The Influence of Fine Art on Fashion by Dani-Elle

ARTisSpectrum Volume 28 The Chelsea Perspective

Pomp and Exaltation - The Influence of Fine Art on Fashion By Dani-Elle

Dubé

1 ARTisSpectrumProfiles | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com of Contemporary Art and Artists DELAWARE CENTER FOR THE CONTEMPORARY ARTS DCCA; 35,000 sq. ft., seven galleries, 26 artists’ studios, gift shop, high-tech auditorium, and always FREE Admission.

Upcoming Exhibits

Natural Forces: Alison Stigora Sep 7, 2012 – Dec 9, 2012

Young Country: Rural Themes in Art Sep 29, 2012 – Jan 27, 2013

Rise and Fall: Monumental Duct Tape Drawings: Joe Girandola Oct 6, 2012 – Feb 10, 2013

Freak Antique: Contemporary Art Curios Oct 27, 2012 – Feb 10, 2013

Artist: Sarah Lyon Portrait of Artist’s Bronzed Boots from the Young Country exhibition. A forum for new ideas, new ART

Tue, Thu, Fri & Sat: 10 to 5 Wed & Sun: 12 to 5 Mon:Closed 200 South Madison Street Wilmington, DE 19801 302.656.6466 www.thedcca.org

Royal Academicians from Anish Kapoor to Zaha Hadid

Public previews 3 – 7 October 2012

Public auction 9 October 2012

Exhibition 11 October – 11 November 2012

RA Friends go free royalacademy.org.uk

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 2 Agora.indd 1 04/09/2012 11:26 Treasures of the Amazon Rainforest: A solo exhibition of photography by Robert Oelman November 27- December 18, 2012 Opening Reception Thursday, November 29, 2012 6-8pm Agora Ad

Robert Oelman: Membracis bucktoni/”Michael” Photographic Print on Fine Art bucktoni/”Michael” 7” x 11” Photographic Oelman: Membracis Robert Paper 530 West 25th Street, New York 10001 www.Agora-Gallery.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 3 ARTisSpectrum

Publisher Agora Gallery Contents

Editor-in-Chief 7 Profile Directory Angela Di Bello 9 About the Cover Assistant Editor Sabrina Gilbertson 18 Jackie Greene: A Visual State of Mind Casey Simring Art Director Julie Wilson 24 Art and the Arts

Associate Editors 36 Painting with Sudnya Shroff: A Slow and Quiet Inner Transformation Joyce Asper 46 Studio Spaces Karin Maraney Denise Pelletier Staff Writers 59 Buying Art from the Heart Steven Barnes Chloe Eichler Angela Di Bello Laura Monroe Brenda O’Toole 60 Chelsea: Anything Goes Theresa Sinclair Marissa Mule Francesca Sonara Benjamin Sutton 68 The Humanitarians Leah Triplet 76 Taking on the Big Apple Contributing Writers The Impact that a New York Exhibition Can Have on Your Art Career David LaBella Karin Maraney 88 New York City: Evoking the Muse Marissa Mule Casey Simring 95 On Facing Scarcity: The Changing Landscape of Public Arts Funding in the New Millennium David J.LaBella 120 Spotlight on Kiko Sobrino Angela Di Bello

ARTisSpectrum provides a forum for artists 133 Memorable Receptions from Around the World and art professionals. Articles express the opinion and knowledge of the authors 138 ARTbeat and not necessarily that of the magazine’s management. Artist profiles are written by staff writers or the artists unless otherwise noted.

© All copyrights are reserved by the authors. The copyrights of all published artwork are retained by the artists. Reproduction of any published material is prohibited without the written permission of the magazine’s publisher.

Suggestions for future articles are welcome. Any topic submitted in writing by an artist, art professional or professionals in the service of the art community will be considered for publication.

ARTisSpectrum Magazine 530 West 25th Street New York, NY 10001 www.ARTisSpectrum.com 212.226.4151 [email protected] 4 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 138 36 46

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 5 Richard Learoyd, Man with Octopus Tattoo II (detail), 2011. © Richard Learoyd, McKee courtesy Gallery, New York

31 OCT 2012 – 20 JAN 2013

Open daily 10am-6pm, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Fridays until 9pm Charing Cross/Leicester Square

Politics NOT as Usual: Quilts with Something to Say Organized by American Folk Art Museum Through Jan. 13, 2013

Celebrating quilting as a medium for art and social change. For more information go to www.bocamuseum.org or call 561.392.2500

the common thread that unites us all JESSIE B. TELFAIR (1913-1986), Freedom Quilt, 1983, cotton with pencil, 74 x 68 inches. Courtesy American Folk Art Museum, New York. Gift of Judith Alexander in loving memory of her sister, Rebecca Alexander, 2004.9.1

6 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Profiles

If you like to keep up-to-date with the art world and enjoy spotting talented emerging and established artists, then artists’ profiles are a great way to do it. These profiles showcase the work, motivations and inspirations of exciting new faces on the international art scene.

114 Aivars Kisnics 85 Helen S. Cohen 115 Patrice Carmichael 66 Alex Carr 124 Iryna Torskaya 50 Rachel Forte 129 AnnaMaria Critelli 65 Isabelle Habegger 102 Ricardo Lowenberg 22 Anne-Marie Crosby 129 Jade Rougerie 122 Ronald DeMuth 83 Avaz Mutall 87 Jean Francois Mercier 58 Rosanne Potter 128 Bernice Sorge 23 Jennifer Morrison 112 Samar Albader 55 Bibbi Ahrnstedt (Glass Artist) 110 Jenyshin 123 Scott Breeman 13 Bonnie Pakman 50 Jim Cobb 126 Seonaid Ross 111 Brady Steward 54 Josie Lowerson 56 Sharon Brill 67 Carmen Sotuela 75 Judy Talacko 84 Sharon Ross 127 Carolina Ferrara 58 Karel de Beer 64 Sherry Sweet Tewell 54 Caroline Örnstedt 49 Katrina Howarth 118 Shifra 119 CHAREST 63 Klaus Pfeiffer 55 Silvio Natali 35 Cheri Mittermaier 111 Kristina Garon 103 Sirenes 101 Chiho Yoshikawa 105 Lawrence R. Armstrong 106 Slava White 35 Christine Sellman 129 Luca Cappai 85 Solveig M. Skogseide 114 Constanza Villalba 131 Malcolm Baroway 86 Sonia Koch 128 Darlene Adams 23 Margaretha Gubernale 86 Stefania Buccio Gonzato 53 David Renn 84 María Inés Cámara 115 Steffie Wallace 105 David W. Whitfield 95 Marissa Mule 100 Stephen Tobin 54 Debra Branitz 14 Mark Salevitz 113 Steven R. Hill 14 Denise Pelletier 110 Mark Tomczak 55 Stewart Forrest 42 Dick Perez 114 Martyn Royce 64 Susumu Hasegawa 49 Dominique Braud 131 Masakazu Tatebayashi 130 Suzanne (SÜ) Fortin 51 Donna Shaffer 67 Maurice van Tilburg 66 Takashi Kogawa 15 Dr. Diane M. Kline 63 Mauro Filigheddu 116 Tanya Marie Reeves 22 Elio Talon 123 Max Werner 115 Tinatin 13 Elisa Grion 82 Meaghan Fennessy Keeley 44 Tiril 104 Emmanuelle Rivard 52 Melody Hawtin 74 Tom Stewart 117 Fred Mou 87 Michele Brunschvig Dariele 82 Tracy Winston 56 FrédériqueK 130 Michele Rocca 87 Trisha Fitzpatrick 117 Gaby Hahn 104 Mike Elliott 53 Trond Are Berge 52 GaroS (“Garegin Sngryan”) 57 Monique Robert 128 Vasiliy Kuznetsov 65 Gary E. Koeppel 12 Nancy Stella Galianos 95 Vito Matera 16 George Oommen 32 Nélida Diaz de D’Amato 51 Wendy Carmichael-Bauld 116 Gerd Rautert 15 Noriko Kinouchi 12 Wendy Cohen 86 Gladys Gonzalez 103 Olivia Kapoor 107 Yasuyuki Ito 113 Guido Villa 122 Pati Trippel 101 Yolanda Eljaiek

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 7 ARTisSpectrum Contributors

Karin Maraney David LaBella Marissa Mule Casey Simring is the Writing is a profes- is an artist, is an art his- and Social sional pho- writer and de- tory student Media Coor- tographer and signer, living at the Univer- dinator at Ag- writer living in and working sity of Mas- ora Gallery as Connecticut, in New York sachusetts well as one of but traveling, City. As a fine Amherst. This the Associate when time al- arts major past summer Editors of and lows, around at the Fash- she worked at contributors the United ion Institute Agora Gallery to ARTisSpec- States, seek- of Technol- as an intern. trum. She is originally from London, ing the landscapes and scenery that ogy, she works on both school and Though the position was temporary, England and graduated from the Uni- are best suited to his painstaking, personal projects – mainly focusing Casey had a great time learning the versity of Cambridge with a degree beautiful style of photography. He on abstract painting – as she feels ropes and befriending the wonderful in Philosophy and a keen interest in feels that his photography, like other its process and freedom opens up a family of women who work there. fine art. Before starting work -at Ag visual arts, reflects the vision that the whole new window into her artwork. ora Gallery she was freelance writer creative eye draws from life expere- Influenced by line, she uses a pouring and editor, with a focus on academic inces and the human sensitivity to technique to create vibrant, bold and texts. She feels that there is a strong form, light and texture. His writing, drip-like patterns, built up with layers positive connection between visual which is likewise well researched and of thick paint. art and writing, with each able to appealingly flowing, draws from the support and enrich the other. same satisfying creative process.

Pathway to Abstraction Susanne Zimmer Minami Ogura Michael Freedman Chiho Yoshikawa Emily Grieco Kathleen Barefield Maurice van Tilburg Helen S. Cohen LeeAnn Gorman Yana Yami Shu-Tsin Liu Tyice Natasha

Sensorial Realms Therese Obergottsberger David Renn Eduardo D. Rubin Eva Fritz Pati Trippel Samuel Rosell Cathy McClelland Uriu Veselik

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

8 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com About the Cover by Angela Di Bello, Editor in Chief

In the ‘80s, I represented a painter whose work would eventually hang in the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

His paintings are awe-inspiring, as is his sculpture, writing and music! His loft space in SoHo is filled with the implements of his creative impulses. One medium influencing another and woven together to form a magnificent tapestry of whom this creative force is as a human being and masterful artist.

In a world of specialization, we sometimes lose sight of the real nature of our brilliant intellect; we are not one dimensional, uninformed creatures of the dark allowing only specific information to filter through our brains, but receptors of all that we see, feel, experience, enjoy and agonize over. As the creative beings that we were intended to be, we have the capacity to embrace the freedom that allows us to create in the most profound way imaginable by utilizing all of the resources that are within us.

Jackie Greene, the painter / musician featured on the cover of this issue and the topic of our featured article by Casey Simmering on page 18, is such an artist. His passion and talent for writing, his musicality, and his love of painting are the tools of his very existence and sustenance for his soul. His music would not resonate, as it does, with his audience if it were not for his ability to be open to all forms of artistic expression. Jackie, like so many other artists, is the offspring of all those that came before him, the artists whose very nature was to manifest their creative expression through an outpouring of words, music, and in many cases the scent of paint, feel of bristles and sound of palette knives scraping against the canvas. Art is a language that takes many forms; a language whose lineage grows with each generation who bring to it new mediums of expression.

Let us take a deep breath and celebrate our own creative experience in all that we do. I hope that you will enjoy this issue as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you!

Featured painting: Raven by Jackie Greene, Oil on Canvas, 24” x 48”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 9 LaPlacaCohen 212-675-4106 212-675-4106 Publication:

ARTis s pec TR um

Insertion date: Insertion NOV em B e R 2012 Just a short walk from Grand Central and Penn Station, the Morgan is a major exhibition venue for fine art, literature, and music, one of New York’s great historic sites, and a wonderful

place to dine, shop, and attend a concert Size: or film. 9.9” 4 x 9.9” 3.615” The

Morgan c mA Library & Museum philamuseum.org g Madison Ave. at 36th St. Dancing Around The Bride is made possible by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative. Additional support is generously provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Glenstone, The Presser Foundation, the Dedalus Foundation, Dr. Sankey V. Williams and Constance H. Williams, Dina and Jerry Wind, John Wind, Barbara B. and Theodore R. Aronson, Christie’s, Mary S. and Anthony B. Creamer, Jaimie and David Field, Lawrence themorgan.org Luhring and Roland Augustine, SEDA Italy, Mari and Peter Shaw, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Levine, and other generous individuals. The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Support for the accompanying publication is generously provided by Larry Gagosian. Special thanks to The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Music Project, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Dina and Jerry Wind, and John J. Medveckis for their support of the festival Cage: Beyond Silence. Yamaha Disklavier Pianos courtesy of Jacobs Music Company and Yamaha Corporation of America. In-kind support for the exhibition is provided courtesy of Pilar Corrias, London, and the Leo Katz Collection, Bogotá, Colombia. Photography by Graham Haber, 2012. Dancer Carolyn Brown in Walkaround Time (1968). Choreography by Merce Cunningham and stage set and costumes by Jasper Johns. Photograph © 1972 by James Klosty 10 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com

PMA-0052-ArtIsSpectrum_3.625x9.9_Nov_v6.indd 1 9/20/12 6:19 PM web design social media videography photography FOR ARTISTS What artists and galleries are saying...

To work with CrumlicMedia was such a nice experience, from the very first minute Bill makes you feel totally comfortable in front of the camera. He captured in images the sensitivity that I wanted and the editing work was magnificent. I truly recommend CrumlicMedia. — Flavio Pellegrino Artist and painter, New York Bill is an excellent professional. He knows how to make a report remarkable, underlining the outstanding features of any artist and his/her artwork. Very talented in producing any kind of work in the video industry. — Andreas Strobel Artist and sculpter, Madrid Spain Bill did a 6 minute video of my opening at Agora Gallery in NYC. It is posted on the web and I have received nothing but great praise for his fine work. Other video professionals have told me how outstanding his editing skills are! — Jim Cobb, Philadelphia Artist and painter

OCTOBER 11, 2012 seattleartmuseum.org/elles

Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris is organized by the Seattle Art Museum and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.

Image: Hilton Head Island, S.C., USA, June 24, 1992 (detail), 1992, Rineke Dijkstra (Dutch, born 1959), cibachrome, 56 5/16 x 44 5/16 inches, Centre Georges Pompidou, Musée national d’art moderne, Paris. Courtesy of the artist and Marian See our work at crumlicmedia.com Goodman Gallery, New York / Paris. © Rineke Dijkstra, Photo: Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI/Philippe Migeat. Call us anytime 646-596-6652

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 11 Nancy Stella Galianos

reek-Canadian artist Nancy Stella Galianos likens Gher canvases to dance floors and her compositions to choreography, a musical analogy that rings true for viewers of these playful, upbeat and ebullient paintings. Working primarily with bright acrylic paints, and occasionally incorporating collage elements into her creations, the artist layers thin, drip- like gestural lines atop carefully drawn stripes that in turn float over broad, diffuse and shifting areas of color. The interactions and transitions between her three modes of painting create dynamic contrasts between colors, textures and directions that evoke the swirling forms of Julie Mehretu and the riotous compositions of Quebec great Paul-Émile Borduas. Galianos’ palette, however, is markedly more adventurous. While some compositions strive for a certain synergy between colors and forms, many thrive off extreme contrasts. Galianos occasionally suggests specific landscapes, seasons, or images with her titles, deploying matching colors of brown, red and orange for an autumnal scene or blues, purples and greens for Orange Zest Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 36” a nighttime vista. Elsewhere she choreographs elaborate swirls of opposing tones into beautiful frenzies. Like colorful storm clouds crisscrossed by fireworks and shooting stars, her divergent modes of application throw each other into sharper contrast. Amazingly, these many competing hues and textures never seem to be at odds; rather, they bolster one another with lightness and intensity. www.nancygalianos.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Nancy_Stella_Galianos.aspx

Wendy Cohen

endy Cohen’s mixed media creations utilize texture, gesture Wand controlled spontaneity to draw the viewer into a world of questions and enigmatic answers. Her canvases are packed with exuberant colors and textures, forming images, people and environments in a playful, patchwork manner that highlights the energy and freedom of each handmade mark. Though graphic patterns and abstracted organic shapes are major elements in her work, Cohen’s dominant subject is the human face. It is the central object of many paintings, but can also be found hidden in the background, among a field of multicolored shapes, or worked into a shadowy outline — each painting is so layered that the recurring image of a face becomes intriguingly indistinct , moving from the conscious level to the unconscious. In fact, these images work on many levels in every way: in the thick layers of different paints which the artist applies, in the interplay of strong and subtle patterns, and in the mode of uncanny representation that she inhabits. Cohen picks out faces, bodies, buildings, and even furniture with her signature bold, bright outlines, but as much as her images resemble real-world counterparts, they inhabit an unrecognizable plane of color and movement. Wendy Cohen was born in South Africa before moving to Australia, Hot Dot Spots Mixed Media on Canvas 40” x 30” where she continues to work today. www.wendycohen.net.au www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Wendy_Cohen.aspx

12 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Elisa Grion

igurative artist Elisa Grion depicts her human subjects in frozen moments, Ffixed in time as they go about their everyday lives. Inspired by the emotional lives of the people around her, Grion features both solitary and interacting figures in a wide range of contexts, capturing the essence of that moment in time while never losing sight of basic design elements such as line and form. The paintings that emerge are spontaneous and highly emotive, drawing the viewer into that subject’s particular world. A signature characteristic of Grion’s work is the way her compositions are synchronized and balanced. Details and backgrounds exist only to enhance the subject, which is brought to life through distinct planes of colors and magnificent textures. Brushstrokes are often heavy and rough, and sometimes created with the use of a palette knife. What results are sensuous, painterly paintings rich in color, light, and form. Above all, Elisa Grion’s paintings are expressionistic tributes to her subjects, effectively capturing all the complexity that lies beneath the surface. Behind each face is a story that the viewer can only intuit. As she explains, “In art there is no need for words, no need for explanations. It is an expression of the soul intended to wake the emotions.” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Elisa_Grion.aspx

Folk Woman Oil on Canvas 24” x 20”

Bonnie Pakman

ombining movement with lots of color” is a fundamental “Cconcept that underlies Bonnie Pakman’s striking abstract paintings. Often starting out “with only colors in mind,” Pakman creates intriguingly layered images in which the contrasts between colors are just one way of keeping the viewer’s eye in motion. The artist also often plays one painting style off against another, laying down subtle backgrounds over which she will splatter or drip other, usually far brighter, shades of paint. That combination results in works that expertly balance stillness and motion. Pakman cites Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock among the inspirations for her work, and one can see echoes of Rothko’s serene moodiness and Pollock’s free-wheeling sensibility in her paintings. But she incorporates those influences into something completely new, bringing her distinct originality into focus. Pakman’s palette goes far beyond the acrylic paints she starts with. Beads, glitter and even mirrors show up in her canvases. “The addition of mirrors in some of the canvases,” she says, “can turn the observer into an active participant in my work.” Indeed, engaging the viewer is central to these images. “I love watching the viewer interact with my painting,” the artist notes, and the varied yet focused works she makes offer ample opportunities for that interaction. Martrydom of St. Sebastian Acrylic on Canvas 60” x 48” Bonnie Pakman currently lives and works in Richboro, Pennsylvania. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Bonnie_Pakman.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 13 Mark Salevitz he lively acrylic paintings of Mark Salevitz present a reality just Theightened enough to entice the viewer’s attention and emotions. Salevitz’s subject matter is ordinary, including botanicals, small landscapes, and the occasional glimpse of a human figure. But he combines them in dynamic compositions, entwining them together in a way that borders on abstraction. Above all, he uses his palette, which swerves abruptly from neon to pastel and back again, to enliven and enrich his every form. Salevitz’s style is unexpectedly gentle, though he uses the brightest of colors in complicated, often contrasting ways. One of his most distinctive techniques is his refusal to separate color from line; instead of shading or blending, Salevitz molds houses, plants, and mountains out of a series of multicolored brushstrokes. The results are not just specific — an Arizonian cactus, a Parisian apartment building — but create an instantly recognizable atmosphere and mood. His cityscapes in particular give a firm sense of geographical and cultural place in the world. The artist’s long interest in Impressionism and Post-Impressionism is certainly visible, but his own approach is both contemporary and unique. Mark Salevitz began painting twelve years ago, after launching his ophthalmology career. He was born in upstate New York and currently Seagull on a Streetlamp Acrylic on Paper 24” x 18” lives in Arizona, from where he takes the opportunity to travel and paint new places. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mark_Salevitz.aspx

Denise Pelletier he plein air paintings of Canadian artist Denise TPelletier invite the viewer to experience breathtaking landscapes and unique still lifes and tableaux that combine an impressionist approach with abstract leanings. Using her palette knife to put thick, bold strokes across the canvas, Pelletier combines rich, muted colors and daring tones with airy, spacious compositions to create instinctive images that explore our sense of place in this world. Throughout her career, Pelletier has been inspired by her travels across the globe. No matter where she roams, she is always able to immerse herself in her surroundings through her art. As she explains, “With my easel anchored, I’ve immortalized sensations, embodied emotions, and engraved impressions as Golden Fields Acrylic on Canvas 11” x 14” the days and seasons have come to pass.” There is a strong current of creative, spontaneous energy that suffuses each of Pelletier’s works, inviting the viewer to marvel at the harmony and intricacies that surround us. Indeed, the artist’s greatest wish is to inspire others, “to add a hint of beauty to the difficulties in which we live, to make people travel and dream through my paintings.” Denise Pelletier currently lives, works and teaches in the Outaouais region in Quebec Province while spending a few months of every year in Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region. www.dpelletier.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Denise_Pelletier.aspx

14 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Dr. Diane M. Kline n unusually wide variety of colors and textures can be seen Ain Dr. Diane M. Kline’s paintings. “I want people to feel an emotional response,” Kline says, “to be drawn into the painting by the movement of color and design.” The feeling of motion in her images comes from her dynamic sense of composition and the palpable energy with which she places paint on the canvas. Paint may be dripped, swirled or applied with broad brushstrokes. Yet that energy is tempered by a fine sense of control. The movement of a drip of paint across the canvas in one image will be as precisely executed as a meticulously rendered dragon snaking through another. Kline’s color sense is as distinctive as her designs. Working with a palette that runs from whites and subdued earth tones to metallic shades, she balances shades off of one another with the kind of control that is evidenced in her compositions. She also mixes textures, using a range of materials, from acrylics to metallic paints and from recycled rocks to paper, sometimes Misdirection Acrylic on Canvas 20” x 20” achieving a near three-dimensional effect through the layering of those materials. The result of all the contrasts is a surprisingly harmonious one that fully achieves Kline’s goal of inviting the viewer in. The artist lives and works in Palm Desert, CA. www.dianeklineexclusives.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Dr._Diane_M._Kline.aspx

Noriko Kinouchi apanese new media artist Noriko Kinouchi creates Jsumptuous digital compositions which combine disparate elements and mimic many traditional practices in hybrid images richly layered with vivid details, patterns and tones. “I believe that art has the power to change both the artist and the audience,” she explains, “and to build a connection between them.” The link she herself develops springs from her ability to tap into shared visual culture, from her ornate digital takes on the organic forms of classical Japanese prints, to watery, Monet-esque landscapes, and Pop art-like treatment of photography. The resulting digital prints act as new media tapestries of sorts, honing a distinct and original aesthetic from many different threads. Flamingos Mixed Media Print on Canvas 28” x 36” These technically sophisticated and visually gripping images all feature figurative and abstract elements, with the central figures of certain works so thoroughly deconstructed as to become practically unrecognizable. Yet Kinouchi also layers in additional fragments of images and patterns. Her compositions seem at once scrubbed of information and awash in detail. Her choice of subjects likewise complicates facile distinctions, turning natural imagery like birds, fish, insects and plants into elaborately rendered and tonally stylized digital creatures, like the flora and fauna of a futuristic environment. This fusion of traditional imagery and cutting-edge techniques produces unforgettable works that connect viewers to their past and present. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Noriko_Kinouchi.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 15 George Oommen

Sacred Place within You 34 Oil on Canvas 20” x 20” Visions of Kerala 22 Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 36”

Visions of Kerala 21 Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 36”

16 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com erala-born, Boston-based artist George Oommen creates Kambitious paintings which capture the indescribable beauty that exists in our world but which we so often fail to see. Currently living in Boston in the United States, each year Oommen makes a month-long pilgrimage to his birthplace in Kerala, at the southern tip of India. It is here, in this tropical paradise brimming with rich colors and textures and limitless visual potential, that the inspiration for his broad portfolio of work is born. He is inspired by both his native landscapes and the complex architecture and textiles that comprise this area of the world. In his paintings, Oommen is able to capture these images of his homeland just as he remembers them, with rain falling in colors and light drenched terrains seeming to stretch on forever. “My painting communicates what I see in my mind’s eye”.

Oommen’s paintings are vast in scope, relying on principles of Abstract Expressionism combined with a dedication to line and form. His use of composition is masterful, complemented by an exceptional sense of balance and harmony. Oommen’s work is said to inspire a sensory awakening in the viewer, in which they are invited into tactile dimensions full of visual and physical detail. Indeed, each image is highlighted by lush colors and textures that add a sense of depth and poignancy to the overall effect. What makes Oommen’s work so unique is the innovative way in which he blends the timeless style of Indian miniatures (with their strong emphasis on line) and the liberating approach invoked by a wide range of contemporary artists. The luminous paintings that emerge are marvelously abstract, yet are exacting and precise when it comes to depicting specific characteristics and elements of the landscapes of Kerala. The artist’s careful attention to line and the geometric elements of his work stems from an extensive background in architecture and city planning. Yet the geometrical focus constrains nothing in his work, rather serving to open up the canvas to entirely new vistas, both mysterious and recognizable. What results are images rich in sensual experience and emotion that invite the viewer to reconsider the ways in which both urban and natural forms can be configured and understood. George Oommen has exhibited throughout the United States, Russia and in India, and his work has been featured in Harvard Magazine. www.goommen.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/George_ Oommen.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 17 George in his Studio

Jackie Greene: a visual state of mind by Casey Simring

Sound and image have upheld the longest-standing relationship in history. Songs have inspired artwork, paintings have depicted musical scenes, and many find their talent in one field interchangeable with the other. This love affair has birthed some of the musical and artistic masterpieces of our time.

So what is the secret to such a successful marriage between art and music? It is the mutual desire and ability to create. Artists and musicians both have the passion and skill to perform an exceptional form of alchemy; the transformation of everyday life experiences into a representational medium. This innate instinct as well as impregnable concentration are present in both the production of a song and the conception of a piece of art. Musicians and artists find that sound and image work simultaneously, whether it is through inspiration or the ability to utilize the skills from both to produce the intended work. Famed musician and artist Jackie Greene uses these tools to broaden his own understanding of music, art, and the world around him. With the production of seven solo albums and a sensational body of artwork, Greene truly grasps the sanctity of this kinship. Many have contributed to the development of this fruitful relationship which will continue to evolve as long as music and art continue to reach new levels of creativity and overlap.

The affiliation between music and art has been recognized for centuries. With the publication of Sir Isaac Newton’s book on color in the early 18th century, entitled Opticks, a connection was identified through Newton’s theory of the relationship of color to music’s diatonic scale, which claimed that there are underlying mathematical similarities between color and sound.

Yet the seeds of this theory really emerged earlier, during the Renaissance, when people were encouraged to master multiple disciplines, especially within the arts. Leonardo da Vinci, the epitome of a Renaissance man, displayed unequivocal talent in mathematics, innovative sciences, visual art and music. With da Vinci’s keen perception of the world around him, he too found a correlation between making music and visual art: “Music can be called nothing other than the sister of painting… tempos enfold the well-fitting quality of the elements from which the harmony is composed, no differently from the way that the lines describe the elements of which the human beauty is composed.” Da Vinci displayed the harmonic fluidity of music in his paintings, and was also known to play various musical instruments; he even compiled sketches of new instruments such as assorted flutes and complex stringed contraptions.

Depicting musical scenes became progressively more popular throughout the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Gior- gione and Caravaggio are among many renowned painters to feature musicians in their work. The presence of music in paintings continued and as representational painting became decreasingly popular at the end of the 19th century, musical influence on art became less pictorial and more emotional. The complex and liberating qualities of music were pivotal to the birth of the Abstract movement, influencing the dismissal of drawing from life and emphasizing feeling. Wassily Kan- dinsky’s inspiration for his colorful, abstract paintings was rooted in his devotion to music. From an early age, Kandinsky played the piano and cello. He utilized the skills and methods he had learned from music and translated them into his paintings by associating hue with pitch, saturation with volume, and tone with timbre. Kandinsky was aware of the strength of his aural and visual senses, both of which helped him to produce a masterful collection of work which came to be shown around the world.

18 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Paul Klee, a colleague of Wassily Kandinsky’s, also used lavish colors and geometric forms inspired by his musical intellect. Klee played music for most of his life and found many similarities between music and visual art, both physically and emotionally. He was even known to play the violin before beginning painting in order to relax and focus. Color is an important component of Klee’s paintings, and he felt a connection between the expression of color and the harmony of sound. Klee also acknowledged the fleeting nature of musical performance in comparison to the time-consuming act of painting. There is a certain finality to painting; once a color is on the canvas it is permanent. A painting can be added to but its foundation cannot be altered. Music, especially before recording studios, is transient. It can be played dozens of times and each time sound slightly different. In this way, music and art complement each other. In a lecture given at the Bauhaus, Klee discussed visual rhythm in drawing and the natural percussive rhythms of music, specifically in regard to compositions written by Johann Sebastian Bach. There is a movement to painting just as there is form and definition to music.

Expressionism in the arts continued to flourish as musicians and visual artists found new styles, mediums, and outlets for creativity throughout the 20th century. The world of music was revolutionized with the development of rock and roll, and the culture of visual art took advantage of more affordable technology such as film and video cameras. In addition, creativity and originality became highly regarded and encouraged among young people. Many famous musicians express themselves through visual art as another form of self-expression. Among the most popular are John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia, and Jackie Greene.

John Lennon is one of the most well-loved, influential musical icons of modern times. Even while he was an active member of the Beatles, Lennon represented the hippie movement of the 1960’s with his peaceful, free love persona. His poetic words, catchy songs, and boyish attitude captured the hearts of the world, but many don’t realize that music was not Len- non’s only artistic outlet. John Lennon attended the Liverpool College of Art in the early years of his musical career. He rejected the strict criticism and guidelines the college offered, which reflects his rebellious attitude in his musical career as well. Even after fame whisked Lennon and his fellow bandmates around the world, John Lennon did not stop creating

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 19 visual art. His sketches and paintings graced album covers, and he even helped to inspire the animation of “The Yellow Submarine.” Lennon’s artistic career peaked during his relationship with Yoko Ono, who is an artist herself. Together they made the film “Imagine.” Lennon treated art as an escape from his hectic life: “If art were to redeem a man, it could only do so by saving him from the seriousness of life.” In the late sixties, Lennon began pushing more towards the direction of visual art and published multiple illustrated books. His artwork is still displayed and sold today.

