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Elba Alvarez Alvarez was born in Pedernales, Venezuela in 1944. At the age of 18 she went to Europe and studied in Paris. She came to the United States in 1968 carrying the ideas and visions which would fill her canvases with bold, striking colors. The paintings that Alvarez created caused gallery after gallery to lavish high praise for her innovative and provocative abstracts. She was encouraged to set up a studio in New York City. Through years of studying and experimentation her talents have evolved into a highly unique and engrossing style of painting. Edward Andrew Edward Andrew was born in America in the early 1950’s. Andrew paints in a realistic, impressionist style, painting his favorite European scenes. Capturing the warmth and beauty of province, his use of light is what gives the work a special, romantic quality that draws people into each painting. Most impressive is Andrew’s use of shadow. He clearly captures the depth of each scene by his rich use of color, outlined by the blending of shades and light displayed across each canvas. Kenneth Appelbaum Born 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio Kenneth’s brother Stuart sent him his first camera, a type of Nikon called a Nikkormat in 1970. Kenneth has used Nikon systems ever since. He also uses a larger format camera made by Hasselblad. When he received his first camera he was living in Tucson, Arizona. While going to Pima College for unrelated subjects he started working at a local Photography Studio. His first teacher although he is for the most part self-taught was a legally blind photographer. With a weak optic nerve Kenneth assisted him by focusing in the darkroom while learning the art. Learning about black and white only he became a purest for about the next 25 years. In 1995 Ken was still only shooting with his one Nikon, one lense, never using color film, lenses, flash, filter, tripod or anything other than a manual camera. He then took a course that changed all that. Studying with a world class and world-renowned photographer Joseph Meehan he extended his horizons considerably. Updating his equipment, using tripods, color film, different lenses, flash and subjects his art continued to evolve considerably. In 1997 he enrolled in a course taught by another world-class photographer Miss Linda Summers. He studied and ran the darkroom there for 2 years honing all his skills and concentrating on black and white fine art. Ken’s art is very diverse. He has a feel for life that goes beyond what maybe socially acceptable or even spoken. He has the eye we so often hear about yet rarely experience. Kenneth is a freelance photographer in Boca Raton, Florida. Because of his many years experience he is able to shoot many types of subjects with great feeling and the unique ability to bring out the essence of the subject. Gallery Exhibits include: Palm Beach Community College, Shining Through Book Store, Boca City Hall Gallery, Patch Reef Park Gallery, E.P. Pro Lab Gallery. Tony Azzito Azzito was born with a paint brush in hand in the late 50’s. He was heavily influenced by the POP phenomenon during his childhood, which is reflective in his art style. A self-taught artist, Azzito has developed a style uniquely his own. Utilizing mostly primary colors in his work, Azzito incorporates a wonderful use of abstract with clean line POP icons. Hailed as the “Pop Artist of the New Millennium”, Azzito has planned projects commemorating this century and the next! His themes are exciting, thoughtful and refreshing. Using a free associative thought process and vibrant use of color characterize Azzito’s paintings. Galleries across the country are eager to acquire Azzito’s POP ART and more excitement is emerging with each new Azzito painting! An American artist painting American icons, Azzito incorporates the use of parody in most of his work. As well as painting, Azzito is also a master printer. He creates all of his own silk screens from start to finish. Whereas most artist use artisans for printing, Azzito starts and finishes each unique mixed media painting himself, giving him the freedom to explore multiple techniques. Mildred Barrett The Manhattan-born Mildred Barrett is a woman to whom painting is capturing the mood of the subject with an exceptional use of color. Barrett's training includes the Art Students League, the National Academy of Fine Arts, and the Brooklyn Museum Art School. She has traveled extensively through which the theme and style of her work was created and developed. Barrett has had numerous one-woman shows on Madison Avenue in New York and in galleries on Long Island and her works have been sold and re collected all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. Her paintings are also on permanent display at Bergdorf Goodmans Nenas Choice Gallery. There is a simplicity and charm in Barretts work which is enhanced by her remarkable feeling for color. Her impressionistic style captures the mood of the subject - figures which are unique in themselves in certain poses and expressions. Her canvases glow with flowers which look as though they have just been picked. Barrett is considered one of the finest female artists, certainly, living in the United States today. Of her success, she modestly says it happened all by itself - I put my time in six or seven days a week beginning at 5 or 6:00 AM. My only problem is that I like my paintings so much that I hate to see them sold. Celine Barrette This unique piece of art is an excellent example of Celine Barrette's style of painting and is signed by the artist. It is painted on a sheet of aluminum and therefore it is one of the only works of art that can be used on a curved wall and it will bend to conform to the curve of the wall or it can be used on a flat wall. Also a hint of the metallic sheen shines thru as part of the painting and gives it a unique, soft glow. The artist is from Canada and her work is very sought after in both Canada and the USA. Leonard Baskin Baskin, Leonard (1922- 2000) Printmaker, sculptor, book designer. Born in New Brunswick, N.J., the son of a rabbi. In 1937-39 he studied with the sculptor Maurice Glickman and in 1939 had his first one-man show in NewYork. He attended New York (1939-41) and Yale (1941-43) universities and then served in the U.S. Navy during World War 11 before continuing his studies at the New School for Social Research in New York. The year of his graduation (1949) Baskin began making prints. In 1950 he went to Paris and studied at the Acadamie de la Grande Chaumiare, and the following year to Florence to work at the Accademia di Belle Arti. Baskin's traditional training and his conviction that art should serve one's fellow man made him a rather unique figure during the 1950s, when abstraction and the expression of one's personal feelings held sway. Rather than experimenting with new formal structures, media, or techniques, Baskin developed a mastery of old techniques -woodcarving, woodcuts, etching, and lithography-and determined to use his work for social ends. During the 1950s he began a series of full-length standing figures of "dead men" in stone, bronze, and wood. Related to these are his "Birdmen" (human figures with bird heads that are reminiscent of certain statues of Egyptian gods) and his "Oppressed Men" (often featuring an owl -another favorite theme-standing on the head of a man). All of these figures represent "universal man" struggling with the problems of life and death, aspiration, immortality, and corruption. In his prints Baskin extends the psychological overtones of his sculpture even further, frequently producing powerful brooding, and even tortured, images. Much of the strength of these works derives from his bold cutting technique, which exploits the texture of the wood, and from his mastery of black and white. Perhaps the two greatest influences on Baskin's work are Japanese calligraphy and German expressionism (the artists he admires most are Kaethe Kollwitz and Ernst Barlach). Defending the so-called "literary" or "journalistic" qualities of his work, Baskin has noted: "All art is propaganda.... The communication of an artistic idea is an act of propaganda." He has stated that for him the most important subject is "anxiety-ridden man, imprisoned in his ungainly self," and has illustrated this theme in such prints as Hanged Man, Angel of Death, and Oppressed Bird with Human Aspects. Like his black ink drawings on white paper, Baskin's graphics are technically brilliant. His most recent work is a series of bronze sculptures-many with an elegiac air-on the usual themes of death and compassion, and like all his work they display an odd combination of sophistication with the seemingly primitive." Baskin is often termed a romantic humanist," perhaps a result of his disavowal of the "purely decorative" and "the private world of the artist." He has long been interested in book illustration and founded the Gehenna Press, Northampton, Mass., which prints and publishes limited editions. A typical volume would be Homed Beetles and Other Insects, for which Baskin has provided thirty-four etchings; however, his interest extends beyond illustration into total book design: the integrating of type, paper, illustrations, and binding to form an esthetic object. Baskin has taught at Smith College since 1953 and has won numerous awards including the Printmaking Prize at the Sdo Paulo Biennial (1961) and medals from the American Institute of Graphic Arts (1965) and the National Institute of Arts and Letters (1969). B Basson Basson was influenced by artists such as Vasarely and Agam. He works with multiple art mediums, but remains in the geometric abstract format. His strong background in painting and printmaking create emotionally abstract composites. His style developed a more structured asethetic in the mid 1980 mixing media by incorporating a more definitive style of bold color, hard-edge and texture. Jane Bazinet Bazinet was born in Basile, Louisiana, and began painting during the 1960's. Her paintings soon found their way to collectors across the world. Working in numerous media, deftly treating a variety of themes, she is best known for her lyrical figurative work, which dwells in a mysterious crossroads between poetic realism and abstract expressionism. Jane Bazinet has been recognized as an artist with an extremely personal style and technique, which is at once romantic and contemporary. Patrice Beckerich was born in Paris in 1946. As a child, Patrice displayed a remarkable ability and passion for drawing. However, it was not until the age of 35 that this passion began to consume him on a full time basis. In his newly adopted home of Quebec, Canada, Patrice began to apprentice with various masters, further refining his painting and drawing skills. It was also at this time that Patrice Beckerich enrolled in the University of Quebec, Montreal, majoring in Fine Arts. Upon graduation, he accepted a position with the university, teaching adult fine art continuing education courses. Intensely moved from the form, light, color and texture of the landscape, Patrice made annual painting excursions and attended painting symposium in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, world renowned for the beauty of its landscape. In his painting, Patrice expresses his love and his reverence for the natural world and his extraordinary perception of the formal visual elements of line, form, texture and shape. Patrice’s painting hovers on the very edge of realism. Forests, flowers, still-lifes and landscapes are translated into overlapping plaques of color and texture that combine a semi-abstract world of shimmering light and color. Guy Begin Guy Bégin was born in Canada in 1944. Finding inspiration in a Christmas card at the age of 17, Guy Begin created his very first panting. Since then, he has developed into a professional, self-taught artist who is achieving tremendous success. After several years of traveling around Europe to observe the artworks of the old masters, Begin made a decision to pursuit a career in the field and thus began to fully dedicate himself to his art. The passion of traveling and of course, the passion of becoming a professional artist-painter, made him want to further pursuit his exploration in style and color. In 1987, Begin started to exhibit his paintings solo. The following year, he lived in California where life under the sun softened the colors of his palate. The change was a success for him and from that time, he has been an internationally renowned artist. Known as the “painter of perfumes,” he takes part of the biggest art exhibitions, including Art Expo New York. In 1995, his painting Big Apple Perfume was chosen among 5000 other exhibitors’ works of art, to be the official poster of the Art Expo Show. Guy Bégins’ talent reflects his satisfied frame of mind. His rich tones and beautiful impressionistic style, tell a lot about his happy way of seeing things. Put best in his words. “ I paint what I like in order to like what I paint.” Howard Behrens Behrens was born in Chicago in 1933. At the age of 7, his family moved to a suburb of Washington, D.C. When he was 17, he broke his leg in a sledding accident. Bedridden, he turned to painting to pass the time. In 1959 Howard went to John Hopkins University to study medical art. He became disillusioned, and returned to the University of Maryland and obtained a degree in painting and sculpting. In 1961, Behrens was hired by the printing Office in Washington D.C., where he worked until 1981 serving as a chief artist for ten years. He continued to paint on weekends and nights. In 1980 he had his first one-man show at the Philips Gallery in West Palm Beach. - Belvisi is an internationally known European artist, classically trained in France, whose primary subject matter consist of landscapes of France and Italy. Connie Boussom is a native of Elkhart, Indiana. She graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Ms. Boussom has held one women shows at the Huntsville Art Museum & was the first