, or the bisected, distorted image of a building of stone reflected by a tower of glass. I took over 100 pictures on that trip and I could have taken more. When I went through them at home, I found a handful of photos that captured the light, color, line and shadows that inspired my recent series Views. The paintings Ive done and continue to do are not true representational images of New York; rather, I hope they capture the excitement, wonder and diversity of this incredible city. It was surprising to me that the most touristy thing we did yielded the most wonderful views of a city I love. New York is like that: open yourself to what it has to offer and you will be amazed at how it affects, and in some cases, changes, you. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Anna_Narday.aspx
115
You wish that you had your art materials and could paint all that you see
Bharati Sagar
Back to New York after ten years, but the thrill is still the same as the first time! Lovely weather! Theres a chill in the air alright, but once you have your coat on you are ready to hit the streets. You wish that you had your art materials and could paint all that you see, but time is short, so you just take in all the colors, and make a mental note of all the picturesque scenes that you are going to sketch, once home. At Agora Gallery in Chelsea, my exhibition opened, and it was so wonderful to meet other artists from distant parts of the world, and to have the opportunity to know them and their individual styles of working. At the same time there was a Canadian show and a solo show by a Japanese artist. At least a hundred art connoisseurs, artists and art lovers thronged the gallery. They strolled around taking in the beautiful show and there were words of appreciation and queries floating around. On day two, a short visit to the gallery again and a walk in the Chelsea art district area revealed more galleries catering to art old and new. From there it was off to try some ethnic food restaurants in the neighborhood. It was indeed surprising to see that most of the patrons here were not Indian. The food was as good as back home in India! The Statue Of Liberty was to be the next stop. The ferries were all booked so I missed going up close for a better look and had to be satisfied with a long distance image and some photographs with a miniscule vision of the statue in the background. The later part of the evening was spent at the Strand bookstore to browse the huge array of books on art. You name it and they had it! Once there one encountered a totally cosmopolitan lot of people. On one side there was a group chanting Hare Rama, Hare Krishna in their meager kurtas and dhoti in the chilly weather with gusty winds blowing our caps away. On the other side there was a fortune teller from far off Africa. There she sat, a majestic figure, gazing at something that looked like a crystal glass, foretelling her predictions to a young hopeful listening intently. There was also a young lady on stilts giving out pamphlets for an upcoming program in town. All in all it was a memorable experience, but one would have to visit a few more times to get the whole picture. New York is a huge town thronging with life twenty-four seven! www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Bharati_Sagar.aspx
116
Elena Shorokhova-Gayun
East . Harem . East Bazaar Diptych
Oil & Mixed Media on Canvas
39.5 x 118
n her oil and mixed media paintings, Russian artist Elena Shorokhova-Gayun combines decorative surfaces with figurative and abstract elements to create multi-faceted images rich in visual complexity and symbolic depth. Compositions lend a sense of balance and order, accentuated by a masterful use of color meant to enhance the pervading sense of pattern that characterizes her work. What results is a distinctive original style that merges bright colors and a strong use of geometric line and shape to create a unique art form blending the past with both the present and the future. Shorokhova-Gayun draws on a range of artistic influences to define and expand her work, including the more modern Op-art and Art Deco styles, as well as the tile art of the 15th through 19th centuries. Yet what really makes ShorokhovaGayuns paintings stand out is her use of light. Using a rare technique that ensures her paintings look beautiful in diverse lighting, she is able to capture subtle shifts of light in a more decorative piece or the bold glare of the sun. In each image, the illumination seems to come from within. Shorokhova-Gayuns images are replete with symbolic elements, giving them deep meaning and rendering them full of emotive power. Her Elena Shorokhova-Gayun ornamental compositions draw from a variety of sources, including fantastic, mythological, and even grotesque creatures, to majestic lions and more traditional birds, fish, and woodland animals. Elements of heraldry and the ancient traditions of the nobility are woven throughout each piece, lending an air of antiquity and history to the overall effect. Elena Shorokhova-Gayun currently lives and works in Moscow, Russia. Her surname Shorokhova has been passed down to her through three generations of Russian artists. www.rustleart.ru www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Elena_Shorokhova__Gayun.aspx
117
Uriu Veselik
Village
Oil on Canvas
16 x 20
River in the Village
Oil on Cardboard
15 x 18