Around the same time as the height of John Lennon’s musical career, another influential musician was making her way to the top of the folk/rock and roll scene of the 1960’s; Joni Mitchell produced some of the highest acclaimed albums of the period, including “Blue,” as well as a sizable collection of drawings, paintings, and photographs. Though her fame comes from her poetic lyrics and experimental music, in fact she felt that she was “a painter first, and a musician second.” Finding inspiration in the works of van Gogh, Mitchell’s artwork covers a wide range of styles, from abstract to realism. Her artistic style has evolved along with her music. At the beginning of her career, her art featured simple line drawings. During that time her music was equally simplistic, with only a guitar to match her vocals. Adding color to the drawings occurred simultaneously as the artist began overdubbing her music. To Joni Mitchell, music and art are paralleled and they evolve together. She explained that she “gets the same charge from juxtaposition of colors as I do from juxtaposition of chords.”

Jerry Garcia, lead singer, guitarist and face of the cult band The Grateful Dead, also used the visual arts as another means to creatively express himself. He inspired the youths of many generations with his music as well as his artistic talent. With over 500 pieces of art to his name, Garcia began drawing at a young age during his recovery from bouts of asthma. He attended The California School of Fine Arts and continued his studies throughout his musical career, bringing a sketchbook with him wherever he toured. Garcia’s huge body of work can be credited to his insomnia, which gave the musician time to work while on the road. The Grateful Dead’s music is usually classified as rock, but Garcia was never afraid to push the limits in music or in visual art and created a vast discography of different genres and styles numbering 130 al-

20 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com bums in total. The composition of both his music and his artwork reflect Garcia’s philosophy of moving forward; he once said, “A line on paper is like a note in the air; it’s out there and you can’t take it back.” Following Garcia’s death in 1995, the remaining members of the Grateful Dead continued to tour with other talented musicians, including Jackie Greene. This is one of many remarkable parallels between Garcia and Greene. Their musical paths overlapped many times, though the two never actually met. Jerry and Jackie’s artistic styles also have similar qualities such as their use of color and playful cartoon-like qualities. Yet a pivotal difference between the two J.G.’s is the mentality of their art. Jerry thought of himself as an artist who played music, while Jackie feels a greater connection to his musical career then his art career. Though music is Greene’s true love, his artistic talent is undeniable and we were lucky enough to be able to ask Greene about how he feels his music and his art are intertwined.

A conversation with Jackie:

What inspires you most in your music and in your artwork? I think it depends on my state of mind. Often, I feel inspired by the stories of others. Perhaps a book I read or movie I saw. I feel that writing songs and painting are connected in some primitive way.

Are there any of your songs that you feel directly correlate to a specific piece of your artwork? Some are connected, yes. At least in my mind. Actually, I feel like all my drawings and paintings are connected to songs somehow. Not necessarily my songs though.

Do you find you experience a similar meditative state from both music and art? What is the difference, if any, in your state of mind? For me, they are almost exactly the same thing. Performing at a concert is a bit more physical, obviously. I would say the writing process for me is pretty much the same as the painting process. Only difference is I get way messier with paint.

Is there a distinct emotion that you pair with art or music? I think there’s a dynamic range of human emotion that’s available to tap into. I tend to gravitate towards heavier themes, like loss and love. Possibly because of the universal power of them.

What music, if any, do you listen to while you are painting? I have an old boom box in my garage with cassette tapes I’ve made. Lots of Louis Jordan and Ray Charles. Old blues and folk. Jazz. Some classical. You know, the normal stuff!

Is there a connection between your art and your music? I think so, yes. Couldn’t tell you precisely what that connection is, but it’s there.

Have you ever incorporated your art into the music world? Album covers or tour posters, for instance? I put some drawings on my last album. I keep a marker sketchbook when we go on tour. Every once in a while, a drawing from that will show up as a print or poster.

Given the fact that you were inspired by Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, did Garcia’s artwork inspire you to paint? I didn’t even know Jerry did paintings up until fairly recently. When I found out he did watercolors, I was very excited because I’d always loved watercolors. I’m terrible with them, but I love them. I’m literally the world’s worst watercolorist. But I don’t care.

Do you feel kinship with other great musicians who are or were fine artists? In some ways, yes. I never knew Jerry. I was 13 or so when he passed away. The legacy of course is his music and art. I’m happy to just be a fan. Scott Avett (of the Avett bros) is a fine painter and musician. He’s about my age. He’s totally incredible.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be? Tom Waits. Without a doubt.

Do you remember your first drawing? My mother would tell you that I spent a great deal of time decorating the walls of our house when I was a kid. I don’t remember it though. The first drawings I did were probably comic books. I used to make them when I was just a kid.

In conclusion: whether an artist listens to music for inspiration, or a musician finds an alternate creative outlet in art, the aural and visionary senses work together in perfect harmony. ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 21

Elio Talon

lio Talon’s graceful sculpture finds an airy grace in the hard strength Eof terra cotta. Talon’s subject is the female figure, or what Phyllis Curott calls “the magic of the Goddess” – an elongated, sensitively wrought vision of a lone woman with sweeping curves and a persistent sense of weightlessness. In the latest evolution of Talon’s artwork, the female archetype has become the angel: the female angel. The figures assume simple standing poses, but each is individual in the way her proportions tilt, the way her body bends under its own weight, and the way in which she unfurls her beautiful set of wings. As they lean into unseen winds and step though unknown grounds with care, Talon’s angels are clearly responding to their own mystical environment. The statues are almost always a plain, single tone of cream, the better to appreciate the unique grooves and ripples of the hand-molded clay surface. They are grounded in both their own plane of existence and, through the visible signs of their making in the terra cotta, in ours. Talon was born in Caorle, and now lives in Bologna, Italy. He practices Shamanism, inspired by Michael Harner and Sandra Ingerman. He describes all his work as beginning from the written word – more specifically, poetry – after which he turns to visual art “in order to bring the word to matter.” Virgo Terra Cotta 22” x 6” x 4” www.eliotalon.it www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Elio_Talon.aspx

Anne-Marie Crosby nne-Marie Crosby’s luminous paintings of Aendless skies and oceans are feats of perspective, atmosphere and depth. In a Crosby sky, clouds are at once intangible and full-bodied, and exist always as a wholly convincing trick of the light. A gray mass might hang low over the horizon, appearing as an ominous sign, while in another painting, puffballs may turn electric orange as they catch a ray of sun. Throughout her work there is a promise of the infinite possibilities of nature: the hint that all our experience and emotion can be expressed, and expressed more brilliantly, by the earth itself. Crosby’s work is an open interpretation of a universal subject – space, or perhaps light, or perhaps the two combined – that recalls images as disparate as Emerging 11 Oil on Board 36” x 36” Turner’s oceans, Monet’s sunrises, and Stieglitz’s cloud studies. Though her colors are painstakingly nuanced, the artist keeps her hand light and dynamic. Her paintings’ close secondary subject is brushstroke and materiality, but Crosby delights most in the interplay between illusion and reality than in either by itself. At one glance an image seems merely to be piles of paint; at a second, it has become a textured horizon. Anne-Marie was born in Northern Ontario and now lives and works in British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada. She paints in watercolour and oil, with oil being her main medium for the last ten years. Anne-Marie utilizes palette knives, credit cards and brushes while working from her primary sources, the ever-changing sky and Pacific Ocean. www.anne-mariecrosby.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Anne__Marie_Crosby.aspx

22 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Jennifer Morrison have always loved the stuff of paint,” says Jennifer Morrison, “I “whether it be oils, watercolors or enamels.” And the “stuff of paint” takes center stage in these colorful, elegant abstract paintings. Morrison’s images balance a free-flowing sense of motion and energy with a rigorous sense of clarity. Multi-hued lines swirl around and through each other, while repeated shapes form a mosaic whose parts seem to be in a state of constant movement. But that energy is grounded by Morrison’s clean, sure sense of composition. Each wandering line, each dot or shape is meticulously rendered, and even when irregular shapes or smudges of pigment appear on her canvases, they have an underlying symmetry that gives each image a solid underpinning. “I’m interested in weighing accident against deliberation, precision and control against playfulness and abandon,” explains the artist. Morrison says that her color palette finds its inspiration in the environment of her native South Africa. Her paintings take the Dot Pool (6) Watercolor on Paper 14” x 14” colors of nature and mix them with bright, saturated shades, creating patterns that at once bring the motifs of modern abstract painting to mind. Those patterns also have strong roots in nature itself, resulting in works that feel formal yet organic. For the last two decades, Jennifer Morrison has lived and worked in London. www.jennifermorrison.co.uk www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jennifer_Morrison.aspx

Margaretha Gubernale

argaretha Gubernale‘s oil paintings find their source in the Mphilosophy of Anthroposophy, developed by Rudolf Steiner, which the artist describes as a source of spiritual knowledge and a practice of experiencing one‘s inner life. The result is that an aura of myth permeates her images, whose subjects often seem to float in a universe between fantasy, mysticism and reality. Gubernale strives to include the four elements in her work – as she says, “the intellect as air, fire as self-confidence and will, water as feeling and earth as material execution.” In these images, a magician, a powerful and static figure of a man, may be working the spiritual energetic forces of nature and bringing them to harmonious flow. Gnomes might be working with the earth, assembling and pushing stems and leaves into the air. A sylph may be seen flying around the tree of life with her air and breath feeding the fire, while fire bees and salamanders engage in combustion and generate light. Perhaps we will see undines collecting scales in their nets, as others float away. This is symbolism practiced at a high level, one at which the symbols always maintain their ties to the outer world, giving them a mysterious, double- edged power. Margaretha Gubernale, who lives and has painted professionally in The Magician Oil on Canvas 47” x 39.5” both Switzerland and Italy, has exhibited her works around the world. www.margarethagubernale.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Margaretha_Gubernale.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 23 ART AND THE ARTS Artistic inspiration comes in many forms, and has always been expressed in different ways. In a sense, visual art has a privileged place in our image-driven society, and perhaps it is the form of art that people associate with most automati- cally when asked to think about ‘art.’ Yet arts such as music, architecture, acting, scene design and costume design are all equally important and powerful in their own way. Some artists even work in more than one form of art. So what are the connections between mediums that allow them to do this, and what consequences does it have for their work in each genre?

Some of Agora Gallery’s talented artists are well placed to discuss this question, as they themselves work in more than one genre of art. For them, the interaction between visual art and their other form of artistic expression is one of profound meaning, a natural association that has become as automatic and essential to them as breathing.

So how do artists get deeply involved with two very different forms of art? Well, the division and combination of interests often begins at a young age. Lawrence R. Armstrong, who is a successful artist and architect, says:

Buildings and architecture have fascinated me for as long as I can remember. When I was eight years old, my interest was further piqued when my father decided to build our family a new home on the lot next to our house. I climbed all over the project site every day, watching the progress of the construction and studying all the nuances that went into such a project. As I grew older, I began to study architecture on my own, visiting construction sites when I could, and noticing more intricate details of design on buildings around the city. Yet I have been an artist all my life. As my architecture career

24 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com progressed, I began manifesting my artistic talents through sketching, painting, sculpting and designing furniture in my spare time.

The experiences at an impressionable age can often come about by chance, though the results can be long-lasting. Musician and artist Silvana Di Martino talks movingly about how she first began to realize that visual art and music could influence each other and how each could play a role in understanding the other:

As a student pianist, I had the opportunity to live together with a blind female pianist, as young as I was, who was able to feel the colors with her hands. She invited me to try to play piano in the dark to feel the sounds better and to get a better interpretation of the classics. It was then that I began to see colors as I played music. And now it’s the same when I hear music – I see colors, and I lay those colors on the canvas in the same movement…

When I was a little girl of five years old, I said to the music teachers that the notes played on the piano ‘murmured their names to me’ when somebody played them for a musical dictation, or a blind test! I had (and I have) perfect pitch and maybe that’s why I was able, later on, to see forms and colors when I’m listening to the sounds of music, according to the minor or major harmonies, according to colors of chords and melodies…

I came to see that my studies at university were about the bridges between the arts, particularly between music and painting: Kandinsky, for instance, was able to see colors and graphics as he heard music. By studying the great masters’ musical works, from all periods – Bach Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Bartok, and so on – I learned also how they built their works: the proportions, climax, crescendo, orchestrations, all these vital things which are also relevant to the way that we build up visual art.

Luka Hajdini has always felt that music and visual art were both an essential part of her life and her art:

I was born into a family of musicians, where everybody plays an instrument. I couldn’t be the only one not involved in music! As a matter of fact, I don’t play, but I have always felt a powerful need to sing, to express myself through music using the instrument of my own voice.

As I grew up, I developed a strong interest in fine art as well. Ever since I was ten years old, I have known that I could not do without painting and singing – both of them. For me, they are two halves of the same whole, two forms of expression that are both utterly natural to me, which can convey the same message, the message of my soul, but in different ways.

On the other hand, it can be the case that an early interest can be overwhelmed by a later fascination, as happened to Tracy Winston, who loved visual art as a child but for many years focused his energies on his acting career:

As a child growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, I took to the arts in all its various forms, but especially “fine arts.” Anything I could get my hands on to make and/or create things, was of interest to me. When I received paints or crayons, I entered a special realm of creativity. I was even protective of these materials – I would hoard them, unwilling to share my precious tools with anyone, though I was happy to share other toys. Even then I

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 25 knew there was something special about these “creative” materials, though I had yet to discover within myself how to use them effectively.

As I grew into a teenager and even my twenties I still had an affection for the arts. Yet, having graduated from a performing arts high school and going on to major in commercial design in college, being a “fine arts painter” still had not connected for me as a career.

After that I caught the “actor/dancer” bug which is what brought me to New York in 1990. I wanted to perform on Broadway. From this point on, while pursuing acting in the extremely competitive NYC field, I had some great success which included traveling around the world in various productions, appearing in film, television and soap operas.

It was only later that he began to realize that both elements were fundamental to who he was – and then only through the support, enthusiasm and encouragement of his loved ones:

It was during my one-man stage show entitled “Liquid Spirits” that the painter inside me reemerged quite surprisingly. This was during the last decade. My show was up and running, and quite successful. To make a long story short, I created some large distorted images of people on canvas to convey my bar customers coming to my bar (which was crucial to creating the right atmosphere for the play – I was the bartender telling my life story vicariously through my bar customers as if they were speaking of their own lives). The paintings turned out to be a huge success, and sparked interest from people who saw the show.

“when God or the universe gives you a gift, it is up to you to hone it and put it back out into the universe to share with others.”

Over time, loved ones and friends saw some work I had done in the past and suggested I should pursue this because “you have something.” I thought about it and pondered over it and followed my instinct along with advice from my loved ones and friends and started to put all of my focus and energy on pursuing this as a career. The way I see it is when God or the universe gives you a “gift,” it is up to you to hone it and put it back out into the universe to share with others. I was not trying to suppress my abilities as a painter, but my focus was elsewhere. Now, I’m listening to the universe and look where it has gotten me, signed with the Agora Gallery in New York City.

Andrea Sole Costa had a similar experience – a visual artist who loved theater, it had never occurred to her that she could merge her two passions. Then choreographer Alberto Canestro approached her with an idea: Help create the backdrop for his ballet!

26 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com In 2009, choreographer Alberto Canestro, the founder of Lyric Dance Company and a deep lover and connoisseur of painting, commissioned me to create three big artworks for the ballet “Artemisia, Frida and Tamara,” a homage to the work of these three female artists. The ballet was performed at the Cantiere Theatre of Florence in 2010 and for the Fiesolana Summer, in the same year. The paintings contributed to setting the scene, helped to create the right atmosphere, and were a constant visual reminder of the tight links between the dynamic energy of visual art and the kinetic beauty of ballet.

In 2011, Mr. Canestro suggested that I produce three new panels for his newly choreographed “Minotauro.” I jumped at the chance, and my interpretation, to fit both the topic, the myth and the ballet, took the form of three presentations in gold and copper of the prin- cipal dancer; one realistic, and two more interpretive.

My most recent challenge was this year, in 2012, for a ballet dedicated to Caravaggio, for which I created black and white reproductions of six of his paintings to make up the skirts of the ballet dancers. Each piece of artwork was small, because of the intended use, and thinking about the practical and symbolic implications was definitely interesting! I also created a big canvas, to act as scenery for the production.

Opera singer Shu-Tsin Liu was also helped to the realization that visual art might more important to her artistic expression than she had thought – and for her, the result was the entrance of something entirely new into her life, a refreshing and liberating sense of freedom:

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 27 I initially began to paint in parallel with my profession of opera singing. At the start, painting was a hobby for mental and physical relaxation. This allowed me to continue to practice my technique and deepen my capabilities, taking the time to learn the techniques of Western painting. Even though I merely started as a relax- ing practice, it quickly reached the point I had been at in younger years. The truth is that while opera singing had proved to be a major professional perspective for me, painting had always been a central focus of mine.

For me, singing meant experiencing the obligations and constraints that are a part of work on stage. I had to personally experience the emotions and express the experiences and feelings of the character I was playing. My voice range is high, and so the music composed for my voice range most often expresses joy and youth. Granted, this is better than other roles, but having to express these emotions while you yourself as the performer might be living through painful moments (such as the loss of loved ones), can be very difficult. Always having to play the role involves a level of abstraction and the suppression of one’s own identity; this constraint was lifted only when I painted. I certainly was not aware of it at the time when I began to approach Western figurative painting. There was also a constraint there, because it is a reflection of what is. Yet there was also more of a personal touch than I was used to, and I found greater liberty than I was used to on stage, where my actions were determined by the character, the music and the director.

Bearing in mind the lack of freedom in both my career and my hobby at the time, it is natural, with hindsight, that my next area of exploration was abstraction. There, I could let go. But this did not happen easily as I had spent much of my life in the role-playing obligations required by my profession. It was then that I agreed to let myself go on the canvas. I had to agree to take risks and not to limit myself. You can understand how it was initially difficult for me, as someone who had been so used to playing characters who were not mine, in both behavior and emotions. Suddenly letting myself go on a canvas was difficult – it took a while until I found that the colors could function as my voice did, so bright and cheerful colors well express my voice range.

Then, meeting with one of my professors gave me the trigger needed to finally go further. It was only then, that I realized, in 2007, that painting would be the next route that I would take. My voice range might be best suited to express youth, but as the years passed, I was looking for a new form of expression that could encompass all of who I am.

Yet even now, I listen to classical music when I paint, and I feel the music resonate within me, vibrating through to the colors on the canvas. Opera singing remains alive inside me, contributing to the energy that pours into my paintings. When I pick up my brush, I express my music through the colors of life.

The desire to express all of one’s self through art is a recurring theme in discussions with these artists whose work spans multiple media. Often, these artists feel that concentrating exclusively on a single medium is too great a restriction – it prevents them from reaching their full potential, from exercising all of their abilities in harmony. Only by working with more than one form of art can they really create to the fullest extent of their capabilities. As Andrea Sole Costa says, working with the choreographer “made my dream and that of the choreographer come true in the most tangible way possible – the dream of the co-existence of two different art mediums.”

The result is that each art form benefits from the interaction, improving noticeably and independently. Lawrence R. Armstrong says:

I have focused much of my art on studying layers. As a result, I have concentrated more effort in developing layering into my architectural design philosophy. I see layers in 3 dimensions; but beyond physical layers, I am fascinated by layering of light, of sound, of texture, and of ambiance.

28 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Today, my experiences in art and architecture continue to influence each other greatly. I am more creative in both fields than ever before and thankful to have opportunities in both architecture and art. My work in each is better because of the other.

As we have seen, each individual art becomes richer and more developed as the connection continues and deepens. Yet this connection itself becomes something precious and of interest. Theatrical scenery designer and artist Vadim Keshersky speaks about the intimate bond between his two loves:

To create a painting or to paint theatrical scenery means exactly the same for me – they are both a process of realizing ideas in visual form. What differs is the way of doing it: the tools. In the case of painting, the tools are the artist, the paints and the canvas. As for theatrical scenery – here, everything works: space, flats, actors, costumes, props, stage lighting... Scene design is really creative. It gives me new insights into plastic art. My sense of space improved significantly as a result of working in this medium.

What is special about scene design is that it makes you invest more thinking in dramatic and not only in linear composition. Thus, the painting as a creative process takes on a new form – now, as a result of this added dimension, I want each composition to embody its own small story, I want it to be a skillful storyteller, as well as being aesthetically pleasing. And, from the other direction, I find that when creating the scenery I practice using my artistic tools and previous experiences, just as I would in painting – first I envision it as a series of pictures where each picture serves as a part of the whole story. At the same time I see all the details: the scenery itself, the costumes, the images, the light... I always create the complete scenery set, including costumes and work on lighting.

The interaction with artists and actors from all over the world, who come to perform with us, is also a very enriching experience that definitely reveals new horizons. And yet for me the most important thing, tying all of this together, is my art, and especially my future works to come, which will continue to benefit from all the different aspects of my experience.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 29 Luka Hajdini finds that each form of expression has a natural outlet, and that sometimes she will be drawn to one or the other, depending on precisely what it is she is working on:

Sometimes, with music and lyrics, I can transmit a feeling that I cannot with colors and shapes and vice versa. Each form of expression is connected within me and I try to bring them both out every time. I allow my paintings to carry me on into the mood and feelings that music can best express... And, similarly, the combination of good lyrics with a nice melody creates a feeling in me that I am often tempted to try to translate into figures and shapes. In addition, when I am considering a music video, my visual art helps me to consider the storyboard and the visual elements that need to go into making it. “for me the most important thing, tying all of this together, is my art, and especially my future works to come, which will continue to benefit from all the different aspects of my experience.”

Each art form enriches and informs the other. When I paint, I always sing or listen to music... The music guides me in some way. The same is true of painting, which influences my singing. I can never stop thinking about how the art is built – the way a song is put together, or the considerations that go into building up a painting. The concept is the same for these two different kinds of art; it is just that the execution is different.

My strong connection to both painting and music means that I see the similarities that tie the two together - they can be so similar to each other; they are both a rich and melodic dialog between colors and notes!

Silvana Di Martino agrees that it is important to maintain a distinction between the two art forms and not to expect them to relate in the same way – otherwise, there would be a risk of missing out some of the potential that each has to offer. The interactions between the two are interesting in their own right – and sometimes have unexpected consequences!

Because of my instinctive manner of painting, I paint on the spur of the moment, never stopping my artwork until it is finished. I let my brush act, supported by the music in my headphones and driven by something I am not consciously aware of... Music is an inspiration and an incentive to painting. It has also had an impact on the nature of my work – I have found that working on the rhythm of music has influenced the rhythm of the graphic construction of my artworks.

I never want to “describe” the music in a painting, or simply transfer the music into visual art. The music supports and enriches the visual, but they are not the same. However, my paintings are sensitive to styles of music just as I am myself – and for this reason I have to keep to the same genre throughout a painting. For example, if I begin by listening to jazz, I must continue listening to jazz, no matter how many jazz songs or tunes I hear. The same goes for tango music or blues or classical music – it must be the same from the beginning of the artwork until the end, because the inspiration is of a particular type and feel.

Yet fundamentally, she feels that the emotional attachment to each is the same.

The sensation I experience when I am playing a concert on a stage, in front of an attentive public, is a very sensual excitement. It is the same sensation when I am painting, like a storm in my head and in my heart. The creation of art from within, making it external so that others can experience it as well – it is the same feeling regardless of whether I am engaged in the creation of music or of visual art.

Painting and music, together, have always been my travelling companions.

Tracy Winston loves the added depth that the intertwining of his acting and his art gives to each of them, and the increased meaning and beauty it provides his audience:

30 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com After being in New York for two decades now, my success as an artist /performer are interconnected (in the way that I approach each art form). As I have mentioned, during my childhood I had a great affection for “creating things” with toys, paint, crayons etc. I was very tactile and wanted my existence and surroundings to resemble my “imaginary world,” as most children do. As an adult those same principles are applied to my artistry. Each of my art forms tells a story, and develops the story that each is telling, though in different ways. For instance, the paintings that formed the background for Liquid Spirits were a visual extension of the dialog, conceived by me as a way of continuing and extending the play. They conveyed to the audience “visually” the various emotions that ran throughout the show. This was a great opportunity for me, because it allowed me to use both entities as one form of telling my story, with one influencing the other. This is not to be cliché’ but “art” has an insurmountable way of touching people and their souls. The “artist” can be seen as the vessel that runs into hearts and minds – they are the people who can articulate what others want to experience.

Prior to my signing with Agora, I had had numerous sales from individuals from various backgrounds, donated pieces to worthy causes such as The Tourette’s Syndrome Foundation and City of Hope Foundation, where the proceeds of my painting(s) had gone on to support their causes. I realize this new direction as far as my career is concerned is in its infancy stage and I can only go up from here, I’ve learned to listen and follow advice from others and my instincts because talent is talent and it should not be taken for granted.

There is no doubt that the connection between different forms of art continues to be one of exceptional power and richness. So if you’re an artist who has always had a passion for another form of art as well, consider developing that love into something more. As Tracy Winston says:

“There is no need to confine oneself to a single form of art – talent, and self-expression, can take multiple forms, and each has something unique and valuable to bring to the discussion and the narrative.”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 31 Nélida Diaz de D’Amato

he paintings of Argentinean artist Nélida Diaz de In D’Amato’s work, this connects to the ideal of freedom and TD’Amato are primitive, raw, and highly intuitive, and are humanity’s desire for it, which in turn drives the evolution intended to engender unconscious spiritual life in the viewer. of human consciousness. Here, art becomes a gateway both Within each piece, archetypal elements are woven within to human spiritual life and to the freedom for which we all expressionistic forms. Colors are soft, serving to enhance yearn. This is not merely a guiding principle for D’Amato a careful attention to line and geometric form that makes – it is a lively impression conveyed by each of her works, each image gently but firmly compelling. Broad brushstrokes an inspiring message that seems to be infused into every add an element of texture and depth to the tableau, while piece, reaching out to touch and stir the viewer. As the artist creating an overall sense of movement that infuses life into explains, “To be free is a superior state and it is identified with the image. Through her art, D’Amato seeks to identify and truth in ideas. Art is not intellect; it is kindness, and it is there express the universal absolute, where her viewers are invited where one can feel free.” to rediscover Spirit and the powerful energy that underscores everything in our world. Nélida Diaz de D’Amato currently works in her studios in Buenos Aires, New York City, and Key Biscayne. She has With a background in Transpersonal, Social, and Humanist won multiple awards, most notably for her work focused on Psychology, as well as Metaphysics, D’Amato draws deprived and special needs children. inspiration for her paintings from the philosophical universe www.nelidadamato.com.ar/english/index_en.html of Schelling. Thus, her work is intended to trace and explore www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Nelida_ that unconscious creative force that exists between art and DAmato.aspx human nature, where art becomes the driving force leading back to the spiritual creation of life. Essentially, it is within aesthetic activity that unity occurs and one is able to find one’s way back to the origin of things.

Nélida in her Studio

32 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com “To be free is a superior state and it is identified with truth in ideas. Art is not intellect; it is kindness, and it is there where one can feel free.”

Essence Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 39.5” x 28”

Freedom Oil & Acrylic on Canvas 35.5” x 28” Fragmentation Oil & Acrylic on ARTisSpectrum Canvas |39.5” Volume x 2831.5” | artisspectrum.com 33 Visit the museum that is a masterpiece October 6, 2012 – January 6, 2013

The shaped canvas became the dominant form T heF rick of abstract painting in the 1960s. A hybrid of painting and sculpture, the shaped canvas Collection reveals the desire by painters to move into real space instead of creating an illusion of perceived reality. This exhibition presents both paintings and sculptures that focus on shape and form as a major element of abstraction.

1 East 70th Street, NYC

212 288-0700 Margaret Evangeline, Los Lunas #33, 2005, stainless Frick.org steel with gunshot, Gift of Richard J. Massey. 2006.3.1. Miles Conrad, Bioslice’ Blue, 2006, encaustic , fiber, Virginia Johnson Fund. 2007.15.

The Frick Collection’s newly reopened Fragonard Room 140 North Main Avenue • Tucson, AZ 85701 520. 624. 2333 TucsonMuseumofArt.org

34 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Cheri Mittermaier

heri Mittermaier uses a wide variety of materials to create her Cbronzes. Starting from a base of water-based clay (usually terra cotta) or oil-based clay, she creates works that depict their subjects in forms that range from the realistic to the surreal. “I try to work from my subconscious,” she says, “not questioning why I am doing something or what other people might think.” That spirit can be seen in the way that she employs her broad artistic vocabulary. The color palette she employs is an exceptionally wide one. In some works, the bronze gives off its own glow, while in others Mittermaier will mix colors to give the bronze an unusual cast, or even apply 2-part epoxy paint to combine what she calls “the vibrant colors of ceramics” and “the durability of bronze.” There is an appealing sense of casualness in her works, but that relaxed attitude is tempered with a keen eye for texture. She will at times leave one of her bronzes in a state she calls “rough and unfinished.” However, the energy communicated by that “unfinished” look gives many of her works their vitality and originality. “I love the look of tool marks and fingerprints,” she admits. But she also obviously loves elegantly composed forms and she devotes her impressive array of skills to the challenge of creating them.

www.cherimittermaier.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Cheri_Mittermaier. aspx Dreamer (close-up) Bronze with Patina 21.5” x 12” x 12”

Christine Sellman

n Australian artist Christine Sellman’s Abstract IExpressionist paintings, colors and textures are woven together to create powerful amorphous forms. On each canvas, Sellman transforms the paint, creating stunning contrasts through distinct layers of color and depth, blending a range of hues into one. Texture is added through a strong use of brushwork, as well as the introduction of other materials. To encounter a Sellman painting is to be drawn along an emotional journey filled with wonder and imaginative longing. This is reflective of the personal journey that the artist takes every time she sits down to a blank canvas. For her, the process of painting becomes a unique experiment in color and style, with lines, forms and compositions taking on their own Burn Acrylic on Canvas 35.5” x 35.5” character as they progress. There is no restriction in terms of matter or form, but rather each painting is born of its own creation: energetic, instinctive, and completely unfettered. Above all, Christine Sellman wants her viewers to transform the images she creates into a part of their own personal journey, just as these same images have led her on her path of self-discovery. As she explains, “My paintings have taken me on a discovery of myself through expression in art form. I have felt a freedom from life’s struggles and now have fulfillment.” www.christinesellman.com.au www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Christine_Sellman.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 35 36 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Painting with Sudnya Shroff; a slow and quiet inner transformation

What made you first realize that you wanted to become an artist?

I don’t know that I ever consciously decided to ‘become’ an artist. I believe that everyone is an artist in their own right. I draw and paint and write for the same reasons that I hum and skip and swirl – in that moment, I can’t help but be or do otherwise.

What were the greatest challenges you faced in your journey to becoming an artist?

I would say that I am still on my journey. I don’t know that I will ever be done ‘becoming’ an artist because I think it is a way of being for me. The first thing for me, though, was to teach myself to trust my instincts and thus find my own voice. My biggest hurdle was to un-learn and transcend social and cultural prejudices from my childhood. It took a lot of effort on my part to shift gears from my super-productive and engaged life as an engineer, even after it dawned on me that slowing down was not such a bad thing – that it actually broadened my vision and offered a larger canvas to work with. I had to learn the difference between ‘doing’ and ‘being,’ learn to balance my ambition to progress with allowing room for what was unpredictable and out of my control. Most importantly, my challenges have helped me work hard to ‘still my soul and wait without hope; for hope would be hope for the wrong thing,’ as TS Eliot once wrote, allowing a slow and quiet inner transformation that has been a valuable gift.

Experimentation and self-expression are key to your artistic process. Can you tell us a little about that?