woman to show her works at the Van Braun Civic Center. Her works are both privately & corporately collected with displays through the United States & Europe. Charles Bragg Bragg, America's leading satiric artist, is famous for lampooning pompous professionals, the power elite, the pious, the bizarre. Works in museums around the world including the Stedelijk in Amsterdam, the Pushkin in Moscow, the Modern in Milan, and the Joseph and Tyler Museums in the U.S. He is a Gold Medal Winner, National Society of Illustrators and New York Directors' Guild. Commissions include work for Playboy Magazine. Subject of the 1987 PBS Special, Charles Bragg One of a Kind. Paul Braslow Braslow's sculptures show life as he would like it to be, graceful, elegant and hopeful. They inevitably recall the work of Brancusi in their startling grace, and the work of Giacometti in their intensity. After the first impressions, one reads the sculptures for their strength of balance, and only then the sense of emotion becomes apparent and remains the lasting impression. Educated in California with an Arts degree from UCLA and private study in Nara Japan, St. Ives England and Carrara Italy. Public works in Israel include Entebbe Rescue Memorial at Ben-Gurion Airport and sculptures for Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Haifa Museum of Modern Art. - Briante Briante was born in Dijon and exhibited at the Paris Spring Exhibition in his early 20's. He took painting and drawing lessons to improve his technique, and in 1960 devoted himself principally to his art. Various prizes have marked his way toward becoming a recognized force within the art community. Since 1979, he has dedicated himself uniquely to his painting and with several exclusive contracts for his graphic works as well as noted exhibitions, Briante has become a renowned painter in today's art world. He continues to have his shows in regional and internationally known galleries. Romero Britto Britto has been painting all of his life and by the age of sixteen had already had his first public exhibition at the Organization of the American States in his native Brazil. His clean and bold visual images, executed in exotic and powerful colors are evident throughout his work. The manner in which he optimistically and positively expresses his joie de vivre and confronts the social and political issues of the world today put him in a class by himself. In 1989, Romero Britto was commissioned to join the likes of Andy Warhol and Keith Haring by Absolut Vodka and as a result has become one of the most recognizable and celebrated artists in the world. Mariarita Brunazzi Conceptualizes eternity of childhood in paintings - If it were for artist MARIA RITA BRUNAZZI , everyone would not only have the soul of a child but physical features as well. Thus, this Italian artist is taking her art to unexplored realms, where the possibility of keeping one’s childhood alive is a reality. Born in the city of Cremona, Brunazzi is presently residing in Mantova, Italy. Her works of arts have been exhibited in a number of galleries in her native country where she is known for her depictions of women in a variety of different styles, from classical scenes to more modern contemporary everyday life. “My female imageries, often remind people of ancient works of art in an ironic and very poetic vision,” the artist explains. “These images transmit memories of infancy, like dolls that interpret many different roles.” Brunazzi, who has dared to challenge the world by copying the complicated features of the Mona Lisa, has turned this famous painting into a more subtle reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci’s mysterious lady. The result: a beautiful version of La Gioconda a few years younger on oil on canvas. But this artist’s endowment goes beyond imagination. Brunazzi has a unique talent that is beginning to make people’s heads turn and stop still to admire her works. Another example of her mastery when depicting child-like characters is one of her versions of the Madonna carrying a baby. This painting, capable of evoking the tenderest feelings will capture your heart, indefinitely keeping this image in your mind. Brunazzi was able to produce a woman, whose looks are closer to those of an infant than of a mother carrying a baby, and turn her into an angelic young figure holding in her short and chubby arms the delicacy of a newborn angel. In a more modern piece, the artist utilizes a technique of equality by depicting a little girl exercising in front of a mirror. Actions normally carried out by adults are seen being performed by the young in this painting, where the girl is wearing workout gear, ready to lose those extra pounds. Having explored the subjects of tenderness and modernism, the artist also represents sensuality in some of her works. To accomplish this, Brunazzi uses a very delicate touch through the use of symbols of light drapery and colorful flowers. Although she might be uncovering an area of the human anatomy normally not shown, the use of this approach makes the painting still look naïve and harmless. Bernard Buffet was born in Paris in the year 1982. He entered the Ecole des Beaux Arts in 1944, where he worked mostly in solitude. About this time he found his individual style and in 1948 won the Prix de In Critique jointly with Bernard Lorjou which turned him into an overnight sensation. In sharp and spiky linear terms and with dismal grays and neutral tones he depicted emaciated figures and distorted still-lifes which seemed to express the existential alienation and spiritual solitude of the post-war generation. It was upon this power to capture a mood that his great popularity depended. Later, overwhelmed by commissions and success, his work became more stylized and more decorative, losing in great measure its initial impact. Depressed because he could no longer paint, his passion in life, Buffet committed suicide in 1999. Fran Bull Born in Orange, New Jersey in 1938. She was educated in Vermont in 1960 at Bennington College. She taught on and off from 1979 to 1992 - Watercolor, at New York University, Vis Artist at Towson State College in Maryland, Instructor at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Instructor at Norwich University in Connecticut. Has her art displayed in galleries from New York to Santa Monica, California. Sergio Bustamante Bustamante is a "craftsman" who combines "the popular imagery and the surrealism." Born Mexican, with Chinese and Indian ancestors, he carries in his roots the inspiration of the richest villages in folk art. His work is among everything the result of the imagination and inspiration purely original from himself. He transforms into the author, a craftsmen, an artist who impregnates with sensibility, fantasy and emotions, who knows how to transform paper, ceramic, metals well combined, wood, oil colors, inks and water color into a fantasy. To Bustamante fantasy is not only a means of expression, it is an existential habit, a way of life. Every design is elaborated in a limited and numbered edition (accompanied by an authenticity signed certificate) in which the art piece is an original, emphasizing his individuality with his incomparable style. Alexander Calder Calder is known as the inventor of the Mobile, a creation from the early 1930's. In 1919, Calder received his mechanical engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. In 1931, he moved to Paris and began to make mobiles. His first mobile incorporated glass, pottery pieces and weathered wood. In 1975, Calder received the United Nations Peace Medal. His public collections can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago, Kunsthalle Bern (Switzerland), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, the Metropolitan in New York, and other major museums in France, Sweden, Israel, Germany, Cuba and many more. Frank Caldwell In 1911, Frank Caldwell was born in San Francisco into a family of artists and writers. Being raised with an artistic background, he was inspired to enter the arts himself. He studied art at the San Francisco School of Design, the Otis Art Institute in Los Angeles and at Warren Rollins in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Through the course of his career, Caldwell has taught art at Lose Angeles City College, was a United State Marine artist, and designed murals for the United States Maritime Commission. While living in Los Angeles, he became involved with the entertainment industry. He designed murals for the Pasadena Playhouse and other theaters, created art for NBC's opera series and for the Band of America and the Perry Como shows. He was also art director for New World Productions. A few of the films he designed and produced were: In the Beginning, a winner at the Cannes Film Festival and Frenzy: The New Orleans Story. Since 1970 he has devoted himself to painting, drawing and graphics. He has worked in oil, watercolor, oil pastel, and tempera among other media. Because he values the brilliant colors with which the oil pastels allow him to work, this has become has favorite media. Those brilliant colors are evident particularly in his vibrant marine paintings. He gained a love and respect for the water during the time he spent with the Marines and Maritime Commission. Caldwell's works are in many private and corporate collections throughout the world including: American Honda, Prudential Bache, the City of Long Beach, Tishman Construction Col, Transamerica Insurance Corp., Union Texas Petroleum and Uoqumi Gallery in Tokyo. He has had one-man shows in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York, Washington D.C., Baltimore and Florida galleries and museums. Marc Chagall Chagall, a Russian-French Painter, was born in Vitebsk in 1887 and died in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in 1985. He came from a modest Jewish family and studied first at the arts school in Leningrad; he was later a student of Leon Bakst. Shortly before 1940, the anguish of war emerged in his paintings. He became a refugee in the United States in 1941, designing sets and costumes for Stravinski's Firebird. Alexander Chen Chen was born in Canton, China in 1952. In 1989, Alexander and his wife immigrated to the United States, where he began assimilating our culture and painting life in his new land. Currently, Alexander is working on his American Cities Series, reflecting feelings and emotions he experiences on location. He has also completed eleven works which are being printed as puzzles by one of Japan’s largest puzzle makers. Alexanders paintings are extremely detailed and complex, offering the viewer many levels of enjoyment. Some of his paintings take over a month to complete because of the attention to detail and the intricacy of the subject matter. Alexander’s greatest desire in his adopted land is to contribute something of value and beauty by painting what he observes in his unique style, bringing a little of Alexander’s World into your life. John Chen Many of the contemporary artists from China who have been exposed to Western influences are currently developing original techniques and styles which encompass the best of both Eastern and Western cultures. These artists, including John Chen, are being recognized on an unprecedented level throughout the world for their ability to synthesize international trends and traditional Chinese art forms. Chen attended the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. He was admitted to the Academy which is acknowledged as the most prestigious art school in China. Despite the honor of attending this school, Chen quickly became frustrated by the academic restraints imposed upon him. The traditional techniques taught at the school did not meet his needs for freedom of expression. Therefore, after attending the Academy, Chen experimented and developed his talent on his own. Tracy Chysik A commitment to classicism is the driving force behind the work of sculptor Tracy Chysik, an emerging artist who grew up in the heart of the Canadian Rockies and who counts the Renaissance masters among her greatest influences. “Sculpture is intended to nourish the soul and inspire the heart. People want to live with art that expresses beauty, grace and elegance,” says Chysik, who has studied under renowned sculptors Morag McLean and David Robinson. In 1998, she began studying at the Vancouver Academy of Art and was honored to work with Morag McLean, a graduate of the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Scotland and a portrait sculptor for Madame Tussand’s. She then went on to study under Vancouver sculptor David Robinson, who is critically acclaimed for his work in figurative sculpture and classical training. Descension into Matter is the first piece in a series of six sculptures and expresses a moment in the evolution of the soul of humanity. She describes her work as “the unique integration of the ethereal qualities of acrylic and the heavy qualities of bronze which together create the impact of my designs.” As an emerging artist, Tracy Chysik has already attracted the attention of the art world. “It is not often that an artist of the caliber of Tracy Chysik emerges. Gifted with the vision to merge the feel of the Renaissance masters with a medium of the future, she is truly a leader in her field. “ says Ann-Marie Little of Plaza Galleries in Whistler, Canada. Chuck Huller of Benedetti Gallery in New York describes her work as,”Powerful, beautiful and definitely a winner.” Cindy Kellner of Sierra Galleries in Lake Tahoe says “This piece has universal appeal and a lot of soul”. Descension into Matter was recently presented to the Secretary to the Pope at the Vatican by Monsignor Lopez Gallo of the Vancouver Archdiocese during his visit to Rome. It was an enormous honor both personally and professionally for Tracy Chysik to receive word that the Vatican had accepted her work into their Collection. James Coignard Coignard's graphics and paintings are a power-packed and meaningful blend of traditional and modern art forms. As a young adult