ussian painter Uriu Veselik creates compelling, memorable visual images as energetic as they are beautiful. Working primarily in oil in a style defined by a fascination with texture and color, Veselik captures a variety of subjects, from figurative portraits and nudes, to expansive landscapes and intimate glimpses of the details of nature. Applying thick layers of color characterized by an intensity of brushstroke, Veselik lends a physicality to his paintings that transforms the two-dimensional surface into an expansive space of three-dimensional depth. A hallmark of Veseliks work is the degree of movement and barely harnessed energy contained in each piece. As the viewer confronts the painting, the eye cannot help but be engaged in constant motion as it attempts to absorb the many facets and layers captured within each sophisticated composition. Even the areas of shadow provide little respite, as they are filled with unexpected hues and tones. What results are vibrant compositions that seem almost alive. Veselik has been influenced by a number of artists, including Klimt, Monet and Hodler, and like these artists, he is able to combine great visual beauty with a distinct profundity of meaning. A boldness of color, richness of texture, and complexity of form come together to expand the elemental visual characteristics of his subject and also to explore the deeper significances hidden within. There is an element of searching contained in each piece, as though Veselik is attempting to penetrate beyond the surface to see what there is to be uncovered and perhaps unearth those latent energies that so often go unseen. Regardless of whether the painting depicts the female form or a forgotten landscape, these works are rife with meaning, inspiring the viewer to look a little deeper: within the painting and perhaps within the self as well. www.vesselik.ru www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Uriu_Veselik.aspx
Winter Park
Oil on Canvas
20 x 14
118
Sonal Raje
iscovering and creating harmony within the complexity of her paintings, Sonal Raje delves into an inner emotional landscape filled with turmoil and wonder. These expressive abstractions open a dialog in color, finding freedom in the fluidity of the brushstrokes as the artist celebrates the unexpected turns her art develops. Working on paper and canvases with a variety of tools and techniques, Raje builds her surfaces in acrylic paints, allowing her intuition to direct her mark in contrasting layers of pigment and texture. After earning her diploma in Applied Art from the Sophia Polytechnic in Mumbai, India, Raje began her career as a graphic designer. Now living in Guelph, Canada and working as a professional artist, she exhibits her art globally in both solo and group shows throughout Canada, Europe, and India. www.sonalraje.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Sonal_Raje.aspx
Downpour 2 Acrylic on Paper 20 x 26
atiana Davidov Romo uses acrylics, oils and mixed media to create atmospheric, impressionistic visions of the world that cause viewers to pause and take note that they are looking at something extraordinary. Her primary mission is to intrigue viewers. I want to make you look, to make you think, to make you question, she explains, engagingly. My intention is to evoke emotion in the observer, for you to be moved, for you to be touched and unforgettably affected by what you see. The artist achieves this by incorporating unusual shapes, raised textures, color, and 3D effects that come together to form a memorable whole. Tatiana Davidov Romo was born in Russia, and she moved to Canada after graduating from college. Her Eastern European heritage has shaped her perspective and influenced her work. www.tatianadavidov.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Tatiana_Davidov_Romo. aspx
Tatiana Davidov Romo
Dream Escape
Acrylic on Canvas
50 x 44
Fabrizio Valle
abrizio Valle paints with oils, acrylics and watercolor to create intense, colorful, dreamlike images that lead the viewer deep into each piece. His brushstrokes are carefully placed to evoke a strong sense of movement within each painting, and he renders his paintings with great attention to detail to create an illusion of depth and space. To be creative is for me an interior necessity, Valle explains. My artwork is metaphysical and [inspired by] Surrealism. Although his work tends toward abstraction, there is typically a hint of reality to latch onto in each piece, which is part of what makes his work so compelling and intriguing. Fabrizio Valle was born in northern Italy. He currently lives and works in Amsterdam, and his work has been featured in numerous exhibitions. www.fabriziovalle.biz www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Fabrizio_Valle.aspx
Sun Behind the Hill Acrylic on Wood 24.5 x 24
119
erry Kindleys lyrical mixed media paintings are both unassuming and deeply complex. Kindley is motivated by what he calls a rhythmic flow of color language, an idea influenced by Abstract Expressionism and the seen and unseen parameters of light and hue in nature. Through his treatment, a rain-streaked window becomes an alternative rainbow of ghostly colors. A field of flowers becomes an ocean of smoldering yellows, grays, oranges, and greens, all depicted as fluid streaks that spark each other like energy currents. Though the work is abstract, purposeful movement and stillness are apparent. Kindley was born in North Carolina, where today he maintains a horse ranch in addition to painting. His distinctive painting technique allows him to manipulate paint solely by hand, with no instruments. www.terrykindleyfineart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Terry_Kindley.aspx
Botanical Garden Mixed Media on Masonite 72 x 72
Terry Kindley
Lola Lonli
Armageddon. Thinking Movement Mixed Media on Canvas 24 x 35.5