I started drawing and painting as a child, like everybody, with pencil and paper, paint and brush. As I grew through life, I felt an inexplicable urge to get closer and closer to whatever I was creating – pushing me away from traditional tools and techniques – helping me finally to find my voice. Over a period of two decades, I experimented with pastels and palette knives, and homemade paint cones made of Ziploc bags and squeegee bottles – and finally I began using my bare hands and a dynamic canvas. From miniature canvases I gradually progressed to larger canvases that eventually ended up being many times my own size, following the same rate at which I progressed in my wonder-filled understanding of my place in this universe.

Through endless experimentation, I have discovered with delight that this gradual evolution in my artistic process is in fact a reflection of my journey in self-discovery. In the process I have built, within myself, the confidence to continue to experiment and persist along this fulfilling path of self-expression.

Has your background influenced your work in any way?

My engineering background has helped in ways that surprised me in the beginning but made sense as I progressed with my systematic experimentation of how paint works hand in hand with gravity. My perfect circles, cityscapes and forest series are all a product of my knowledge of and love for physics.

Over time I have realized that in the world we live today, finding a way that I can market my art to be “useful” in additional to being emotionally and aesthetically pleasing means that I have a better chance of finding a buyer. The importance that our world gives to “need” versus “want” drew me to combine my engineering background (which is concerned with sup- porting human “needs”) with my passion for art, which is concerned with desire on a number of different levels. I have made stone inlaid table tops, foyers, wall clocks, water features and kitchen backsplashes with the help of my CAD knowledge and programming knowledge, which gave me the ability to create objects using water-jet machines.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 37 38 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 39 In the world of fashion, as I have adapted my art to create ‘wearable-art’ through fabric and clothing, my knowledge and expertise with Photoshop and digital printing has helped me combine my cross-disciplinary knowledge and experience to innovate and create new art. I look at fabric - and hence fashion - made from my paintings as another form of functional art as these clothes serve our need to cover our bodies.

I photograph my paintings and digitally process them in Photoshop before printing them on natural fabrics like silk and cotton. These vibrant and bold fabrics are then designed into all kinds of outfits - ties, scarves, stoles, tunics, dresses, saris and the like. I am amazed by how much I continue to learn now that I work with fabric in addition to my paintings. The colors print differently on different fabrics - natural fibers like silk and cotton react differently to digital dyes than the way that artificial materials react; the pre and post processing required to make sure the printed patterns don’t bleed is complex and painstaking; the need for adjusting photographs using tools like Photoshop before printing to achieve the desired results is vital and interesting; and so on. I love that by printing my art on fabric, I can make it accessible to a wider audience.

What other projects are you working on at the moment?

I have found that words by themselves, or color by itself, would be insufficient to completely and accurately express myself. The marriage of the two - words and color - has come naturally to me. My novel, UNRAVELING, released on September 20, 2012, was a product of my need to complete my self-expression in its entirety at the same time as I presented the collection of paintings on display in my solo exhibition at Agora. The protagonist of the novel, Shalini, is, unsurprisingly, a painter. Anchored around the Mumbai bombings of 2008, Shalini realizes, in a time during which she is being held captive, that she was already hostage to her life’s choices. Her “unraveling” while in captivity is something relatable for each and every one of us. How often are we hostage to our own stubbornness and rigidity? The fact that we are born with a free will and free choice is a concept most of us understand but fail to embody. More often than not, we succumb to social correctness and the expectations of others without truly understanding our place in this universe or aligning ourselves and our aims with our life’s purpose. As a result, we constantly hide behind layers of self-deception. I have explored this very idea through both my paintings and my novel.

What would you say have been your main inspirations?

My inspirations have come, and continue to come, from the thoughts, words and ideas of the innumerable people I’ve had the good fortune to cross paths with – in life or in books. I have realized that listening to what people have to say, and doing that very carefully, invariably results in my learning something new every single day, which in turn addresses an internal restlessness and in the process further stokes my desire to create.

What kind of connection do you hope to build with your audience?

I believe my art helps me to make the kinds of connections with my audience that allow us together to acknowledge rich questions – questions that make us wonder and reflect and which move us towards a deeper understanding of the universe and our place in it.

What advice would you give to artists just starting out?

Take a deep breath, still your soul, trust your instincts and never stop doing what you love.

www.sudnyashroff.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Sudnya_Shroff.aspx

40 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Take a deep breath, still your soul, trust your instincts and never stop doing what you love.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 41 Dick Perez

Bruce Sutter Oil on Panel 16” x 20”

Bob Gibson Oil on Panel 16” x 20”

42 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com nternationally recognized Puerto Rican-American artist Dick Perez combines a strong sense of design and a solid Icommand of composition to create nostalgic, compelling portraits of some of the best known American baseball players in action. Working in a variety of mediums, including oil, acrylic, and watercolor, Perez captures poignant moments in the game across the years, relying on a masterful use of both light and texture to create images full of movement and life. In addition, he draws heavily on technique and heightened color to infuse an artistic component into the overall effect.

The passion that lies beyond Perez’s visual commentary on America’s great game is rooted in his own love affair with this favorite pastime, which began almost as far back as he can remember. Signature characteristics of the artist’s easily recognizable style include loose, spontaneous brushwork, colorful shadows, suggested details, and a careful attention to light and shadow. All of these elements come together to create a more dramatized way of seeing for the viewer.

Yet Perez’s art is also born out of a desire to connect, with the generations of fans whose lives have been touched by the game, with the stories, personalities and passions behind the faces we have come to love, and with what they have come to mean to us personally, in our own lives. As Perez explains, “To me, art is the language I use to express myself, to let the world know I exist and have a way of looking at things.”

Dick Perez was the official artist of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for over twenty years, and he continues to paint portraits of every Hall of Fame inductee. Additionally, he has been the official artist of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1972. His paintings are housed in collections throughout North America, including those of The Baseball Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball teams and two former U.S. Presidents. Perez recently sold a painting at live auction for nearly $24,500 and received a rousing ovation on the auction floor. He has an upcoming solo exhibition opening at Agora Gallery on March 26, 2013. His retrospective book, “The Immortals,” can be viewed online at dickperezimmortals.com. www.dickperez.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Dick_Perez.aspx

Dick in his Studio ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 43 Tiril n her Abstract Expressionist paintings, English artist Tiril focuses primarily on depicting the invisible or what is unseen, Iwith her paintings becoming a portal through which she is able to communicate with the viewer on the highest vibrational level. Working in a variety of media on all sizes of canvas, paper, and board, Tiril combines broad swaths of color with drizzles and splatters of paint swirled across the page to create truly dynamic images. Composition, line, and form are all driven by an expressionistic force, where many levels of emotion and feeling are conveyed by the distinct ways paint is applied within the dimensions of the canvas.

Above all, Tiril considers herself to be an intuitive painter, approaching each canvas with a sense of wonder and adventure. Each painting is fueled by an inner need, with the name and meaning of each composition emerging as a process, not completely revealing itself until the image is complete. Central to her artistic process is a dedication to the truth and “an understanding that the greatest journey is beneath the surface of things.”

For Tiril, the most difficult part of the process is not the beginning or the ending of applying paint to canvas, but in keeping her mind and psyche empty in order to ensure that the concept and its evolution are as pure as possible. For her, the challenge of her art is to capture the essence and manifestation of spirit within the parameters of shape, color, and line: visual elements which she considers to be language in its purest form. As she explains, “Each painting is to me a record of an extraordinary moment of existence, a confirmation in the reality of the journey of the spirit.”

Tiril has recently become an American citizen and currently lives and works in Huntsville, Alabama. www.artbytiril.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tiril.aspx

The Love of Isis Acrylic on Canvas 60” x 32” Viveka Acrylic on Canvas 72” x 40”

44 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Tiril considers herself to be an intuitive painter, approaching each canvas with a sense of wonder and adventure.

Upala Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 32”

Tiril in her Studio

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 45 Studio Spaces: DENISE PELLETIER

OFF THE BEATEN PATH – EXPLORING COLORS AND FLAVORS By Yves Thériault, translated by Christiane Ryan

Tammy Phillips in her North Pole Studio xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Waiting to depart on a train or an airplane, with a bundle of A woman of great conviction, Denise thinks that, to grow canvases neatly attached to her backpack, Denise Pelletier as an artist, one needs motivation, passion and initiative, as skips class. Over the last fifteen years, she has periodically well as business savvy, rock-solid integrity and the ability to taken breaks from daily life to travel to foreign countries. self-teach. Like top athletes, artists must be alert and per- Her ‘studio’ is vital to her artistic process – it’s just that in her sistent to succeed, and they need to work relentlessly. For case, her studio is the whole world. this particular artist, the ability to remain constantly open to new environments and experiences is also vital. Each new Denise is a migrating artist. Like the Impressionists, she lets scene provides new ideas and stimulation. instinct lead her to explore new places, where she plants her easel and gets to work. In her travels – which have taken Denise draws inspiration from René Seyssaud, one of her her from Corsica, to Tuscany, Provence, Brittany, and the favorite painters. Her other ‘mentors’ include Boudin, Scottish Highlands - she captures the landscape in the im- Manet and Van Gogh. As she sets up her easel to catch mediacy of the moment with colors chosen from a carefully the moment, whether in a valley, on a quay or at the side limited palette. Through her play with colors, she literally of a sinuous country road, the works of these masters are builds images, piece by piece. at the back of her mind. Another critical influence was

46 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Charles Philpa, a master teacher at the School of Fine Arts ing the charm of Charlevoix. Denise feels that there can be in Avignon (France), where she studied in 1998. She learned no better place to begin to appreciate the value of making from his teachings that thoroughness and discipline are ab- the world your studio. solute requirements for a painter, and this lesson has been especially relevant to her style of peripatetic painting for The atmosphere of Denise’s workshops is one that aims to which the ability to focus is paramount. enrich the artists’ lives and artistic practice. The idea is for everything to come together to form an inspiring holistic A great lover of the outdoors, Denise tries to detach from experience – Denise’s skill, the beautiful surroundings, and realism when she paints in nature, moving towards a more the attractive, healthy meals offered by Denise’s husband. abstract approach. She experimented with watercolor, pastel and oil before establishing herself as a painter working Yves Thériault, Denise’s husband, cooks healthy vegetarian mainly in acrylics, a medium which allows more immediacy meals for participants. He favors products from Charlevoix and the use of vivid tones. For the last fifteen years her fa- that enhance his fresh and innovative dishes. vorite tool has been her painting knife, which she uses to add relief and potency to her work. She believes that paint- Chef Yves developed his love of new tastes in his travels to ing with a knife allows her to stay connected with the fun- places like Brittany, Greece, Provence and Italy. His special- damental aspects of her work, freeing her from artifice. Her ties include mint and zucchini lasagna, yogurt and mango paintings express life through their vibrant tones and the curry and fig and orange-flavored couscous. He periodi- shimmering of light which she draws into each piece from cally upgrades his culinary skills through courses such as the outside world that she has made her studio. the cooking classes offered at the Mezza Luna School in Montreal, or in southern France, where he took a course When painting outdoors, Denise lets her work be shaped by on spices. His participation in Denise’s artistic workshops the elements of nature. The canvas allows for experimenta- means that they feel like celebrations, with people gather- tion with the shapes and colors of the landscape surround- ing around the table at mealtimes to participate in a gas- ing her – her ‘studio’ – and encourages her to explore new tronomic feast for all the senses that feeds both body and avenues. mind, unlocking the creative forces within.

When she is not on the road, Denise is a visual arts teacher specializing in art history at a secondary school in Ottawa. She also shares her passion for outdoor painting through summer classes given to adult students of all levels in Baie- Saint-Paul, where she owns a second home. In these summer classes, she gently invites students to move out of their comfort zone and to work outdoors, capturing the bucolic landscapes of Charlevoix. In this way, she encourages others to embrace the wider world as their studio, and delights in the resulting improvement she is able to see in her students’ personal expression.

The small town of Baie-Saint- Paul stands by the vast St Lawrence River, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The region of Charlevoix attracts travelers Denise is currently in Europe, discovering new subjects for from across the world in search of wide open spaces. At the her paintings. She is travelling for a few months in the green heart of the cultural heritage of the province of Quebec, this scenery of Ireland. She will also visit Morocco and spend a inspiring region has been a rendezvous for painters for more few weeks near Aix-en-Provence, in southern France. Her than 100 years. Great artists came to paint there, including unquenchable passion for experiencing new places and A.Y. Jackson from the Group of Seven, Clarence Gagnon and subjects keeps her off the beaten path, and in her world- René Richard, whose paintings are famous for immortaliz- wide studio!

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 47 Here is a tasty seasonal recipe of leek, potato and cheese gratin, guaranteed to whet your appetite. Yves normally uses local vegetables and a cheese from Charlevoix, L’Hercule de Charlevoix, but you can substitute any other firm cheese, like Emmental or Gruyère cheese. Enjoy! Denise Pelletier will take part in a group exhibition at Agora Gallery from February 7, 2013 – February 27, 2013. POTATO AND LEEK GRATIN (4-6 servings) www.dpelletier.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Denise_Pelletier.aspx Ingredients 4 cups medium-sized potatoes, diced 2 large leeks (white part only), minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1¼ cup firm cheese (L’Hercule de Charlevoix, Emmental or Gruyère) 2 cups table cream Salt, white peppercorns, nutmeg

Method Preheat the oven to 350o F.

In a shallow saucepan, bring lightly salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes, then strain. Blanch the leeks for 1 minute in boiling water and strain.

Put half of the potatoes in a shallow, oiled ovenproof dish. Add the leeks, salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic. Then add the remaining potatoes, and sprinkle with the cheese. Add the cream last.

Bake in the oven until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown (40 minutes or more). If needed, cover with an aluminum sheet to prevent overbrowning. Check after 30 minutes.

48 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Katrina Howarth cottish artist Katrina Howarth conveys her passion Sand love of life through her playful expressionistic paintings. On canvases filled with color and light, she depicts images rich in line and form. Working with a limited palette of only seven colors and applying the paint in layers with flowing brushstrokes, Howarth approaches her work like a dance, focusing on both color placement and composition as the work unfolds. What results are charismatic paintings infused with a great sense of joy that transform everyday subjects into something extraordinary. Inspired by the landscapes of her native Scotland, as well as time spent in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Howarth brings a freshness and openness to every subject she paints. Likewise, these works speak to her domestic life Table for Two Oil on Canvas 30” x 40” and role as a mother as she depicts the everyday objects that surround her, and which have become infused with the love that permeates her home and her life. As she explains, “I like to take the viewer on a journey, whether it be amongst the busyness of the colorful collection of my interiors… or catching a moment of time with a breath of a view.” Katrina Howarth currently lives and works in Galveston, Texas. www.butterwickgallery.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Katrina_Howarth.aspx

Dominique Braud ominique Braud’s insightful work is the rare Dform of nature photography that transcends the conventions of the genre to become a true work of artistic expression. Dominique Braud’s gift is in capturing the details, whether in a literal close-up shot or a wide perspective that manages to bring out the emotional, second-to-second experience of truly living among wildlife. In an image of a fight between cheetah and warthog, she captures the fierce precision in the predator’s eye. Of an entire elephant, Dominique Braud photographs only the expressive trunk twisting in the air. She fills entire frames with a few inches of giraffe fur or an alligator’s leathery skin, reveling in the way the patterns and liquid movements of the muscles underneath create a rhythm of light and dark. Dominique Braud constantly experiments with depth Vu d’en Bas 2 Photographic Print on Dibond 16” x 20” and texture, sometimes hiding a veldt animal almost entirely behind tall grass or framing two zebras together so that they look like a single beautiful object of art. She is also adept at seeing plant life in a new way. By shooting flower blossoms from underneath and zooming in on tiny droplets of water on leaves, she gives monumentality to what we often overlook. Dominique Braud lives in France and travels often for her work. Her passion for animal photography dates from her first trip to Kenya. www.dominique-braud.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Dominique_Braud.aspx ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 49 Jim Cobb im Cobb’s pensive oil and mixed media paintings present simple Jscenes created from vibrant, hand-crafted textures. Cobb is impressionistic with his brush, and though he leaves his strokes unpolished and plainly visible, his work is not about the energy of mark against individual mark. Instead each brushstroke contributes to an understated, confident rhythm that builds across the canvas, ultimately making each painting much more than the sum of its parts. The artist calibrates this pattern in many different ways, achieving a subtle but intricate variation in tone across his body of work. One image of a vase of flowers on a chair may be painted simply, almost color-blocked with an emphasis on line over light. In contrast, a man standing before a mountain range might be thickly painted in a blaze of sunset colors, reflecting light in more ways than one. Cobb often works with a muted color palette and diffused light. His canvases are large, but his subject matter is quiet, usually domestic, focusing on small still lifes and lone figures. His abstracts are unfailingly complex and show an artist testing the physical strengths Andrew Oil on Canvas 24” x 24” of his medium to the limit. Jim Cobb was born in Oklahoma and has lived in a number of places, including Europe and Japan. He currently paints full time outside of Philadelphia. www.jimcobbpaintings.net www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jim_Cobb.aspx

Rachel Forte he eclectic abstract paintings of American Tartist Rachel Forte capture the infinite potential that ultimately exists in our universe. Each image explores the endless unfolding of lines and forms across space and time, creating patterns and compositions that are both beautiful and compelling to behold. These images are enhanced by colors that are rich and muted, adding a sense of depth and interest to the overall composition. Within each of Forte’s paintings there is a dialectical tension between order and chaos as she explores those systems that are inher- Helix Acrylic on Canvas 28” x 48” ent within abstract processes. Here, complex and intricate forms emerge from improvised networks of line in motion. The sense of unfettered freedom and disarray that is captured within the undulating lines and forms stands in direct contrast to the feeling of harmony and balance that inevitably surfaces. As Forte explains, “There is an evolution from the simple to the complex that stems from the act of improvisation. I am captivated by the notion that these networks could seemingly continue on endlessly, and it is my challenge to capture a mere instant of that movement.” It is through this exploration of the confines of our world that Rachel Forte invites the viewer to rethink the order of the universe and our place within it. www.rachelforte.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Rachel_Forte.aspx

50 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Donna Shaffer onna Shaffer’s electric ink paintings are carefully crafted Dexpressions of energy. Though she relies on color, line and abstraction to do her storytelling, the works only take elements of Pop Art, Abstract Expressionism, and Impressionism – the real effect comes from the artist’s unique presentation and perspective. Shaffer uses unmistakable if non-specific organic motifs as the basis for her imagery. Around these she swirls layers of everything at her disposal as a painter: beautifully tempered color washes, smudges and gatherings of pigment, and painstaking line patterns. As questions of opacity, light, and two-dimensional forms come into play, each work remains based in joy and pure visual liveliness. Yet for all her play within the medium’s tactility and capability, Shaffer keeps her compositions remarkably streamlined. Generally one or two amorphous shapes are ornamented and teased out into a world of color, with thoughtful contrasts of warm and cool, and light and dark. The subject of each canvas is indiscernible, yet they all seem to be depicted in extreme close-up, like an emotion drifting through the mind and out of sight. Donna Shaffer was born in Bakersfield, California and today exhibits throughout New England and Pennsylvania. She is an accomplished sculptor of natural materials as well as a painter.

Smell of Autumn in the Air www.donnashafferartist.com Ink on Board 24” x 18” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Donna_Shaffer.aspx

Wendy Carmichael-Bauld endy Carmichael-Bauld is a chameleon-like painter who carries Wher primary interests of color contrast, dynamic brushstroke, and spatial texture through all the different styles in her body of work. Carmichael-Bauld is equally interested in painting figures, landscapes, still life details, and abstracts, but each canvas begs its own approach. One group of women may be painted loosely with dramatic whorls of color, the emphasis on realistic gesture and emotional gravity. Another group of women might be rendered in spiky, sleek, Matisse-like slabs of color. When the painting calls for it, Carmichael-Bauld even departs from acrylic and uses mixed media. In the end, the artist considers every one of her works to be “a tangible record of the world seen through my eyes.” Varied as her technique may be, Carmichael-Bauld infuses each painting with her individual artistic inquiries. She plays with color- blocking, especially with an earth tone palette, to bring out light and tonal movement. She always creates an organic texture with her brush, even in paintings with flattened planes, or those works that tend towards being more photorealistic. Although they are often tightly framed and centralized, these compositions are never simple: the kind of details and moments that make the viewer stop and reconsider the entire piece are the artist’s calling card. Wendy Carmichael-Bauld lives in Ontario, Canada. Three Sisters Acrylic on Canvas 16” x 12”

www.wendycarmichaelbauld.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Wendy_Carmichael__Bauld.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 51 GaroS (“Garegin Sngryan”)

or Armenian artist Garegin Sngryan, who goes by the name FGaroS, art offers a kind of excavation tool — appropriate, given his many years of experience in architecture and construction — that uncovers and exposes deeply buried truths. The resulting imagery can be quite jarring, as well as beautiful, and the psychologically charged portraits of Francis Bacon and George Condo frequently come to mind when looking at GaroS’ work. His use of allegorical figures and dreamlike imagery also evokes the Symbolists and Surrealists, but his canvases remain firmly and almost viscerally rooted in reality. Though his themes are clearly much broader, many of the gripping oil paintings suggest a profound psychological rupture, perhaps informed by the artist’s experience of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Armenia’s subsequent turmoil and conflicts. Each painting brings a heady mix of lyricism, pain and haunting beauty. GaroS builds his dramatically lit canvases around a single figure, rendered in bold hues and sinuous lines. The figure might be seated for a traditional portrait, or presented in extreme close- up, or floating in a strange and turbulent environment, and they range from angelic to demonic, while always remaining tangibly and affectingly human. This is part of the magic of GaroS’ work: that for all their dramatic features and otherworldly surroundings, his characters are also invested with moving and poetic humanity. Self Portrait Oil on Canvas 32” x 24” www.sngryan.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Garegin_Sngryan.aspx

Melody Hawtin hroughout my life as an artist,” Melody “THawtin says, “my vision has been to learn.” Hawtin’s openness to her environment and her desire to learn from, and represent, the scenes nature presents is central to what makes her colorful landscapes and still lifes unique. She has a strong ability to capture light, and to show how the colors and forms of the natural world are in many ways a reflection of that light. Whether she is painting flowers or a sky, she lets light tell the story, transforming nature into patterns of color. But while she turns the natural world into a personal expression, she also lets her subject material shine through. Part of the direct, physical quality of Hawtin’s canvases is based in her keen eye for texture. Working in oils, she achieves an impressive variety Valley of Vision Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas 32” x 40” of effects. Her colors will sometimes be applied with the soft delicacy most often associated with watercolors, giving her images an ethereal glow. But on other occasions the artist, who hails from Surrey in the south of England, will use thick brushstrokes or broad, rough bands of color to emphasize the earthbound contours of a scene. The resulting paintings give a spiritual aura to a realistically grounded view of the artist’s surroundings. “My world reflects a colorful life,” says Hawtin, “with a view towards eternity.” www.melodyart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Melody_Hawtin.aspx

52 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Trond Are Berge

rond Are Berge’s breathtaking nature and fine art Tphotography is exceptional in its focus, reach, and delicacy. As a nature photographer for publications and broadcasting companies based in snowy Norway, he has captured a stunning array of terrains, including luminous ice floes, rolling mountains, and lightning- stricken oceans. In both panoramas and detail shots, colors are rich and finely shaded, yet never implau- sible or overwhelming. The photographer brings this same careful sensibility to his fine art, most recently in a series exploring gingerbread houses set up in wild landscapes. There are hints of humor, vulnerability, or perhaps notions of climate, but the photographs are impossible to sum up. The artist begins most of his shots with thoughtful planning, and his compositional formality is evident “Mother Earth” Photographic Print on Canvas 16” x 24” even in the most whimsical of his “Home” series. He is not coy with light, deploying it smoothly and evenly to let it do its job: to make the subject visible. As he says, “My studio is nature” – and so too is his subject matter. His photographs draw emotion out of moments of juxtaposition — all the conflicts between controlled and uncontrolled, manmade and organic, single and collective — yet his artistic technique is deceptively straightforward. Trond Are Berge was born in Trondheim, Norway, and has worked in several Norwegian national parks in addition to his maintaining his own photography business. www.trondareberge.photoshelter.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Trond_Are_Berge.aspx

David Renn avid Renn’s paintings highlight the artist’s skills in both visual art Dand storytelling. Renn says that his images present “an implied narrative, where the viewer has ample scope to interpret the scene as they see fit.” Those implied narratives take place in locales that run the gamut from gauzy environments carrying echoes of the Pre- Raphaelite painters to worlds that could have been pulled from the pages of science fiction. The result is, in the artist’s words, a “dream- tinged alternate universe, just on the peripheral vision of everyday life.” What unites all of these images into one coherent universe is Renn’s skill at rendering people, machines and the natural world in a thoroughly believable way. Even when depicting a distorted environment or a fantastical combination of man and machine, he exhibits a finely honed ability to show light and its effects, as well as a masterful hand at organizing space and giving all of the objects in his world a compellingly lifelike, three-dimensional appearance. Renn says he likes to work primarily in acrylics, since they allow him to paint quickly without losing the clarity and intensity of his colors. It is a perfect choice, for it is that clarity and intensity that gives his images a sunny glow, balanced with what the painter describes as a “wry whimsy.” David Renn lives and works in Queensland, Australia. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/David_Renn.aspx

The Musician Acrylic & Oil on Linen 36” x 24”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 53 Debra Branitz ebra Branitz’s dramatic oil paintings mix meticulously detailed Drealism with a narrative sense of grandeur. Branitz paints simple things, such as a pair of feet, a dancer’s torso, or a bouquet of tulips, and strips away the context, turning the everyday into art objects in their own right. Her sparse compositional technique includes cropping out some or most of the subject, using smooth planes as backgrounds, and enlargement. With a chiaroscuro palette dominated by blacks, grays and reds, Branitz has created a signature atmosphere of electricity barely controlled; you expect her dancers to leap off the canvas at any moment. The work demands a careful eye and an attention to movements both big and small. Debra Branitz was born in Brooklyn and currently creates and shows her work in Florida. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Debra_Branitz.aspx

Might As Well Jump Oil on Canvas 28” x 22” Caroline Örnstedt side from her signature figurative motif – a woman seen in profile Awhose face she traces into each of her many-layered acrylic compositions – Swedish artist Caroline Örnstedt’s exquisite paintings are abstract whirlpools of colors and textures. Distributed in thick, gestural brushstrokes, her paints also thrive on conflict: each work is defined by a striking contrast in hue, whether through the pairing of vibrant yellows and reds with a formal black and white backdrop, or swirls of crimson and white crisscrossing boldy amidst verdant green surroundings. Despite these extreme juxtapositions of textures, tones, and figurative elements with abstract compositions, Örnstedt maintains an unmistakable aesthetic throughout her work, managing to balance the competing forces that she deploys. Each work is a thrilling and seductive confluence of opposites. www.linodesign.se www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Caroline_Ornstedt.aspx Fairytale Acrylic on Canvas 22” x 17”

Josie Lowerson hrough the dexterous use of carefully chosen tools, Australian Tsculptor Josie Lowerson turns rough timber into satin, discovering a softness and femininity within a traditionally masculine material. Lowerson’s carvings are smooth and sensual, capturing the female form with an elegant grace while tackling social issues with an appealing playfulness and depth of emotional sensitivity. As she creates her figural sculptures in wood and mixed media, the artist brings a dynamic flow and energy into the solidity of the wood. Born in rural Wycheproof, Victoria on a wheat farm, Lowerson went on to study art at the University of Melbourne and now lives in Tolga, far in the north of Queensland. Over the past several decades, she has built a successful career as a sculptor and teacher, exhibiting widely throughout Australia and in New York. www.josielowersonsculpture.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Josie_Lowerson.aspx Domestic Torso # 2 Wood 41” x 16” x 10” 54 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Stewart Forrest sing a sumptuous color palette, rich in ocher and crimsons, Australian- Uborn Stewart Forrest paints his subjects as nature creates them, with an element of divine dynamism. Working on large canvases, Forrest boldly experiments with paint, espousing his freedom as a human and artist to explore the vast terrain of creative expression. Exploring a range of subjects taken from his psyche and physical surroundings alike, the artist paints with an inspiring, refreshing vitality and an empowering sense of courage, portraying in paint what he experiences moment to moment. “I try to let the painting process and subject matter become the tools for extracting my underlying thoughts, masking them beneath the layers of paint, only to be sensed by the receptive viewer,” he explains. The layers of both paint and concept that animate these bold images make attentive, sensitive viewing more than worth the effort. Stewart Forrest first learned about art and its amazing potential from his mother. He lives with his wife in Norway. Motion Mountain www.stewartforrest.com Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 39.5” x 39.5” www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Stewart_Forrest.aspx Silvio Natali talian artist Silvio Natali uses acrylic on canvas to create stylized Ipaintings of various subjects, including landscapes and throngs of people. Fascinated by color, geometric shapes, and the fragmenting qualities of line, Natali does not hesitate to explore the ways in which these elements can influence the pulse of each piece. “My main objective is simply to transmit my emotions and the sensations that I feel to those who look at my works, along with the stories and fantasies that I create, always leaving space for free interpretation,” he explains. Art is not meant to exist on an esoteric plane; for Natali, it is about telling a story. It is a testament to his skill that the viewer is swept along and into the narrative. Silvio Natali lives and works in Corridonia, Italy. He has been featured in numerous exhibitions, including at the Massari Palace in Ferrara.