Coignard began a close friendship with the French painter Marchand des Raux, who greatly influenced his budding artistic development. In 1948 he decided to become a serious painter. He began courses at the Ecole des Arts Decoratif while apprenticing at Raux’s studio. In 1950 Coignard won First Prize at the Hors Concours at Arts Decoratif. Joe Correale Before moving to Rockport, Massachusetts, where he currently resides and paints, Joe Correale was well-known as a graphic designer throughout New York [where he exhibited in Manhattan for 15 years], and Connecticut, his work appearing on the covers of publications ranging from telephone directories to national magazines. Throughout his illustrious career, Correale has exhibited an amazing technical proficiency, a surprisingly wide range of subject material, and more recently, a subtle sense of surrealism in all his work. Correales artistic reputation has continued to accelerate to that of a preeminent watercolorist in photo-realism. His fascination with light and texture is apparent in all his work due to his impeccable attention to detail. It is the fine detail that draws the unsuspecting viewer into each scene as though he or she is the sole observer. All interference is eliminated and one finds oneself experiencing the subject of the painting from a quiet center or place of peace; from a truly subjective perspective. It is this characteristic which sets Correales work apart from most others. Each painting is a literal slice of life - and in a mysterious way - a very large one at that. Here is a master of his craft in every sense. Richard Daford Richard DaFord was born in Cognac, France. His parents were a team of portrait photographers with businesses in Central Africa and the Charente Maritime region of France. DaFord's youth was filled with images of the photographic world, and has been greatly influenced by his parents’ aesthetic teachings. Drawing, painting and photography were an integral part of his life from the start. His father, a photographer and artist, had a passion for the old masters and guided DaFord into the exploration and creation of figurative and symbolic art. DaFord studied fine art at Ecole Brassart in Tours, France. He left the private art school and moved to Paris where he fell in love with the beautiful architectural and diverse culture. It was in Paris where DaFord greatly influenced his artistic style, like many other old masters. Over the last decade DaFord has perfected his artistic style, and has done countless hours of research and study of the old masters techniques. Though accomplished at various styles of art, his favorite subject matter finds itself in the ethereal romantic presence of street scenes. Many of his paintings combine ideas taken from his heritage, European history, and landscape. It is evident in his work that artists like Da Vinci, Titian, and other Masters of the Renaissance have significantly influenced him. The delicate hand of DaFord is clearly visible in his expressive execution of the human form on canvas. Many of his splendid paintings can be found in private collections throughout the United States, Europe, Japan, and Mexico. Authenticated Dali Dali was born in 1904 and died in 1989. An eccentric and masterful Surrealist in painting and in life, Salvador Dali wrote in his diary two years before entering art school in Madrid during the early 1920s: "I'll be a genius... Perhaps I'll be despised and misunderstood, but I'll be a genius, a great genius." Born in Figueras, Spain, Dali first studied at the cole des Beaux Arts in Madrid and was influenced by Metaphysical painters de Chirico and Carra while there. Equally admiring the meticulous realism of the Pre-Raphaelites and French 19th century painters, he began to blend conceptual styles and technique. Beginning in 1927, Dali exhibited in Madrid and Barcelona, earning a reputation for being one of the most promising younger painters. A visit to Paris in 1928 brought him into contact with Picasso and the Surrealists Mir¢, Masson, Ernst, Tanguy and Andr, Breton; shortly thereafter, his first exhibition brought Dali firmly into the Surrealist movement where he was a leading figure during the next ten years. Dali transformed the definition of Surrealism, which combined pure psychic automatism expressing the unconscious process of thought, dream and associated realities to include what he called "critical paranoia," a theory that embraced delusion while remaining aware that reason has been deliberately suspended. Danny Day he began his art career at the tender age of twelve, selling his work on a consistent basis from age fourteen on. As a pre-graduate high school student in the small Ohio town of Marion, Danny was viewed as one of the most talented young artists in the state, recognized by Governor James Rhodes in competitions two years running. He developed a photo realistic style using acrylic paints which transcended his age and experience. Danny relocated to San Diego in 1986 and has since established a local as well as national reputation with his sports compositions. With a strong athletic background, all-conference defensive back and state champion pole-vaulter, he has a true appreciation for the grace and strength represented in athletes and sports in genera. It was, therefore, a natural marriage, combining his painting ability with his love of sports. Michel Delacroix Delacroix was born in Paris 14th District in 1933. Studied at Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris for two years. His style is said to be naive because if it is candidness, however his works are created with the skill and knowledge of the well-educated artist. Over the years he has received many awards, including the Prix Public-Prix Pro Art and many others. He achieved one of the highest accolades for a contemporary artist in 1976 when his work was purchased by the Ministry of Culture for Paris Fonds National d Art Contemporain. Raymond Dilley is a self-taught painter who was born in Madrid, Spain. After touring most of the world, studying artistic techniques and exhibiting his work, he settled in Paris and began work on a series of one-man exhibitions that were held in various parts of France, the United States, and throughout Europe. Bev Doolittle Bev Doolittle was born and raised in California. In 1968, she graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. Doolittle met her husband, Jay, at school, and they started married life with a painting trip to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. For the next five years however, the Doolittles were engaged in advertising art and TV productions in Los Angeles. It paid well, but after a while I was not learning,Bev explains, and we did not like living in the city. We wanted to be close to nature, and we wanted to travel. They have now accomplished both. Their frequent travels and backpacking trips have covered the western United States, Canada, Baja California, and eastern Africa. They now live close to nature in California. Bev Doolittles subject matter is provided by the out-of-doors. I love nature,Doolittle says. I try to look beyond the obvious and create unique, meaningful paintings depicting our Western wilderness and its inhabitants. I start with a concept and attempt to convey it through strong design coupled with detailed realism. I want people to think when they look at my paintings. Jack Dowd Jack Dowd is quickly making a name for himself as one of America's foremost, modern sculptors. His life-size creations, viewed on continuing exhibition in museums and galleries throughout the nation, are recognized by Who's Who In American Art and are collected by private, public and corporate patrons from Florida to Australia. Gallery owner Frank Oehlschlaeger says of the artist, "In my forty years of business, I have never seen an artist become as popular and successful in so little time as Jack Dowd." However, success came humbly for the artist. Born in 1938 in New York City, Dowd was raised by a hard-working middle class family. He had a particular fondness for art and was often caught sketching while in class. After graduating from Adelphi University in Garden City, N.Y., Dowd became a High School Art teacher. A college-age hobby of carving tiki's turned Dowd on to sculpture. He sculpted his first crude pieces with an ax until he saved enough money to buy a chainsaw. The power tool made it easy for the artist to quickly blend his imagination and interest in cartooning to create his first folk caricatures. He then began a two-summer tour to art fairs around the country, producing and showing his work under the auspices of a major chainsaw company. Turning out a carving every day, Dowd was labeled by the Media as the "world's fastest sculptor." But the novelty soon wore off and Dowd began to demand more from himself. In the 70's, he experimented with smaller, more refined tools that gave depth and magnitude to his work. He also took more time to create each piece. "I wanted my artwork to be physical and large. I didn't want to sit in a confined space just painting pictures." It was at this time that Dowd's work started to become known for its whimsical-expressionist style. The turning point in Dowd's career came in 1982 when he moved to Florida and was intrigued by the diverse culture he found there. Introducing humor and color, Dowd began to comment on social mores as he saw them. His first major piece to receive widespread recognition was "I Love New York," a punk rocker that earned Dowd best of show in the 1989 Coconut Grove Arts Festival. To obtain painstaking attention to character, the artist now spends two to three months sculpting a single piece of artwork. When he isn't in his studio, Dowd is likely to be found looking for inspiration for his next sculpture. The artist feels that an important part of his work is to keep in touch with humanity--whether it's a trip to Miami's trendy South Beach or rollerblading to a local K-Mart. Once Dowd locates his subject, he creates the character by taking parts of several live models and sketching them together. The result is the birth of a person who has never lived before. Art critic Victor Forbes of Sun Storm magazine says of Dowd's sculpture, "The secret to his success...is that he has simplified an artistic process and genre and at the same time made it larger than life, more in an emotional sense than in size." Girard Drouillard Early on he was influenced by artists such as Hoffman, Stella, Richter, Rauschenberg, and Tapies. He has worked with virtually every art medium since 1976. He has a strong background in painting, performance art, photography, printmaking and sculpture. His paintings initially emerged as rather ambiguous, raw, emotionally abstract composites. He developed a more structured asethetic in the mid 1980 mixing media by incorporating a more definitive style of bold color, hard-edge and texture. He has thrown his brushes aside. This has enhanced a free-fall affect and spontaneity in his recent pieces. Lee Dubin is best known for her beautiful paintings of life in the Victorian Era. She’s from California and continues to paint in her Los Angeles studio. Dubin attended the finest art schools in California including Chouinard Art Institute, Otis Art Institute, UCLA, and Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Her techniques of glazing and underpainting is a direct result of studying the works of the old masters. One glance at a Dubin image is not enough. Upon further study, one soon discovers a fascinating visual story. An inside look as it were into the lives and history of a bygone era. Laszlo Dus born 1941, Hungary.Laszlo Dus was considered a brilliant young artist behind the Iron Curtain before moving to the United States at the age of thirty-three, having already exhibited in France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria, Czechoslovakia and Holland.Since arriving in the U.S., he has created monotypes and lithographic editions which extended the limitations of the media to accommodate a myriad of textures and abstract compositions and colors.His paintings exhibit an extraordinary range of composition, color and ideas.He ranks as one of the world's finest and most collected modern artists.Dus' achievements and abilities have been recognized across America, where his works have found a place in many major collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY), The National Gallery of Fine Arts (Washington, D.C.), the Chicago Art Institute and the Detroit Institute of Arts. Ron Edward Ron Edward is an avid outdoorsman whose experiences in the field furnish the material for his paintings. Mr. Edwards’ was born in 1948 in South Africa. He prefers to portray his subjects in acrylic or oil on canvas. He believes that working in both mediums helps to keep him fluent, fresh and enthusiastic, but also allows him more creative freedom. Mr. Edwards’ has been painting since 1963 and has been widely acclaimed for his breathtaking renditions of wildlife, fur-bearing mammals, fish, and birds of prey. His work has appeared in a number of publications including Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, Wildlife Art, U.S. Art, Sporting Classics, North American Fisherman and Collectors Editions. Kathy Edwards is a Queensland artist who delights in depicting life in a carefree and often zany way. Her naive-style paintings have become extremely popular with people looking for a brighter view on life in Australia. Mark Erickson was born in 1955 in Southern California. His early education was completed in California, Germany and Italy. His mother and grandmother were New York artists. They studied under Hans Hoffman and knew Franz Kline before World War II. Erickson's father was an aircraft designer and pilot, his father's father a cowboy and a marshal in the Dakota Territory. After attending college in Southern California, Erickson moved to San Francisco in 1975. He completed his education at the Art Institute, Academy of Art and the University of San Francisco. He has had one-man shows in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans and Carmel and has collectors from across the U.S. as well as Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, England, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. Erickson's work has evolved steadily and contains a confidence and maturity gained only by dedication and talent. Sometimes the paintings have a more urban energy with whirring colors flying across a brightly lit metropolis. The shapes, so perfectly formed, propel the pigment off the surface of the canvas. Erickson, transforming the flat plane, breathes life and depth into his paintings and pulls the viewer into the experience. He does this by modulating color against color and form against form in such a way that you feel you can travel within the work. Romain de Tirtoff Erte Erte was a Grand Master of Art Deco and pioneer of showgirl theater. His legendary career spanned eight decades. He lived through 1990 to the age of 97. Designer for Folies Bergeres, Paris; Ziegfeld Follies, New York; George White Scandals, New York; Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Hollywood, Paris Opera; London Symphony; Diaghilevs Ballets Russes. Personal designer for Mata Hari, Lillian Gish, Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, Ana Pavlova, Zizi Jeanmarie, Josephine Baker, Marion Davies. 