ola Lonli mixes global iconography, mysticism, and real-life cultural figures to create intricate images that layer pattern with surreal representation. Using paints which she makes herself from mineral pigments, Lola begins with a straightforward central image a lakeshore, a figure floating through space, Billie Hollidays face and surrounds it with exuberant, dancing line motifs. These multicolored patterns both adorn and break free of this grounded, relatively realistic first image, in an expression of the unique energy and tone of that person or place. In capturing a feel rather than a literal moment, Lola sheds light on the invisible. Lola was born in Russia and continues to teach and exhibit there. Among her most important influences, she counts a respect for the heritage and spiritual achievements of the multinational human community. www.lolalonli.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Lola_Lonli.aspx
really fell in love with the art and magic of photography through digital cameras, says Patricia Gilman. A self-taught photographer, Gilman uses the sharpness and intensity of color that shooting digitally provides to give her images of scenes, ranging from intimate views of nature to panoramic cityscapes, a heightened physical presence. With a strong sense of framing and composition, she expertly focuses the viewers attention, creating photographs that put the eye in motion, but also have an appealing sense of quiet and stillness. Gilman is always pushing the boundaries of her art, looking for other means of expression to add to her photography, from hand painting directly onto an image to Polaroid Transfers. That sense of searching and discovery results in work with a unique sense of life and energy. www.patriciagilmanstudio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Patricia_Gilman.aspx
Blue Eyed Icelandic Pony Digital Print on Fine Art Paper 18 x 27
Patricia Gilman
120
Donna Shaffer
onna Shaffers nimble ink paintings are nature studies unlike any other: a new genre that mixes precision with the freedom of flowing liquid. Shaffer builds her forms out of balanced washes and bright, saturated bursts of color which are expertly organized but still bend and bleed when they need to. The rush of a current of water, the surprise of a new flower petal, and the delicacy of a single leaf all appear with the same tangibility. Subtle variations in line and an array of forms keep the composition moving and tense. Opacity and transparency intertwine to create incredibly vivid, believable textures while at the same time making no attempt at photorealism. Instead, Shaffers work traffics in the heightened and the surrealistic, with a certain stream of consciousness aesthetic that guides the viewer through the commotion and beauty of the wild world. Shaffer calls herself an abstract naturalist artist, seeking her own interpretation of nature. Donna Shaffer was born in California and has exhibited throughout New England and Pennsylvania. She is a sculptor as well as a painter, using a variety of found natural materials including branches, clay, stones, glass, and roots. www.donnashafferartist.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Donna_Shaffer.aspx
Nebuli Ink & Brush on Paper 36 x 24
Olivia Kapoor
love making paintings that create an atmosphere in which the viewers eyes are continuously moving around, says Olivia Kapoor, and indeed she creates works whose dynamic compositions, bright colors and varied textures encourage that motion. The artist, who describes her works as futuristic and abstract, gives her images an otherworldly air, with dark backgrounds lending an air of mystery to the vibrantly colored figures that take center stage. Working with acrylics on canvas, she lets the paint take on a life of its own. Vigorous brushstrokes play off against subtly modulated fields of color in just one of the sets of contrasts that characterize her works. Kapoors artworks present an appealing balance of freedom and order. Spontaneous, freely drawn images are placed next to rigorously geometrical patterns, and the back-andforth between those styles accounts for much of the energy in her paintings. But even that energy is part of a contrast. My technique, she notes, is very relaxed and meditative. Citing such artists as Van Gogh, Dali and Monet as influences, Oasis Acrylic on Canvas 48 x 48 Kapoor explains that her primary goal is to communicate her vision to the viewer. The great thing about the end result, she says, is that it is able to speak for itself, tell a story. www.dollyink.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Olivia_Kapoor.aspx
121
ARTbeat ARTbeat
122
Agora Gallery is proud to represent talented artists from all over the world, many of whom are inspired by their surroundings. Each location is different and possesses a unique atmosphere. Naturally, the art in each place also varies, imparting a particular feeling to the art scene and influencing artists in certain ways. In ARTbeat, some of our artists explain what they think is most characteristic and special about the art scene in the city where they live.