Riverbero Acrylic on Canvas 28” x 39.5” www.silvionatali.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Silvio_Natali.aspx

Bibbi Ahrnstedt, Glass Artist nspired by the vast, tremendous awesomeness of the cosmos, ISwedish glass artist and former potter Bibbi Ahrnstedt fuses glass into breathtaking patterns and forms that are reminiscent of galactic wonders. Using heat, Ahrnstedt unites glass of various colors, using glass stringers and silver foil to produce masterful artworks that speak to the essence of universal beauty. These delicate, delightful artworks are geometrically structured, and contain a powerful reminder that life is rich beyond our comprehension. “Through my work I want to show that there is more to life than the daily chores… that we are a small but active part of something vast” explains Ahrnstedt. “My recent artworks in glass are expressions of the intricate and fascinating patterns of DNA spirals and atoms. The complexity of nature, space and our own ancient history is expressed in my work(s), as I delve into the secrets of the micro and macro cosmos.” www.glassfusing.nu www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Bibbi_Ahrnstedt_(Glass_ Sedna Fused Glass 15” x 15” x 2” Artist).aspx ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 55 FrédériqueK he enigmatic French artist FrédériqueK creates wondrously Tcolorful and light-filled paintings that meld an impressionistic representational mode with surprising flourishes of color and stylization. Her subjects range from landscapes and still lifes to portraits, rendered in compositions that can be strikingly vertical or dramatically wide and cinematic. This broad selection of imagery, aesthetics and formats is echoed in her mode of oil paint application, which often suggests the fluid textures of watercolor before asserting its materiality with a thick patch of impasto. The artist’s incredible versatility of approach extends to the rendering of human figures, which are as liable to appear quasi-photorealistic as they are to be rendered with ornate, Klimt-like whimsy. Whatever FrédériqueK’s approach, she hones in on textures and light, focusing attention on the infinite gradations of the colors and materials she depicts. Whether painting the rough tread of a brilliant and anachronistically blue burned tire or the delicately tinted folds of a woman’s white dress, she lends Venus Oil on Canvas 28” x 28” incredible vivacity to the materials she portrays. Suddenly, even the most improbable materials and objects seem evocatively within reach. This finesse in the depiction of surfaces is bolstered by FrédériqueK’s capacity to convey light, which gives her paintings an enveloping inner glow. All the world, no matter how foreign, appears tangible and luminescent in these arresting canvases. www.frederiquek.fr www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/FrederiqueK.aspx

Sharon Brill he lovely, meticulously crafted porcelain Tsculptures of Sharon Brill are almost alive in their fluidity. Her work explores the layers and tensions of infinity: each sculpture ruffles over and doubles back on itself until it is a whirl of conflicting energies, each surface as smooth as silk but together becoming a mass of lines and folds. Stark white and compact, Brill’s pieces present both serene calm and its many interruptions. Perfectly balanced and poised between moments and emotions, the work questions equality, discipline, and spontaneity. After working on a wheel, Brill begins to shape her porcelain by opening it in order to “enter into the shape’s depth.” The pristine, frictionless look of the work is achieved through several levels of Conch 25 Porcelain 8” x 9” x 7” sanding, both before and after firings. She also chooses to leave the porcelain unpainted, to reach the most lush, tactile extremes of light and dark. Brill curves every single surface, to both elongate the effects of light and to distort them. Before even the complex form of her sculptures has begun to take its shape, it is this manipulation of shadows and highlights that creates emotion and begins to tell a story. Brill was born in Israel and today lives and works in the United States. www.sharonbrill.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sharon_Brill.aspx

56 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Monique Robert

Monique Robert Tusk Tusk Bone & Papier-mâché 14” x 25” x 16”

anadian artist Monique Robert merges Cbone, rigid foam and papier-mâché to create distinctive three-dimensional forms that are as beautiful as they are compelling. Robert considers her sculptural works to be mythological in scope, so that “the anatomy flows from bone to other materials in a smooth transition that makes them look realistic.” This ability to create beautiful transitions despite the combination of diverse materials results in the birth of truly unique forms that blend fact with fantasy and invite the viewer into an entirely new realm. Robert is a painter and musician as well as a sculptor, Bighorn Sheep, right side Bone & Papier-mâché 10” x 10” x 26” and each form of expression has an impact on her work. The symmetry and harmony contained in her sculptures is breathtaking, the result of the artist’s ability to seamlessly weave various elements together to create a unified whole. In addition, Robert is inspired by the intensely rich colors and vast landscapes of her beloved wilderness in northern Canada. The sun-bleached bones that provide a focal point in her sculptures are collected as she hikes, kayaks and explores the Northwest Territories. For Robert, art serves to expand her worldview and perspective, opening her up to entirely new levels of experience. In turn, she hopes to introduce the viewer to her otherworldly perspective, and allow others too to freely explore new dimensions of landscape and lifestyle. It is here, in this space, that viewer and artist become truly connected to one another, reflecting the universal existence of which we are all ultimately a part. Monique Robert currently lives and works in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. She is the author of the book Papier-Mâché Design (2009) and is considered a pioneer in the field of this media, having vastly improved the durability, dimensional strength, smoothness and detail of the material through her distinct process. www.moniquerobert.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Monique_Robert.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 57 Rosanne Potter merican Abstract Expressionist artist Rosanne Potter creates Apaintings rich in color, texture and form, suffused with the ability to stir emotion in viewers and elicit a personal response. Working intuitively, Potter uses a wide range of materials (everything from pastel chalks to watercolors, India inks, encaustic waxes, acrylics and oils), building up layers of color while allowing elements and forms to emerge spontaneously. Also a working poet, Potter creates her paintings in a manner quite different from her poems, in that she refrains from adjusting or polishing the images after the fact, fearing to rob the work of its immediacy. What results are compelling images laden with meaning yet open to the interpretive understanding of whoever encounters them. Above all, Potter intends her art to invite the viewer on a journey of self-discovery, one on which they can form an image from the paint rather than perceive an image that has been laid out before them. The idea is that they will be compelled to draw from their own life to find meaning and expression among the colors, lines, and compositional elements. As the artist explains to the viewer: “Though these paintings started with me, if you invite them in, they may end in you.” Rosanne Potter currently lives and works in Key West, Florida, and Struts His Stuff Acrylic & Plaster on Paper 36” x 30” Westfield, New Jersey.

www.rosannepotter.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Rosanne_Potter.aspx

Karel de Beer utch photographer Karel de Beer has an eye for architectural Ddetails, honing in on the hypnotic patterns, strange and exquisite features, and scrapes, cracks, and fissures that lend buildings and statues such character. Despite these subjects’ classicism — de Beer’s images recall both the Romantics’ ruin paintings and Albrecht Dürer’s meticulous etchings — these digital photographs are palpably contemporary, their crisp lines and saturated hues giving his historic subjects incredible immediacy. Another motif that signals the self-taught photographer’s modern perspective on mostly pre-modern spaces and objects is his very playful style of composition. De Beer frequently isolates architectural details, removing them from their built context and treating them practically as sculpture, which he also photographs in its own right. Still other works lay bare the astounding geometric purity of traditional architecture, from spiral staircases to arched colonnades. In such images viewers’ eyes are guided, almost uncontrollably, towards distant vanishing points while their senses of orientation and depth are subverted with M.C. Escher-like plays of perspective. Adding to the vivacity of these sculptural built details and architectural patterns are the incredibly vivid textures that de Beer captures. While his perspectives encourage a specific way of viewing, the seductive stone, brick, marble and wood surfaces his lens emphasizes offer yet another type of visual pleasure. Spiral Stairs Up [email protected] Photographic Print on Acryluxe 24” x 16” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Karel_de_Beer.aspx

58 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Buying Art from the Heart by Angela Di Bello

One of my favorite works of art is a signed lithograph by Lowell Nesbitt. It was given to me in the early eighties by an art dealer and close friend of the artist. The image is of a macro red poppy, and each time I look at it, I become completely immersed in the image. For me, the poppy brings back a time in my life when at the age of seven or so, I often walked to the edge of the orange/red poppy field on the property where I lived with my family. As a child in search of an aesthetic discipline that was to become my calling, walking amongst the gigantic poppies became one of my favorite pastimes. In remembrance, the poppies have grown larger, redder, taller and more omnipresent than they were in real life. However, this experience and others like it were, though I did not know it, to become ”my aesthetic guide”. The vision of the poppy field has lingered in my memory for decades, and with the help of the Nesbitt poppy, will continue to bring me joy for the rest of my life.

“follow your passion and heart when it comes to buying art”

…and so, when I am approached by art buyers who ask me what they should buy, I am reminded of the Nesbitt poppy. I tell them to buy what they love, or more accurately, what they fall in love with. Money in itself, or the ability to buy whatever one likes, does not always lead to a good purchase, or the start of a collection. Buying a work of art by the “artist du jour” is like buying the latest fashion. Here today… gone tomorrow. And at the end of the day what you may be left with hanging on your wall, or stashed in your vault, is a work of art that you may very well end up loathing. Unless you are willing to compete for blue chip works of art offered up at Art Basel, for instance, and compete with art dealers in disguise who are standing shoulder to shoulder with collectors in disguise, bidding up to, and over, millions of dollars for works of art, then I suggest that you follow your passion and heart when it comes to buying art.

Here is the best part…..you won’t have to spend a small fortune or risk your children’s college education to buy that special work of art. And so you ask me, how will I know if it’s a good purchase?

You won’t know it by walking into a white cube gallery with haughty personnel, and you won’t know it by the number or zeros on the price tag. You will know it because the mere sight of that special work of art will leave you speechless.

Like the artist who is driven to create very specific works in the stylistic manner that is an extension of who they are, the buyer/collector too, must be driven by an obsession that overwhelms their very senses. The act of obsession relies on the willingness to be seduced by a painting, a piece of sculpture or a photograph – and after all is said and done, isn’t experience what we are seeking? When you purchase the object of your affection, chances are that you will experience a sense of joy and discovery each time you look at it. This sense of continued discovery is a key factor in purchasing any good work of art because it is based on YOUR visceral and emotional response, and not that of an art dealer or critic.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of outstanding works of art by emerging artists in the $2000 – $7000 price range to be readily discovered; some works are priced higher because the artists are better established and have a history of selling at a higher price point, but most are quite reasonable in price. Furthermore, mediums and stylistic diversity are available in abundance! So choose with your heart, with joy, without pressure and knowing that what you buy will remain a part of your life for the rest of your life.

ARTmine.com FINE ART FOR SALE ONLINE

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 59 Chelsea: Anything Goes! by Marissa Mule Photos taken by Keith Butler

60 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Over the last few years, a phenomenon has occured in the “check-in” feature on Facebook, where you can check into a art world. Every Thursday night, the Chelsea neighborhood gallery and tag all of your friends. creates a movement – luring in artists, press, photogra- phers, collectors, and a diverse selection of different peo- As well as Facebook, in a recent study, Twitter has processed ple. As New York City is the perfect destination for any art more than one billion tweets, and averages almost forty mil- lover, these “gallery nights” are well known for their emerg- lion tweets per day. As crazy as it may sound, gallery nights ing artists, sophisticated eye for detail, and contemporary will continue to grow as fast as this form of social media view on the art world today. does.

The Chelsea galleries, which are open to the public, attract a large crowd – a crowd so large you’ll have to catch a cab home due to the overwhelming population of people. If “There’s a truly global you’re up for running into some of the biggest named artists around, then come to Chelsea on a gallery night to hop tone in the visitors, the around – it’s as easy as that.

The trail of the galleries begins on 26th Street. This phe- conversation and the nomenon has become so huge that the streets of Chelsea, between 10th and 11th Avenues, can be closed off due to art.” the swarm of art enthusiasts.

The Chelsea galleries, unlike your traditional art museums, Heat or snow, rain or shine, gallery nights are still and will frequently surprise visitors with cutting edge works of art – continue to be one of the hottest forms of social media, there’s no better place to critique the most gossiped about fashion, and most of all, wide range of artists and detail. The names in the contemporary art world. Chelsea, being the pieces shown in the Chelsea galleries are complete with aes- art capital of New York, is home to more than three hun- thetic value and fascinating intellectual interest. These pieces dred galleries. Here you’ll find an army of artists looking are not only contemporary and inspirational, but distinctive. into their passions – gawking at installations which are This has been true in each exhibition at Agora Gallery. The bound to leave you in awe. gallery walks on Thursday nights have become even more crowded and have become an even bigger phenomenon However, not only are you able to view contemporary paint- within the last year. ings and sculptures, the fashion intertwined with these galleries is quite eye-catching. Students and fashionistas from Agora Gallery, which was established in 1984, is dedicated art and design schools around New York dress to impress, to the promotion of national and international artists, pro- wearing the funkiest of trends in today’s world of style. Not viding original pieces of fine art to emerging collectors. Of only do these New Yorkers come to have a few glasses of course, Chelsea galleries recognize that these gallery nights wine and check out the latest emerging artists, but they are not only about the importance of the artists, but the col- also use gallery nights as a way to express themselves and lectors too. impress almost everyone around them. “Being shown at Agora Gallery has been an awesome expe- Social media, which also has an increasing influence on the rience. I’ve had a lot of support and the outcome has been art world and contemporary galleries, includes web-based very rewarding. I felt this day would never come. I am very and mobile based technologies to turn communication into pleased with the way the artwork looks. I’m from Maryland, active dialogue. Social media technologies take on many and the crowd here is very different. New York is such a big different forms, including social networking sites, maga- city,” said Gail Elwell, a sculptor who exhibited her artwork zines and blogs. Almost every Chelsea gallery has an online in the collective exhibition Degrees of Abstraction at Agora forum to examine different contemporary works, artist pro- Gallery in August 2012. files, and of course, upcoming shows. In recent observation, not only has social media taken on a major role in the art The art world seems to be taking a little breather from giant world, but professors from art and design colleges around exhibitions, such as those at MoMA and the Metropolitan New York City have incorporated the importance of social Museum of Art, focusing in on the smaller exhibits shown media into the syllabus. on the streets of Chelsea. One of these “smaller” shows, which actually happened to be quite large, was the Chelsea The combination of social media sites such as Facebook, International Fine Art Competition Exhibition at Agora Gal- Twitter, and Instagram have helped these gallery nights to lery, which was held in August 2012. Agora Gallery spon- grow, as students and artists update their “status” to let ev- sors the annual Chelsea International Fine Art Competition, ery one of their family and friends know where they are which is a great way for artists to become exposed to the going for the night. And, as most people know, there is a art world.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 61 Throughout every show, in every piece of art, there’s always competition, and connection. Thursday gallery nights are not only a phenomenon, but will continue to grow over the next few years. All different types of people come together in this one small neighborhood of Chelsea, and socialize. Most people attend these gallery nights, not only to look at art, but to network and connect with other artists and friends. Thursday nights are almost like a party. Obvious- ly, most gallery openings occur on this night, when walking down one block can take at least twenty minutes. The scene and vibe on Thursday nights are quite an experience, as gallery hopping has become more fun and social than bar hopping or sitting in a restaurant. Gallery nights are the perfect way to exchange views on contemporary art, meet with different collectors, and exchange business cards with other artists.

The Chelsea galleries have become so global, you can come into contact with art and artists from all around the world. This phenomenon has become a major part of New York City and the art world, and will continue to create an even stronger impact on the concept of making art and learning how and where to show it. They say you’ll never get anywhere in life without meeting some of the right people. If you’re interested in becoming part of the art world, the Chelsea galleries are the perfect place for you to start connecting and aspiring to follow your dreams.

Keith Butler is a self-taught, journalistic photographer and his work has appeared in many local publications. In addition to photography he also programs and designs web sites and video motion graphics. He currently resides in Harlem, New York City.

62 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Klaus Pfeiffer tunningly vivid and just on the other side of Ssurreal, Klaus Pfeiffer’s photography focuses on the point where manmade spaces and those spaces inside our heads intersect. Pfeiffer finds beauty in the harsh geometry of the manufactured by filling empty rooms with gorgeous natural light, filtered into golden, amethyst, and azure gradients. Though the subjects are things that nominally constrict us, such as ceilings, fences or office walls, the artist photographs them as endless, airy places that manage to hint at mystery even as their mundane purposes are illustrated. These works bring aestheticism and tension to functional, static objects, and question the gap between manmade and natural forms. Pfeiffer’s images also explore the varied emotions that monumentality can evoke in us, from walls that loom menacingly overhead to the splendor of a well- The Fish Photographic Print on Aluminum (Lambda Method) 31” x 35.5” constructed building that speaks of man’s ability rather than his weakness. Glass buildings may reflect a magnificent sunset, or a sleek airplane soar above cold gray walls, emphasizing the heights to which our dreams soar as well as the risks we run in reaching for the sky. Fascinated by what lies concealed behind walls, Pfeiffer is always searching to “show that a change in perspective can enrich the rhythms of our lives.” Klaus Pfeiffer lives and works in his birthplace of Dortmund, Germany. www.klauspfeiffer.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Klaus_Pfeiffer.aspx

Mauro Filigheddu talian artist Mauro Filigheddu privileges Itexture, pattern and abstraction in his brightly hued paintings. Whether choreographing grid- like arrangements of faces and dots in practically pointillist canvases, or creating high-contrast images that push their figurative subjects towards pure non-representational form, he consistently creates works that inject popular or familiar images with renewed and unpredictable vitality. His paintings of faces in fiery reds or ominous blues often seem to dissolve into Mondrian-like networks of dots and lines, and his full-body figures similarly disappear into thick layers of bold paint daubs, almost as if they were camouflaged. In other works Filigheddu foregrounds the materiality of his paintings with thick streaks of color and deep pools of red, blue and white. These works may appear divergent at first, but they Spaghetti English Mixed Media on Canvas 9.5” x 12” all perform the same subtle trick of drawing the viewer’s eye with fleeting figurative imagery before focusing the attention on spectacular modulations in color. Though he spends the majority of his time in Rome, Filigheddu was born and raised amid the royal blue seascapes of Sardinia, and later visited the desert of Iraq as a military doctor, experiences that have very literally tinted his work. Deep blues and searing reds dominate most of his canvases, making for a thrilling play between fiery and cool images that will affect every viewer. www.filigheddu.it/index-i.htm www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mauro_Filigheddu.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 63 Susumu Hasegawa usumu Hasegawa says that his subjects are S“geometric shapes” and the “character of colors.” The artist’s expression of those subjects takes many forms, from rough shapes, to snippets of writing, to glowing circles and spirals. While his images are sophisticated digital inkjet prints, the feeling behind them is one of collage. Despite their smoothness, one gets the feeling of images being laid one over the next, of compositions whose depth and physicality make the viewer want to probe the many layers that are presented. Hasegawa says that he is expressing “imaginary space,” and it is easy to see what he means. There is an effective juxtaposition at work, so that images which seem to hover in a realm of pure abstraction are placed next to others that bring A Story W Acrylic & Collage on Paper 23” x 33” the straightforward logic of the measurable world into focus. The artist’s ability to realistically depict space, through shadow and shifts of tone, makes the more abstract elements in his compositions come vibrantly to life. Hasegawa also stresses the importance of “blank space” to his work, and from image to image he subtly varies the tone of that space to create many worlds. “I get inspiration when I feel the pleasure of imagination, color and shape,” he says. It is a measure of his talent that he so successfully communicates that pleasure to the viewer. www.nihonbijutsu-club.com/susum www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Susumu_Hasegawa.aspx

Sherry Sweet Tewell merican artist Sherry Sweet Tewell has gained national Arecognition and acclaim for her vibrant paintings, murals, textile designs, print illustrations and mixed media sculptures. Inspired by the intense light and mesmerizing colors of her home in Key West, Florida, the painter creates brilliant abstract landscapes and seascapes using a dynamic palette of rich blues and greens accented by warm yellows, magentas, and other vivacious hues. Within each composition, lines and forms are spontaneous and exciting, created from a process in which Sweet Tewell experiments with layers of paint as well as glazes, applying the paint and then scratching through the layers to reveal what lies beneath. It is this theme of what can be found on the surface versus what is hidden underneath that has become a central focus of Sherry Sweet Tewell’s work. Primarily, this artistic exploration is framed in the modern female experience, in which women struggle to find their individual position between the submissive roles so Feeling Mango Acrylic & Resin on Wood 12” x 12” often required from them and the great feminine power that lies within the soul. The artist herself describes her work as “provocative, powerful, thought provoking. Revealing the dark, submissive inner person versus the bright, composed image one presents to others. The heart swells with joy and love. The heart breaks with sorrow and pain.” www.sherrysweettewell.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sherry_Sweet_Tewell.aspx

64 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Isabelle Habegger

sabelle Habegger’s calm abstracts may at first appear to be Imodest studies, but they contain a world of depth within their carefully realized textures. Habegger uses simple, dispersed compositions and a palette based on one or two striking hues to dig into her traditionally non-visual subjects: nature, love, war, travel, politics, and most often, the sound of music. Describing her work as “a game of colors and contrasts,” Habegger expertly pushes and pulls at her palette to create the most affecting, truly emotional color landscape. When painting a field of flower petals, she finds unexpected delicacy in shades of sunshine yellow and deep pink. To depict a trip through China, she whips teal with increasing passion over red, the color of the national flag, all but covering it completely. In the dark blend where the two colors meet are the traveler’s new, thought-provoking experiences. To achieve the subtle variations in her textures Habegger uses a range of materials, including acrylic, oil, watercolor, ink, resin, Montée Vers La Surface Pigment on Canvas 31.5” x 31.5” pastel, charcoal, collage, pencil, and sand. Her influences are similarly eclectic: Michelangelo, da Vinci, Albert E. Yersin, and the pantheon of Asian art all went into shaping her aesthetic. Isabelle Habegger was born in Switzerland and today exhibits internationally. She is also a sculptor and performance artist. www.kunst-schaffende.ch www.kunstschwyz.ch www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Isabelle_Habegger.aspx

Gary E. Koeppel n Gary E. Koeppel’s landscapes, time seems Ito stand still. “What I like best about being in the landscape,” he says, “is it’s a way to stop time and study it.” That sense of stopped time gives his images a disarming sense of stillness. His paintings capture such environments as a peaceful street or a forested spot at times when all activity seems to have been put on hold. When people appear, they too are at rest, exuding an aura of quiet contemplation. Koeppel paints both outdoors from life, and in the studio from photographs that he takes himself. His works reflect both of those methods of working. He has an impressive ability to depict light and its effects. There is an openness and freedom, a sense of air and space in his images that strongly communicates the feeling of being outdoors. That feeling is combined with a sure sense of line Fountain Paris Oil on Linen 11” x 14” and composition, a precise, clear rendering of objects and people that shows his experience as an illustrator and graphic artist, while also bringing classic photography to mind. The images create a world that is physically present, but also carries dreamlike hints of what Koeppel calls “an imprinted memory of the scene.” www.garykoeppel.com/land.html www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gary_E._Koeppel.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 65 Takashi Kogawa

f not for his titles referencing classical subjects of religious Ipaintings, Japanese artist Takashi Kogawa’s bold geometric oil compositions would register as pure abstraction. Given their Renaissance-evoking names, the concentric swirls of colors, wavy line networks, and dramatic diagonal shafts of yellow and blue take on distinctly figurative connotations. They suggest an abstract language like the ones developed by Picasso and Miro. Kogawa credits the New York streetscape for transforming his palette into a riotous but ordered conglomeration of primary hues. Yet for all their sharply contrasting tones, these paintings find balance through form. An intuitive logic informs the transitions between colors, as swirls, semi-circles, stripes, squares and sinuous shapes abut, creating dynamic shifts in hues. Bright pinks, yellows and greens contrast sharply with adjacent swaths as bands of paint seem to overlap and disappear. Indeed, in spite of the seriousness of the subject matter implied by their titles, there is an irrepressible buoyancy and playfulness to Kogawa’s works, originating in part from his eagerness to experiment with powerful hues and sharply delimited forms. In these compositions we encounter the incredible and seductive dynamism of extreme color contrasts and distinct, competing geometric systems. art 1 Oil on Canvas 21” x 18” The artist’s formidable skill is evident in the ease with which he choreographs these forces. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Takashi_Kogawa.aspx

Alex Carr merican artist Alex Carr brings watercolor Apainting to an entirely new level of visual impact and depth with her lush, vibrant paintings. Focusing on a wide range of subjects drawn from the physical world, Carr blends a careful attention to translucent light and rich shadows with a focus on the textural possibility inherent in watercolors. She maintains an organic quality and freedom of movement in her work by allowing the paint to swim through the water on the surface of the paper, which results in the formation of textural sediment and tendrils of color reaching outward into other forms. In this way, she is able to capture the tangled complexity of the natural Deep Space II Watercolor on Paper 22” x 30” world, whether a simple flower or the recesses of deep space. For Carr, the greatest hope for her art is that it provide a constant reminder of all the magic and beauty the world has to offer. As she explains, “I want people to feel the sense of peace it brings and take joy in knowing it exists all around us.” Indeed, Carr’s images are replete with a strong sense of contentment and serenity, reflecting the wonder that exists in the world for those who take time to see it. Alex Carr currently lives and works in rural Philomont, Virginia, surrounded by the beauty of her personal botanical gardens. www.alexcarr.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Alex_Carr.aspx

66 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Maurice van Tilburg utch artist Maurice van Tilburg’s mixed media works on paper, Dwhich combine watercolor, acrylic and ink elements, form dazzling, disorienting and enveloping landscapes of lines and colors. His hybrid and amorphous forms alternately suggest cloudscapes and fluid pour paintings. They coalesce here and there into figurative elements, while elsewhere van Tilburg compliments his bold, shifting hues with abstract line work. In each case, though, the flowing lines evoke landscapes and figures that are simultaneously playful and fantastic in their rounded contours and saturated tones. The sharp contrast in materials allows van Tilburg to be at once controlled and precise in his ink marks and more spontaneous and unpredictable when applying his paints. The artist notes his interest in psychoanalysis as a factor which has influenced his work, and in some ways each of his pieces could be characterized as a psychedelic Rorschach in which the artist has honed in on one particular interpretation of a subjective but fundamentally abstract form. Pools of color coalesce momentarily thanks to ink contours into humanoid figures with exaggerated features, otherworldly landscapes, and mythical scenes, before diffusing into non-figurative imagery again. The stunning near- abstract compositions explode with color, from lush, aquatic turquoises to rich purples and reds, and searing yellows. Van Tilburg gives these strong, seductive painted environments fleeting yet bewitching definition. Pour La Grande Cause Acrylic & Mixed Media on Paper 31” x 24” www.mauricevantilburg.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Maurice_van_Tilburg.aspx

Carmen Sotuela he scenes I depict are realistic, filtered “Tthrough the eyes not of a photographer but of a creative artist,” says Carmen Sotuela. To achieve that balance, the artist mixes equal parts reality and fantasy in her striking, colorful paintings. Working in oils on canvas, she creates a variety of landscapes. Some of them are based in the physical world, meticulously rendered scenes pulled from nature. The leaves of trees and the ripples on the surface of water stand out in fine detail, and even the mist in the air is given a strong physical presence. Sotuela’s eye for color and composition, as well as her varied brushwork and fine sense of texture, serve her well in these scenes. Shades are balanced to produce patterns that keep the viewer’s eye in constant motion, but the formal qualities of the paintings are always in the service of the world she is presenting to us. Impacto Oil on Canvas 15” x 18” In other paintings, Sotuela lets her taste for fantasy dominate. Skies may appear in exaggerated shades, or nature’s color patterns assume a life of their own. Figures are seen against soft, abstracted backgrounds. Color combinations and compositions become more dreamlike and surreal. Nature is still vividly present, but it is seen through the prism of the artist’s consciousness. Carmen Sotuela lives and works in Malaga, Spain. www.carmensotuela.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Carmen_Sotuela.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 67 The Humanitarians

Shokoufeh Malekkiani Bringing new hope to underprivilaged Iranian women, with creativity and a camera

Even before I began my current project, it had been an ambition of mine for some time to be able to help the underprivileged, and especially those women in my country, Iran, who have to be the breadwinners for their families in circumstances that make it very difficult for them to support themselves and those who depend on them. I strongly believe that hunger is at the root of so many of the problems that face our global society today, and I wanted to contribute to helping fight against it.

I spent some time in a very deprived community, meeting breadwinning women and learning more about them and their lives, researching the situation and experiencing the hardships that so many of them suffer. I have always felt that the best aid is the kind that helps those in need to help themselves, and with this in mind I bought materials which could be used for making necklaces, and began teaching the women I had met to use them to create jewelry. They now make beautiful pieces in unique, creative designs, which I buy from them and then donate to the United Nations World Food Programme office in Iran, to be sold worldwide, with the World Food Programme’s logo, to help prevent hunger across the globe. The United Nations World Food Programme is the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger in the world.

68 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 69 When I first began, many people who heard about my plan told me not to bother with this project, as it would be too difficult to manage and run all by myself, and too much work. I was determined to see it through, and I have my reward every time I hear a new story of how these necklaces have helped women to feed themselves and their families.

I have to say that all of my humanitarian activities are ultimately due to my father, who brought me up to know and feel that people are all the same regardless of their wealth, fame or the family they grow up in. What matters is that we are all human and we should help each other, and of course hold each other’s hands tight in hardships and difficulties so as not to let these contingent differences drive a gulf between us as human beings.

One of the hardest journeys that I have ever had was six years ago when I decided to live with nomads to experience their lifestyle and the tremendous difficulties which they face every day. I ended up spending almost six months sick as a result, and was hospitalized, but it was worthwhile; it gave me an entirely new, and much deeper, understanding of the challenges that these people meet as an ordinary part of life, and an appreciation of where and how help can best be given to them.

My humanitarian efforts are also an inspiration for my photographic work; I use my camera to capture images of scenes of suffering and poverty that many people are not even aware exist in the world. When I was a young girl my father was the first to give me a camera, encouraging me to capture images and scenarios by looking beyond the lens and into the grittiness of real life. Now, aided by my legal background which provides a solid grounding when working to effect change for the disadvantaged, I use my camera to help the underprivileged to be noticed.

In this way, I try to spread awareness, as well as a sense of optimism that although this is the situation, there are things that can be done to help. Often people are eager to help when the situation is shown to them – they only needed to be informed about it.

Shokoufeh Malekkiani - is a young Iranian artist, lawyer and philanthropist, who has dedicated her career, law and life to overcome hunger, which she strongly believes is the root of numerous societal problems. She uses art and photography to let the people of the world see what they might be passing by every day without noticing. Shokoufeh’s great determination has helped her win some well-known awards and prove her dedication to the underprivileged. She has even put her life at risk to be with nomads in deprived areas in order to picture the hardship that exists there, in the hope of bringing their plight to the attention of the world.

70 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Deborah Danelley To Havana with Love: The Muraleando Community Art Project

Since 2009, I have had the amazing opportunity to volunteer annually as an artist in project in an impoverished yet vibrant barrio of Havana, Cuba known as Muraleando.

Founded in 2001 by several Cuban artists, Muraleando is an ongoing cultural and social community art project. Following the withdrawal of Soviet support during the so called “Special Period” in Cuba, the project arose mainly in response to the community’s concern over rising crime rates and a neighborhood which was physically deteriorating. They began exploring different ways to help engage the young and old alike in the neighborhood with constructive activities, neighborhood beautification and community enrichment. The results continue today - on Saturdays, creative workshops are held for the children, and each year new murals are painted on walls and fences throughout the neighborhood. The result has been a renewed sense of pride and hope in the community.

My involvement began when I met artist Manolo Diaz Baldrich during a studio visit I had hosted for him in Winnipeg. I immediately found myself wanting to know more about his everyday life in Cuba. I discovered that as well as being an artist, Manolo was also a coordinator for a little project in his neighborhood, called Muraleando.

By the time he left my studio that day, I had volunteered to travel to Havana the following spring to conduct free art workshops for the children in his community. I will never forget my first year there, as children sat excitedly along the curb of the sidewalk each day after school, waiting for my workshop to begin. By 8pm each night, parents literally had to come and drag them home for dinner. Every year I try to change the materials and the workshops; we have done everything from altered and handmade books, to collage and relief printmaking. This year almost forty children collaborated to produce a permanent installation using beads and wire for the courtyard of El Tanque, their new community art center. The center, which began as a solid hundred year old concrete water tank buried in a hill in the neighborhood, was donated by the Cuban government.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 71 The children’s ages range from five to eighteen, and I also work with the incredible group of artists who volunteer their blood, sweat and tears to the project all year round. This past April I conducted a workshop for a group of Muraleando’s grandmothers who love to sew, particularly dolls. I brought beautiful fabric, beads and notions, which for some of the participants represented materials they had only seen in their dreams. In fact, one of the more memorable moments this year was watching their excitement as they dove into a stack of colorful reading glasses that I had brought for close-up work... In a country where a retired professional receives $8 per month to live on, these were a luxury item! So every April, when this little barrio of Havana hosts their annual international festival of the arts, I will make the pilgrimage, with suitcases stuffed to capacity with art supplies and sundries for the children and residents of the neighborhood. I have had incredible experiences and made lifelong friends, and this leg of my personal artistic journey has provided me with glorious living proof of and a reinforced belief in the power of art to transform lives and communities.

Deborah Danelley is an artist who has always had an interest in repurposing materials, something that in recent years has developed into disassembling or deconstructing discarded books into artworks. This ability to see the potential in disparate, apparently mundane items has enabled her to bring enormous creative energy and force to the project in Cuba, where she shares her love for art with her students.

72 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Gail Edmonds Lupus Association Volunteer

During my volunteer support work for the Lupus Association NSW, a middle aged woman (M) often called the office to speak with me. She was gravely concerned about her symptoms of chronic fatigue and crippling joint and muscle pain. Lupus (LSE) is a potentially life threatening auto-immune disease and my work for the past nine years as a support counselor has been a vital link to patients at their time of great need.