22 years the cover artist and contributor to William Randolph Hearsts Harper Bazzar. 170 works in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert, London; the Louvre, Paris; and the LA. County Museum of Art. His spectacular limited edition collections made him the most collected artist of our time. Recipient of the French Legion of Honor and honorary degrees from the College of Arts in London. M.C. Escher Escher, born in Leeuwarden, 17 June 1898, received his first instruction in drawing at the secondary school in Arnhem, by F.W. van der Haagen, who helped him to develop his graphic aptitude by teaching in the technique of the linoleum cut. From 1919 to 1922 he studied at the School of Architecture and Ornamental Design in Haarlem, where he was instructed in the graphic techniques by S. Jessurun de Mesquita, whose strong personality greatly influenced Escher's further development, as graphic artist. In 1922 he went to Italy and 1924 settled in Rome. During his 10 year stay in Italy he made many study-tours, visiting Abruzzia, the Amalfi coast, Calabria, Sicily, Corsica and Spain. In 1934 he left Italy, spent two years in Switzerland and five years in Brussels before settling in Baarn (Holland) in 1941, where he died on March 27, 1972, at the age of 73 years. Roy Fairchild Fairchild was born in Surrey, England in 1952. He lives and works most of the year in his country home. This peaceful environment is fundamental to his well being and stability as an artist, although he travels throughout Europe to obtain new sources of inspiration. He is particularly influenced by the painters of the Renaissance and he visits Italy in particular to study frescos, tapestries and paintings and to see for himself the techniques with which they were executed. For the past few years he has been giving classes to teach his skills and techniques to young artists. Dave Faville born in 1965 in Portland, Oregon Faville studied art at the University of Oregon majoring in abstract painting. He has a graduate degree from the Seattle Art Institute in Seattle, Washington. While studying in Washington he became interested in concept and design. His work has become a synthesis of the two, sometimes humorous, somewhat on the edge, and always drawn to the correct proportion. Dave, who has worked as a graphic designer, lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife and children. Frederick Fienburg Frederick Fienburg is a native of New York City and studied in the United States, Munich, Germany and in other European cities. He lived for many years in New York City. He retired to the Berkshires to live permanently, where he established his studio, and where since the 1960’s he has painted. He has been consistently active in regional art circles and a consistent prizewinner. Fienburg’s stylized landscapes shadowed by his highly trained dramatist steals segments of the outdoors to translate and present in glowing color to his audience that side of Nature known best to those who know where and how to look. His paintings grace so many walls in so many homes in so wide an area, to bring not only the outdoors, but exciting colors, and almost everything that can be painted into the daily lives of those fortunate enough to own the work of this student of Nature. Jean Michel Folon Jean-Michel Folon (1934- ) was born in Brussels. He began to study architecture but abandoned it in favor of drawing, which allowed more expressive studies. His drawings have appeared in numerous magazines including Time, Fortune, The New Yorker, and L'Express. In 1969 he had his first one-man show in the United States, followed closely by exhibitions in Tokyo, Venice, Milan, London, Sao Paulo, Geneva, Brussels, and Paris. Folon has illustrated works by Kafka, Lewis Carroll, and Ray Bradbury. In 1973 he created a series of watercolors titled La Mort d'un Arbre (The Death of a Tree), for which Max Ernst created a lithograph as a preface. Folon has completed a 176-square-foot painting for a subway station in Brussels and a 160-square-foot painting for Waterloo Station in London. He is most comfortable using the engraving and drypoint techniques of printmaking. Ella Fort Ella Fort was born in Bordeaux. After successful artistic studies in Paris, she diligently devoted herself to her art, which has rewarded her with many first prizes.Her works have been published by many major art companies, in France and abroad. She continues to devote all of her attention to her art and is prized by many collections and exhibits. Claude Fossoux was born in Paris in 1946. From 1970 - 1975, he took lessons at the Paris National School of Fine Arts. There he met two important artists that determined his destiny taught him the techniques needed. His early success was never contradicted. He has exhibited in Germany, England, Japan and the United States. Frank Frazetta Frank Frazetta was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1928. As early as age three he was drawing & at eight he is reported to have been selling his work! He later went to the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts. In 1944, at the tender age of 16, his first professional comic work appeared in Tally Ho comics, under his mentor John Giunta. This job would lead to others & for several years he illustrated funny animals for text stories in Coo Coo & Happy comics. He illustrated eight "Shining Knight" stories at DC which are highly acclaimed & also did stories for "Heroic Comics", including a one page anti drug story which was used repeatedly for several years. During this time he met & befriended Al Williamson & Roy Krenkel, two of comics' greatest talents. Each was inspired & influenced by the other, but Al & Frank were taught much by Roy & would later profess a great profit from his genius. Frank worked for numerous companies including Standard, Lev Gleason, & at Toby with Al Williamson, and later at M.E. where he drew "White Indian" & his own creation "Thun'da" . Thun'da, actually a derivation of Edgar Rice Burrough's "Tarzan" was a great achievement by any standards & Frank's talent glowed like a supernova with this effort. During this time he also worked for Bill Gaines at EC Comics, and it is here that he did a number of classic stories & covers, almost entirely in collaboration with Williamson & Krenkel. One effort entitled "50 Girls 50" is hailed as one of the greatest stories of all time, and another story, "Squeeze Play" is a fabulous "Sock Suspenstory". He contributed to the Buck Rogers mythos by illustrating 7 covers for the Famous Funnies comic in the early fifties. Among these seven covers are some of the most respected comic book covers ever created. Kinetic, visceral works; these pieces jump off the books & drill into your gut with their emotional & angry action scenes. In 1952, Frank created his famous comic strip "Johnny Comet", later "Ace McCoy". Lasting for one & one half years, it was a finely drawn & brilliantly conceived strip about a race car driver; his girl, the gorgeous Jean & his friends, Mom & Pop Bottle. Unfortunately the scripting by Peter DePaolo was not on a par with the art & after an initial period of success, the strip was dropped in 1953. Also in 1952 he went to work for Al Capp assisting on the "Lil Abner" strip. Staying with Capp until about 1960 or so, Frank quit after Capp informed him that his salary would be cut -after Frank had re-located to be closer to Capp's studio!!!!! After leaving Abner he toiled for paperback publishers doing interior illustrations (these books are highly sought after & command high prices), and then wound up at Warren Publications where a number of the EC artists had gathered to work on Creepy, Eerie, Blazing Combat & Vampirella. Frank's assignments where mostly cover paintings & these works are some of the most memorable pieces of the baby boomer generation. "Egyption Princess" (Eerie #23), "Sorcerer" (Eerie #2), "Wolfman" (Creepy #5), "Sea Monster" (Eerie #3) and scores of others, each is a masterpiece. While at Warren he also drew a "Creepy's Loathsome Lore" page & another famous story (possibly his best comic story ever) "Werewolf", the story of a crazed "wolf-hunter" who is himself the hunted. These five pages are a momentous achievement for the comic medium. He was commissioned by Canaveral Press & Doubleday Books to do illustrations for E.R.Burroughs stories which naturally included the Tarzan & Mars series' and he also did a number of ERB covers & interiors for the entire spectrum of Burroughs stories for Ace Books. Some are great, others are less so. He admittedly did three covers in one weekend to meet a deadline after putting the assignment aside for almost three months. Two of these are rather dull Frazetta compositions, but one of them -"Tarzan & the Jewels of Opar" is an outstanding work of art. The fierce Tarzan leaping in mid-air, about to land on the back of the attacking lion; juxtaposed with the frozen beauty of the woman in mortal danger is electric. The forest trees in the back are living creatures as well, & you can hear the crackle of the campfire burning in the background. Frazetta's incarnation of "Conan the Barbarian" for Lancer Books paperback series are also revered. His painting for the cover of the first book in that series aptly titled "Conan the Barbarian" is most likely Frank's greatest single achievement. Frank has been variously been referred to as having influenced the mythology of Conan, or having revitalized popular interest in the character. In later years Frank has worked in films, most notably on "Fire & Ice", and he has done a series of paintings for the "Scientologists". The recent return of the "Death Dealer" under the pen of author Jim Silke has given us the opportunity to feast on more of Frank's work & he continues to paint for other companies, and occasionally does commissions for his fans. A very prolific artist, Frank has been one of the most influential & therefore one of the most important artists of the twentieth century, Frank is certain to have carved his niche in the history of American Art.........As a postcript, Frank has had two debilitating strokes, which have severely incapacitated him. Michael Garman Born in 1938, he was the son of an adventurous early flying man, who grew up in central Texas. Michael’s artistic endeavors began as a child, creating figures from popsicle sticks and mud. From his childhood in Texas, a two week photo-journalism trip to Mexico became a two year sojourn in Central and South America. Here he met and lived with the working people, and began making their personalities into sculptures. The vagabond life associated with missions, soup kitchens, cheap hotels, and the streets themselves was continued via wino districts of American cities such as Philadelphia and San Francisco, providing Michael with the background for his sculptural identities. Soli Gaylord Gaylord was born and raised in North America, however, his art is clearly international in character. This is due to the variety of international influences that have flavored his artwork as well as the diverse skills and experiences the artist has developed and collected. The figures most influential on Gaylord’s art are Picasso, Tamayo, Toledo, Auerbach, and Hofmann. This produces works that are powerful, textural, sensuous, and filled with primitive mystery. Gaylord’s experiences in varied aspects of artistic endeavor have rendered him a master of techniques and visual effects. These activities include painting classic automobiles and fashion design, as well as the more traditional skills of oil painting and fine art painting. His home medium, as it were, is painting in acrylics. Acrylic paint admits of the rich color and freedom that facilitate the type of image the artist envisions. Gaylord has also perfected a mixed-media technique for translating the visions he creates through paint into limited editions of genuinely unique works. This facilitated through the artist’s close involvement throughout the printing process in addition to the inclusion of painting and handworking on each print. The inspirations for Gaylord’s creations are his travels and his abiding interest in primitive man. He has studied anthropology and primitive cultures extensively and not always from afar. He once spent forty days living with pygmies on the Kalahari Desert, as well as having backpacked Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran, and the Amazon basin. Thus, if his themes draw to mind the Native American, or the Latin, or the African this is reflective of the artist’s primary interests. One important goal of Gaylord’s artwork is to capture what is universal in man. Gary George Was born in a small town in Mississippi in 1951. At the age of six his family