by Ermina Avramidou Perhaps against all odds, Greek art continues to prove to be an emphatic player in the international art scene, with a vigor and ingenuity all the more germane in times of economic recession and sociopolitical crisis. One of the last urban seafronts in Southeastern Europe, Thessaloniki, is Greeces second largest city, tucked between relics of Byzantine antiquity, avant-garde art galleries, bohemian nightclubs, and culinary hot spots. Historically one of Europes oldest and multi-ethnic cities, the best way to get a tangible sense of the citys soul is by walking around the centuries old street markets, from Ano Poli to Aristotelous Square, strolling through the kaleidoscope of Louloudadika, or promenading by the seaside with a view of the citys landmark, the 14th century White Tower. And although the Euro crisis has caused discontentment, Thessaloniki continues to endure and demonstrate several significant projects on an institutional level. Premier among them is the Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, the largest meeting point for international artists and various artistic practices, organized since 2011 by the 5 Museums Movement (5M) and bringing together the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Museum of Byzantine Culture, the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, the Teloglion Foundation of Art (Aristotle University) and the leader of the project, the State Museum of Contemporary Art Costakis Collection. This year the Thessaloniki Biennale will be organized for the fourth consecutive year with a program yet to be announced (for more information http://biennale3.thessalonikibiennale.gr/en/mainpage). The 5 Museums Movement regularly promotes exhibitions and art events with an international focus. Another equally important contemporary art event in Thessaloniki is the annual Alternative meeting, which has been running since 2001 in the ex-military camp of Karabournaki, in Kalamaria, east of the city center. Action Field Kodra, as it is called, focuses on young artists and experimental creativity aspiring to be a dynamic form of non-museum exhibition in Southeastern Europe, presenting the greatest trends in art painting, video, photography, installations and new technology. By means of hosting artists, the event attracts art theorists and curators who are interested in visual arts as one of the most penetrating mechanisms of understanding political circumstances as well as one of the most intrusive methods of speech. Action Field Kodra systematically expands on both regional and international high quality artistic creation, while it has enriched its program with an international conference articulating original discourse on issues of art theory, philosophy and cultural research in dialogue with the festivals main program and central concept (http://www.actionfieldkodra.gr/). For artists and audiences alike, the Thessaloniki art scene is one deserving of its prominent status among the international milieu. Rooted in axioms of experimentation and soaring in interpretive thought, the city and its artistic venues welcome participants to join in as it inaugurates a new vision of the European classical tradition.
Thessaloniki, Greece
photographs taken by Aris Rammos
123
Reykjavik, Iceland
by Bui Kristjansson Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, which is a sparsely populated country inhabited only along the coast, that thrives on fishing, tourism, aluminium and software. An active volcanic island situated on the Atlantic Ridge, Iceland is dominated by mountains. The inland part of the country is a plateau region, and Iceland is the largest wilderness in Europe. One of Icelands hallmarks is clean air and clear water. Icelandic art has always been heavily influenced by the spectacular landscape that ice and fire has shaped through the ages. Iceland was first settled by Vikings around 800 AC from the British Islands and Scandinavia. Iceland is in many ways different from Europe in terms of culture and tradition. Icelanders are migrants who settled here in a new country, and, being settlers, having a broad perspective and openness to new ideas was necessary. Icelanders have a powerful tradition of travelling and studying abroad. Because of the small population, Icelanders must be more extrovert than introvert in order to survive. This has had a major influence on art in Iceland post World War II. The powerful old landscape painting tradition had to give in to a strong group of abstract painters, who were strongly influenced by the French abstract movement and it lasted until the 1960s. In the 1970s, a large number of Icelandic artists studied in the Netherlands and were influenced by the Conceptual Art Movement. This movement had deep effects on the art scene in Iceland and still has a large impact today. But despite these influences, the powerful landscape tradition of the past did evolve in an extraordinary way within a small group of artists, and it is something that all art lovers who come to Reykjavik must see. I encourage every visitor to go to museums and galleries to see this Icelandic art, which is unique in many ways. It is not easy to access Icelandic artists, as studios are somewhat scattered around the city of Reykjavik, but there are some strong galleries that can help one to access the artists. The artists are more than willing to show their studios and are open to receiving visitors. The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists opens all galleries in November, giving art enthusiasts an opportunity to visit artists studios. The art district of Reykjavik is all within walking distance of the old town center and the harbor. In that area there are also many cafes and restaurants. There are several facilities made available for rent to foreign artists by The Association of Icelandic Visual Artists. There are also many private spaces all around the countryside that one can rent to be surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Reykjavik attracts tourists and artists from all over the world because of its nature and the power of the pure northern air. 124
Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