M had little in the way of financial means, and she lacked physical or emotional support from her adult children. She felt incredibly depressed and lonely. I suggested she join an art class group, even though she had no previous experience. M bravely joined a group run by my first art teacher. Despite her lack of artistic experience, M loved the company and creativity of the group. M’s journey into the creative world was an outlet from the chronic pain and an opportunity for companionship which mirrored my experience. It is to help M and others like her that I am so willing to share the pain of my own story.

Like M, I too suffer from severe Lupus, having been diagnosed as a teenager. I have been an artist for over 20 years and I feel exceptionally fortunate that I found art. This creative force will always be with me, willing me to keep going (discovering, creating, expressing) – and not to give up! Art keeps me focused, away from a life of disease. Art helps to block the pain and fear of illness.

Right now, my art is on hold as I am currently fighting my own battle with a resurgence of the Lupus which has caused my hospitalization. I have suffered a serious Lupus complication with pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in my lungs). My time in hospital reminds me of a young woman (C) I had helped to support. She lost her leg, suffered depression, lost her partner and job and had lost her will to fight on. Most tragically, her twin sister had died from Lupus. We had a strong connection and I encouraged her to be strong and reminded her of the importance of finding a purpose in life. As I explained to her, and as I believe to this day, art is my purpose, and also what gives me the strength to inspire and work with others.

C needed to go back on medication, which she had stopped on her own accord during her bout of despair. She eventually saw a purpose and at a Lupus fundraising dinner, C was asked to speak. Her speech had the crowd in tears. At the end of her speech she personally thanked me for saving her life. Her words to me were, “without her I wouldn’t be standing here.” I do not have the words to explain how touched I was – it is realizing what a fundamental difference you can make to someone’s life that makes the volunteering so worthwhile, challenging as it can sometimes be.

Art, as a vehicle of inspiration and expression, has helped me enormously in providing the best support I can to other Lupus sufferers. If we can reach out to others it can have truly amazing results. People with ongoing chronic illnesses need to be heard. Now that I am back in hospital, the time has come for others to support me. Yesterday, one of the Lupus support people came and visited me at hospital… And so the cycle continues.

Gail Edmonds was diagnosed with Lupus as a teenager, and the disease has had a tremendous impact on her life. She has taken her experiences and her understanding of the challenges and difficulties that Lupus sufferers face and used it to help others through her voluntary work as a Lupus Support Worker. On a personal level, she has found that art has been invaluable in allowing her to transcend the pain and fear of the disease and has enabled her to lead a richer, fuller life, and to help others to do so as well.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 73 Tom Stewart he inspiration for my paintings,” “Tsays Tom Stewart, “comes from my lifelong love affair with the sea,” and, indeed, the colors and textures that the sea can take on are all shown to great effect in his work. The artist’s “vivid memories of taking in the vast ocean experience” are reflected in the tonal variations and dynamic energy of paintings that have their beginnings in watercolor but expand their repertoire to include cold wax and oil crayon. Stewart says that he is always looking for new techniques to both represent the fluid textures that are so important to his work and to add a bit of “noise,” to provide some tension and Tom in his Studio contrast to his images. But those elements always exist alongside a well-developed sense of the peacefulness of water, giving the images a subtle complexity.

Stewart, who lives and works in the coastal town of Penobscot, Maine, is highly skilled at depicting water in all of its forms. He says that he establishes the textural aspect of his images first, but those textures then become animated by a rigorous sense of structure and motion. The painter is fascinated by the ocean’s movement, the “ebb and flow of the tides and the passing of distant ocean swells,” which he powerfully represents. He also has the ability to represent the interaction between water and light, letting his muted color palette bring that relationship compellingly to life. Winter Blackbacks Acrylic & Watercolor on Clayboard 13.5” x 19.5” Stewart has had a long career in commercial photography, and the clarity of the photographer’s eye remains strongly in evidence when he takes up a paintbrush. That experience behind the camera is evident in the clean sense of composition that is so striking in his paintings. The resulting works have a strong air of realism, but are also highly impressionistic, personal works. www.tomstewartstudio.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ ArtistPage/Tom_Stewart.aspx

Soaring Gull Watercolor on Paper 13” x 20.5”

74 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Judy Talacko

Harmonious Symphony Oil on Canvas 48” x 48” Judy in her Studio

ustralian artist Judy Talacko’s impressionistic floral still Alifes and landscapes are suffused with magnificent light, which is accentuated by stunning colors and complex forms. Using wide, sweeping brushstrokes, Talacko combines a free style with a masterful eye for detail to create memorable images that capture distinct moments in time. In images both timeless and totally new, she combines the use of brilliant color and interesting textures with the interplay of light and shade to create compelling compositions that highlight all the visual beauty life has to offer. Talacko’s paintings are romantic both in subject and approach. She has been influenced strongly by the early Australian Impressionists of the Heidelberg School and the Czech painter Alphonse Mucha, as well as by the landscapes and seascapes that have come to define her life. The Impressionist influence is prominent throughout her work, as a hallmark of her pieces is her strong emphasis on light and the way it comes to intersect in unique ways with both color and form. Above all, Talacko strives to paint from the heart in the hope Heavenly Bough Oil on Canvas 40” x 48” that her work will in turn touch the heart of another. Her paintings are treasured by viewers not only for their brilliant beauty and dazzling light, but also for the ability the images have to soothe and heal the viewer, and to offer a gentle reminder of all that is out there in the world if we but take a moment to notice. As Talacko shares, “I have always wanted my works to bring moments of joy and happiness to the viewer and allow them a chance to dwell, for a moment, on the sweeter things in life.” Judy Talacko has exhibited throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States, and has had twenty-seven prints in worldwide distribution. She currently lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. www.judytalacko.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Judy_Talacko.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 75 Taking on the BIG APPLE The Impact that a New York Exhibition Can Have on Your Art Career

New York is well known to be one of the centers of the international art world. From famous art museums to the lead- ers of contemporary art, you can find everything in New York City. This makes the city a wonderful, inspiring, alive place to live or visit – but it can also mean difficulties for artists thinking of taking their work there. Making the decision to submit a portfolio to a New York art gallery, and showing work in Chelsea for the first time, can be a daunting, even nerve-racking time for an artist. Yet time and again, we at Agora Gallery hear what a valuable, worthwhile experience our artists have gained from their exhibitions. On reception nights you can feel the excitement and energy in the air, and we love to receive the many emails from artists sharing their successes months or even years afterwards. Exhibit- ing in New York is like nothing else – and it has a unique potential to benefit an artistic career.

One of the themes that we hear from many artists is that Agora helps them to present themselves professionally to collectors. The personal attention they receive and the help with composing text means that artists are able to reassess their work and their abilities and find new appreciation for what they do – something that inevitably has an impact when talking to potential buyers.

Adka:

Agora Gallery has boosted my career in many ways. Because of Agora Gallery, I’ve sold my art in New York City to important clientele. I feel like my art is in the good hands of highly skilled professionals who have helped me recognize both the value and originality of my art. If you have not been in the art market for many years, it may be difficult to find your place. Within two years, I found my place in the art world. Thanks to the amazing descriptions of my artwork prepared by Agora, my art is getting recognized by many on a daily basis. For us artists, it is sometimes hard to express our creations in words. All we know comes from the heart and is expressed through the strokes of our brushes. It is another form of art to express this in words, and that is something at which Agora excels as well. After being represented by Agora, my sales have increased and the number of gallery representations has increased as well. My work was recently exhibited in Italy and Canada and will be exhibited in the Southern Nevada Museum of Art in 2013. Working with the professionals from Agora has been a pleasure and a great experience.

In addition, artists feel that Agora Gallery’s staff is there for them at every step of the process. This makes their first exhibition in New York far less intimidating, and the reassurance and comfort that they feel means that they are far better placed to make the most of their representation and exhibition.

76 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com David Saborido:

Ever since I started painting, when everything started, I dreamed of the opportunity to show my work in a gallery like Agora Gallery. The chance to actually do so means a lot in my career as an artist, and personally helped me to grow a lot, both as a person and professionally.

The whole team at Agora Gallery is of a very high professional level and staff members are both kind and honest with their artists. They are also efficient – they take care of all the details for the exhibition from the start to the finish, and it’s because of this that everything goes well. I have been surprised and impressed by the excellent treatment I have received from the enormously supportive staff. It made me think about what I look for in a gallery and what I need to consider for exhibitions in the future.

I was thrilled to sell a piece even before the opening reception. It was the first time I had sold a piece of artwork in the U.S. and the boost to my confidence was enormous. It is always challenging to remain certain of yourself and your artistic decisions, so the encouragement and positive reinforcement from this capital of the art world was a great benefit to me.

I found that the whole experience of exhibiting in the U.S. was full of learning – new considerations, new ideas, new inspiration. I definitely felt a sense of professional progression and personal development as a result. Having just taken part in a solo exhibition back in Jerez de la Frontera, I could feel the difference in approach already. The Agora Gallery experience has been fundamental to my artistic career so far.

One of the other key elements of what artists love about their New York experience at Agora Gallery is the connection they develop to other artists, often artists from all over the world. The feeling of tapping into the global art world, and the diversity and creativity that characterizes it, can be an enormously fulfilling and inspiring one, and something that can impact on an artist’s life, work and career.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 77 Lizzy Forrester:

Spirituality, in all its senses but particularly stemming from following the philosophy of Buddhism, has been the main influence in both my work and my life for more than 25 years now. This has been an enormous inspiration for me, not least because it has helped me understand that for me, art and the healing aspect of my works seem entirely intertwined.

However, it took time for me to accept that this interest in spiritual development could legitimately motivate and connect with visual art that was genuinely fine art. Being represented by Agora Gallery has been immensely beneficial for me in this sense. Feeling myself supported by the gallery staff, seeing the professional portfolio material built up as a result – press releases, exhibitions, etc. – and knowing that I am part, as a result, of the community of international fine artists, has given me an enormous sense of belonging. That, and the professional support, is tremen- dously confidence boosting.

The result is that I am able to take my own work seriously as fine art, as it deserves, and this in turn has an impact on the way I interact with those interested in my work. It also has given me the confidence to dive into newer, bigger and more ambitious projects, and in more diverse artistic fields.

Many artists speak with particular appreciation and enthusiasm about the professionalism they have found at Agora Gal- lery. The quick, helpful replies from staff, and the support they give to each and every artist, is beneficial on so many levels. Artists feel an increase in confidence, and in their ability to deal with the reality of making art a career. It makes the New York challenge seem less overwhelming – and more as if anything is possible!

Steven R. Hill:

I live and work on a remote, very beautiful island in The San Juan Islands of Washington State, where I have become totally immersed in plein air landscape painting. I also travel frequently and extensively (to Europe and all over the U.S.) to paint and teach art workshops. My work has been published in six books and has won eighteen major awards in the last seven years. I was recently invited to jury a major national show and have participated in several juried plein air competitions throughout the U.S. My wife, Judy, is very supportive of my art career, provides constant encouragement and also loves the travel. I am one lucky guy! At times, I feel like we are on the road more than “at home.” It takes a lot of energy, so I keep fit by intense mobility exercises, bicycle riding, hiking and constant practice, drawing and painting. Most work days involve twelve plus hours, 365 days per year, as I never really even think about anything that doesn’t involve art. For me, it’s serious and very fun stuff with no “re- tirement” in my vocabulary. I will work (joyfully) like this until I drop – hoping to be doing an “upstroke” when that happens.

My representation at Agora Gallery in NYC began with inclusion in the twenty-fourth annual Chelsea International Fine Art Competition, when I was one of thirty artists worldwide selected by Ira Goldberg, Executive Director of The Art Students League of New York, to be part of an exhibition in August, 2009. For me that was a huge benchmark in my art career, as I realized an exhibit of that caliber didn’t just waltz

78 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com through the front door - it was with a major gallery in New York City plus solid recognition by the director of a fabled and venerable art school.

Since then, I have had two additional showings at Agora, with two more scheduled in 2013 and 2014. What it has done for my art career is provide a great venue in the proving ground of the art world. It’s just amazing.

When I made my commitment to show in NYC, I picked one of the top four galleries, based on what others had told me, as well as how things are run on a regular basis. Hardly a week goes by that I don’t hear from someone at the gallery, working to promote my art career. It adds up on the resume/bio as well as little “extras” like museum representation, something I wouldn’t do or go for alone.

I would not be participating in major plein air competitions and juried art shows “back east” (and winning awards) if I had not first started showing work at Agora. Neither would I be making major travel plans, all wrapped around exhibits in NYC, which we also use as a launching pad for art trips to Europe, from the west coast. I guess you could say I was motivated to take a big step in the art world and finding a really great gallery is one of the smartest things I have ever done.

Confidence is crucial in developing an art career, but it can also be hard for artists to develop. Participating in an exhibition in Chelsea can be a great help in this area, not only in itself but in the increased interest in an artist’s work that often follows. Once an artist has taken the decision to try to enter the New York market, and been accepted by a gallery, they know that they have moved forward in a significant way in their career. As they take themselves more seriously as an artist, they encourage others to do so as well. Agora Gallery is proud to be able to encourage talented artists in their work, and to give them the boost in confidence that they need to take their art to the next level.

Marty Maehr:

Art, and the idea of creating art, has been with me since I was a little kid. As I’ve grown older, that child is still within me looking to learn, grow, and develop as an artist. Agora Gallery has allowed that seedling of an artist to take root, extend itself, and grow in depth and substance. My representation has provided me with an opportunity to grow outwardly by exposing my artwork to others, both at home and abroad. More importantly, though, it has helped me to grow inwardly, by meeting and getting to know others interested in the creative process, furthering my notion of what art is, and increasing my appreciation for its value.

My initial representation and group exhibition in November 2006 provided affirmation, a boost in confidence, and established my reputation with family and friends. Though many had known of my lifelong interest in art, taking the next step by exhibiting my work in New York City marked an increased invest- ment in the process. Several friends and family traveled across country to attend, and at that initial exhibit I was fortunate enough to sell my first painting through Agora Gallery. Since that time I have had four other exhibits at Agora, which have each been heavily attended. Since my initial exhibition, my reputation and interest in my artwork has continued to grow both in Ann Arbor, Michigan (where I currently live), and Champaign-Urbana, Illi- nois, where I grew up. I have had several solo exhibits in both places, most recently a forty- nine painting solo exhibit in June of 2012 in Ann Arbor, where I sold twelve paintings.

Through my representation with Agora Gallery, I have also seen an increased interest in other locations in the Midwest United States, as well as in Europe. In October of 2010, I had thirty-six paintings included in an exhibition in Lisbon, Por- tugal, and also had a four- part painting of mine selected for an exhibition in Milan, Italy. Although I cannot say that these opportunities were due exclusively to my relationship with Agora, there is no doubt in my mind that they would not have

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 79 come my way if I had not been bold enough to start the exhibiting process with Agora. I’m very thankful that Angela Di Bello has encouraged me to extend the process to other galleries as a means of furthering my development.

Most importantly to me, though, my relationship with Agora has kindled my growth as an artist by helping me to see myself as part of something bigger than just myself. At a time when economics and material concerns are forefront in so many minds, it has been beneficial to me to meet and cultivate relationships with others who have a genuine appreciation for art and the creative process. The amazing and genuinely friendly staff at Agora, other Agora artists and their work, and the many interesting people I have met while attending my five exhibitions have all contributed to an increased appreciation of art and its value to our society. Being around others who have a genuine interest in the creative process has helped me to dig deeper into the notion of what art really is, and what it still can become... And on top of that, it’s great fun!

Many artists find that an exhibition in New York opens doors for them in a way that can help their whole career. It’s a detail that stands out in a C.V. and something that interviewers, reporters and organizers love to ask about – and, of course, it’s something that the artists themselves love to talk about, too!

Paola Guerra:

My first exhibition at Agora Gallery was The Odyssey Within, from December 2010-January 2011. It was in many ways a turning point of my art career – as a result, a number of things began happening for me as an artist.

I had been participating in Showdowns on Saatchi online for more than a year, and had been improving my position slightly every time, but very slowly. Having exhibited at Agora Gallery, my position suddenly improved dramatically and in the Showdown between February and March I was selected to be one of the finalists.

Paolo Toffolutti runs one of the most important art directories of the new forms of visual arts in FVG. He called me in for an appointment in January 2011 and I ended up exhibiting together with a group of the best contemporary artists of Friuli Venezia Giulia at the Lipanjepuntin Gallery – the best gallery in Trieste.

I sent in my application for New Artists Fair, London in February 2012 at the Candid Galleries. I was selected and online in my presentation they wrote only that I exhibited in New York – it was clear from the start that this was the aspect of my experience that most stood out and impressed them.

This pattern was repeated again and again – the fact that I had exhibited in New York, and could talk so easily and confidently about the experience, stood out in my applications and interested and impressed those with whom I came into contact. It opened many doors for me as a professional artist.

New York is the worldwide art capital, and I think that for an artist who lives in a place further removed from the center of the art world, there is nothing more important than exhibiting in Chelsea. In addition, being nominated for an award in a prestigious competition like the Chelsea International Fine Art Competition is something that, like a New York exhibit, will stay on your CV forever.

I feel that showing at Agora Gallery has undoubtedly been of significant benefit to my art career – in terms of my confidence, the authority of my applications, and in the way the art world perceives me.

The Agora Gallery experience can also be crucial in helping artists to establish themselves in the art world. It can lead to new projects, open an artist’s eyes to the opportunities out there, and give them the confidence to grab them and do their best with the chances available.

80 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Melody Hawtin:

How amazing, how blessed I feel… to have sold so many paintings in my collection from a single exhibition with Agora was utterly amazing. A shocking, happy experience.

I have been painting in oil since I was nine, and have enjoyed studying artists such as Chagall, Turner, Rembrandt and Constable... Perhaps my success in New York will inspire others, I do hope so.

Since my exhibition with Agora, my husband David, our collie dog Prego and I have embarked on a painting journey throughout the West Coast of England… Travelling in our new caravan to feel the freedom of spontaneous vision.

Coming from a long line of West Country artists, I hope to revisit the wild coast of Cornwall, and the gentle pastures of Devon for some fresh inspiration... I am exploring the theme HOME within my cultural and historic family tree, juxtaposed with a vision of Heaven as my spiritual home...

We have our own gallery in a wonderful tourist location which means people can choose paintings at their leisure, and I have other galleries who like my work as well. This year I have also been invited to exhibit in France and Italy and England... yet at the moment I need to take a deep breath and spend some months painting. While painting I will remind myself to keep a true perspective... a view towards the bigger picture of life... It is by keeping my eyes heaven bound, that I can soar on wings like an eagle... and paint with freedom.

During the past year I have also worked with my local school, teaching oil painting by giving them a canvas and helping them to paint Queen Elizabeth II for an exhibition in September. I have also spoken to ladies about the power of art as a medium to affect culture.

I feel my confidence has certainly grown this year, which has resulted in more challenging subjects... As Picasso said, “I’m always doing things I can’t – and then I get to do them...” I have this on my fridge.

My experience with Agora gave me much more confidence in so many ways... It was the first time I had shipped my work and worked so closely with a gallery I needed to trust with my work. I also feel relieved, rewarded and excited about the future.

My international profile has also risen due to my relationship and success with Agora... Hence invitations to exhibit in other international venues.

Art is an international language fuelled by love, and it has a very special fruit... It means the artist must take time to watch the waves and enjoy the colours of life...

Thank you for showing me New York at its best, Agora.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 81 Tracy Winston merican artist Tracy Winston combines a variety of media to create Apoignant, otherworldly images rich in expressionistic intent. Drawing heavily from the influences of Pablo Picasso and Jean Michel Basquiat, Winston seeks to create images unfettered by the confines of line and space, and indeed by the expectations of his intended audience. What results are strong, meaningful works of art that expand the boundaries of our known world and invite the viewer to consider something entirely new. In creating his art, Winston continually seeks out new materials and surfaces to add depth and texture to the overall effect. He works with everything from acrylic, charcoal, latex, spray paint, and resin sand to unconventional materials such as glass cleaner, varnishes, candle wax, and even motor oil. Each new element lends dimension and visual interest to the tableau, resulting in a unique perspective on familiar forms. Above all, Winston seeks to capture a new purity of emotion within the colors, lines, and forms that compose each piece. As he explains, “One very important factor for me is to conjure up raw emotions or to soothe the soul.” It is in this way that he hopes his viewers are able to find a refuge in his art. Tracy Winston currently lives and works in New York City. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tracy_Winston.aspx

The Horse Mixed Media on Canvas 72” x 48”

Meaghan Fennessy Keeley

ibrantly colorful and expressionistic, the paintings of VMeaghan Fennessy Keeley are emblems and memorials of a moment. Experimenting with techniques such as painting in encaustic oils and mixed media, Fennessy Keeley fashions energetic compositions of vivacious shapes and contours on large canvases, bold in their size and stature. Both architectural and plastic in aesthetic, the works display exceptional textures, something that is achieved through the artist’s use of palette knives, brushes and even her hands within her painterly process. “I believe art should be all around us and within reach, literally,” she explains. “My art is made to be touched.” Indeed, through her diverse and pulsating compositions, Fennessy Keeley touches a multitude of viewers with divergent backgrounds, attitudes and experiences. Celebrations of life and the joyous moments that ground so many lives, these paintings revel in the nuances and opulence of existence. Spirited and ever-evolving, they pulse with courage and commemoration, Balance I Oil & Pastel on Canvas 24” x 24” their abstract forms speaking of and addressing a plethora of people. An experienced cloth artist as well as an architectural and botanical photographer, Fennessy Keeley has a strong background in art history and in traditional art practices such as printmaking. Meaghan Fennessy Keeley lives and works in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she recently finished a residency at the Braitman Studio Art School. www.meaghankeeley.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Meaghan_Fennessy_Keeley.aspx

82 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Avaz Mutall

he paintings of Uzbekistani artist Avaz Mutall combine a mastery of color, line, form and composition, resulting in works Tthat are highly detailed yet capture a great deal of freedom in their execution. These intricate, lush paintings, replete with a complexity of color and form, pay homage to geometrically defined spaces while expanding these spaces into new forms full of potential and promise. Mutall places much emphasis on compositional development, executing hundreds of preliminary drawings until he finally comes upon the perfect configuration of elements. This dedication to the detailed compositional aspects of each painting adds to the visual depth and meaning that can be found in each piece. Mutall has long sought a freer style of art through which to convey his artistic expressions. Thanks to Moscow’s Institute of Cinematography and cinema itself, he has been able to develop a unique style in which he can imagine the invisible and allow his paintings to convey so much more than what is captured on the canvas. Additionally, the artist has been profoundly inspired by the culture of his native Uzbekistan and the fascination with colors and Eastern motifs that came to define his early experience, most notably the bazaar which the artist feels reflects people’s lives and experience of their society. Indeed, when viewing Mutall’s work, one cannot help but imagine or recall a richly textured world infused with noise, colors, ornamental patterns, and cupolas. Overall, Mutall seeks for his art to bring joy to the people who encounter it. But he also offers the viewer a new perspective, one that relies on a careful balance between order and freedom. The striking, memorable impact of his creations stems from all the beauty that is to be found in the spaces that exist between these two extremes. Born and raised in the center of the old city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Avaz Mutall currently lives and works in Moscow, Russia. www.avazmutall.com/en www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/ Avaz_Mutall.aspx Avaz in his Studio

Composition Oil on Canvas 47” x 39” Sunset at Sea. Improvisation Oil on Canvas 27.5” x 31.5” ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 83 María Inés Cámara

scillating between realism and abstraction, the works of OArgentinean artist María Inés Cámara pervade a space between reality and fantasy, a metaphysical world of passions and emotions. Rich tones of primary colors weave and circle biomorphic, organic forms in soulful, whimsical painterly play. An inner light permeates the works, exuding a sense of universal and celestial harmony and peace. This light cascades, swirls and pulses through the paintings, thrusting us into an ethereal space of wonder that breaks us from the banality of the everyday. The forms are Surreal, yet rooted in ancient cultures, for Cámara looks towards Patagonian cave painting as well as the visual traditions of native Argentinean people for inspiration and aesthetic stimulation. She weaves these artistic progenitors together with her own experiences of the world. Thus, these expressionistically free paintings with loose, spirited brushwork and a color palette unencumbered by tonal regiment are able to speak to the lived experience of humanity as a whole, while Tierra II Acrylic on Canvas 35.5” x 35.5” retaining a powerful personal feeling. “I think my artwork is genuine and reflects my inner world. My work shows my beliefs and personal views,” explains Cámara. “My work explores the shapes, images, and colors of my own internal space, and communicates possibilities of other, subtler worlds.” María Inés Cámara lives and works in Buenos Aires. www.mariainescamara.com.ar www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Maria_Ines_Camara.aspx

Sharon Ross nglish artist Sharon Ross imbues her work with Equiet emotion, be it one of her colorful, meditative landscapes in oils or her dramatic, symbolic figure studies done in pen and ink. In her nature paintings, Ross concentrates on expressive color and a well- defined sense of space to lend narrative and an atmospheric joy to still countryside scenes. When painting figures, however, she rests on the line between expressive and Surreal. Her women, usually alone and almost always captured at a moment of reckoning, are rendered in patterns, unnatural color schemes, and a stylized compression of depth that leaves their bodies as a series of shapes, a visual rhythm representing inner monologue. Ross seamlessly integrates techniques that are traditionally associated with one of her mediums into Anya Oil on Canvas 31” x 39” the other. She often uses her brush like a pen, making and building up miniscule strokes the way one would with the small nib of an ink pen. Her paintbrush is always controlled, even when dabbing. In contrast, she can be flowing and expansive in ink, creating a feeling of looseness on paper that she rarely allows herself on canvas. Her best ink drawings are the result of both techniques: for example a meticulously wrought nude shaded with curls and pinstripes, contrasted against a liquid-like background. Sharon Ross was born in England, where she now pursues her art full time. www.sharonross.co.uk www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sharon_Ross.aspx

84 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Solveig M. Skogseide often think of creating a painting in the same way as composing “I music,” says Solveig M. Skogseide. Indeed, the way the painter describes her artistic process matches this idea - she will “start from a ground/music tone” and then add more and more tones to her works, creating a sense of counterpoint and harmony. The Norwegian artist’s aim is not to jar the viewer, but to arrive at combinations of form and color that “match” in some way, while holding on to a sense of contrast and movement. She has a distinctive eye for color, placing reds, blues and greens against subtly rendered backgrounds in a way that animates her images. Those backgrounds have an otherworldly glow, giving each painting a dreamlike aura. Skogseide is especially good at mixing whites in with her other colors to create the appearance of light emerging from behind the image. The artist works with such media as molding paste and sand to create the designs of her paintings. She also employs stencils that are made from photographs she takes herself. The resulting layers are an essential part of her work, giving her pieces an impressive depth and complexity. Skogseide says that she would like for viewers “to enter the secret garden or woods” that are depicted in her paintings. Their seductive softness, combined with their sense of mystery, draws us in and keeps us interested. www.vintagepaintings.no Swans Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 47” x 31.5” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Solveig_M._Skogseide.aspx

Helen S. Cohen elen S. Cohen’s dynamic abstract paintings hint at Hrepresentation, intriguing the eye and drawing the viewer into an enigmatic world of organic shapes, colors and marks that collide and pull at one another, conveying an inscrutable sense of logic that seems at once fully formed and forever obscured. Cohen moves her forms across the canvas, sometimes connecting them with strong, energetic streaks or quirky lines, sometimes shrouding them in a cloud of slightly tinted or murky wash. Continually varying her technique, mixing drips and paint layers with text and free-floating shapes, every element coalesces out of an apparently spontaneous yet skillful and deliberate series of brushstrokes, marks and dabs. In her exploration of a range of media – acrylic, graphite, charcoal and pastels – Cohen often incorporates small found objects and collage into her painting. Yet each work comes to assume a curious sense of order, and Cohen’s mastery of composition and color ensures that each painting maintains a unique combination of mystery and emotion. www.helenscohen.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Helen_S._Cohen. aspx

Perched 1 Acrylic, Graphite & Collage on Canvas 40” x 30”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 85 Gladys Gonzalez he lighthearted boldness of Gladys Gonzalez’s acrylic work is Tgraphically precise yet thrillingly freewheeling. Inspired by Miró and Picasso, Gonzalez takes simple geometric principles and breathes new life into them. Her arcs are perfectly formed but spiral, and proliferate throughout the composition to become as unpredictable an element as any Pollock creation. People and objects are broken down into two- dimensional shapes that crowd together haphazardly. The mathematical concepts of opposite and inverse are echoed in the strong color juxtapositions of black, white, and saturated reds, greens, and blues. Gonzalez was born in Caracas, and today works out of Calgary. Her scenes of sunny everyday life in parks, on beaches, and on the road derive from her belief that “art [is] a way to extract the best from our lived moments.” www.art-xigo.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Gladys_Gonzalez.aspx Mon-Cher-Ami Acrylic on Canvas 47” x 39”

Sonia Koch hilean painter Sonia Koch takes inspiration from her native country’s Crichly varied natural environment to create lush and mystical works in acrylic and paper. Her images set painted figures, flowers and trees against wildly colorful and intricate patterned collage elements. This formal contrast between hand-painted human bodies and plants, and their backdrop of wildly ornate paper echoes Koch’s thematic goal: to portray the spirit’s transcendence of the physical. To this end she deploys flowing floral forms and feminine figures, depicted in a stylized, impressionistic manner and painted in delicate brushstrokes, against symmetric symbols on paper. With baroque sequences built up one atop the other so that every surface booms with life and hue, her vibrant compositions conjure an environment of boundless plenty. www.artesoniakoch.blogspot.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Sonia_Koch.aspx

Jugando a ser Mariposa Acrylic on Canvas 20” x 20”

Stefania Buccio Gonzato or Italian artist Stefania Buccio Gonzato, paintings must above all Fbe honest. The striking results of this policy portray richly detailed worlds in bold tones and multiplying lines, waiting for viewers to explore. Evocative of Klimt, Cubism and classical Renaissance portraiture but consistently distinctive and original, these compositions feature ornately dressed women set against architecturally complex backdrops. Buccio Gonzato juxtaposes the flowing, rounded and elaborate foreground forms — curling hair, rippling textiles — with more rigid linear backgrounds like streets and buildings. Similar palettes unite these disparate shapes, with streetscapes taking on the hues worn by the women inhabiting them. By way of this process, predicated on simultaneous contrast and tonal symmetry, Buccio Gonzato creates images that can be both explored in great detail and appreciated for the all-encompassing unity of their vision. www.stefaniabucciogonzato.it www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Stefania_Buccio_ L’Attesa Due Gonzato.aspx Mixed Media on Canvas 51” x 32” 86 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Jean Francois Mercier ith a painterly sense of color and form, Jean Francois Mercier Wdiscovers abstraction from above, finding a bold and surprising vision of the world as seen from the sky. In his works the coastal landscape is transformed, as sand and salt, water and road join together in richly textured fields of color and line. Issuing his works as large scale limited edition prints, Mercier’s approach to digital photography is at its core both traditional in its abandonment of computer manipulation and innovative in his use of remote control planes to capture his aerial views. Born in Montpellier and now living in Ventenac Cabardes in Southern France, Jean Francois Mercier works as a professor of agronomy and ecology in addition to his career as an author and photographer. www.jeanfrancois-mercier.odexpo.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Jean_Francois_Mercier. aspx Arabesque Photographic Print on Fine Art Paper 24” x 32”

Trisha Fitzpatrick ustralian artist Trisha Fitzpatrick considers her superb, Aexpressionistic acrylic compositions to be fundamentally abstract, though they also draw on precedents in Post-Impressionist landscape painting. Through powerful shifts in color between blues, greens and turquoises for verdant forests and radiant reds, oranges and yellows deployed in autumnal scenes and arid desert vistas, she conveys a very visceral and evocative sense of place while eschewing strict figuration. Fitzpatrick’s varied palette is echoed by similarly virtuoso alternations in application, from short, thick daubs of paint that evoke foliage or water to long, thin, sinuous lines portraying the agile branches and vines of Australia’s lush forests. Through her shifting tones, textures and gestures, Fitzpatrick portrays dynamic landscapes that easily turn into purely abstract choreographies of color. www.trishafitzpatrick.com.au Dreaming of Serenity Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 40” www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Trisha_Fitzpatrick.aspx

Michele Brunschvig Dariele ichele Brunschvig Dariele likens her transition from the figurative Mto the abstract to the “experience of a child transitioning from sitting to standing.” Freed from the limitations of depicting more naturalistic forms, these abstractions are renderings of the artist’s spiritual quest, wherein she depicts the essential. Working in acrylics, she creates tactile surfaces while her color choices develop a sense of vibrancy. Indeed, the painter describes her mission as being to “convey a vitality” through the interactions between movement, music and painting. Ultimately, her work not only frees the artist herself, but also the viewers who encounter it. She states: “It is my intent to nurture the soul and spirit through my paintings and bring a sense of order, humor or release in the onlooker.” Michele Brunschvig Dariele lives in Key West, Florida. www.michelebrunschvigdariele.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Michele_Brunschvig_ Dariele.aspx Exuberance Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 24”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 87 Image by Catherine Gaillard Perez New York City: Evoking the Muse

The Muse - she was once the female platonic ideal, a deity, a sage, a goddess; and for hundreds of years the blessing of a Muse was essential for the creation of art. For many artists, the Muse is alive and well, infusing the psyche with a gust of the divine, to inspire not imitation but new insights. For many years Agora Gallery’s Director Angela di Bello has privately addressed the issue of new art forms with artists from every corner of the world. This dialogue has culminated in her theory that today’s muse is often either a physical place or a place in the heart. Over the past ten years artists have discussed with her the inspiration that becomes manifest when they are exposed to the spirit and energy of New York City. In ‘Evoking the Muse’ artists share their experiences of the city. Angela would like to thank Olivia, Bonnie, Hanna, Michelle, Zivi and Nicholai for their evocative and powerful contributions, and encourage others to share their experiences with us for the May 2013 issue of ARTisSpectrum.

