Bio (Alex Tolstoy)

Alex is primarily a watercolorist.

Influences and inspirations include such classic master artists as J.M.W. Turner, , , James Whistler, , and more. Contemporary masters who are much admired include Jean Haines, Darlene Kaplan, John Lovett, Charles Reid, Thomas Schaller, Roger Whitlock, Joseph Zbukvic, and others.

Alex was born in New York City but grew up in DC. Dr. Tolstoy was a research scientist (mathematician, actually) for over 40 years (specializing in Ocean Acoustics over the past 30 plus years).

Alex is an award winning watercolorist and a member of the McLean Project of the Arts (MPA), the Art League of Alexandria, the Maryland Federation of Art (MFA), the Yellow Barn Studio, the McLean Art Society (MAS), the Washington Project for the Arts (WPA), the Potomac Valley Watercolorists (PVW), and the American Watercolor Society (AWS). She is married to photographer Ron Colbroth.

Her work is in private collections and has been or will be seen in:

2016 SOLO show at the Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League “Watermarks” (June) 2016 Alexandria Art League -- Gallery 75 (monthly) 2016 Art League Patron’s Show (Feb 2-14) 2016 Art & Beyond Studio magazine (Jan/Feb) Juried: M. Ryk 2016 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Jan) Juror: A. Nance 2016 Fusion art online competition Artist’s Choice (Jan) Juror: C. Hoffman 2016 Barebrush online Nudes calendar competition (Jan) Juror: D. Sperling 2016 Barebrush online calendar competition (Jan) Juror: D. Sperling

2015 Alexandria Art League -- bin gallery (monthly) 2015 The Foundry DC (monthly — until Dec) 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Dec) Juror: C. Mansell 2015 Yellow Barn Member Show (Dec) Juror: C. Frenn 2015 SOLO show at office of Dr. G. Gouldin (Dec 4 - Feb 26) 2015 Fusion art online competition Elements (Dec) Juror: C. Hoffman 2015 Barebrush online Nudes calendar competition (Dec) Juror: I. Skeen 2015 Barebrush online calendar competition (Dec) Juror: I. Skeen 2015 MAS ramp show at MPA (Nov 21 - Dec 23) Juror: C. Krupinski 2015 MFA at West Annapolis Artworks (Nov 21 - Jan 24) Juror: K. Conrad 2015 Barebrush online calendar competition (Nov) Juror: C. Yoder 2015 MFA “Small Wonders” (Annapolis MD, Nov 27 - Dec 23) Juror: G. Deal 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League “MiniMax” (Nov) Juror: R. Leith 2015 Barebrush online calendar competition (Oct) Juror: D.S. Wade 2015 MFA Collector’s Choice at The Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, Oct 16- 25) 2015 MFA at the Circle gallery (Annapolis MD, Sep) Juror: C. Cash 2015 Artavita online gallery & 16th annual competition (pgs. 28/29) Juror: D. Tunberg 2015 MFA at the Maritime Museum (Annapolis MD, Sep 16 - Nov 1) Juror: K. Adkins 2015 The Athenaeum (Sep 10 - Oct 25) Juror: T. Murray 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Sep) Juror: E. Devine 2015 Art & Beyond Studio magazine (Sep/Oct) Juried: M. Ryk 2015 Artist of the month (August, MAS) 2015 Art Kudos magazine (August 15, for 1 year) Juror: C. Long 2015 Art & Beyond Studio magazine (Special: Nude issue) Juror: L. Milgrom 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Jul) Juror: J. Lindsay 2015 Art in City Hall (Alexandria VA, Jul 17 - Dec 18) Juror: F. Phillips 2015 The Foundry DC “Bare the Walls” (Jul) 2015 See Me at the Louvre, Paris (July 13) 2015 MFA at the Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, May) Jurors: S. & L. Krensky 2015 SOLO show at The Foundry DC “Waterwork” (Apr 29 - May 31) 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Apr) Juror: Jayme McClellan 2015 The Foundry DC “The Painted Word” (Apr) 2015 Young at Art (Reston, Apr) Jurors: J.M. Adams & T.G. Tso 2015 April 15 — featured artist artfinder.com 2015 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Mar) Juror: L.K. Strelka 2015 Art League Patron’s Show (Feb 4-15) 2015 NAWA (Nat. Assoc. Women Artists, NYC) (Feb 4 - 25) 2015 Art in City Hall (Alexandria VA, Jan 23 - Jun 5)) 2015 MFA at the Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, Jan) Juror: L. Edinberg 2015 The Foundry DC “New Year, New Work” (Jan)