moved to Europe and it was there his interest in art began. He began his formal studies in 1969 at Memphis State University and continued then in New York at the Arts Students League and later in London at the Royal Academy. As an art student he visited Europe’s and America’s foremost art Museums and made detailed copies of the masterpieces he admired. Some of these early works were kept by him and can still be seen on his studio walls. During this period he supported himself by painting portraits from life. He also began to exhibit in juried exhibitions winning awards and acclamations. Gary now divides his time between his studios in Palm Beach and London, England. He has recently added printmaking to his repertoire by doing limited edition serigraphs. These are done in his studio where every facet of the process is under his control to insure the highest quality attainable. Marc Gester Marc Gester has spent years developing a unique style of painting for which he is known. He paints in Oil and Acrylic using techniques ranging from photo-realism to impressionism, with the combination of both being his most popular. While living in South America, Mr. Gester firmly established himself in the art world with his exceptional waterfall paintings. His paintings have been displayed on numerous magazine covers; he has been the featured artist in American Artist and Wildlife Art. His accomplishments have earned him one-man exhibitions throughout the world. Yankel Ginzburg Ginzburg was born in Alma-ata, Russia in 1945 and is the son of a Russian Orthodox mother and a Polish Jewish father. He learned of his Jewish heritage when he was nine and discovered a wooden toy made by the Nazis that cruelly depicted a Jew praying. He thrives on creative challenges, especially those that involve three dimensional spaces. The essence of his abstract paintings has been, as he defines it, “the harvesting of light on canvas, penetrating colors and organic shapes intertwined into environmental compositions”. Ginzburg started his career as a writer. He was accepted to the Institute of Art in Israel in 1958 and became one of their youngest students. After his induction and two year service in the Israeli army, Ginzburg continued his painting and received 1st prize in the art competition at Bat-Yam Museum Israel which is now being renamed The Yankel Ginzburg Museum. Michael Gorban Born in 1956 in the former Soviet Union. In 1976, Gorban graduated from the Kishinev Higher School for the Painting Arts in Moldavia and in 1982, he graduated from the Academy for Painting in the city of Lvov, majoring in graphics. Gorban received a grant in 1988-1990 from the Artists Association of the Soviet Union. And he emigrated to Israel with his family in 1990. It is doubtful whether any other artist studied art for 21 years before displaying his paintings on the market. Michael Gorban completed his studies at age 30, with a record behind him of working closely with the finest of Russian artists, and using dozens of painting techniques. At age 30 Gorban received the honor of exhibiting his paintings at an international exhibition beside the likes of Salvador Dali, Kandinsky, Chagall, and others, in the Hermitage museum in Leningrad. A third of Gorban's paintings hung in the Hermitage, one of the world's largest and most prestigious museums, for over a year. Gorban managed to receive a 140 square meter studio in Moscow from the government. In the national album of Russian art history, Gorban is prominently featured with three of his paintings as one of the young artists to impact the 20th century between 1960 and 1980. "Painting is a sensual experience," claims Gorban today from his studio in Petach Tikva, near Tel Aviv. "I will not sign my name until I am completely satisfied." Concerning the subtle difference between an artist and a painter, he adds, "An artist can hear what the painting wants; a painter cannot. I never painted under duress or according to order. My success comes from people feeling the same satisfaction that I myself felt upon completing the painting." In 1990 Gorban decided to emigrate to Israel. The fact of his Jewishness had been repressed for years and was unknown to most people. Yet, feeling a special warmth for Israel, Gorban resolved to leave everything behind – the exhibitions, the recognition, the spacious Moscow studio, the summer cottage on the Black Sea – and make the move to Israel. Michael Gorban's paintings are now displayed in galleries and museums throughout the Soviet Union, as well as private collections in the United States, Canada, England, Japan, Belgium, France, Germany, Australia and Israel. His name has returned to the headlines, not as a leading Russian artist, but as a first-rate Israeli artist. Harry Guttman Harry Guttman was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1933. He graduated with distinction from the Romanian Academy of Fine Art in 1960. Many of his paintings and lithographs were purchased and displayed at the official exhibitions by the Romanian Government. With the loosening of the iron curtain in Europe, Guttman was able to immigrate to Israel in 1974. Since that time he has been extremely active putting on one man shows in Europe, Israel and North America. He has been critically acclaimed throughout the world. Bracha Guy Guy offers a unique and feminine insight into the lives of women and their environment. She also sends a powerful message that people everywhere can live calmly, peacefully, and in harmony with nature. Through her remarkable ability to interpret complex subjects and her unusual talent for combining vibrant colors and intense detail, Guy documents the energy of life and expresses a basic optimism about life. With her rich palette and dramatic use of light and color, she is often described as a 'modern Matisse' who blends his style with a modern wave. Kerry Hallam Hallam, born and raised in Northern England, showed early artistic talent when he won a six-year college scholarship to London University. He later established his first studio in Boston and opened a studio and gallery on Nantucket Island. Hallam is noted for his power to evoke emotion, opulence of light and distinctive color harmonies. The artist\\\'s panoramas draw accolades and, recently, a first place award by the prestigious Association Pour le Promotion Artistique Francais. Hallam\\\'s work is included in private collections throughout Europe and the United States, and has been honored with many one-man shows. Keith Haring When he first hit the New York City subways with chalk in hand, he became an art sensation almost overnight. What was in the beginning a radical gesture of graffiti, soon transformed into an art form that would thereafter be seen in galleries and museums around the world. Haring has created a truly unique array of symbols and images which inhabit monumental sculpture to original drawings and prints. Frederick Hart Hart was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1943. He attended the University of South Carolina, Corcoran School of Art, American University. He opened his own sculpture studio in 1972. He was commissioned to do famous projects such as the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial Sculpture, bronze bust of James Webb NASA Administrator, for the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institute. During his career he has received many honors. Ray Hesler Ray Hesler approaches his paintings with a refreshing and spirited outlook. He creates images through a bold palette, captivating light, color and emotion. His distinctive color harmonies translates the moment into a magical world, one which revitalizes the world's simple pleasures. Mary Ann Howard is a Texas native. She attended the University of Alabama in Huntsville, majoring in Art. Ms. Howard was an industrial artist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for 14 years. Some of her works are on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Cary Howard Cary Howard creates art, straight from his heart. Whether a masterpiece in oil or acrylic, a breathtaking watercolor or a one-of-a-kind pieces, his works adorn many of the finest homes from coast to coast. But, Mr. Howard's artistic creations reach much further than private collections, his talents can be realized in the numerous wildlife illustrations he has done for award-winning magazines including National Geographic, Life, The New Yorker, U.S. News and World Report; in the famous motion picture sets he has designed and constructed for feature films including Good Morning, Vietnam, Superman the movie and Dracula; and in the hundreds of graphic designs he has created for top advertising agencies, corporations and clients all over the world, which include: Young & Rubicam (YR), Ogilvy & Mather, J. Walter Thompson, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and more. Notable other clients include: Clairol, Avon, Roche Perfume, Owens-Corning Fiberglass, General Mills and more. Additionally, he and his brother owned an animation studio in New York, The Image Factory, where they produced animated graphics for all major agencies and TV production companies Cary Howard was educated in New York at The High School of Art and Design and received his Fine Arts degree from Cooper Union College. Currently, he resides in Deerfield Beach, Florida, with his family, where he continues to create art from the heart to benefit all those who see his works. Urbain Huchet URBAIN HUCHET was born in Rennes on April 28,1930. After studying law and owning a textile factory for four years, he decided in 1960 to devote himself entirely to painting. Mr Huchet spent his first three years as an artist in Pont-Aven, following in the footsteps of Gauguin and Emile Bernard, both of whom influenced him a great deal. He does many paintings of the landscape and the typical people this region. His love of the Brittany coast and the sea can always be seen in his work. After moving to Paris in 1963, his love of adventure and travel led him to spend time painting and writing in Europe, the Middle East, and South America, where he produced many paintings of the Indian markets and the great scenery. He made 14 trips of more than 4 months each, from Mexico to Brazil via Peru, Central America and the Caribbean Islands. In addition to the paintings, he has written a book about these beautiful countries. A luxurious portfolio of paintings of Egypt shows his love of that country. Urbain Huchet has held exhibitions in New York, London and New Orleans, and several in Egypt. However, Paris is where his largest number of works have been produced. At least 300 editions of lithographs have been printed of his works, all produced by the artist himself in different workshops in Paris and Cannes. His "nature de Breton" and his love of the sea and ships have inspired numerous editions of lithographs and works of the sea. Robert Indiana Indiana was born in New Castle, Indiana. Between 1945 and 1948 he studied at art schools in Indianapolis and Utica, and from 1949 to 1953 at the Chicago Art Institute School and the Skowhgan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine. In 1953 and 1954 he studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and London University, after which he settled in New York. His early works were inspired by traffic signs, automatic amusement machines, commercial stencils and old tradenames. In the early sixties he did sculpture assemblages and developed his style of vivid color surfaces, involving letters, words and numbers. He became known for silkscreen prints, posters and sculptures. The brash directness of these works stemmed from their symmetrical arrangements of color and form. Phillipe Judge is an Austrian by birth and training has been living in the United States for many years. Judge has been painting since his early teens and is exhibited widely in Europe and the U.S. His early work was primarily abstract, but soon evolved into cut out figure forms in space age settings. These early interests continue to appear in the present abstract paintings. Figurative imagery relates directly to Judge’s space form paintings. Judge declares that contemporary art comes from the artificial. The human condition has undergone fundamental changes in this century. Traditional values and assumptions have been attacked and upset and not been replaced. Judge therefore paints the unexpected and is drawn to contrast especially the juxtaposition between simple forms and complex layers. Judge looks for the structure under the surface and at the same time capture the unusual light, the play of shadow, the voluptuous color, and the sensual surprise of a figurative abstract in the forefront of his art creations. Happiness comes for Judge when he is creating images, forms and landscapes. Phillipe Judge is a self-taught artist who moved to the United States from Europe and now resides and paints from his West Palm Beach, Florida studio. Raffi Kaiser Raffi Kaiser has shown extensively in Europe, North America and Israel, and was trained in Paris and Florence. Max Karp American Artist Max Karp is one of the few contemporary painters to use enamel for his artistic work. He is internationally acclaimed as the “father of modern enameling.” His place in art history is assured, both because of his enormous talent and the fact that he has perfected unique processes, which allow the creation of museum-quality, kiln-fired collectibles. A self-taught artist, Karp was born in Ohio in 1916 and raised in California. He lives in Southern California. Karp began painting by recording in his oils various species of birds and insects for his father who was an ornithologist/entomologist. In the mid-1960's, Karp became interested in the enamel process. Beginning on a small scale, he taught himself the enamel technique and later experimented with the large paintings in enamel for which he is best known. During the last decade, Karp's enamel paintings have received critical recognition. In 1970 Hamilton Mint commissioned Karp to produce four paintings of the seasons