88 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Olivia Kapoor “It seemed as though each street corner had its own genre of music.” The City of New York was very inspiring... Although I have frequently visited upstate New York to see Niagara Falls, this was my first visit to New York City. Even though it was a little chilly there, walking around outside was beautiful; the architecture was incredible. I had a chance to see buildings that were so luxurious, the Plaza Hotel included. The choice in wardrobe palettes and textures amazed me as well. I would never have thought to match certain colors the way that some people were able to – such as a combination of royal blue and bubblegum pink! Of course, the various styles of music, which all blended together so nicely, also greatly impressed me. It seemed as though each street corner had its own genre of music. That in itself definitely enhanced the overall experience, and being aware of it made me more open to noticing the other things going on around me. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect experience. After we saw ‘The Book of Mormon,’ I was really in my element. I was relaxed and ready to enjoy whatever came my way. Going to New York City to see my own art on display in a gallery was such a wonderful experience for me. During the opening reception, I was able to speak with various people about my paintings... I was a little taken aback by the fact that my work was interpreted with such care and compassion – people I had never met before and had no connection to really enjoyed my work. Some people even took pictures standing next to my work! My most inspiring moment was when more than one person told me that my work resembled the work of the great Salva- dor Dali. Now, I don’t know how true that may or may not be, but I know that just hearing it was inspiring. I started work on a new piece as soon as I came home, energized by my experiences and by the wonderful reactions of the viewers. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Olivia_Kapoor.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 89 “it’s a recipe for a masterpiece in the making.” Bonnie Pakman

I have made the trip to New York City more times than I could ever count. Coming from a small town in Pennsylvania, the excursion has always been somewhat intimidating. New York is the opposite of where I live. Here it is slow and quiet, while New York is always fast paced and loud; the crowds, the noise, the endless bustle of traffic. This past spring, prior to my show at Agora Gallery, I met some college roommates with whom I’d become recently reacquainted. We were having lunch at The Boathouse in Central Park. The setting was exquisite. Everything around me appeared brighter. The riot of color in that area of the park was amazing. I swear I saw colors then that were never before a part of the park’s palette. I honestly feel that New York City captures and inspires my creativity and art with its ever-changing energy. The neon lights on Broadway, or simply squinting in an early rainfall at a line of yellow taxis (headlights on) making their way down the multi-laned one way street: it’s a recipe for a masterpiece in the making. Be it a highly kinetic primary colored work or a somber reflective memory of 9/11, New York City, my muse, has inspired me greatly. New York City: like no other city anywhere in the world. The staff from Agora Gallery was so professional, yet very down to earth. Whatever question or issue, it was handled respectfully and immediately. There were no airs, and each and every one did her job with total expertise. Seeing the entire staff at the exhibition, you realize truly how much goes into the entire process. Walking into the exhibit was probably the biggest wow of my professional life. I was star-struck by the talented artists around me and by the vast number of countries around the globe represented in this exhibit. Artists were there from all over the United States, but also from Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, Australia and New Zealand, to name a few countries. Seeing my work on display was almost surreal. For most of the two hour window, I kept feeling as if I was really watching this evening on TV. At the close of the event, my husband and I went out for a delicious dinner at a neighborhood restaurant and then returned to our hotel room. Of course, I was still flying, but the icing on the cake was finding the current copy of ARTisSpectrum, which included my profile as well as one of my paintings, in our room. That was an indescribably wonderful sensation! www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Bonnie_Pakman.aspx

90 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Hanna Jach “We took our first steps into New York and New York slipped slightly into our minds.” After the green leaves have turned into the golden fire of autumn, the memory of growing up in spring should strike our minds again like the foggy fields of dawn to collect all the red and yellow of the falling fruits. We took our first step into New York in March 2012. We, meaning my daughter Elsa-Sophie Donata, a dramatic writer, and I, a painting artist, expecting my first exhibition in New York at Agora Gallery, left Europe with all kinds of adventurous feelings, hoping possibly to break down some frontiers of cliché and, probably, to touch the New York art scene. To reach this capital of modern industrial utilitarianism with its steel sparkling crown called Wall Street, we had to have a second look at the fabulous icon, accompanied in our minds by F. Scott Fitzgerald and his “Great Gatsby” and the stars of the movies and literature. The silent sounds of some singers became our music, Jackson Pollock, Rothko and Warhol the stripes of our banner. Opening Andy’s “Tomato Soup” and getting the first taste, our expectations of the New York lifestyle were completely fulfilled when we became aware of the brand new black clothes of the people in the bright avenues near Central Park. But New York itself, the city with its buildings, we were surprised to find to be a charming old lady, struggling through the wideness of several years. The footsteps of time lay on the ever-young face of the skyscrapered reign of human capability, brilliantly appearing in the huge Cindy Sherman exhibition we saw at MoMA. To collect all kinds of artistic sensations from places like the Guggenheim, the Met etc., we had to dive first into the subway, to come to know the polite kindness, the obliging glances of the New Yorkers who helped us to find the right train, to understand the missing stations of the E line, the mysterious small coins and the complicated explanations necessary for some of our destinations. These were the starters and the main course followed. Professional and carefully prepared for months, through wonderful teamwork, the excellent staff of Angela Di Bello, the well-known director of Agora Gallery, opened the gallery doors to present some new artistic attempts to create a view of human being. The first personal visit to the gallery assured me that the exciting moment of seeing my artwork exhibited in the charisma of a town full of creative internationality was really coming close. In Bedford Street we found a small Greek restaurant with blossoming twigs in a mighty amphora and had an excellent meal with some drawing painters beside us. Bedford Hotel came to my mind, the place where Klaus Mann, son of the famous German writer Thomas Mann, had spent several months as a war correspondent during his exile in the Second World War, sometimes with his sister Erika and many other writers. It was one the headquarters of German exile literature and nowadays it’s still alive as a hotel, and probably the resi- dence for our next visit to New York’s art life! The great evening of the exhibition, the other artists from many nations, the numerous audience, even the many young people, the so friendly stuff and the interesting conversation made an unforgettable feast in our life. At the end of the evening a writer and musician, who had visited the opening night, took us to an open concert in Brooklyn, with music that reminded me of Hans Werner Henze. We took our first steps into New York and New York slipped slightly into our minds. As when someone is pouring milk into coffee, we added some new taste of the world to our tongues and its flavor is called “delicious.” White blossom sparkled, the time was Easter, filling in some sunny mornings to the shape of the town with a certain music of spring we would like to hear again. Thank you so much, Agora Gallery. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Hanna_Jach.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 91 “So, which country are we eating in today?” Michelle Hold The fact that I had lived for some months in New York, 25 years ago, made my coming to New York as an artist for my own exhibition even more special. I was lucky enough to share my excitement with Max Giannotta, a photographer whom I had contacted and met up with before coming to New York, since I’d found out that we had the same exhibition date and both live in Italy, only half an hour from one another. Immediately after checking into the Hotel Americano we walked to the gallery, and were warmly welcomed by Christine. It was an incredible feeling to see the works all of a sudden hanging on the wall of this beautiful gallery in NYC. The city gives you so much energy; you walk and walk to see it all. Wandering through the Guggenheim and seeing the latest exhibition, International Abstraction, Max exclaimed, “But they are all Italian!” Looking at the names – Afro, Burri, Manzoni, Fontana – we felt immediately at home. Next stop was MoMA and even there we noticed the big contribution of one of Italy’s Arte Povera artists, Alighiero Boetti. This was wonderful for us, but in truth, no matter where you come from to visit the city, you’re bound to find elements of your home country and culture – New York has it all, all in its own special way. There was a great show as well at the Whitney Museum about Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, whose art invaded all the Louis Vuitton shops of the city. Then, to the surprise of Max, who had thought that eating in the States would prove a horrible experience (as most Italians fear), we sampled delicious meals in places like Spice Market, The Mercer Kitchen, Kittichai, Balthazar… After the second day, he would just sit down for lunch or dinner and ask me: “So, which country are we eating in today?” The other thing I really loved was walking on the High Line and seeing all the wildflowers that grow in my garden in Italy. In a city like New York, in the middle of all the skyscrapers, they gave me the feeling of hope for future cities. I am a nature lover, and so I was glad to see nature come back to the city. The Muse has inspired us, and given us a small insight into the New York art world. Thanks to Agora Gallery, Max and I will not only remain friends but will even be working on an exhibition about NYC. together. Max will show some of his wonderful photographs (he took 3,700 during his stay!) and I will show my abstract paintings in the series “City of Hope.” I have already started to work on them. Thank you, Agora. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Michelle_Hold.aspx

92 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Zivi Aviraz “Exploring NYC is a Joyful Journey” I visit New York often, and I am always amazed by the enormous crowds that populate the city and make every street feel as though it is part of a huge event, and by the sense of organized chaos that pervades the city. The zapping energy, the seething mass of people, all with different goals – it never ceases to amaze me how everything works well despite all this. I love to watch the long lines become short in no time, at coffee shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, plays. Of course this means that you have to get used to standing in line wherever you’re going, whatever attraction you’re bent on seeing and whatever kind of delicious food you’re planning to consume – but the wait is always worth it. The museums are great, and a continual inspiration, the theaters are wonderful, the selection of food is endless. This time was particularly special for me – my experience at Agora Gallery was unique, unlike anything I’d seen or felt before. The staff was professional, direct and yet warm, and I was surprised and pleased to find that I had so many people taking care of me and car- ing about how I was doing. It was like arriving to find a ready-made support network right there, all passionately devoted to art. The presentation at the reception and the exhibition was superb, and all of the writing relating to it was above and beyond even what I had expected. The opening evening was a New York-style grand event. My family, my friends and I had a great, memorable, thoroughly enjoyable time. Thank you very much, Agora Gallery! Exploring NYC is a joyful journey, one that is full of adventures. Each time I go, I find that the experience feeds into the rest of my work and my life, bringing new riches and ideas to both. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Zivi_Aviraz.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 93 “The bright lights, color and excitement ... filled my imagination with endless possibilities.” Nicholai Khan As a child from Trinidad and Tobago, New York City had a special, unique symbolism in my view of the world. The moment I knew it existed, I wanted my art to be well known in the New York City art scene. The bright lights, color and excitement of this great place filled my imagination with endless possibilities. The fashion in the windows and graffiti on subway cars were like a moving museum with constantly evolving works. It was a far cry from the coconut trees and ocean breezes of my hometown. Although I was able to move to New York City many years ago, the opportunities available to an artist always surprise me and remind me of how lucky I am to be here. Not only does it have many wonderful museums including MOMA, the Guggenheim, Neue Galerie, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which has come to be a source of inspiration and meditation for me, this city also has a deep history of street and graffiti art that is as alive as New York’s own heartbeat. What I have learned in the galleries, museums, and streets can all be seen in the diverse and unique style that has come to be my own. Earlier this year, I was able to debut my artwork at Agora Gallery, which drew quite a crowd and lived up to their prestigious reputation. Being at Agora Gallery made all of my artistic efforts seem worth it as I witnessed at firsthand onlookers appreciating my artwork. In the summer, I was selected to participate in the “Art Takes Times Square” event that showcased my work on a billboard in the heart of Times Square. It is an amazing feeling to be able to live your lifelong dreams. There is truly no other city like New York. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Nicholai_Khan.aspx

94 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Vito Matera

n his Abstract Expressionist artworks, Italian artist Vito Matera shapes Ithree-dimensional forms layered with meaning and suffused with the light and colors of the Mediterranean. Matera uses live wood supports to serve as a counterpart to the inertia of the mortar, sand and acrylic paint that round out each image. Colors are soft and dancing with light, and are enhanced by the addition of other materials such as mosaic and gold leaf. Matera draws from his background of philosophy and classical studies to create a unique poetical language, comprised of color and form that allows him to explore the inner meaning of the human condition and the truths that persist for generation upon generation. Inspired both by Mediterranean myths and the world of the Baroque, as well as the imagery of popular culture, Matera seeks to create a bridge between these many worlds. The lush abstract images he creates work in dialogue with literature, particularly fairy tales and poetry. As Matera explains, “My art is a-temporal, and it is in dialogue with literature, in particular with poetry and the classical world. I use the language of poetry: metaphor, soft irony and metonymy. I use soft shades, which only the Mediterranean light can give. It is a game linked to fancy and visions of my country.” www.vitomatera.it www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Vito_Matera.aspx Good Bay Acrylic & Emulsion on Wood 31.5” x 20”

Marissa Mule

Nicholai Khan arissa Mule’s abstract paintings offer a mixture of freedom Mand control. She uses a pouring technique to create drip-like strokes that integrate an appealing openness into patterns that at the same time have a geometrical precision. “I allow myself to work freely and expressively,” she says, “in the heart of the moment, without any references.” That liberty shows itself in both the way she puts her paints on the canvas and in the colors she uses. “My color palette is normally bright and vibrant,” she notes, “so that each drip appears dynamic and free.” In addition to giving her work energy, Mule’s color sense gives her images depth. Colors are layered in a way that brings the various threads of a tapestry to mind. A well-defined sense of texture and space makes the work compellingly physical as well as abstract. That surprising sense of space and air lends a charming light-heartedness to Mule’s work. “The process between the painting and myself is lively and bold — energetic and independent,” she explains. Her colors pop, and when that is combined with the feeling of constant motion generated by her drip-like strokes, the result is one that seems infused with sunlight and positive energy. “Throughout each stroke and pour there is a feeling that takes over,” she comments. “My Illusion 2 Acrylic on Canvas 60” x 48” paintings are an escape into freedom.”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 95 ON FACING SCARCITY: The Changing Landscape of Public Arts Funding in the New Millennium by David J. LaBella

Artistic creation has always had an uneasy relationship with its sources of funding. In every corner of the globe, royal pa- tronage, private commissions, and carefully directed programs of public finance have served as a double-edged sword for those who would be the beneficiaries of the aid or favors granted them by the powerful or the wealthy. Many of the greatest bodies of artistic work would never have been brought to fruition without outside funding, yet the content and context of those works often aligned closely with the ideology and belief systems of the patrons who supported their execution, and most would never even have been conceived without some prior level of thematic and philosophical agreement between the artist and his or her benefactor. Religious and cultural traditions, assertions of social status and worthy blood- lines, heroic parables and cosmic landscapes, ethnic and national pride and iconic depictions of the trademark qualities that people believed set their communities or states apart and above others – all of these notions have been expressed by artists at the urging and with the unambiguous support of the political power structure and aristocratic classes of civilized man. Moreover, there has always been a tension between the function of art within a society and the intentions of those who – through generosity, piety, ambition, or vanity – funded it: was art something that could exist within a society as an extension of the human condition on its own or could it only exist at the sufferance of someone who apparently knew better than most what that art could represent? Ultimately, one is led to wonder if there was a cost borne by a society that could only express itself to a significant degree through works of art that existed solely at the behest of the upper classes and royalty.

Throughout the years prior to the Industrial Revolution and the far-reaching social and political reforms that transformed Western society, major artworks in private collections and public venues usually required substantial funding; artists who worked outside the sphere of subsidized commissions often found that it was extremely difficult for their work to find an audience, let alone provide them with a reliable source of income. Considerations of style, theme, technique, and cultural context adapted to a narrow range of accepted standards that were proscribed by the works funded by the wealthy and powerful.

Sevega Adriano: Primitive Poem 1 Oil on Canvas 40” x 30” Sevega Adriano: Primitive Poem 2 Oil on Canvas 40” x 30”

96 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the advent of what would become known as Modern Art reflected the willingness of artists in the West to set themselves free of the suffocating rules of traditional art; by the early twentieth century, artistic vision had embraced every facet of the imagination of an entire generation of artists. Modern Art truly democra- tized expression and the ability of the creative impulse to describe one’s cultural consciousness, and the artistic market- place came to accept a wide range of artistic works in a way that would have been inconceivable a half-century before. The turbulent political and economic climate of the twentieth century changed the nature and function of funded art projects – totalitarian governments in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America tolerated and promoted artworks that matched closely the social, political, and philosophical ideology of their respective power structures; voices of dissent or diversity suffered endless persecution and lived, if allowed to do so, in anonymity. Even the Western democracies, feeling a need to provide an antidote to the challenge of the radicalism that had polarized the entire globe, reacted with suspicion and distrust toward the avant-garde and funded patriotic and iconic works of art that reinforced the traditional values they championed. In the United States, works funded by the WPA and other agencies of the government appeared in many public spaces; these works were often the only artistic creations easily accessible for much of the public, and while Modern Art continued to evolve with ever-greater vigor and personal audacity, it did so out of the view of most and became a curiosity or even the source of a vague sense of dread that many people felt toward ideas that did not engender an easy emotional or cultural connection.

In the post-World War II years, artists who had worked outside of the mainstream began to capture an audience, as nations relieved of the crushing burden of the Great Depression and the war became more confident in their place in the world and more tolerant of the unsettling diversity of Modern Art. Ad- vances in technology, together with widespread economic expansion liberated millions of people from the limitations of pre-war life. Rising standards of living, greater educational opportunities, and the exponential growth of consumerism created a new sophistication and open- mindedness that would accept Modern Art as never before; new expressions in urban planning and architecture provided numerous venues for cutting- Donna Serio: Whispers Colored Pencil on Paper 12” x 16” edge art, and public and private funding subsidized a wealth of new works in the western democracies. By the end of the century, the collapse of many of the totalitarian governments in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the onrush of globalization, and the advent of the electronic revolution consummated the democratization of art, creating the means by which artists in every corner of the world could execute and share their visions easily and instantly.

The issues attending the present-day realities of public funding for the arts have been shaped by the changing landscape of fiscal, cultural, political, and ideological considerations. In the United States, the rise of political conservatism that began in the 1960’s eventually ran headlong against the generally liberal values of modern artists and their patrons. The sources of funding for works that were deemed to be objectionable by certain elements of the political class came under increasing scrutiny in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Thematic expressions and visual depictions of ideas that violated the sensibilities of influential lawmakers made a high-profile issue out of taxpayer-funded artworks; by the mid-1990’s a more conservative congress mandated sweeping changes to the National Endowment for the Arts – cancelling its support of individuals, scal- ing back its budget, and instilling in the NEA and in similar agencies around the country a wariness toward projects that they might have supported a few years earlier with little regard for the consequences. Fearfulness of any backlash or negative publicity made grant writers and board members examine closely the projects they sought to underwrite; contrary points of view stood ready to target them for outside direction and the possibility of budgetary constraints that would tie their hands. Moreover, the ability of the conservatives to mobilize their constituencies and work against the election of

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 97 representatives that they perceive as a threat to their social agenda has led to an unwillingness on the part of governmen- tal organizations to undertake much in the way of risk or to become conspicuous in their dissent, lest they fall prey to the concerted efforts of the conservatives to rein them in. As a result, funding for the arts in the new millennium has been kept under pressure; the new realities of fiscal scarcity assure that this will remain true for the foreseeable future. In January of 2011, the Huffington Post ran an article outlining a measure introduced by a group of House Republicans that meant to eliminate altogether federal funding for artistic and cultural organizations – including the NEA, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. A month later, the Washington Post listed a series of reductions in President Obama’s proposed 2012 budget, affecting agencies ranging from the Smithsonian to the NEA to the National Gallery of Art. These and all other budget proposals remain for now bound to the continuing resolution agreed upon in the 2010 budget; the inability of the legislative and executive branches to craft a budgetary agreement has effectively forestalled these and other reductions so far. In New York City, the Center for Arts Educa- tion released its research and policy briefing in June of 2011 and outlined the grim statistics of advancing scarcity: deep reductions in funding for scholas- tic programs and accelerating losses to the thinning ranks of art teachers and resources in public schools. Arts funding in Europe has witnessed similar efforts to tighten financial support for its beneficiaries – in March of 2011 the Guardian detailed a series of significant cuts in England that eliminated or severely curtailed funding for a wide range of organizations representing every form of artistic expression; similar measures have been introduced on the Continent as well. One is led to wonder what the future Donna Serio: Setting Sun Colored Pencil on Paper 10” x 15” holds.

There are, however, counter-currents to all of these dire pronouncements. Many cities and towns, faced with eroding tax bases as businesses move or close and office and residential properties are vacated, and with the reduced ability of consumers to support non service-based industries, have come to recognize that attracting visitors to events and venues featuring the arts, in concert with the ancillary benefits to restaurants, retail concerns, and other businesses that increased traffic provides, offers a way to realize significant financial gains even as economic uncertainty proliferates. Public art spaces provide a source of reliable revenue and add immeasurably to the cultural vitality of any community. A recent article (March 2012) in the Christian Science Monitor highlighted the advantages enjoyed by places as varied and widely scat- tered as New York, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Paducah, Kentucky, New Orleans, Park City, Utah, and Denver, as downtown areas once left to wither and die have been rejuvenated by cultural initiatives funded, in part or in whole, by the public. Once the commitment is made to the community, artists, residents, and entrepreneurs share in the benefits of reversing blight and economic degradation. Accordingly, governments have taken notice; even President Obama’s proposed 2013 budget (stillborn as are all others of the past two years) included a 5% increase in arts funding, a measure that essentially would have cancelled out the cuts proposed previously. If these are indicative of trends, and if the social and political dynamic focuses itself on matters of economic renewal and the benefits of cultural diversity rather than on ideological discord and the zealous protection of cherished points of rhetorical and dogmatic posturing meant to prove, beyond the pale of any doubt, the purity of one’s values, then there is hope indeed. The damage done to the public financing of the arts by the so-called culture wars of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s need not drive the public sector forever out of its long-standing support of the arts – rather, it would be well for both sides to admit that they both were at fault for being intolerant and overreaching. There is a shared benefit to be gained by moving forward. Inasmuch as we have tested thoroughly the waters of subsidizing art both as a dictated social stenography and as the reflection of every unfettered human urge in the century just past, perhaps we can all just relax a little, free of value judgments and reflexive branding, into what the arts can give us as a people.

98 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Agora Gallery’s 28th Annual Juried Exhibition The 2013 Chelsea International Fine Art Competition

February 12th - Competition Opens March 19th - Submission deadline April 3rd - Results will be announced

530 West 25th Street, New York 10001 www.Agora-Gallery.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 99 Stephen Tobin anadian photographer Stephen Tobin Ccomposes brilliant images that capture singular moments in time both insightful in their simplicity and stunning in their beauty. Focusing on natural subjects and man made architectures and structures, Tobin masterfully uses the photographer’s tools of light and shadow contrasts and overall composition to allow the viewer to experience familiar objects and forms in totally new ways. When taking his photographs, the artist’s objective is twofold: to celebrate the inexplicable splendor that composes our world and to remind his audience to look for it and treasure it as they go about their daily lives.

Over the years, Tobin has developed his Stephen Tobin own unique perspective on the beauty that surrounds us, which comes through in his art. Most of his images focus on simple wonders: the vibrancy of a flower in bloom, leaves wreathed in frost, an eagle in flight. When it comes to choosing subject matter, Tobin allows the images to come to him. He simply takes his equipment, picks a direction, and sets out, being sure to observe carefully along the way. As he explains, “The world has limitless wonders if you just stop to look.” He defines his approach to photography with moving straightforwardness: “I’m a simple person with simple philosophies. I believe there is beauty all around us, and if we take the time to enjoy it then we truly live.”

One of the most compelling aspects Eagle Photographic Print on Fine Art Paper 33.5” x 52” of Tobin’s photographs is his focus on commonality and the universality of the human experience. Indeed, he considers that it is these types of images, capturing profound moments in time, which ultimately tie humans together. In the end, this shared experience of beauty underscores what diverse individuals have in common living within this magical world.

Stephen Tobin currently lives and works in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. www.wanderingphotographer.ca www.Agora-Gallery.com/ ArtistPage/Stephen_Tobin.aspx

Flooded Passage Photographic Print on Fine Art Paper 45” x 72” 100 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Yolanda Eljaiek

hether she is painting in oils and acrylics on canvas, or in a variety Wof materials on porcelain, Yolanda Eljaiek brings a strong eye for lush colors and elegant, clear forms to her work. Her pieces on porcelain are the result of a complex process in which each of her materials — from mineral colors to 18- and 24-karat gold — is fired separately. The resulting images mix the jewel-like quality of stained glass with the earthy glow and intense hues of lapis lazuli. There is an appealing mix of the formal and the elemental in these works, giving the impression of being totally modern while being imbued with the feeling of hieroglyphics and earthworks. Depicting such figures as Nefertiti, Isis and Cleopatra, Eljaiek captures them against backgrounds that carry echoes of the past. Yet she recasts those historical motifs through a color palette that combines muted tones and vibrant, almost neon shades. Eljaiek also paints sensuous, meticulously rendered still lifes. Highly skilled at capturing the feeling of light and space, the artist gives these paintings a strong physical presence, making both the sturdy textures of fruits and the delicate curves of flowers come alive. However, those realistic objects seem to float in a kind of abstract space, resulting in images that successfully work on several levels. Yolanda Ejaiek lives and works in Bogota, Colombia. Nefertiti Minerals, Palladium, Lustres & 18K Gold in Porcelain 14” x 10” www.yolandaeljaiek.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Yolanda_Eljaiek.aspx

Chiho Yoshikawa hiho Yoshikawa’s joyous acrylic works manage to Ccapture the fragility and changeability of nature while maintaining the brisk, carefree brushstroke of an abstract or purely imagination-driven painter. Reminiscent of everything from Chagall to Seurat, Yoshikawa uses contrasting colors as opposed to contrasting shades of light and dark to create charged, surreal visions of mountain passes and sunny riverbeds. However, contrast is also a tool that Yoshikawa knows when not to deploy; some of her most affecting canvases show a simple scene such as a playfully un- blended body of water abutting a realistic grass field of subtle greens and yellows. Yoshikawa usually takes the long view, painting entire forests gesturally rather than focusing on a single tree, but her paintings still feel personal and specific. Beyond a topography and a Sunlit Flowers Acrylic on Canvas 11” x 14” time of day, it is a mood that she captures; something that is found in her shifting energies and the micro- patterns within patterns that are incorporated into each painted object. A multitude of life experiences has gone into shaping Yoshikawa’s unique aesthetic. She was born in Japan and has also lived in Ireland, France, and New York City, painting the landscapes of each in turn. She has practiced plein air watercolor and the lively caricatures of comic drawing in addition to oil and acrylic painting. Today Yoshikawa lives and works in Toronto, Canada. www.chihoyoshikawa.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Chiho_Yoshikawa.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 101 Ricardo Lowenberg

exican artist Ricardo Lowenberg fuses centuries-old artistic traditions with modernist artistic approaches and Msensibilities. What results are compelling representations of a joyful tradition rooted deep in Judaic culture. Creating a harmonious symmetry of bold color, subtle texture, strong use of line, rhythmic undertones and geometric form, Lowenberg composes paintings replete with symbolism and story, creating a visual feast for the eyes but also conveying the richness and depth that the Judaic tradition has to offer. Inspired by the colors of Miro, the forms of Picasso, the themes of Chagall, and the great artistic inheritance of the Mexican muralists, Lowenberg masterfully takes traditional Jewish symbols, cultural icons, and scenes of everyday life, and converts them into a “spiritually infused piece of art for a decidedly modern audience.” Here, images are replete with emotions and juxtaposed in meaningful ways. Among the symbols he incorporates into the compositions are traditional signs of fortune from the Cabbala, including those of good health, prosperity, and fertility. As Lowenberg explains, “In this biblical artwork, I make my utmost effort to bring forward the abundant beauty and splendor that is withheld in Judaic art.” Above all, these paintings are expressionistic, communicating great joy and happiness but also a deep understanding of what it means to be human, both throughout history and in our modern world. When looking at the work, the viewer is given a unique opportunity to explore the intricacies of the human soul and reflect on their own journey through life. Currently, Ricardo Lowenberg lives and works in Houston, Texas. His paintings are housed in private collections around the world, in the United States, Puerto Rico, Europe, New Zealand, and Mexico. His work has been showcased in various successful exhibitions, including the prestigious “Centro Cultural Polyforum Siqueiros” in Mexico City.

www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Ricardo_ Ricardo in his Studio Lowenberg.aspx

Family Union Acrylic & Ink on Paper 12” x 12” The Tree of Life Acrylic & Ink on Paper 12” x 12”

102 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Sirenes

he acrylic paintings of Norwegian artist Sirenes conjure depth Tand time out of a few colors and an elusive, intangible sense of representation. Often using only her fingers to apply pigment, Sirenes largely eschews line and solid form in favor of one or two lightly defined color fields, painted in her characteristic rough texture. A large central shape or tonal gradient is often at the focus, onto which the artist casts light and shadow in long strokes and dabs of her finger. Despite their obvious tactility, these works are not mere surfaces. They promise layers of objects beneath their indistinct facades, as light is in turn reflected and absorbed by the folds of paint. Though she often works in monochrome shades of gray or beige, Sirenes is capable of creating true light on the canvas when she chooses to blend yellows, oranges and blues into each other with delicacy and alacrity. Always, however, the composition is spare, the atmosphere is mysterious, and the temptation to invent an entire universe inside each work is inescapable. Sirenes is a self-taught artist who finds inspiration in the silence of meditation, the peace of nature, and the complexities of human emotion. She lives and works outside Oslo.