by Rick Edmonds The Nelson / Marlborough region occupies the northern area of New Zealands South Island. With a reasonably small population (approximately 120,000 people), it boasts a thriving and vibrant art community, helped by a combination of artistic heritage, spectacular natural scenery, laid-back lifestyle and pleasant climate. The natural beauty of the area has long attracted artists. With three national parks, many golden coastal beaches, and beautifull mountains with bush and rivers abounding, the light, form, and color of the area have long inspired creative endeavor. The creative people work in a variety of different disciplines and media; the region includes a rich abundance of painters, potters, sculptors, writers, musicians and actors who have chosen to make this piece of paradise their home. The indigenous heritage is strong in the area, and some notable Maori artists are combining their heritage with a desire to communicate to the world their own particular vision and understanding of their environment. My own particular back yard is the Marlborough Sounds; 1,700 kilometers of sheltered waterways that in one small province comprises over 10% of New Zealands total coastline. Fingers of land intertwine with fingers of sea, so that one is never sure which is invading the other. The water is deep, and the bush falls right to the coastal edge. For a marine artist such as myself, the inspiration is endless. Growing up in such a place, the compulsion to be an artist was inexplicably linked with the desire to interpret this outstanding natural environment. The arts community also benefits from many galleries and studios dotted around the region. The Suter Art Gallery in Nelson is New Zealands oldest purpose built art gallery. It houses a collection of significant New Zealand art, and hosts exhibitions showcasing many notable local and national artists. Nelson art educators are recognized as being among the best in the country, and many talented young creative people are being encouraged to find their artistic voice in this nurturing, stimulating, and inspiring environment.
125
Cairns, Australia
by Josie Lowerson A remote location situated thousands of kilometers from major capital city art scenes doesnt necessarily result in a deprivation of knowledge, innovation or creativity. With the benefit of technology and an international airport, places such as Cairns, in the far north of Queensland, Australia can easily keep pace with artistic trends from all around the world. Situated in a unique position on the tropical coast, Cairns is surrounded by diverse geographical features such as the Great Barrier Reef, World Heritage listed rainforests, and soaring mountain ranges with outback regions inland of the Tablelands. The climate and pristine locations attract an extraordinary and diverse group of contemporary visual artists, sculptors, print makers, photographers, graffiti and performance artists. As a relatively young city in historical terms, Cairns is a place that has shown a willingness to embrace and appreciate all forms of creative practice. There is a refreshing level of sophistication and cultural awareness amongst those who practice in this remote area. In the center of the city, the Cairns Regional Gallery has been the longest running gallery in the area, and has a strong reputation for bringing major national and international traveling exhibitions to the region. This beautiful old gallery is well respected for its efforts in forging strong relationships with emerging and established local artists, as well as encouraging young artists through its innovative educational programs. The CRG also takes pride in promoting local indigenous art, and a large part of its schedule is devoted to increasing individual profiles. Forward thinking by local government authorities has resulted in an impressive display of public art on the Esplanade and around public venues. The airport has an impressive array of cast aluminum sculptures titled Termite mounds by indigenous artist Thancoupie, and the lagoon pool on the beach features Woven fish which are stainless steel sculptures by Torres Straits islander artist Brian Robinson. Public