of the year, which were then issued as a limited edition of plates on precious metal. In 1980 Karp's 20 x 24-inch enamel portrait of Beverly Sills was presented to the American Queen of Opera following her final performance on full-length opera. In addition, numerous private art collectors, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Happy Rockefeller and Sarah Churchill, have acquired works by Max Karp for their collections. Alex Katz was born in New York City in 1927. He studied art at the Cooper Union from 1945 to 1949. He is a leading artist of the new realism movement in contemporary art. Katz's paintings from the late 1950s to the present have been characterized by expressive and literal portrayals of human figures. He is best known for his realistic portraits of friends and family, notable for their relaxed attitudes and uncomplicated bearing. Stylistically, his figures are simplified in form, but not disfigured or caricatured. On the contrary, one of the hallmarks of Katz's figures is their apparent normalcy. His figures are typically presented at close range from a frontal perspective, and in a flattened manner somewhat suggestive of a Polaroid snapshot. Throughout the 1960s, Katz taught painting at such institutions as the School of the Visual Arts in New York, the New York Studio School, and the Pratt Institute. John Kelly John Kelly and his distinctive style of painting, have become a familiar mainstay in American Maritime Art. But, along with his popularity and fame, Kelly has displayed his versatility in capturing the heart of many landmarks during his world travels and has shared with the world his love of Tahiti, Great Britain, Russia, China, Italy, and many other countries. Statements made by appraisers and curators praise kelly's work in pastels as some of the finest they have ever seen and his subject matter as exciting and unique. Born in Scotland, kelly comes from a seafaring family that emigrated to Canada when he was a boy. His talent as a musician as well as an artist allowed him to come to Los Angeles for intensive studies at the Art Center School. Kelly has over twenty-five years of honors and awards, is collected in both permanent collections of institutions as well as in private collections. Stan Kettering Stan Kettering - Artist who is known as Stan K, was born in January, 1940. At the age of 10, his family moved to Italy where the young Stan K began touring museums. He knew instinctively that God had given him a special talent – an ability to transfer to canvas the reflections of nature and of his inner self. Educated at the Accademia of Belle Arti in Naples, Stan K rapidly was becoming the talk of Italian art circles. His works steeped reflective tradition of the masters of the 16th and 17th centuries, bringing forth a clamoring of students of art wishing to learn his techniques. In 1970 at the young age of 30, he returned to America to pursue his love of art. Although his popularity in Italian galleries had grown, his lifelong dream was to show in America and the rest of the world. To achieve success in America, Stan K continued his study of art, in addition to experiencing the new culture. With a talent of his magnitude – his hopes of success were quickly realized. Since returning to his birth place, he has exhibited in numerous personal and collective shows in which he has earned many awards and the recognition of well-known art critics. Mark King King, a champion of Impressionism and the Ecole de Paris, was born in Bombay of British parents. He is the product of an exotic upbringing in India, where he lived until the age of sixteen during the last days of the British Raj. After spending seven years as scenic designer at the Oxford Playhouse Theatre, King decided to concentrate on painting and moved to Paris to study at the Ecole des Beauxs-Arts and the Louvre. King meticulously layers colors, as substrata for the small percent of the acrylic paint that floats on top and forms the finished composition. The underpainting filters through to the surface creating depth and texture. King is the rare artist who is able to meld the traditions of Impressionism with a myriad of subjects, isolating the elements of a scene with dramatic waves of color on canvas. Piet Klaasse 1918-2001 Mark Kostabi Kostabi has had an impact on the art world unrivaled since the days of Andy Warhol's Factory. Kostabi's original artwork often fetches tens of thousands of dollars - but he doesn't even paint them. In the 80's, Kostabi hired "idea people" through ads in the Village Voice. These artists were paid $4 to $10 an hour to imitate Kostabi's earlier works. His Fiancee earned $300 a week thinking of ideas for his staff to paint. Kostabi studied art for a few years at Fullerton College and at Cal State Fullerton and flunked a business-economics marketing course. "Nobody understood that I could sell things by insulting people, which is what I did for class demonstrations", he says. "But it worked, and that's just what I do now." Mikulas Kravjansky Kravjansky was born in Czechoslovakia in 1928, and as a young man, attended the Academy of Arts in Bratislava. He went on to become one of the foremost set and costume designers in the Czechoslovakian theater as well as for Czechoslovakian State Television. In 1968, Kravjansky and his family left Czechoslovakia and settled in Canada, where he became Assistant Master of Art at Toronto’s Humber College. The artist eventually relocated to Florida where he began creating the limited-edition intaglios. Kravjansky’s previous association with the performing arts fueled his passion for theater, one of several motifs explored in his graphic art. Among the artist’s finest intaglios are his exquisite images from the world’s best-loved Shakespearean dramas, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Romeo and Juliet.” A fascination with the Orient spawned the creation of his two stunning triptychs, “The Tea House”, and “Cherry Blossoms.” The newer pieces boast his extraordinary palette expressed in lovely garden scenes and other images that suggest something of a “post-Maxfield Parrish” style. But what transcends the varied themes is the exceptional quality and technique perfected by one of the world’s masters of intaglio, Mikulas Kravjansky. Annmarie Kristina Kristina has spent years developing a unique style of painting for which she is known. She paints in Oil and Acrylic using techniques ranging from photo-realism to impressionism, with the combination of both being his most popular. While living in South America, Kristina firmly established herself in the art world with her exceptional scenic paintings of wine vineyards and poppy fields. Her paintings have been displayed on numerous magazine covers; she has been the featured artist in American Artist. Her accomplishments have earned him one-man exhibitions throughout the world. Ting Shao Kuang Ting was born in Chenggu, a village located in the norther province of Shanxi, China in 1939. By the age of 11 he was painting everyday, using cooking oil as a medium for his pigment. Despite this lack of adequate supplies, he evidenced such remarkable talent that in 1954 he was given the opportunity to attend the prestigious high school affiliated with the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. In 1957, Ting was accepted at Beijing’s Central Academy of Arts and Crafts. Muramasa Kudo As an artist, Kudo’s most successful images lure the viewer into a fantasy world of exotic women in placid, almost dream-like settings, enticingly garbed in fine silks, perhaps offering fruit or the potential of themselves. When one thinks of a Kudo painting, a sense of illusion is conjured. A peaceful world the way it could be. But then there is that bolt of lightning in the background, or that longing look of the fisherman returning his catch the mermaid to the sea. Or the demure expression on the face of his female subjects whose appearance could as easily be an invitation to a storm of wanton excitement. In his quest for serenity, Kudo relates opposing forces in his work, and in his life. “I am not against, but I am according. I don’t fight with anybody, except with myself; ego, pride and greed”. In a summer scene, he will incorporate a poem about winter. On a black sheet of Arches paper, he will render a blazingly colorful line drawing of a female nude. His strong and beautiful sense of color is very Japanese, balanced and tight yet bold and primary. Alan Lass Painterly, yet technically precise, Alan Lass' virtuosity continues to blossom with each new body of work. The artist continues to integrate emotion into his compositions. Although he considers himself an abstract painter first, by allowing the figurative elements of each work to evolve, creates a means of higher expression. Alan Lass travels throughout the world to stimulate the creativity of his scenes. A peaceful serenity is almost always enjoyed by collector's and admirer's of Lass' paintings. Serge Lassus Serge Lassus was born in Hendaye, France, near the Spanish border in 1933. After graduating secondary school, he took drawing lessons and passed the entrance examination to the Paris School of Applied Arts. He is famous for his horses. Marie Laurencien French painter, illustrator, and stage designer, born in Paris. Apart from evening classes in drawing, she was self-taught as an artist. In 1907 she was introduced by the picture dealer Clovis Sagot to Apollinaire, Picasso and their circle (she painted a group portrait of several of her famous friends in 1908; The Guests, Baltimore Museum of Art). For several years she lived with Apollinaire, and she exhibited with the Cubists. Her work, however, was entirely peripheral to the Cubist movement. She specialized in portraits of oval-faced, almond-eyed young girls painted in pastel colours, and although she borrowed a few tricks of stylization from her Cubist friends, her style remained essentially unaffected by them. Her work was lyrically charming and rather repetitive. From 1914 to 1920 she lived in Spain and Germany, then returned to Paris. Apart from paintings, her work included book illustrations and set and costume designs for the ballet and theatre. John Pierre Laurent Laurant is a contemporary French painter, classically trained in France, who specializes in capturing scenes from the area of his youth. He is one of the most famous landscape figurative painters of our time. Many of his works are found in the French National Archives. Charles Lee Korean-born Lee is a diverse, multi-talented artist with the c capability of creating many different types of art, from pencil drawn portraitures to tranquil landscapes and arresting abstracts. Lee began showing an affinity for art in 1955 at the young age of seven. In order to hone his skills, he attended middle and high school in his hometown of Seoul. It was in high school that he received his first honor in art creativity: a gold medal in an international competition. He went on to graduate from a university where he majored in art, and has his first personal show at the age of 23. Shortly after, in the 1970’s, Lee exhibited the Hong Kong and Tokyo Group Shows. The middle to latter part of that same decade brought Lee wider acclaim when he presented his second one man show and had his works displayed at the Tae Yoon and Man Kang Galleries in Seoul. Subsequently, during the 1980’s, while employed at the Gaius Art Studio, many of his works were exported to America. Lee arrived in the United States at the onset of the 1990’s and worked for Art USA in Miami, a wholesaler of fine art. He became an exclusive artist for a published in Fort Lauderdale in 1993. Lee shows his true talent and versatility as an artist. His art reflects his uncompromising high standards. His paintings are a compelling combination of traditional and neo-classic. In the execution of his designs, Lee embraces oils, watercolors, and acrylics. He also has a penchant for a bright and eye-catching palette (including gold foil) that demonstrates his keen sense of color; yet, in spite of such vibrant imagery, he presents his subjects in a calm, reflective and almost ethereal way. David Lee David Lee was born in Canton, China in 1944 and in 1946 moved with his family to Hong Kong, where he was raised. He began painting at age 4. He was educated in Hong Kong and attended Taiwan University, where he received a B.A. in Fine Arts. He also attended Kaoshung University in Taiwan and the Far East Academy of Art in Hong Kong. David Lee was the youngest winner ever of the prestigious Chinese National Painting Competition. After moving to Hawaii, where he initially worked for the Consulate General of the Republic of China in the Foreign Affairs Department, David Lee devoted himself to his artwork full-time. He has had numerous one-man shows throughout the world including Hawaii, the U.S. Mainland, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Taiwan. David Lee's paintings hang in the permanent collection of the Taiwan University, in the National Museum of Taiwan, and the Chuk-Yun Museum in Hong Kong. Worldwide, his art is shown in over 300 art galleries, universities, and museums, as well as many noteworthy private collections in the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Canada, including the collection of the Imperial Family of Japan. Among the numerous honors David Lee has received are awards from the government of the Republic of China, the government of Switzerland, the City and County of Honolulu, and the City of Osaka, Japan, where he received the Gold Key to the City for his achievements. David Lee has decided to fulfill a life long dream of painting abroad. Beginning in January 2004 he has decided to move from Hawaii and travel the world seeking new inspirations for his art. While he will be traveling he will continue to paint and his Maui Studio will be showing all of his newest works. Barry Leighton-Jones Born in London, England on October 17, 1932, Barry Leighton-Jones has been creating paintings and prints for over forty years. Major art publishers in Europe