2014 The Foundry DC (monthly) 2014 Alexandria Art League -- bin gallery (monthly) 2014 Yellow Barn Member Show (Dec) Juror: D. Grafton 2014 Reston Community Center - HeART Exhibit (Dec-Jan) 2014 MAS Westover Library (Dec-Jan) 2014 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Nov) Juror: J. Farrah 2014 MFA “Small Wonders” (Annapolis MD, Nov) Juror: M. Civin 2014 MFA “Strokes of Genius” (Annapolis MD, Nov) Juror: K. Lordier 2014 Quarter-finalist in 1st World Watercolor Competition Jurors: J. Gallizia, J. McFarlane, T. Hunt, X. Chen, N. Simmons 2014 MFA Collector’s Choice at The Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, Oct 17-24) 2014 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Sep) Juror: D. Moss 2014 MFA at the Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, Sep) Juror: E. Kaufman 2014 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (August) Juror: O. Kohler-Maga 2014 GW alumna article on line (by M. Wecker) 2014 MFA at the Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, July) 2014 The Foundry DC “Fireworks” (July) 2014 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (July) Juror: G. Hammer 2014 MFA at U MD (June 25 - Aug 2) Juror: A. Shafer 2014 MAS at US Geol. Survey (June 2 - 30) 2014 MPA Show “Transformations” (June 12 - Aug 2) Juror: J. Rasmussen 2014 MFA at the Circle gallery (Annapolis MD, Apr 25 - May 18) Juror: M. Coates 2014 SEMI-SOLO show (two person) at The Foundry DC "Take 2" (Feb 5 - Mar 2) 2014 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Jan) Juror: A. Marchand 2014 MFA at The Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, Jan) Juror: G. Schermerhorn

2013 The Foundry DC (monthly) 2013 Yellow Barn Member show (Dec) Juror: E. Timmers 2013 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Nov) Juror: G. Schermerhorn 2013 SOLO show at MPA "Mostly Landscapes" (Atrium Gallery, Sep 12-Nov 2) 2013 SOLO show at Yellow Barn "Landscapes Plus" (Aug 24-25) 2013 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (Aug) Juror: E. Klimek 2013 The Foundry DC “Hot, Hot, Hot" (Aug 2 - Sep 1) Jurors: Peterzell, Clarke, & Wiley 2013 The Circle Gallery (Annapolis MD, July) 2013 Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League (May) Juror: L. Dickens

2012 MPA Show "Something and Nothing" (Jun 13-Aug 3) Juror: J.W. Mahoney 2012 Yellow Barn Member show (Dec) Juror: C. Fraser

Honors and distinctions:

2015 MPA/MAS ramp show second place: (Nov 21 - Dec 23) Juror: C. Krupinski 2015 Article “Fluid Dynamics” in GW Alumni News Magazine (by M. Wecker) 2015 Juror’s Choice from C. Cash at MFA at the Circle gallery (Annapolis MD)

2015 Certificate of Excellence, Artavita 16th competition (see pgs. 28-29) 2015 Honorable Mention for Art League exhibit (Sep) 2015 Artist of the month (August, MAS) 2015 Article in Home and Design magazine July/August issue 2015 Featured artist: Artfinder.com (April 15) 2015 Juror’s Choice from J.M. Adams & T.G. Tso in Young at Art (Reston, Apr) 2014 Award of Merit from A. Shafer (Baltimore Museum of Art) for entry to MFA at U MD (June 25 - Aug 2) 2014 GW alumna article on line (by M. Wecker) http://www.gwalumni.org/2014/07/from-numbers-to-watercolors-an-alumnas- story/#.U9miVvmwLnQ 2014 “Artist of the Week” on the MFA blog for May 12-16 2014 Quarter-finalist in 1st World Watercolor Competition; Jurors: J. Gallizia, J. McFarlane, T. Hunt, X. Chen, N. Simmons

SOLO shows:

2016 SOLO show at the Torpedo Factory/Alexandria Art League “Watermarks” (June) 2015 SOLO show at the offices of Dr. G. Gouldin (Dec 4 - Feb 26) 2015 SOLO show at The Foundry DC “Waterwork” (Apr 29 - May 31) 2014 SEMI-SOLO show (two person) at The Foundry DC "Take 2" (Feb 5 - Mar 2) 2013 SOLO show at MPA "Mostly Landscapes" (Atrium Gallery, Sep 12-Nov 2) 2013 SOLO show at Yellow Barn "Landscapes Plus" (Aug 24-25)

See also the five books of images (now also available as ebooks) by A. Tolstoy on www.blurb.com: ‘Scapes (2015) Olio (2015) Mostly Landscapes 2 (2012) Mostly Landscapes (2011) Abstract Art (2010)

Work can be seen on the following sites: www.atolstoyart.com www.mdfedart.com www.theartleague.org/content/bin_gallery.com www.turningart.com www.fineartamerica.com www.wpadc.org www.saatchiart.com www.artavita.com www.artfinder.com www.barebrush.com www.global-art-exchange.com www.healing-power-of-art.org www.articho.com

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