art and graffiti laneways are located all around the city and outlying regions. Artists colonies and private and commercial galleries are also located in Cairns, Kuranda Village, Port Douglas and the Tablelands. Situated behind the giant Jelly Babies sculptures near the center of Cairns is the KickArts Gallery, which is another gallery that strongly collaborates with contemporary artists and features a myriad of video, performance and visual artists. Strongly supported by its members, patrons and artists, this gallery strives to support artists who want to push boundaries. Also on the same site is Djumbanji Press, a printmaking workshop that specializes in the print process, and promotes the huge, intricately detailed linocuts and etchings produced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander artists. Cairns is host to one of the largest indigenous art fairs in the world, and each year thousands of interstate and overseas visitors flock to the area to view the eclectic mix of native cultural art. The art scene in Cairns and its outlying regions can only be described as fresh and energetic, as it encompasses so many different styles, practices and passions. Artists tend to be extremely well informed and up-to-date with current artistic practices, as isolation means that individuals cannot restrict themselves to their own environment. It is necessary to inquire, explore, research and progress in order to grow as an artist and the extensive breadth and diversity of artists in this area is proof that remoteness is an incentive, not a handicap, to the creative process. 126 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com
Lima, Peru
by Mili DC Hartinger Under the cloudy sky of the coast of Peru lies Lima - a city that has overcome its grayish hue with its flavors, sounds, and visual expression. This is a city where waiting for a green light can become a dance show or attending an exhibit can also mean visiting a beautiful monumental house. Over the past few years galleries and cultural events have been emerging in our capital. To speak of the art scene in Lima, we must begin with the Museo de Arte en Lima or MALI. MALI is home to the work of great Peruvian artists throughout history. It is of Neo-Renaissance style architecture, surrounded by a multitude of gardens and statues. It was built in 1869 with the purpose of hosting the first art exhibit in Lima. Their permanent collection includes graphic pieces by Camilo Blas, to name just one example, as well as pieces dated 3,000 years back. Here, we can also find the photographs of the late Martin Chambi from the early 1900s. Regarding contemporary art, Barranco is known for being the artists district. Here we can find historic houses that are now galleries, such as Lucia de la Puente and the Museo de Osma. The Museo de Osma was built originally as a house in the early 1900s, and is now known for being not only one of the most beautiful and well kept houses in Barranco, but also for its viceregal art collection. Museo de Arte Contemporneo, or MAC, has recently opened its doors to the public with the objective of promoting artists and their art. In the corner of Pedro de Osma street is MATE, an art gallery focused on the work of globally recognized Mario Testino. Currently the gallery is exhibiting Testinos Todo o Nada. Another gallery near this area is 35-yearold Forum, which has hosted the exhibits of many artists, including the famous Fernando de Szyszlo. Photography is a growing art in Peru. Every year in August the Centro de la Imagen hosts Lima Photo. This is an international exhibition of galleries specializing in photography. It is a great event where the work of diverse artists come together for us to appreciate, enjoy and also learn about the artistic trends happening in other parts of the world. In 2012, the city also hosted of the Bienal de Fotografa. During this time, Lima became the place where multiple international photography exhibits, workshops and lectures were held. Lima is the past and the present. With the passing of each day there are more talented artists and worthy galleries. Its a place to grow and discover.
127
Central Oregon, USA