and the United States have made his name synonymous with clowns and satire. He has painted in many different styles, ranging from photorealism to abstract expressionism (and successfully exhibited in many countries) but always returns to his personal forte, creating images with a totally universal appeal. His original works grace the walls (and ceiling) of stately homes throughout the world, including the palace of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, but his art is not only collected by the rich and famous. His popular prints, notably of clowns and urchins, has been successful in one hundred and forty-two countries! Arthur Lidov sculptor, engraver and designer, was a professional artist since 1937. He received his Fine Arts Degree from the University of Chicago. His list of accomplishments includes five Annual Awards from the New York Society of Illustrators and many other Awards too numerous to mention. He is considered one of the world’s finest medical illustrators. is a Texas native. He attended the University of Alabama in Huntsville, majoring in Art. Mr. Howard was an industrial artist with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for 14 years. Some of his works are on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Zhou Ling Ling was born in Tian Jing, China in 1941. She studied Chinese history and art as well as Western art history from the Renaissance through Modernism at the Central Institute Nationalities in Beijing. After becoming a prominent painter in the Peoples Republic, she was promoted to the position of Associate Art Professor of the Institute of Nationalities. In her paintings, she seeks to illustrate the beauty of a strong emotion, an imposing strength and eternity. Harold Edward Little was born in 1942, in Aurora, Illinois and educated in Virginia schools. He studied printmaking and painting in Florence, Italy from 1965-67 and also the summer of 1971 under tutelage of American painter Richard Serrin, then of Fiesole and Swietlan Kraczyna of Florence. He began making woodcuts in 1969 moving to etching plates in 1972. To date Little has executed 180 Plates in all sizes of editions. All plates are printed by the artist at his studio in Fincastle, Virginia where he lives and works with his wife, Harriet and son, Ian. Also involved with oil painting, Little produces landscapes of town and country scenes as well as views of the Outer Banks in North Carolina where the family frequently vacations in autumn. Xinhua Liu born in Beijing China, had a remarkable family, several of which were already well known artists in the area. As a child, he started taking lessons in figure sketch, water-color and landscape painting in both Chinese and Western style. In 1977, he was admitted at the Central Institute of Art and Design, the most prestigious art school in China. During that time he was exposed to the great masters like Picasso, Paul Klee, and Modogliani. This gave him the inspiration to create new themes and experiment with new techniques. After graduating with the highest honors in 1981, he was assigned to be a teacher at the institute. In 1987 he came to the United States where he found intellectual and artistic freedom. Liu has skillfully used his basic traditional Chinese painting techniques and his western influenced mind to create his own style of art. He expresses a beauty of emotion, strength and eternity. These characteristics have set him apart from all other Chinese artists. John T. Lotton John T. Lotton is the creator of unique hand-crafted glass artwork. He follows his father, Charles Lotton, and brothers, David and Daniel, in a life-long family quest to perfect the art of glassblowing. He began working as an apprentice in his father's glass shop in 1976, making jewelry and a few paperweights, then later along with his brother Daniel, finished and polished his father's glass works. Under his father's direction, John soon advanced to producing glass creations of his own. The past nineteen years have been spent perfecting his skills and techniques to achieve the outstanding results seen in his pieces today. His artwork can be viewed in fine galleries and private collections across North America. L LuHong LuHong painted, studied and absorbed information from every available source open to him. He was influenced by the works of Jiang Tiefeng, Ting Shao Kuang, Paul Klee, Modiglani and Picasso. Seeking intellectual and artistic freedom, Lu Hong moved from China to the United States in 1986, where he was reunited with his teacher Ting Shao Kuang. In just three years, he became one of the most acclaimed contemporary Chinese artists in America. Lu Hong's Paintings are reminiscent of ancient Chinese art, American Indian art, and the work of Picasso. Student of the Master's Jiang Tiefeng and Ting Shao Kuang. Aldo Luongo Luongo was educated at the Buenos Aires Academy of Fine Art and had his first gallery show in 1968 after a successful career as a designer. Well known in galleries across the country for his post-Impressionist portraits and genre scenes. His celebrity collectors include the late Yul Brynner and Cary Grant, Dionne Warwick, football star Marcus Allen and singer Christopher Cross. Richard MacDonald Born and raised in California during an unkind era for figurative art, MacDonald was tossed into artistic waters by his uncle, who was a leading graphic designer in the United States. A master at rendering surface, MacDonald has become a choreographer of shape, knowing instinctively at what point the body becomes sensual and vital, as parts transcend form and move into dance. Like a mental siren, he seduces his audience as he plays to their expectations of beauty and their perceptions of the perfect form. In this light, he considers his own work successful simply because others are touched by it, feeling its natural progression from artist to body and soul. Art does many things for human beings; when it touches them in any way, it becomes successful. The mere creation of art, that a human being can achieve is success in itself. With little initial awareness of the magnitude of his project, MacDonald approached Flair Across America without fear or anxiety, thinking not of barriers, but of possibilities. As the master creator, he seeks not permission, but rather, potential. For MacDonald, art is the celebration of life. Bill Mack Macks art elicits an immediate emotional response. In his art a moment of time is stopped, the grace of a body in motion is captured. The viewer becomes a participant. Much of this impact is created not only through Macks realistic portrayal of the subject matter, but by his choice and manipulation of materials. He complements his artistic nature with his technical ability to use porcelain, resins, urethanes, epoxies, silicones, acrylics, gypsum, and other modern materials not commonly used in contemporary art. He also takes into account that people like to touch sculpture. Unlike some settings where touching the art is a cultural faux pas, Mack likes his work to be displayed in settings that invite a viewer to caress the art and enjoy a tactile experience. Yuval Mahler Born in 1951 in Haifa, Israel, Yuval Mahler studied graphic design and animation at School of Visual Arts in New York City. While living in New York, he also participated in several group shows in Soho. Mahler draws on rich supply of wry humor, satire, caricature, and comedy to produce his insightful studies of human behavior. His paintings explore human relationships under various conditions of life the world over. Mahler’s work appeals to the child in us all, to optimists as well as those who simply want their spirits lifted. The artist works in varied media… acrylic, colored pencil, gouache, pastels, and serigraphs… to achieve his delightful depictions of human condition. His paintings have been shown in galleries and exhibitions in many countries, including Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, and United States. Isaac Maimon Maimon studied at the renowned Avni Institute of Fine Art in Tel Aviv, graduating in 1976. He has exhibited extensively both in Israel and abroad, and in addition to being an accomplished artist, taught art at the School of Visual Arts in Deer-Sheba, and at the Kay Art Academy. His warm palette has been influenced by early 20th century European art, yet he brings to the canvas a strength which is characteristic of his works. Darina Marko Darina Marko was born in Bulgaria in 1966. At an early age she focused her studies on fine art. After specializing in fine art in secondary school she went on to study at the Academy of Fine Art in Bulgaria for an additional five years focusing her studies on silk printing and batik. After completion, Darina moved to London, England for four years. Darina has spent considerable time traveling across Europe and North and South America and has exhibited her work in England, Germany, Italy and Finland. Inspired by artists including Egon Schiele and Matisse, Darina bends, twists and distorts her subject matter and perspective. She freely employs mixed media including acrylic, water colour, oil and pastel. By concentrating on the interactions between visual elements including form, colour, texture and light, her still life work acquires its abstracted aesthetic. Andras Markos Andras Markos studied fine arts at the Kunstakademie Ion Andreesseu in Kolozsvar, Romania. After graduation he worked as a graphic designer for many years, then turned his attention to being curator of medieval church art at the Komitatsmuseum in Cskszereda and Set Designer for the Hungarian State Theatre. By 1981 Markos had showings throughout Europe and finally in America, establishing himself as an internationally renowned artist. His list of group shows include appearances at "Zalavar 74," Hungary in 1974; "Joan Miro" International Competition for drawing, Barcelona, Spain and "Clausur" with "Die Gruppe" at L’Esplanade la Defense, Paris in 1984. Also, his one-person shows have appeared at Galerie Basilisk, Vienna in 1981; Neues Rathaus Galerie, Leonberg, Germany; Maison des Arts, Belford, France in 1987. Spanning Markos’ long career, several distinctions including First Prize of Kiel, West Germany in 1983 and Prize at the International Graphic Biennale, Sao Paulo, Brazil, have been awarded to him, along with permanent museums showing collections of his work at Collection of the Catholic University, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Museum of Fine Art, Bucharest, Romania and Museum of Opole, Poland. Felix Mas Mas received formal art training at the San Jorge Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under masters of Spanish and French schools of painting. An outstanding student, he was awarded a scholarship for additional studies in London. He returned to the continent and continued working and studying in Paris. Before long, Mas works were being shown in galleries in London, Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid. One of Mas principal themes is the beauty of women. Romantic, delicate, reverent paintings of female faces and figures portray the thoughtfulness, sensitivity and fantasies of women. Henri Matisse Henri Matisse is often regarded as one of the most important French painters of the 20th century. Early in his career, he was the leader of the Fauvist (meaning Wild Beasts) Movement, a painting style which focused on pure colors used in an aggressive and direct manner. His style changed many times over the years, but he never gave up his art. Matisse continued creating even into his 80s, when cancer had taken over his body. This was the time when he created the papercuttings that he is perhaps best known for. Matisse understood perfectly the relationship between color and shape, a talent which rightfully earned him the name Master of Color. Peter Max Max is one of Americas most famous and collected artists, in the league with Erte and LeRoy Neiman, but with a 60s spin. Famous for his leading role in the psychedelic art of the hippie generation. Exhibitions include The World of Peter Max at the M.H. de Young Museum, San Francisco and the Images of an Era show at the Corcoran Gallery, Washington, D.C. Comissions include 235 border murals at entry points to Canada and Mexico by U.S. General Services and six Liberty portraits at the White House at the invitation of Mrs. Reagan. Monuments include 1989 Liberty Heads, dedicated to the students of Beijing. Tim Mayer Tim Mayer's extraordinary wildlife paintings offer the viewer a unique vantage point. His paintings express more than the physical characteristics of a species; they reveal something of its personality. Now living in the U.S., Hillier was born in Buckingham, England, in 1943. Drawing and painting animals is something Tim has loved to do since he was a child. When he made the transition from an illustrator to a wildlife artist, he also switched to acrylic because it involves a looser painting process. Traveling widely in search of subjects to study and paint, Mayer’s favorite subjects come from Southeast Asia, Florida & Louisiana wetlands. He is drawn to water birds. Since moving to the States, he has begun painting North American subjects in addition to the dramatic African and bird subjects for which he is renowned. Mayer studied at Art in London and graduated with distinction. He has exhibited at the Pastel Society, the Society of Wildlife Artists, and the Society of Animal Artists. He has had one-man exhibitions throughout Great Britain and the United States. The love Mayer feels for his subject is evident in his work. He says, "I paint anything that moves. I love animals, their natural environment and being a part of their world is a privilege." Jean-Francois Millet was born in 1814 in the Norman village of Gruchy, the eldest child in a large, closely knit family of farmers living in modest prosperity on their own land. His parents, saw to it that he received a good education, which gave him a knowledge of Latin and a lifelong interest in literature. Having shown early signs of talent, the youth was sent to