Water Lillies Acrylic on Canvas 39.5” x 31.5” www.sirenes.no www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Sirenes.aspx

Olivia Kapoor livia Kapoor’s dreamlike acrylic paintings blur the line Obetween representation and pure visual expressionism. Kapoor is a skilled composer who can make a painting with two or three elements flow with electricity, and a painting packed with clashing ideas sing clearly. Within her wide-ranging frames are neon mountains, doorways to nowhere, cultural icons, and stylistic allusions to everyone from Van Gogh to Dali. Some works are straightforward abstracts, studies in the rhythm of color, repetition, and stroke. Others are flattened images of imagined landscapes, through which clocks float and stick figures walk among visions of the Buddha. These paintings are most fascinating when they combine the painter’s two greatest artistic interests: pattern and surrealism. When the bark of a tree becomes a series of painted wrinkles, and when clouds outside a window transform into undulating brushstrokes that run into and over the picture frame — it is in these moments that Kapoor delves into what visual language means to us, and how it affects our thinking. Association, My Cosmic Profane Acrylic on Canvas 48” x 48” expansion, and tangent are all encouraged by Kapoor’s work, which acts as fuel for the imagination. The artist does not seek to trick the eye, but rather to broaden its horizon. Olivia Kapoor has been painting since her childhood in Chicago, and today works in acrylic, ink, and crayon. www.myspace.com/dollyink www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Olivia_Kapoor.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 103 Emmanuelle Rivard mmanuelle Rivard’s intriguing oil and acrylic paintings Eare based in meaningful intellectual concepts, but in their aesthetic cohesion they are impressive feats of imagination. Each of the works creates its own world of enormous depth and an almost tangible sense of shadow and light source, despite the fact that Rivard paints exclusively in abstract forms and does not so much as flirt with personification. Nonetheless, these drips, wet-into-wet swirls, and oozing bubbles of paint, all done in electric colors of high contrast, seem to be coming from and going to real places. The way Rivard manipulates paint is truly astounding; somehow, acrylic becomes as supple as watercolor, and oil as decisive as an ink pen. It is therefore even more incredible that the artist’s final subject is not the material itself, but rather the collisions of energy that it depicts. Though Rivard has been involved in art throughout her life, she prefers to pull other realms of life into her practice to create what she calls a “holistic view.” Many of her chosen subjects, such as the event horizon or the solar fields, are concepts, both Eternal Inflation Acrylic on Canvas 22” x 22” abstract and visible, taken from quantum physics and the study of the greater universe. Emmanuelle Rivard was born in Canada and currently maintains her own workshop, where she works full time as an artist. www.emmanuellerivard.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Emmanuelle_Rivard.aspx

Mike Elliott n his acrylic and mixed media works on canvas, IMike Elliott is capable of moving between steady geometry and breezy abstraction with equal conviction. Elliott explores our simplest, most recognizable shapes — circles, squares, triangles — in all their iterations: small and large; as central conceits and side players. The base concern is the relationships between forms, when space has been compressed and anything resembling real world conditions, including light, movement and an identifiable picture plane, have been removed. On top of that first study, Elliott layers other visual questions. His colors are always alive, often playful, sometimes contrasting, and never anything approaching naturalistic. His brushwork changes in accordance with the emotions of the work. The results Inhale Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 40” are beautiful and surprisingly varied: a canvas can be covered in what looks like painted confetti, or may contain an empty, endless color gradient that includes all the hues of the rainbow. Other works are more obviously attuned to composition, with one displaying rocking half-circles, and another showing a few simple lines leaning against one another. Elliott continues to work in his native Alberta, Canada, where he mines the diversity of the nation’s people and culture for inspiration in his artwork. Recently, he took part in a trek to reach the Mt Everest Base Camp, which stands at 18,000 feet, in three weeks, raising funds to help the only high school in this remote and poor region. He utilizes emotion to create art, what he calls “the passion along with desire to challenge the conventional.” www.sites.google.com/site/elliottartgallery www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mike_Elliott.aspx

104 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Lawrence R. Armstrong have always been aware of, and fascinated by, layers in the natural “I and built environment,” says Lawrence R. Armstrong. In both two- and three-dimensional works, Armstrong turns that interest in layers into an intriguing take on spatial relationships and how those connections affect the viewer. Some of his paintings, executed in acrylics on aluminum, loop colors and shapes around and through each other to create a sense of three-dimensional space. They also communicate a feeling of movement, with curving lines of color engaging in a kind of dance with the rectangles with which they are juxtaposed. Armstrong employs similar concepts in the literally three-dimensional realm. Several works layer canvases and frames of wood, each one building up the structure over the previous layer, with the colors cascading from one level to the next, unifying the levels of space while also creating a dynamic environment that pulls us in. In addition, he makes multi-leveled pieces in glass, in which the layers give off a kaleidoscopic feel while also having a precise, meticulously ordered sense of composition. The glass works also exhibit the same sense of contrast between opaque and translucent colors that is so notable in his paintings. Amor 1.1 Glass 24” x 18” x 12” An accomplished architect and designer as well as artist, Armstrong takes the rigor required to create built environments and enlivens it with an organic sense of form and spontaneity in his artistic work. www.lraart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Lawrence_R._Armstrong.aspx

David W. Whitfield

he highly emotive paintings of David W. Whitfield transform Trecognizable human figures into deeply complex psychological studies of the hidden terrains of the human psyche and spirit. Working primarily in watercolor on paper, the artist masterfully blends the use of line and form to create dynamic compositions, where recognizable figures become mere shadows within the overall execution of the piece. Here, Whitfield is focusing not on developing a picture or image per se but rather on creating a painting in its own right, able to stand alone without depending entirely on its subject matter. Recently, his stylistic approach has shifted from purely surrealistic to a freer and more expressive approach. However, a degree of surrealism remains, lending both complexity and interest to the overall effect. With a background in psychiatry and studies of human behavior, Whitfield dedicates much of his work to unpacking human reactions and responses to what is occurring in the world around them. As he explains, “The experiences of an individual help to shape and define their attitudes and philosophical outlook on life and this in turn affects their interpretation of artwork.” Through his work, Whitfield delves deep into the inner workings of the human psyche, translating all the hopes, fears and struggles that Untitled 2 Watercolor on Paper 30” x 22” reside within into visual imagery set inside stunning aesthetic compositions. www.davidwwhitfield.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/David_W._Whitfield.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 105 Slava White

Slava White

Fortuna Pen on Board 27.5” x 20” Adam and Eva Pen on Board 24” x 33.5”

lava White creates an intricately detailed universe in his pen-on-board drawings. As a child growing up in the Ural SMountains, he would invent and construct his own toys, and that spirit of playfulness and unfettered imagination can be found in the images he creates as an adult. Perspectives may be distorted and seemingly unrelated objects brought together in striking, unusual combinations that mix an air of storybook whimsy with a darker, more serious take on the world. Religious symbols share space with images relating to the more practical, dangerous or personal sides of the world. Different aspects of existence bump up against each other, with realistically rendered human forms being contained in meticulous patterns that assume a wide variety of shapes and forms. Those patterns, in turn, loop around and through each other in ways that give these drawings a physical, three-dimensional feel. What gives White’s work its strong sense of unity and cohesion is his highly developed skill as a draftsman, his strong compositional sense and his ability to coax a surprising range of textures and shades from a color palette that is limited to black and white. He is able to draw precise, detailed images of such things as a building’s ornate scrollwork, or the intricacies of a seashell. His talent for depicting people who seem to live and breathe within the image is also exceptional. The artist has the ability to create believable spaces, and he can bend those spaces easily to his will, making even the most surreal compositions seem logical and natural. The roof of a cottage might be twisted into an unexpected curve or a background of brickwork seem to flow like a river current, but the overall sense of balance and proportion keeps the viewer firmly oriented. No matter how winding the path through his images may be, they always have a firm, sure center.

106 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Yasuyuki Ito

apanese artist Yasuyuki Ito began Jlosing his central eyesight in 2003, a process that opened up a new world of surreal visions and dramatic hues which he has painted in imaginative and color-saturated compositions ever since. His works, ranging vastly in subject and style of application from closely cropped still lifes and expansive fantasy landscapes to complex and bold abstract patterns, transmit visions of astounding richness and vivacity from within the artist’s mind’s eye. His high-contrast palette and fluctuating textures illuminate all the senses, accentuating the brilliant surfaces and warm tones that extend the impact of each painting past its strictly visual register. Born in Hiroshima Prefecture and now based in Kobe, Ito has crafted an oeuvre that draws on traditional Japanese forms like Ikebana flower arrangements, though his floral motifs also evoke the soft petals The Dragonfly Oil on Canvas 32” x 39” of Georgia O’Keefe, while his other iconography often recalls the work of the Surrealists through its play of surfaces and startling use of negative space. His choice of subjects, whether floral, landscape, allegorical or abstract, transmits especially vibrant pictures and experiences that resonate on a universal level. Working from memory makes his imagery at once more stylized and more evocative, smoothing away detail for a streamlined yet viscerally familiar iconography that speaks of a vast shared visual language. Through his use of iconic imagery, from fiery sunflower blossoms to a tropical sunset or the silhouette of a dove in flight, Ito taps into a common heritage that crosses cultural and visual boundaries. His works counter the somber nature of his condition with irrepressible brightness, his paints filling canvases both in smooth, gentle strokes and, occasionally, in thick, ridged buildups of pigment. His images are immediately arresting and reward prolonged examination, providing a rich and enriching window into a world of power, optimism and insight.

Wing to the Future Oil on Canvas 36” x 46” www.skyship55.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Yasuyuki_Ito.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 107 Roy Campanella Oil on Canvas 28” x 22” Campanella Oil on Canvas Roy

108 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Dick Perez: a solo exhibition of baseball’s finest March 26 - April 16, 2013 Opening Reception Saturday, April 4, 2013 6-8pm

Internationally recognized Puerto Rican-American artist Dick Perez combines a strong sense of design and a solid command of composition to create nostalgic, compelling portraits of famous figures and great moments in baseball’s history

530 West 25th Street, New York 10001 www.Agora-Gallery.com

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 109 Mark Tomczak

merican artist Mark Tomczak recently made the transition Afrom true realism to a looser abstract style, with a focus on color, texture and blend methods that allows him to achieve a contemporary expressionistic effect. Working with rich acrylic colors, nonconventional tools (such as window tint applicators, stone, and cement trowels), and metallic accents, Tomczak creates dynamic, energetic images that invite the viewer on a journey of the imagination. What results are otherworldly paintings, offering the viewer a peek into an entirely new dimensional plane. Tomczak’s background in music can be seen in the way he approaches his work with a strong sense of rhythm combined with a masterful harmonization of color, line and form. His abstract approach lends a great degree of freedom and spontaneity, which translates to a relaxed style that draws the viewer in to explore the possibilities captured in paint. Above all, Tomczak intends his art to provide a means of escape for the viewer from the confines of everyday reality. As he explains, “In my art, I always try to leave room for the viewer’s imagination to run free. To experience and escape into the moment is my vision as an artist.” Indeed, these paintings provide an entirely new perspective on the beauty that exists in the world. Party Glow Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 20” Mark Tomczak currently lives and works in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. www.marktomczak.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Mark_Tomczak.aspx

Jenyshin he Korean artist who goes by the name of Jenyshin and lives in Seoul Toften finds her paintings too personal to show to even her closest friends. Yet the works tell very relatable stories – indeed, it is this factor that makes them so affecting. Her surreal imagery, which spans enigmatic portraits to eerie landscapes and dreamlike still lifes, conjures experiences of alienation, introspection and strange beauty. At once playful and melancholy, most of her acrylic, oil and pastel compositions boast a palette of purples, blues and greens. She applies these cool tones in loose, gestural brushstrokes whose fluidity echoes the mysterious, mirage-like qualities of the images they depict. These contemplative canvases speak to Jenyshin’s own very specific experience of otherness, as a child whose family moved to foreign countries frequently, while tapping into the universality of such situations. Fittingly, her paintings feature stark and startling juxtapositions, whether between figures and their surroundings, or between colors, textures and seemingly unrelated images. Her highly personalized iconography remains sufficiently pared down to remain mysterious and intriguing. Her Okay World Oil on Canvas 46” x 36” dreamy visions derive their power from this inscrutability, often due to the sheer familiarity of the figures — domestic objects, animals, and human characters — that she inserts into foreign yet undeniably evocative scenes. www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Jenyshin.aspx

110 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Brady Steward

rady Steward’s exquisitely crafted glass sculptures are alive with Bmovement and unpredictability. In deep, beautifully reflective blues, reds and greens, a Steward creation is usually long, thin, and sinuous, with organic curves and dynamic offshoots expertly balancing each other. The sculptures are virtually all small monoliths, simple in broad terms but endlessly nuanced in actual silhouette. A Steward sculpture is born of many influences, and it therefore can resemble any of many things: humans, plants, animals, geologic formations, water patterns, or symbolic and spiritual forms. Most often, though, one sculpture contains elements of all these elements. Steward’s base is the fluidity of molten glass. From there he brings out the organic ease of all things that have sprung from the earth and from our thoughts, and weaves them together into a work that barely rises over a foot tall. His work contains epochs as well as small, single, transient human emotions. Brady Steward works in genetics as well as art, and it is his interest in environmental concerns, including geology, biology, and chemical behavior, that has shaped his sculpture so distinctively. He lives in Houston, Texas, where he presents his sculptures, and creates his beautiful works in New Orleans, where he has a studio.

Person & Child Glass 10.5” x 4” x 3.5” www.bradysteward.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Brady_Steward.aspx

Kristina Garon

ristina Garon’s labyrinthine acrylic paintings weave together Kimages, brush movement, and surrealistic Abstraction to depict anything from the “Power of Thoughts” to “Sunset in Polynesia.” Garon cites the energy of her own imagination and instinctive mind as vital influences on her work, and the result is immensely dynamic and can appear free-form at first. The paintings range in size from eleven inches to several feet. On one canvas, one color of paint may drip into the next, giving the entire composition a linear, downward momentum. On another, small yellow and orange faces might poke out from a cloud of vibrating, one-dimensional shapes and forms of primary colors. But Garon is finely attuned to pattern, and her works all chase a balance of light and directionality within the baroque variety of her brushstrokes. The viewer must work hard to see the details, but the larger rhythm of color and line fairly jumps off the canvas. In her more concentrated paintings — the ones with fifty separate shapes instead of a hundred, perhaps — Garon’s excellent draftsmanship is on display. Behind her Abstraction is an investigation of line and movement. Born in Lithuania to a family of French descent, Kristina Garon today lives and works in Washington, DC. She considers art the “international language of expression.” www.kristinagaronart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Kristina_Garon.aspx Labyrinth of Abstraction 44 Acrylic on Canvas 20” x 18”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 111 Samar Albader

‏Fun with Calligraphy 4 Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 30” x 24” Fun with Calligraphy 2 Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 48” x 38” uwaiti artist Samar Albader creates highly expressionistic Kabstract and figurative paintings that reflect her beloved heritage. Using acrylic and mixed media on canvas, Albader combines a strong sense of geometric pattern and form with a freedom of line and unfettered compositional elements that result in images that are dynamic and multifaceted. Colors are rich yet muted, with the carefully selected hues infusing emotionality and feeling into each piece. Drawing primarily from nature, the mixed media elements Albader employs (such as sand and stones) add a layer of texture and depth to the overall effect. What results are rich paintings replete with imagery, symbolism, and a strong sense of cultural legacy. The images are complex and multisensory as the artist brings together the fragrance of history and the artistic cultural heritage of the ancient Orient on the canvas. Throughout her work are symbols and elements that represent her culture of origin: everything from inscriptions of Arabic letters to the incorporation of representations of jewels, old utensils, Oriental carpets, beautiful clothes, and the people themselves. The East becomes the focus and driving force of Albader’s artistic inspiration. For Albader, it is her art that most profoundly captures her deep love and passion for the ancient East. She feels that “East” is a Samar in her Studio word of “genuine beauty that embraces ambiguity, charm, and creation,” and thus she seeks to introduce the viewer to this perspective. Using the magic of art, Albader hopes to inspire great appreciation and love for her native culture. In this way, her art is able to become more than paint on canvas. As she explains, “These are touches of my soul and attitude… gleams of my feelings and life.” Samar Albader currently lives and works in Kuwait City, Kuwait, where she also co-owns an arts and crafts shop. www.samaralbader.com/en-US/Default.aspx www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Samar_Albader.aspx

112 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Guido Villa

uido Villa believes himself to be capable of “mastering Gany kind of pictorial and drawing technique,” and the impressive range of his work offers ample proof of that claim. He focuses on the observation of nature, but those observations take many different forms. The artist produces casual yet elegant still lifes and intricately detailed outdoor views in both black and white and a palette of muted shades. His works also walk a fine line between representation and abstraction. Some images have a photographic sense of detail, while in others the main point of interest is in the rhythm of a brushstroke or in a graphic pattern. The textures also exhibit the same sense of variety — from a polished gloss to a free-flowing roughness. But however diverse Villa’s images may be, they all share a balanced sense of composition and a spontaneous energy. The painter’s ability to render light and its effects, as well as his expert handling of space and talent for juxtaposing colors Ruwenzori - Orizzonti d’Africa II Mixed Media on Paper 7” for maximum dramatic effect, give all of his paintings a vivid physical presence. No matter how abstract an image may become, it is always immediately readable, communicating its message convincingly to the viewer. Having worked as an illustrator and designed both books and operatic productions, Villa turns those skills to his advantage in these images. www.guidovilla.it www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Guido_Villa.aspx

Steven R. Hill am a plein air painter,” says Steven R. Hill, “I “in pure pigment pastel, with a passion for manipulating form, color and light into imagery that gives ordinary places a special status.” Hill depicts landscapes and interior spaces, making them come alive for the viewer. His skill at capturing the look of water in motion, the luminous colors of the sky or the glow of a neon sign against a wall grounds his images in a vividly realized physical world. The pastels that he uses give his images a softness that plays off perfectly against their sense of light and space. And his sure eye for movement and form makes the people in those images appear relaxed and believable, and gives his views of nature an appealing openness Autumn Refraction Pastel on Tinted Paper 21” x 27.5” and spontaneity. Yet Hill’s roots in abstract painting also make themselves strongly felt. His works are notable for their striking compositions and textures, in addition to the way they capture the world he depicts. The arrangements of shadow and light can also be appreciated as patterns of pure color. “Finding abstract possibilities with a representational subject,” he says, “excites me far more than faithful reproduction.” That sense of possibility and excitement makes his images unique. Steven R. Hill lives and works in Washington State’s San Juan Islands. www.windsweptstudios.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Steven_R._Hill.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 113 Aivars Kisnics s he pulls his medium across the surface in long, sweeping motions, AAivars Kisnics discovers a visual complexity and freedom inspired by his connection to the changing moods and beauty of the ocean. Building his works in oil paints on canvas, Kisnics creates an expressive and elemental abstraction of repeated, highly tactile layers of color and texture. The artist presents his paintings without titles, leaving space for the viewer to build personal interpretations as they connect with the work on an emotional level. Born in Madona and now living in Liepaja, Latvia, Kisnics spent much of his life sailing on the Baltic Sea as a ship’s captain. A passionate lifelong artist, he began painting in recent years, pouring his experiences into his work with marvelous results. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Aivars_Kisnics.aspx Without Title 333 Oil on Canvas 24” x 32”

Constanza Villalba he feminine identity plays a central role in the work of Constanza TVillalba. Working primarily in acrylic paint, Villalba creates atmospheres of rich textures and challenges herself in her use of colors and lines. The resultant imagery is atmospheric, and lush with color and expressionistic surfaces. Her canvases often welcome viewers into a tableau depicting a female figure. “My work tries to establish a dialogue with the essence of the feminine identity from my viewpoint.” Her characters are sometimes found in open countryside, while others may be at home, in the bedroom; their forms range from lithe to voluminous within their exaggerated proportions. These interpretations of the female form compounded with textural canvases cultivate imagery evocative of the feminine essence – the artist’s primary goal. Constanza Villalba lives in Santiago, Chile. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Constanza_Villalba.aspx Domingo Por La Mañana Acrylic on Canvas 12” x 12”

Martyn Royce ainter Martyn Royce creates metaphorical portraiture, in Pwhich non-naturalistic figures represent our dreams, fears and reflections. Royce prefers to work freely in regard to form, color choice and context. Foreground and background dissolve into each other, denying the ease of traditional perspective and creating a multidimensional domain. Discussing the figures inhabiting these landscapes, the artist states: “They inhabit an imaginary world of confusion, angst and uncertainty, or sometimes their environment evokes a dreamlike vision.” In this regard, Royce’s work illuminates the nuances and emotionality of the human condition. His large format paintings welcome viewers to find a part of their own realities there within, and consider “how it feels to be alive right now.” Martyn Royce lives in London, England. www.martynroyce.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Martyn_Royce.aspx Sunday Afternoon Oil on Canvas 40” x 30”

114 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Tinatin eorgia-born, New Jersey-based artist Tinatin crafts wondrous Gpaintings that alternate between two distinctive modes and types of subject matter: stylized full-body portraits of women in dresses whose rich and elaborate details bear testament to the artist’s training in fashion design and evoke Gustav Klimt; and more thickly layered, Expressionist-like still lifes and verdant fragments of nature. She creates equally dynamic images whether she is using generous brushstrokes of bold oil paints or creating more sparsely rendered mixed media works incorporating collage, ink and watercolors. Tinatin’s ability to convey evocative textures and textiles unites these distinct bodies of work. Whether addressing the delicate petals of a flower, the feathers of a bird, or the pleats of an ornate dress, her facility with surfaces gives each painting palpable weight, dimension and movement. www.tinatinv.com Sunshine Oil and Gold Leaf on Canvas 38” x 38” www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Tinatin.aspx

Steffie Wallace ramatic, spectacular impressions of Australia’s grand sky and terrain Dare artist Steffie Wallace’s foremost painterly passion. Using a color palette limited to the authentic, ethereal tones of the earth, Wallace paints directly on linen and panel, indulging in rich, nuanced textures in order to enliven the lush, majestic Australian atmosphere for the viewer. In these paintings, the sublime sky dominates the picture plane, emphasizing the awesomeness of the environment, while simultaneously presaging the unpredictability of climate change. The result is works that are timelessly abstract and mystically spiritual, as well as universally Approaching Storm, Uluru (triptych) current. “I feel these weather conditions best endorse the mystique and Acrylic on Linen 48” x 108” spirituality of the ancient Australian landscape, and serve to emphasize our transitory existence within its timelessness,” explains Wallace. Steffie Wallace lives and works in Australia, and exhibits her paintings worldwide. www.steffiewallacevisualart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Steffie_Wallace.aspx

Patrice Carmichael s she builds an abstraction of sound in her Bass Vibration series, APatrice Carmichael works deliberately and in the moment of her emotions, finding a rhythm and a dialog of spirit within her ever- expanding circles of colors. Carmichael fills her works with bands of highly tactile and textural brushstrokes, her concentric rings rippling outwards in steady swathes of tone and light. The strong, repeated pattern in these paintings moves with a steady and visually arresting tempo and vibration, giving an energetic sensation of harmony and reverberation. Before she begins each painting on wood, Carmichael personally mixes her own custom hues from blended oils and pigments. Born in South Africa, Patrice Carmichael now lives in Toronto, Canada where she studied with the Ontario College of Art and Design. www.patricecarmichael.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Patrice_Carmichael.aspx No. 31 Oil on Wood 10” x 10”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 115 Tanya Marie Reeves

anya Marie Reeves’ paintings strike a balance between Tabstraction and realism, employing their creator’s skill at manipulating color and form to create works that have a kaleidoscopic feel while also exhibiting a meticulous sense of order. “Learning to acknowledge my fastidiousness but also to release it” is how Reeves describes the progress of her work, and that balance between exactitude and freedom gives her work its distinctive quality. An artist who works in media ranging from poetry and web design to artisan craft and photography, she says that painting gives her a focus, and her images vibrantly display that focus. “I predominantly use geometric shapes and contrasting colors or images to make my images pop,” she says. And her paintings do “pop,” creating seductive patterns in which the mix of colors keeps the viewer’s eye in motion. Reeves makes particular use of the intense shades offered by acrylic paint. “I love the eye-catching boldness of acrylic,” she notes, and that boldness adds an invigorating energy to the mathematical precision of her compositions. The artist also animates her images by including hidden images in them, often revealing a female form in the midst of a pattern of color. The resulting paintings exist at a variety of levels, never settling into mundanity and always offering the viewer a rewarding experience. www.artconfessions.com Nevaeh Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 47” x 25” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Tanya_Marie_Reeves. aspx

Gerd Rautert rt is my mirror,” says German artist Gerd Rautert, whose “A acrylic and ink compositions feature figures deep in self- reflection while words and other symbols swirl about them. His art reflects back a beautiful world filled with mysterious and mostly indecipherable signs. Human characters inhabiting his thoroughly abstract and richly textured environments combine the elongated features of Cubist portraits and Modigliani’s subjects with a kind of mystical primitivism, as though these are not contemporary works but ancient tablets marked with enigmatic hieroglyphs. While the bold lettering and figures draw viewers’ eyes, what captivates our gaze thereafter is the incredible density and layering of signs and symbols scrawled into each work, many half-concealed beneath washes of paint or bands of text. Rautert inscribes his mysterious texts amidst geometric fields of bold hues and thick brushstrokes. His sign systems span these rigid planes, creating new boundaries and borders of Der Kniefall Acrylic & Ink on Canvas 20” x 20” their own. Patterns and concentrations of words and markings often constitute new figures, forms whose very existence depends on their articulation. The conceptual rigor of these paintings does not prevent their melancholy and searching figures from being profoundly moving, as though they too are attempting to decipher the clouds and clusters of words floating through Rautert’s compositions. Each painting poses an enigma whose answer is the seductive mystery of its own inscrutability. www.artoffer.com/gerd-rautert www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gerd_Rautert.aspx

116 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Gaby Hahn aby Hahn’s vivid oil paintings accentuate the most revealing Gmoments of daily life in eastern Africa without sacrificing immediacy or emotional truth. Hahn paints the people (mostly women) and creatures (especially elephants) of Ethiopia and Kenya at close range, focusing on those who live lightly off the land and use inherited pastoral techniques. The result is compelling and evocative, presenting an insight into a new world. The women fetch water, gather hay, and speak to one another; the men gather in groups of warriors and adorn themselves with paint and feathers. The sense of intention is unmistakable, particularly given Hahn’s method of isolating figures from anything but the barest suggestion of a background. Though we are deprived of the scenery, we never forget the figures’ African surroundings, thanks to their painstakingly depicted attire and the painter’s precise color palette. When alone, Hahn’s women can gaze at the viewer with an intensity that indicates a whole host of inner monologues. When painted in groups, they convey a strong sense of community and accomplishment. Though she readily describes her process as an artistic one, which requires the aesthetic eye of an editor, Hahn also considers her work to be a documentation of the Omo River and Lake Turkana basin peoples. Born in Germany, today the artist splits her time between Three Turkana Women Oil on Canvas 48” x 36” Kenya and California. www.gabyhahn.org www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Gaby_Hahn.aspx

Fred Mou iven his training as an architect, Fred Mou’s strong, clean lines Gand highly organized sense of space should come as no surprise. His images have their beginnings in precisely laid-down grids and meticulously drawn shapes and buildings, but that is just a small part of how his work communicates its message to the viewer. There is a sense of freedom and openness in Mou’s paintings that contrasts nicely with their expert draftsmanship. He juxtaposes his straight lines with open- ended patterns to create a flowing sense of movement. The result is images with a many-layered quality, with shapes seeming to float in three-dimensional space, or faces peering out at us from behind hazy, dreamlike spaces. The artist says that he wants his works to reflect his optimism, and one of the primary ways he expresses that feeling is through his use of what he calls “flying, dancing colors.” Working in acrylics on both paper and canvas, he employs a distinctive color palette, one that uses bright shades but gives those hues an unusual softness, filling each work with a sense of light and air. A world traveler, Mou says he has spent much time “researching the light which gives colors the real expression for life on earth,” and his paintings make that impression vividly clear. www.fredmou.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Fred_Mou.aspx Zebra Flying Dancers Acrylic on Canvas 33” x 22.5”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 117 Shifra

sraeli photographer Shifra captures the magical world of Iurban landscape as she focuses on the geometrical forms and configurations that emerge within architectural designs. Compositions center on architectural elements, approached in new and unexpected ways. Much like her other work, here the artist continues to explore “parallel worlds,” where the “image [is] splintered into a strange, imaginary world filled with speckled shapes reduced into astonishing abstraction.” In her photographs, the viewer is confronted with images readily recognizable yet transfigured into something entirely new. Indeed, Shifra’s photographs are otherworldly, featuring shadowy shapes and hazy forms set in compositions that invite the viewer to see the world in an entirely different way. Her use of black-and-white film and minimalist attitude serve to underscore the juxtaposition of ordinary and extraordinary, while her compositional approach lends another layer of tension to the overall effect. The result is a collection of haunting photographic images that peel back the layers of our perceived reality and allow us to see beyond. Shifra currently lives and works in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv in Israel. Her series “Corners and Angles” was inspired by the architectural forms that compose the new wing at the Tel Aviv museum. Her work has been shown in two one-woman exhibitions, as well as group exhibitions in Israel, Europe and the USA, and was featured in the publication “The Third Eye Is My Inner Eye.” Shifra has received a number of prizes and honorable mentions in various international exhibitions. Corners and Angles #7 Photographic Print 23” x 15” www.shifrart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Shifra.aspx

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

118 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com CHAREST

Naked Bodies Sex Appeal Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 24” CHAREST in his Studio Acrylic on Panel 36” x 12”

hrough his art, Canadian painter CHAREST is able to transform simple subject matter into powerfully emotive Texpressionistic images. Focusing primarily on fruit and other classic still life renderings, CHAREST utilizes a frottis style of painting, in which thin transparent or semi-transparent glazes are rubbed into the canvas in the initial phases of painting. Since colors are applied with a spatula, textures are rich and complex, lending both interest and emotional elements to the overall effect. The colors themselves are brilliant and sensual, and an intuitive sense of composition infuses the overall piece with deep meaning and expressionism. CHAREST describes his process in simple but thrilling words: “Dressed first in black, my paintings seek one’s gaze discreetly, subtly creating mysteries that are not immediately visible. The black is a dramatic tone on which the colors huddle in very fine layers… thus gaining density… the colors have barely left their tubes when they land without restraint on the canvas. Ardent yellows, brazen reds, glowing ochers arrive in rhythm.” Interestingly, CHAREST does not paint from real life models. Rather than focusing on capturing the realistic attributes of apples and plums, he instead borrows the figurative authenticity of these easily recognizable objects to convert them into something that is much more. Thus, he is able to focus primarily on the elements of mood and feeling, so that the fruit merely provides a pretext through which the viewer is invited to look deep into the mysteries of human experience. Above all, CHAREST is able to combine a certain ambiguity of subject matter with a compelling power of suggestion and a strong personal vision of the world. What results are paintings in which the artist is able to masterfully “breathe more life into my subjects than nature has herself.” www.artgcharest.com January 16 - February 5, 2012 www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/CHAREST.aspx Reception: Thursday, January 17, 6 - 8pm

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 119 Spotlight on Kiko Sobrino By Brazil’s highly acclaimed art critic, Radha Abramo

Kiko Sobrino

“Originality is not the desire to differentiate oneself from others or to produce what is actually new, but to perceive the origin, the root of ourselves and of things.” Herbert Read

The product resulting from Kiko Sobrino’s maturation process is seen here as a substitute for nature. It is the environment where man is found in a state of equilibrium, one of sensations vis-à-vis the reality that surrounds us.