by Stuart Gordon Its no secret that citizens of the great Pacific Northwest love their coffee and microbrewed beer. But in the small and mid-sized communities that make up Central Oregon, residents are just as passionate and excited about their art, which is celebrated year-round in a number of ways. One of the most popular is the city of Bends monthly First Friday Art Walks. Although Bend is not a big urban center like Portland, you wouldnt know it on the night of an Art Walk. The venues downtown and at the swank Old Mill shopping district are packed even during Central Oregons harsh winter months when the snow is flying. Galleries and other businesses stay open late into the night serving wine and hors doeuvres as patrons schmooze with the local artists whose creations are on display. Bend, the largest community in the region with some 85,000 residents, also hosts one of the most prestigious juried outdoor art shows in the nation. Art in the High Desert was ranked in the top 25 events nationwide for sales of fine art in 2012. Greg Lawlers Fine Art SourceBook ranked the popular event as the 14th best fine arts festival in the nation based on sales. The art community in Central Oregon is very diverse, says Pamela Hulse Andrews, publisher of Cascade Arts & Entertainment, a monthly magazine devoted to spreading the word about the regions vibrant art community. The character of the artwork is reflected in the personality of the distinctive communities that comprise Central Oregon. In Madras, you can find Native American artists and work influenced by the presence of the Warm Springs Reservation. In Prineville, art and artists reflect the towns Western cowboy heritage. In Bend, Redmond and Sunriver, one can see the influence of the beautiful Deschutes River and nearby Cascade Mountain Range in the strong penchant for producing landscapes in painting, watercolors and photography. The area has its share of affluent residents, many of whom have summer homes in Bend, and who collect and appreciate the arts. One major patron of the arts over the years has been Brooks-Scanlon, a former lumber company turned realty firm that underwrote several nationally recognized sculptors to create large outdoor pieces for Bends largest traffic roundabouts. Such generosity has its rewards. In Oregon, donations to the arts earn you state tax credits. Although Central Oregon boasts 36 art galleries, there still doesnt seem to be enough wall space to accommodate all the fine artists seeking exhibit space. Local coffeehouses, restaurants, microbreweries, libraries, golf course, clubhouses and even salons have gotten into the act by providing wall space for artists. Andrews says the local art community seems to have rebounded from the hit it took during the nationwide economic recession. Although several galleries went out of business during the downturn, many others survived, and new ones have recently opened. The new model for local galleries seems to be cooperatives that exhibit the work of several artists ranging in media, and who also financially support the gallery with membership fees. Clearly, the community generously embraces its artists. But Central Oregons artists also find ways to repay that support. Donated artwork is often the backbone of fund-raising auctions held to support art education for children, the High Desert Museum and several local non-profit organizations. Its safe to say that art is woven into the fabric of the Central Oregon community for years to come.
128
Hamilton, Bermuda
by Huguette Vincent Bermuda is a 21 square mile semitropical paradise situated in the Atlantic Ocean, and a two hour flight from New York City will land you on our beautiful pink sandy seashores. Rest assured, however, that Bermuda is much more than its beaches. This small cluster of islands is packed with art galleries and studios and art activities abound all year round, celebrating the excellence of Bermudas artists, who are often inspired by the incredible range of blues and turquoises in its waters. Some of the most renowned and well frequented galleries are The Bermuda Society of the Arts (BSOA) and the Bermuda National Gallery, both located in the heart of Hamilton, Bermudas capital. The Bermuda Society of the Arts (BSOA), often referred to as The peoples Art Gallery, hosts approximately 50 shows per year exhibiting an array of artistic styles, ranging from traditional to modern/contemporary. The Bermuda National Gallery, on the other hand, is home to Bermudas national art collection. The permanent exhibits include paintings by island artists, as well as European masters like Gainsborough and Reynolds. It also houses African masks and sculptures, as well as photographs by internationally known artists, such as Bermudian Richard Saunders (1922-87). The fine and decorative art pieces in the Bermuda Collection reflect the countrys multicultural heritage. Located at the far western tip of the island, and equally as interesting, is the Bermuda Arts Centre at Dock Yard, which offers a forum for local contemporary artists. Centrally located and nested in theBotanical Gardens is Master Works Museum of Bermuda Arts. StemsiArt, by artist Karl Sternath, in partnership with Barracuda Grill, one of Bermudas most popular restaurants, has created an informal art gallery in the restaurants establishment. It is an arrangement with advantages for both parties. Barracudas management is thrilled to have beautiful art adorning their walls, and StemsiArt benefits from the exposure. StemsiArt has a similar arrangement with a local dental office, Smiles Inc., where a number of art pieces are on display. In addition to its galleries, Hamilton offers a number of art related activities, one of which is Bermuda Art in the Dark, a unique event combining good food and art appreciation. It uses restaurants as exhibition spaces or art galleries. Here, patrons can have something to eat while viewing the work of local Bermuda artists. The event also allows collectors the opportunity to buy a special piece. In summary, art enthusiasts will discover creative enjoyment and inspiration in the most unexpected places in Bermuda it can be found in the incredible shades of its waters, the clarity of its skies, the soothing pinks of its beaches, the lush greens of its foliage and even in the friendliness of its people.
129
Subscribe to ARTisSpectrum
The Gift of Contemporary Art
Receive four wonderful issues of ArtisSpectrum, featuring profiles of contemporary art and artists and important articles. Two year Subscription: $24 for US, $35 for international.
www.artisspectrum.com/subscribe.html
130
Beautiful, light-lled spaces connect three centuries of landmark architecture, offering visitors an intimate and engaging encounter with the great span of Western achievement in art, literature, and music.
The Morgan Library & Museum