Cherbourg in 1833 to work with a local portrait painter. Two years later, he entered the studio of Lucien-Théophile Langlois. In 1837, provided with a stipend by the city of Cherbourg, Millet went to Paris, to enroll at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. After two unhappy years of study, Millet competed unsuccessfully for the Rome Prize, left his teacher, and lost his stipend. Back in Cherbourg, he set himself up as a portrait painter. One of his portraits was accepted for the Paris Salon of 1840, but another, commissioned by the city of Cherbourg, was returned to him as a poor likeness. Discouraged, Millet decided to seek better luck in Paris, where he established himself with his wife, barely twenty years old. His portraits of that time, modeled in hard contrasts of light and shadow are indebted to the Spanish painters whose work he was able to study in the Galerie Espagnole at the Louvre. While he struggled for a livelihood, his wife contracted tuberculosis and died. Millet returned to Cherbourg in 1844. He moved to Paris (1846), where he continued to woo the public with mildly erotic compositions. Don Mingolla Don Mingolla has painted abstract his entire career. Inspired by Paul Jenkins, Mingolla primarily paints in watercolor, explaining that the blend of color is most effective in this medium. Mingolla paintings are wonderfully colored contemporary abstracts with a combination of whimsy and sophistication. The loose brushstroke and simplistic imagery combined with bold primary color produce a high-impact work of art. His paintings are a must-see for those who enjoy strong color. Joan Miro Miro was born in Barcelona, Spain in 1893 and died in 1983. I make no distinction between painting and poetry.... The poetic paintings of 20th century master Joan Miro amuse, inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. Miro studied art at School of Fine Arts at La Llotja and Galis Escola de Art. His earliest works show the influence of the Fauve and Cubist movements which were fashionable in Spain during the early part of the century. In 1920, Miro traveled to Paris and painted with Surrealists Andr, Masson and Max Ernst. While frequently identified with the Surrealist movement, Miro never fully accepted the movements creed and refused to sign the Surrealist Manifesto. His vibrant canvases transport the viewer to alien worlds inhabited by all manner of whimsical creatures. Throughout his life, Miro felt a deep connection to his Catalan heritage and much of the symbolism that is so prevalent in his work is deeply rooted in this bond. In 1940 Miro returned to Spain and began to explore new media including large scale sculpture, ceramics, murals and tapestries. Following his first retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art in 1941, Miro achieved international acclaim and is recognized as a pioneer of Modernism. Dan Mitra Before coming to the United States from Romania, Dan Mitra worked as a graphic designer for both motion pictures and theater. He published graphics in various magazines, and won prizes in several art competitions in Italy. Although he has excelled in such varied media as painting, sculpture, and drawing, Mitra first began to explore the field of etching after traveling to the United States. A natural talent added to an intense enthusiasm assured his immediate success. His subject matter covers a wide range of topics, but he approaches it always from a decorative viewpoint and creates a pleasing addition to any interior with his distinctively fine line, unflawed technique, and attention to subtle detail. Vicky Montesinos Montesinos was born in Mexico City. After attending college in Mexico and Argentina, she studied art in Mexico with the Spanish artist Jose Bardasano, and in Buenos Aires with the painter and muralist Quinquella Martin. Her work has been critically praised for its brilliant colors which are in striking contrast to the shadowy depths of the background. Fernando Montoya Born in Colombia , South America, Montoya is a self-taught artist. Montoya participated in the International Joan Miro painting contest in Barcelona, Spain, where he won an honor award. This recognition motivated Montoya to enter the job force as a plastic artist . The labor of Montoya is comprised with sweet erotism, and a beautiful sensuality. His pictorial imagination creates figures that pertain vivid realism. He shows life to his artistic work, which gives an image that mixes into perfectionism. His paintings portray symbolic elements of realism, that evokes sensuality of the human body through the execution of imagery. Montoya has participated in more than 30 individual exhibitions. His work has been shown throughout Europe, South, Latin and North America. Wayland Moore Wayland Moore is a native of Belton, S.C. and a graduate of the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla.," according to his biographical sketch. "His commissions and assignments have brought him international acclaim as an artist who has captured the excitement of events such as the Winter and Summer Olympics, America's Cup, U.S. Open, the Masters, P.G.A., U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, Maccabiah Games of Israel, Davis Cup and many other international events. Moore has exhibited in numerous one-man shows throughout the United States and Europe. His original works and limited edition prints hang in private and corporate collections and he is listed in Who's Who in American Art. The artist's studio has been the hot and dry bush of Africa, often only yards away from lions, zebra and wildebeest; and his palette has captured the excitement and intrigue of the white waters of Alaska, Montana rodeos and European landscapes. In addition to Moore's reputation as an artist, he conducts workshops and has taught painting in evening classes at Emory University for 15 years. His concept of teaching art to federal inmates earned him a commendation from the White House. He is in demand as a lecturer and is a powerful storyteller whose company is always treasured, whether it be in offices, galleries or around a warm campfire." Henry Moore Sculptor Henry Moore was born on July 30, 1898, in Yorkshire, England. His father was a coal miner and as a boy Moore remembered sculpting with clay obtained from the pits. In Sunday school, Moore’s teacher told the students about the "greatest sculptor who ever lived- Michelangelo," and Moore became interested in the Renaissance master’s life and work. At age 18 he went to London for the first time to join the military. Before his departure to the Western Front in France, he was able to see the British Museum and the National Gallery. When he returned from the war, he went to the Leeds School of Art and was subsequently admitted to the Royal Academy. A scholarship allowed him to travel to Italy, where he admired the work of painters Giotto and Masaccio. Although his style was much less conservative than that of the Academy, Moore was offered a teaching position at the prestigious institution. Moore’s influences were incredibly diverse, including such sources as Mexican Pre-Columbian sculpture, African art, Oceanic and Cycladic pieces. Three-piece Reclining Fig. No. 2: Bridge- Prop shows the effect that seeing the Pre-Columbian reclining figure of Chac Mool, the Mayan God of Rain. Of Auguste Rodin, Moore stated, "Rodin of course knew what sculpture is: he once said that sculpture is the science of the bump and the hollow." Among modern artists, Moore favored Sir Jacob Epstein, Constantin Brancusi, and Pablo Picasso. He was also struck by Paul CÈzanne’s Large Bathers, which Moore said looked "as if they’d been sliced out of mountain rock." In 1936, Moore exhibited in the International Surrealist Exhibition in London. However, he did not share the Surrealists’ philosophies. Moore was intrigued by the organic forms of the real world, not by the shapes that haunt our dreams. His work explored not only the solid forms of the sculpted material, but also the voids created by the removal of material. Moore received many commissions, including ones from Time-Life, Lincoln Center in New York City, and UNESCO. He hoped that he would be able to live at least as long as his idol, Michelangelo, who lived to the age of 89. Moore almost achieved that goal. He died at age 88 in 1986. Valter Morais Imagine a colorful, romantic and fun world, where people celebrate peace, love, freedom and happiness . That is the Valter Morais art world. His works reveal his visionary impression of our everyday life and also reflect his great sense of humor that is always present in all of his paintings. Morais was born in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil in 1948. As a child, he had wanted to be a football player. However, his destiny was drawn to the arts. He has been committed to the fine arts since he was fifteen years old. Morais opted to dedicate his life to painting a happy world. It is a pleasure to know that my paintings can create a nice environment. He became a professional painter in 1981, when he received a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the University of Mogi das Cruzes in São Paulo. He also had an academic experience teaching for many years at the University, where he willingly shared his knowledge with many students. In 1988, he came to The United States in an attempt to achieve his main goal - to conquer the American art market. By that time, he was settled in his mind to show his works that go from classic academic to pop art style represented in oil, acrylic and watercolor. Through his eclecticism, Morais would establish a wide international reputation showing his works in many nationally recognized art shows in New York, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Hawaii and also international shows in Brazil, Paris, Germany, Australia, England, Canada, and other major art centers. Valter Morais works are deeply rooted in the cubism represented by Picasso and a pop art style , movement that emerged in the late 1950s. His works are inspired on his own romantic feeling of the world. The choice of this kind of matter, is guided by a reference to the beautiful models, dances, musical instruments and, why not, the daily life. Morais moved from Boston to exhibit his pictures that perfectly combine to the tropical atmosphere. He became involved in painting different themes characterized by the deep perspective, colorful backgrounds and unexpected dimensions. Robin Morris Morris has come to the forefront of the Art Deco revival with a unique style of her own. “New Deco” combines the elegance and whimsy of classic Deco with a bold contemporary flair. Robin’s compositions are calculated statements that encompass both engaging form and social style. Her figures are beautiful, their scene urban, their attitude chic. With the publication of “The Couple” lithograph in 1982, Robin’s work was launched. Much of the success of her limited edition lithographs may be attributed to Master Printers Joseph Kleineman and Maureen Turci of J.K. Fine Art editions in New York. Robin has sold out solo shows in New York and Florida and her original paintings are in collections worldwide. Recent commissions include Bloomingdales, Edward Fields, Inc. and Radio City Music Hall. Robin was born in New York in 1953. She was educated at Syracuse University and C.W. Post College on Long Island. In many ways, New Deco brings forth more colorful, even more decorative elements than were present 50 years ago. Alphonse Mucha was born in Czechoslovakia and emigrated to Paris when he was twenty-nine years old. It was there that he achieved great fame as one of the most important exponents of the art nouveau movement. He created prints, posters (many featuring the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt), illustrations for books and magazines, and jewelry. Almost all of his designs were centered on romanticized female figures, highlighted by great flourishes. It has been said that his popularity came too quickly and he saturated his market with too many products, thereby causing a decline in quality and, eventually, demand. His early prints, in mint condition, are considered valuable today because they are some of the best representational art of his era and because Mucha earned an important place in European art history. Dennis Mukai Mukai was born in Hiroshima, Japan and was influenced by Japan's master printmakers such as Utamaro, Hiroshige, and Hokusai. Not only did he appreciate their asymmetrical use of space, he adopted their fascination for the beauty of women. Mukai's art depicts the rarefied world of high fashion and feminine beauty with an original sense of style. In limited edition serigraphs, Mukai demonstrates this unparalled vision. The fashion models are rendered in bright, unconventional tones and flowing lines to maintain a delicate balance between reality and illusion. The beauty of these models is idealized without losing the individual characteristics that allow them the aspect of portraiture. Mukai's lyrical compostions transcend their connection to illustration to becoming contemporary icons, coolly restrained yet humanistic images. His reductive line, the inventive use of negative space, and composstional refinement imbue his subjects with seductive mystery. Patrick Nagel Nagel was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1946 and died in 1984. He synthesized components of graphic design, fashion illustration and a sensuous approach to painting the figure into a stylized personal vision which altered attitudes towards illustrating fashions in the 80s. Nagel lived and worked most of his life in California studying painting and graphic design. After graduation, he began teaching at the Art Center College of Design, while simultaneously establishing himself as a successful freelance designer, illustrator and painter. Influenced by the design of Japanese woodblock prints, Nagel's figures are silhouetted against a neutral background, with bold linear elements, strong shape relationships and unusual angles forci |