In the Heart of Midtown Manhattan Madison Ave. at 36th St.
themorgan.org
Pierpont Morgans 1906 Library (East Room). Photography by Graham Haber, 2010.
131

The Artist Spectrum

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

The Artist Spectrum

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

ARTisSpectrum

Volume 29 The Chelsea Perspective

Become a World-Famous Artist

The Step-by-Step Guide pg. 21

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Profiles of Contemporary Art and Artists

D E LAWA R E C E N T E R F O R THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS

ImPERFECT CITY: A real-time participatory exhibition. Feb 9 - June 16, 2013

200 South Madison Street Wilmington, DE 19801 302.656.6466 www.thedcca.org

ATIONAL TOURS: WW PRIVATE GUIDED & EDUC

liam Laziza Kathleen and Wil W.MICROMUSEUM.BIZ

ARTISTS WITH FOUNDING

IZA KATHLEEN & WILLIAM LAZ

0132014 2 EXHIBITION DATES

RDAYS EXHIBITION HOURS: SATU

IMPROVISATION MAKE PERFECT March 6 October 28 QUICK DRAW November 2 May 15

S SPECIAL APPOINTMENT & ART SALES

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

The Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Exhibition

530 West 25th Street, New York, NY www.Agora-Gallery.com

Printed by The CPC Group.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

16 March 9 June 2013

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

51 108 73 57 95 109 96 15 73 14 74 18 18 75 66 121 64 24 94 117 45 119 103 99 109 19 77 14 96 89 102 97 10 51 102 55 76

59 69 65 58 13 62 24 68 77 38 119 68 63 19 102 89 99 88 56 119 66 120 75 37 107 118 20 25 62 52 95 16 53 74 107 64 106

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Book now Until 12 May 2013

TATE.ORG.UK PIMLICO / WESTMINSTER TATEGALLERY @TATE

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

About the Cover

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Evas Geduld und Adams Qualitat

Acrylic & Ink on Canvas

Acrylic & Ink on Canvas

51 x 47 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Geomet Series #154

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Mixed Media on Canvas

Painting is my emotional response to my environment,

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

...and still create your art?

Are you able to...

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Promethee Ou La Legende Du Feu Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 22

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Le Sang Des Anges

Histoire DHumanite Acrylic on Canvas 18 x 22 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

World Renowned Artist Overnight!

Photography by Keith Butler

he instantaneous triumph promised above, for better or

A Blip on the Landscape

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Inside Looking Out

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

Spotlight on Berenice Michelow

Berenice in her Studio

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 29 | artisspectrum.com

My motivation is the challenge to integrate the subject matter with my medium.