It’s about the necessity of art to emerge at moments when we, rational, irreplaceable human beings become extrava- gantly romantic, naïve and childish. Nature, above all else, is precious.

Sobrino’s brushstrokes pulsate uncontrollably in a precisely choreographed fashion. Why do we get so distracted? Are these things too “unreal” for us? The answer is no.

Sobrino uncovers the truth – natural and sober, exactly as nature must be.

Are we staring at a fictional work of art?

120 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com The artist warns us with clear, direct purpose: the stage is set. In African philosophy, humans are synonymous with strength; and so are animals. East and stone: strength. We’re not just essence hovering about, spinning on and revolving around the Earth.

We’re modalities and, as such, artists can (and should) control this strength responsibly, thus providing it with formal existence. A work of art must therefore be magical and scenic, because it encapsulates sublime forces that determine the essence of being. And at this very moment, Sobrino is a guardian of this magic; the lead actor in this scenic plot, now formalized and finished.

Kiko Sobrino can tell us what’s about to be exteriorized. Alive, bubbling.

By using ingenious technologies, and having complete dominion over them, the artist is capable of producing without making himself more important than his objectives. He acts without confronting us with what is superfluous and makes us want to be better and stronger – without arrogance. He even tries to split the problem for us, his viewers. He splits it into parts so we can better solve it.

The small parts produce smaller, but more recognizable problems. In order to show what is important and trace the difference between concrete and abstract, the artist employs iconic objects and simple acronyms that are easy to recognize.

Nothing is omitted, and nothing that mustn’t be revealed is revealed.

He speaks clearly to us: let’s get to the root of the problem. Of the things, and of the things of the planet. Let’s not omit anything. Is it luxury of our modern days? Or perhaps a tasteless manifestation of wealth? Kiko responds: the essence should prevail – not the appearance.

Sunny Afternoon Acrylic & Ink on Canvas 59” x 39.5” Clean World Acrylic & Ink on Wood 39.5” x 39.5”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 121 Ronald DeMuth self-taught artist and a nature enthusiast, A Ronald DeMuth brings a lifetime of travel and experience to each landscape he paints. DeMuth is an expert at combining scopes large and small in a single painting, bringing minute detail together with great, majestic distances to form a balanced composition of the natural world’s unpredictability. A bare tree stump stands alone in a field, as central as a portrait sitter, yet behind it the purple haze of distant evergreens reminds us that the forest lives on. A merry periwinkle waterfall is shown in loving close-up, but its waters tumble away into a pond and off the canvas, destination unknown. There are never any signs of human life in DeMuth’s work, nor do we miss it; his landscapes show a natural world Backwater Oil on Canvas 24” x 36” that is untouched and unending. DeMuth is adept at shifting techniques within a painting, so that a powdery bush and a streaky sky can coexist on a canvas and both look realistic even as the brushstrokes are visible. The artist is unafraid to use colors subtly or unexpectedly, so that a mauve sky over a mountain clearly captures the light of a cloudy sunrise while at the same time being completely counterintuitive. Ronald DeMuth works exclusively in oil, on black and white backgrounds. He lives in the Pocono Mountains. www.ronalddemuth.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Ronald_DeMuth.aspx

Pati Trippel ati Trippel’s lyrical landscapes utilize an acrylic Pcollage technique to combine saturation, transparency and depth together in one completely unique texture. Trippel is a close observer of nature; her work sometimes adopts the traditional wide view of countryside, but just as often it shifts perspective to frame familiar tropes in revolutionary ways. Sunlight glimpsed through a tree’s branches becomes a cascade of almost solid light. A birch forest by moonlight becomes a maze of gray stripes. In more formal compositions, her mountain ranges are brightly lit yet peaceful, with each bush and treetop jumping off the page in a pop of neon green. Beaches are quiet, but never just sand and sea: Trippel includes rock outcrops and dune flora in a single canvas, creating the central Lincoln Mountain Rapids Acrylic Collage on Canvas 18” x 24” movement in her piece by combining surfaces. The artist also depicts domestic outdoor scenes — paths, cottages, moored boats — as well as creating abstracts in her signature dyed-tissue collage. Intense color, thoughtful gradients, and a constant eye toward layering run throughout her works. She is careful to maintain clarity of line even as the layers of color and pattern pile up. Trippel spent her childhood near the ocean of southern California, where she learned to love nature. She is also accomplished in pastel, watercolor, and acrylic paint. www.patitrippel.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Pati_Trippel.aspx

122 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Max Werner

ven though my work seems very realistic,” Max Werner says, “when I “Estart a painting I am never sure how I will end it.” That approach results in images that, though they are meticulous renderings of the physical world, have a dreamlike aura. Werner is a great admirer of Surrealism (especially Magritte), largely for the way in which it takes its subjects “one step away from reality.” While he bases his painting on direct observation, he creates those paintings in the studio, sometimes weeks after looking at the scene he is depicting. What seems like a slice of life can be a patchwork created from memories of the scene, along with sketches and photos. Werner will introduce new elements and figures, holding to the contours of reality while creating something highly original. Werner is successful at this project thanks to his skill as a draughtsman, his sense of color and his keen eye for manipulating the contrasts between light and dark. He is able to capture the various shades in the leaves of a tree or a river’s surface in a way that makes those things come to life. But by bathing his subjects in a glowing light, he lifts them out of day-to-day reality and gives them the ambience that makes his works so special.

www.maxwernerart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Max_Werner.aspx

Worshipper of Anubis Acrylic on Canvas 17.5” x 10”

Scott Breeman ustralian artist Scott Breeman combines Impressionism with Amodern Expressionism to create paintings unique yet utterly familiar to the deeper levels of human consciousness. Vivid colors flow across the canvas to compose amorphous, uninhibited lines and forms. Breeman uses acrylic paint in much the same manner as one would employ watercolor to foster an uninhibited feel, with final touches of detail achieved by pouring soft, flowing lines of color over the work just before it dries, followed by a glaze. Yellow is almost always used in his work, as for him it represents light and life. Above all, Breeman’s unique style gives him freedom from all aspects of control and the strictures of human reality. By employing gravity and flowing techniques, as well as free pouring and glazing, heis able to capture the unrestricted force of pure emotive expression. This approach allows him to tell a unique story to the viewer: one of feeling, emotions and thoughts made visible. As Breeman explains, “With each of these paintings, I want to express moments in a way that children would express them: innocent and creative… visible and understandable, but free from rules and realism.” Scott Breeman currently lives, teaches, and works in New Beith, Queensland, Australia. www.artofscott.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Scott_Breeman.aspx The Deep Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 24”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 123 Iryna Torskaya krainian artist Iryna Torskaya combines aspects of Surrealism, collage, and Abstraction to create insightful portraits and Uexpressionistic images that provide an intimate glimpse into our universal human experience. Working in combinations of acrylic and oil, Torskaya paints pieces rich with imagery and many layers of meaning. Colors are bold yet subtle, working to draw the viewer’s eye to the universal secrets she has captured on canvas and to enhance the overall look and meaning of the subjects and forms contained within.

Many of Torskaya’s ideas were conceived at a time of great poverty, when she would distract herself from her difficult situation by depicting her inner world through art. Interestingly, Torskaya is also a successful composer, creating mostly classical piano compositions. We can see the impact of her musical background on her paintings, as there is an inherent rhythm and movement to the lines and forms, as well as a harmony that underscores the overall compositions.

In her artistic process, Torskaya seeks to infuse deep meaning and soulful expressionism into her work. Both recognizable subjects and symbolic forms are juxtaposed on canvas to create unique artistic spaces replete with perception, memories, and emotive context. The eyes of a figural image are laden with emotion; her presentation of animals hints at an inner life all of their own. Each painting is crafted with the deepest of intentions, as Torskaya seeks to put her soul into every stroke. The consequence of the care and attention each work receives is that a single image can take years to create.

Above all, Torskaya seeks to introduce the viewer to an entirely new perspective and worldview. She is able to share stories ancient and new, revealing both sacred knowledge and a profound appreciation and love for humans, animals, and the natural world we inhabit. Every image is powerful and invites the viewer to re-imagine and re-invent the way they have come to relate to the world and to work toward treating others with kindness and love.

Iryna Torskaya currently lives and works in Odessa, Ukraine. www.torskaya.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Iryna_Torskaya.aspx

Night Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 31.5” x 24” The Woman, A Mask Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 31.5” x 24”

124 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Temper Acrylic & Oil on Canvas 36” x 28”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 125 Seonaid Ross

Riflessioni Sul’ Acqua Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 24”

Vista Dal Ponte Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 24”

or Canadian artist Seonaid Ross, the creation of her colorful expressionistic landscapes is a journey of personal discovery. FInspired by both European and Canadian Impressionist works, Ross creates brilliantly colorful, lively depictions of familiar places, rich with light, texture, and form. Her masterful use of brushstroke lends a strong sense of movement to each piece, evoking the full experience of place for the viewer. Through her art, Ross is able to re-create her vivid experience, so that her “subjects move through memory to the canvas by way of the heart.” In Ross’s paintings, iconic subjects such as cypresses, gondolas, cityscapes, and wildflowers are infused with new life, reflecting layers of emotive expression and meaning. Colors, textures and compositions are juxtaposed in unexpected ways, resulting in terrains that while familiar are simultaneously otherworldly, where the viewer comes to expect the unexpected and find new meanings in recognizable forms. Although Ross focuses mainly on landscape in her paintings, even in their absence people play a profound role in the overall tableau. Within each image is embedded a strong sense of relationship between people and place, as the viewer is invited not only to experience the artist’s relationship with the land- and cityscapes but to cultivate their own connection to the subject matter as well. For Ross, painting involves all the senses, and this multisensory focus comes through in her work. Indeed, the viewer is immediately pulled into a deep sense of place, where one can feel the breeze, hear the gentle lap of water, smell the flowers, and absorb the heat of the sun. As Ross explains, “Every painting tells a story about the wonders of nature, the gifts of mankind throughout the ages, the slower rhythms of life and the moments frozen in time. The experience of developing a landscape is one of joy, delight, learning, and freedom.” www.seonaidrossart.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Seonaid_Ross.aspx

126 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Carolina Ferrara he expressionistic figurative paintings of Italian Tartist Carolina Ferrara are as compelling as they are beautiful. Drawing on a palette of muted colors and a graceful use of line and form, Ferrara creates dreamy yet powerful renderings of moments both innocent yet painfully significant to the subject being portrayed. In work that is primarily autobiographical, the artist allows the viewer to glimpse beyond the surface and into the powerhouse of emotionality and expressionism that underscores the inner life we all must eventually come to terms with. Working in oil on canvas or cardboard, Ferrara blends an eye for detail with a pure instinct for color, form, and brushstroke to breathe life into her subjects. While her paintings are primarily figurative, they are infused with emotional elements that add layers of depth and meaning to the most simple and innocent of poses. Underneath the surface façade run deep feelings of grief and loneliness but also great dignity and strength. Composition plays a major part in the paintings as well, creating an undeniable tension in the way each figure is captured on the canvas. For Ferrara, each painting is highly personal, reflecting the artist’s own emotional process. As Nutella Oil on Canvas 12” x 12” she explains, “For me, art has been part of my personal journey and a therapeutic way of throwing out emotional pain, because what arrives on my canvas is a different emotion, one connected to living.” For Ferrara, the magic of expression through paint is that it is both a purging of inner turmoil and a way of communicating with the world and finding common ground with the viewer in terms of the emotional struggles we all inevitably face. Carolina Ferrara currently lives in Pordenone, Friuli, Italy. She works as a painter and portraitist, and also as an interior decorator.

Smoking 4 Oil on Board 7” x 16”

www.carolinaferrara.biz www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Carolina_Ferrara.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 127 Darlene Adams anadian artist Darlene Adams creates expressionistic landscapes Cand cityscapes, at once recognizable and yet a creation all of her own. Using deep, bold colors and a strong sense of line and form, she is able to capture all of the intensity of nature, enhanced by the richness of emotion which humans cannot help but confer onto whatever they encounter. Using a variety of brushes and a palette knife, she accentuates this with an intensity of texture that infuses movement and life into the image. In the end, Adams takes an experiential approach to her art, essentially painting what she feels rather than what she sees. What results are stunning images raw with emotion that invite viewers to re-imagine the world in which they live. www.artwerksbydarlene.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Darlene_Adams.aspx

New York, New York Oil on Canvas 30” x 20”

Vasiliy Kuznetsov ithin Vasiliy Kuznetsov’s clear and radiant art one finds a spirited Wdiscourse on religion and reason, consequence and destiny. Kuznetsov paints his wondrous landscapes and figural studies with a playful sense of the impossible, imagining brilliant dreamscapes as he glorifies the wisdom of God. Building his surreal visions in acrylic and oil paints on canvas, the artist draws inspiration from Modigliani as well as from the iconic symbolism of Tarot and the Bible. Self-taught as an artist, Kuznetsov creates a flawless finish in his paintings, each smooth brushstroke becoming indistinguishable within the richly luminous colors of his forms. Born in Russia where he works as a doctor in a health care clinic, Vasiliy Kuznetsov has built a successful second career as an artist with numerous paintings held in private collections. www.mirozdaniaplan.ru www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Vasiliy_Kuznetsov.aspx Yellow Park Oil on Canvas 19” x 15.5”

Bernice Sorge ernice Sorge’s enigmatic acrylic paintings highlight the endless Blayers of even the most straightforward landscape, and remind us of all the marvelous textures of the natural world. Sorge’s method of painting is an active yet highly reflective one: she cakes colors on thickly, in varying rhythms, and then lingers to scratch, erase, add, and smooth over in what she calls “a process of continual renewal.” Beneath her careful ministrations, gentle scenes emerge that are texturally misty but unmistakable in form and sentiment. A river sits silently in the fall afternoon; a man, caught in the middle of an almost audible inhalation, stands attentively. Sorge was born in Nova Scotia and is an accomplished printmaker in addition to her work with paint. She currently lives in eastern Quebec. www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Bernice_Sorge.aspx

Portrait of D.G. Acrylic on Canvas 36” x 30”

128 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Luca Cappai hough he has experimented with a variety of forms of painting, TLuca Cappai creates his most striking works out of a complex, candy-colored realm that mixes stream-of-consciousness imagery and modern references with the classic Surrealist preoccupations of sex and proportion. Objects float and one person may be thirty times the size of the next, while free-form patterns and botanical motifs weave in and out of human figures. Cappai is especially inventive when building one thing out of another: a tree sprouts a handgun in place of a branch, which in turn has its half-moon trigger serve as the sleepy eye of the person standing behind it. Time, gravity, and logic are not merely absent, but inspiringly repudiated. Luca Cappai was born in Oristano, Italy, and today lives and works in Muravera. www.lucacappai.it Banana Tree Oil on Canvas 24” x 31.5”

Jade Rougerie elf-taught and brimming with enthusiasm for painting, Jade SRougerie creates artwork that straddles the boundary between naturalistic and impressionistic. Energetic swathes of colors fill the backgrounds of her work, while increasingly detailed imagery emerges in the foreground. Rougerie paints in an attempt to capture the “thrills of life.” Her emotions and body are integral to her creative process. Painting with her hands, the artist describes her method: “My fingers run on canvases recalling the color of the winds... the hot sands... the strength of the oceans!” Transmitting her exuberance for the natural world into her paintings, she cultivates scenes of vibrant color and gestural expressions, evoking her passion and intensity. Jade Rougerie was born in Limousin, France. Today, she lives and works in Paris. Fleurs des Champs Acrylic on Canvas 25.5” x 36” www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Jade_Rougerie.aspx

AnnaMaria Critelli nnaMaria Critelli’s quiet works on canvas explore the fluidity and Aease with which the forces of the natural world and the subconscious artistic mind come together. Whether working with a figure or only elemental abstractions of color, Critelli keeps her compositions spare and central, and her lines simple, airy, and graceful. The focus is concentrated on color gradients — often the many ways a monochrome wash can bleed in and out of intensity — and texture. Critelli works in any number of combinations of acrylic, oil, paper collage, and shaped beads. She builds and layers her materials in unconventional ways to create three- dimensional patterns as well as purely graphic ones. AnnaMaria Critelli was born in Jersey City and continues to live and work in New Jersey. www.artbyannamaria04.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/AnnaMaria_Critelli.aspx Sacred Feminine Oil on Canvas 18” x 24”

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 129 Michele Rocca he paintings of Luxembourg-based artist TMichele Rocca, whose Madagascar upbringing instilled a sense of hybrid cultural heritage that plays out in her oeuvre, are eclectic in subject matter but of an engrossing and consistent style. Working in an expressionistic mode, this artist is equally adept at rendering monks, temples and rituals in tightly structured acrylic and pastel compositions, as she is at crafting grand allegorical images whose extremes of light and dark hues verge on Abstraction. In both cases her subjects Exodus Oil on Canvas 20” x 40” coalesce out of hazy surroundings formed from the thick and seductive textures of brisk brushstrokes. Rocca works her canvases with combinations of oil, acrylic and pastel for a captivating variety of luminous textures. Though her subjects are often foreign figures in the midst of impenetrable activities, Rocca eschews exoticism for more subtle, balanced and complex portrayals. Her symbolic canvases are similarly mysterious, relying on silhouetted figures set against dynamic backdrops filled with riotous colors that imply narratives without being either overly specific or too ambiguous. The two bodies of work, though aesthetically similar, vary not only in imagery but also in mood. While her paintings of foreign figures and spaces are distinctly contemplative, the emblematic images are more striking, even rhapsodic. Rocca’s ability to move fluidly between these tones and subjects while maintaining a distinctly original style is remarkable and appealing. www.michelerocca.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Michele_Rocca.aspx

Suzanne (SÜ) Fortin

iscarded items found in nature and recycled materials take on new Dlives in Suzanne (SÜ) Fortin’s works. The artist incorporates those items into subtle, seductive pieces that reflect the scenery and culture of places that include Africa, her second home. The result is a series of works that carry visual and textual references to their subjects. SÜ depicts and translates her preoccupations with worldwide social problems such as poverty, sickness, slavery, lack of water, and people she has met during her expeditions around the planet. In addition to SÜ’s deeply emotional expressions of world suffering, she also reveals the lighter side of life through humorous works of animals and humans. Her images also invoke associations with the elements of the earth. SÜ’s color palette, based in golds, yellows and coppers, has both a vital earthiness and a light airy feel. Her works go beyond traditional definitions of collage, as she incorporates cloth, metal and other media into pieces that have elements of sculpture and assemblage. There is an intriguing mix of the rough and the smooth in her pieces, an ability to juxtapose many textures while maintaining a balanced sense of unity. Whether she is placing cut-out human figures within a composition, assembling a body from pieces of fabric or spelling out messages across her canvases, she maintains her solid focus on the human and the physical. Her sure hand with color and her steady, Nailed to Life Mixed Media on Canvas 40” x 30” x 8” observant eye make sure that the viewer keeps that focus as well. SÜ received her MA from Concordia University and currently lives and works in Montreal. www.suzannefortinartist.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Suzanne_Fortin.aspx

130 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Malcolm Baroway

he dreamy expressionistic paintings of American artist TMalcolm Baroway invite the viewer into a highly imaginative world populated by people, places and subjects which convey an entirely new sense of emotional depth and meaning. With a careful attention to line and geometric form, Baroway constructs intricate compositions reminiscent of our everyday world yet with a life and level of imagination all their own. Combining an elegant use of colors with intense texturing and broad brushstrokes, the artist creates paintings that both reveal and highlight the intense feelings that underscore those familiar constructs that we so often fail to notice in our daily lives. Strongly influenced by both European Post-Impressionist and Primitivist schools, Baroway creates a unique world in each of his paintings. In fact, when approaching a canvas, he can be inspired by a place, person, incident, or idea, but he never knows quite where he is going to end up once he starts to paint. As he explains, “I have no intent to reproduce reality.” Rather, the painter pulls us into a new reality, where emotionality is the focus and raw, honest feelings are constantly being revealed. Today, Malcolm Baroway’s work is housed in over 150 collections across the country. He currently lives and works in Columbus, Ohio. www.baroway.com Rouault’s Bedroom Oil on Canvas 16” x 12” www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Malcolm_Baroway. aspx

Masakazu Tatebayashi asakazu Tatebayashi describes his art in the Msimplest terms possible. To “draw a plain picture clearly” is what he describes as the central concept of his work. While his images live up to that description, there is more behind their surfaces than immediately meets the eye. “The soft music I listened to as a child” is one of the things he cites as an influence on his pictures, and there is a quiet serenity to his work that brings to mind the effect soft music has on a listener. There is also a sense of repetition and harmony that creates a feeling of rhythm, of intervals being articulated in subtly different ways. What could degenerate into sameness becomes an exercise in the variety to be found in a small group of shapes and Yosede Nukese Porude Giclee Print on Paper 8” x 12” compositions. What really animates the artist’s images is his ability to use color. He is skilled at balancing lights and darks, and at employing shifts in tone and hue to create dynamic effects. While his works have the smooth surface common to giclée prints, his ability to create realistic lights and shadows gives them shape and texture. Tatebayashi says that “making the connection with a person” is a goal of his work. His pictures, at once contemplative and actively engaging, make that contact with compelling verve. www.papirahifuyo.com www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Masakazu_Tatebayashi.aspx

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 131 Subscribe to ARTisSpectrum The Gift of Contemporary Art

Receive four wonderful issues of ArtisSpectrum, featuring profiles of contemporary art and artists and important articles. Two year Subscription: $24 for US, $35 for international. www.artisspectrum.com/subscribe.html 132 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com MEMORABLE RECEPTIONS from around the world

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 1) Ellsworth, Maine, USA: Tom Stewart with guests at his recent seascape exhibit in the Gallery at Frenchman’s Bay 2)Barcelona, Spain: Rubén Gómez at his exhibition at BM Gallery Inward Dimensions of Color Solo Exhibition 3) Newcastle, NSW, Australia: Trisha Fitzpatrick and Directors of peoplefusion Recruitment Specialists, Sally Bartley (Trisha’s daughter) and Ali 1 Kimmorley.

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ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 133 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 1) Sydney, Australia: Michael Cowdroy and guests at his exhibition at the Artful Moment Pop- up Gallery 2) Shanghai, China: Ping He (R) with 8 1 his guest at exhibition in Big Warehouse Gallery 3) Melbourne, Australia: Judy Talacko with one of her paintings at the opening of the Mt Waverly Art Exhibition 2012 4) Bourg, near Bordeaux, France: Silvana di Martino (R) with the alderwoman during her exhibition at the 7 2 Jurade Gallery 5) Long Beach, California, USA: Artist Kellie Thomas- Walker with her husband and daughters at her recent Art Expo 6) Chicoutimi, Canada: LIU Shu-Tsin 3 (R) during the presenta- 6 tion of her personal style at the 7th International Symposium of Jean-Paul LAPOINTE 7) Bagnara di Romagna, Italy: Elio Talon between his Angels at Bagnara’s Castle Museum 8) Lon- don, UK: Jennifer Morri- son at her exhibition at The 5 4 Coningsby Gallery 134 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 1) Montevideo, Uruguay: Actor Gabriel Modernell, artist Marisa Bernotti and actor Noel Calcaterra in the opening reception at WAL- 8 1 RUS ART, World Trade Center 2) Dalby, Austra- lia: Cathy McClelland and guests, David Illife (ABC presenter), and Kath Lang- ton (gallery director) at her exhibition in Dalby Region- 2 al Gallery 3) Tokyo, Ja- 7 pan: Work of artist Hara Hi- roshi at his recent exhibition opening 4) Buenos Aires, Argentina: María Gómez Ponti at her recent opening reception at La Cúpula 5) Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Gary Koeppel with his painting Floating Long Pond at his recent exhibi- 6 tion 6) New York, New 6 3 York, USA: Sudnya Shroff (R) speaks with guests at her recent solo exhibition “Weaving the Rainbow” at Agora Gallery 7) Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA: Marty Maehr (middle) and friends at solo exhibition 8) Doylestown, Pennsyl- vania, USA: Won Choi at her exhibition at the James 5 4 A. Michener Art Museum ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 135 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 1) Accra, Ghana: Mani- sha Vedpathak with her guests at her exhibition at Alliance Francaise Gallery 2) Conegliano, Veneto, Italy: Stefania Buccio Gonzato with Mr Vittorio 8 1 Sgarbi, famous Italian art critic at Villa Benzi at her recent exhibition 3) Lon- don, UK: Michael Freed- man at his exhibition at the newly refurbished gallery at Putney School of Art with fellow exhibitors Lianne Chiang and Jes- sica Rutterford 4) Vienna, 7 2 Austria: Artist Boris Se- lan at his recent exhibition opening 6) Stockholmm Sweden: Samar Albader (L) and guests at her exhibition, Sails to the North 7) Ferrara, Italy: Steffie Wallace with her paintings at the opening of the Trev- isan International Art Ex- 6 3 hibition, Liberated Dreams 8) Los Angeles, Califor- nia, USA: Susanne Zim- mer at the Lonely Planet Show at Linus Gallery

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136 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: 1) Key West, Florida, USA: Sherry Sweet Tewell all smiles for her opening night exhibit at Fast Buck Freddie’s Pop Up Show 2) Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Quebec, Canada: Nancy 8 1 Stella Galianos at her exhibition at the Maison Du- pont Gallery 3) Tokyo, Ja- pan: Minami Ogura at her solo exhibition at Galerie Sol 2 4) Banff, Alberta, Canada: Katie Brennan at her exhibition at the Banff Centre, entitled ‘Conjure the Ghost’ 5) Houston, Texas, USA: Fahim So- mani and guests at his exhibition at the Art League of Houston 6) Napa Val- 6 2 ley, California, USA: Margarit Mondavi intro- duces artist Dinah Cross James to the crowd at the opening of Dinah’s show at the Robert Mondavi Win- 3 ery 7) Helsinki, Finland: 5 Sofia Kukkonen at her recent exhibition opening 8) Almaty, Kazakhstan: Julia Ismambetova with the guests at her solo exhibition at the Alma-Ata Art Center 4 3

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 137 ARTbeat ARTbeatAgora Gallery is proud to represent talented artists from all over the world, many of whom are inspired by their surroundings. Each location is different and possesses a unique atmosphere. Naturally, the art in each place also varies, imparting a particular feeling to the art scene and influencing artists in certain ways. In ARTbeat, some of our artists explain what they think is most characteristic and special about the art scene in the city where they live.

138 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Scottsdale, USA by Mark Salevitz To understand the Scottsdale art scene is to understand Scottsdale itself. It is an intersection between the Old West and new transplants. Nowhere else is this better represented than in Old Town Scottsdale, where the galleries exhibit diverse styles – from Native American and realistic “Cowboy” art to surrealist works. Every Thursday, the Scottsdale ArtWalk allows visitors to view gallery shows as well as sample local foods and be entertained by local musicians. Throughout the “Valley of the Sun” there are numerous other experiences for the art lover. During the fall, the Sonoran Arts League sponsors the “Hidden in the Hills Studio Tour” which encourages visitors to travel throughout the North Scottsdale and Cave Creek areas to explore artists’ private studios. Added to the fascination of getting a peek into the artists’ environments and the places where their creative magic happens, this allows one a glimpse into the artists’ inspiration, as many of the studios are surrounded by pristine desert with views of the nearby mountain ranges and their unique environs. Prickly Pear cacti, Saguaros and Mesquite trees provide astonishing and ever-changing landscapes, and if one is lucky, a roadrun- ner, coyote or javelina may pass by. The Annual Celebration of Fine Arts, which takes place from January to March, allows artists and art lovers to mingle. Over a hundred artists gather together under the “Big White Tents” where they exhibit and work on new projects. Both emerging and established artists participate and the works range from realistic to impressionistic paintings, sculptures, glassworks and jewelry. The influence of “western art” is still strong here – unsurprising considering that Scottsdale bills itself as “The West’s most western town.” However, as well as this native flavor, an eclectic mix of artists from around the country have established themselves here, meaning that the area benefits from the knowledge and prestige of formidable craftsmen. The stunning desert landscape and vegetation, as well as the Native American and Cowboy history, all provide a constant source of inspiration that makes Scottsdale a special place both to work and to visit.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 139 Photos by Andrea Russo Florence, Italy by Sofia Dorotea Kukkonen Florence is a real cradle of art: walking along the narrow streets, you can see tabernacles, little churches, statues and foun- tains in the middle of such masterpieces of architecture as the Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”) and the Duomo, the huge cathe- dral known especially for its dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi in the 15th century. The best time to visit our city is the winter, when the museums are nearly empty and you can contemplate in peace some of the greatest artworks in the world. The best place to start your tour is the Uffizi Gallery. Originally, the building, ordered by Cosimo I, hosted offices and bu- reaucratic meetings. Nowadays visitors can admire the huge collection of the Medici family, enriched later by other masterpieces and especially by religious paintings from the suppressed monasteries from the 17th-19th centuries. The visitors must decide where tospend their visit - with 45 rooms, holding art from the 13th century to the 18th century, there’s plenty of choice! There’s also one room for the temporary exhibitions. After a day in the Uffizi Gallery, the eyes are full of images, colors and emotions. The huge altarpieces of Giotto, Cimabue and Duccio di Buoninsegna, Botticelli’s Spring, Titian’s Venus, Leonardo’s Annunciation, the superb paintings of Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens and so many other masters leave an unforgettable sensation in the viewer. Having left the gallery you immediately find yourself on the right hand side of the Piazza della Signoria, a square surrounded by the Fountain of Neptune, the Loggia dei Lanzi and the Palazzo Vecchio. The Loggia dei Lanzi is a sort of open-air museum of Renaissance statues: under the wide arches open to the piazza you find the cardinal virtues of Agnolo Gaddi, the Medici Lions and some marvelous examples of the mythological scenes from ancient Greece, like Perseus with the Head of the Medusa. Illuminated by night the view is particularly impressive. The visitor should see also the museum of San Marco, an ex-convent and a church. Fra Angelico decorated all the numerous cells of the ex-convent with frescoes depicting the main events of the Gospel such as the Birth of Jesus, the Communion of the Apostles and the Crucifixion. The feeling is really surprising when you step to the cells and see the bright colors of the frescoes in the middle of the small, ascetic rooms with just a table and a chair each. On the other side of the River Arno rises the Pitti Palace, recognizable for its rusticated stonework. The Medici family and their successors lived here, and you can still feel the atmosphere of royal splendor while walking down the corridors of the palace and admiring the Medici collection in its original milieu. In the Pitti Palace is also a gallery of Modern Art, with thirty rooms. The collection includes paintings of the Macchiaioli movement and other Italian modern schools. Gallery Frediano Farsetti, situated on Lungarno Guicciardini, is focused on temporary exhibitions of Italian and international art of the 20th century, including the works of masters like Morandi, Picasso, Andy Warhol and de Chirico. After your visit in Florence you will certainly realize that there’s something unique in its atmosphere. The art, the architecture, the feeling in the air – there’s so much to see, and so much to inspire. 140 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Bangalore, India by Bharati Sagar Bangalore, situated in the south of India, is known internationally as the IT Hub of India. It is a cosmopolitan, multicultural city. The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) opened its doors to the public two years back. This gallery/museum is housed in beautiful heritage premises. Since its inception it has hosted various exhibitions, outreach programs, talks, cultural events and site-specific works. In this short period alone, NGMA Bangalore has become an incredibly active hub in the city. This success is to a great extent due to its efforts in forging relationships and collaborations with most of the major cultural organizations in the country to provide a platform not only for the visual arts but also for other forms of creative expression. What is most exciting and interesting about the art scene in Bangalore is that experimental art and conventional art exist side by side. As a result, there is constant evolution in both fields – because each has space and separate and shared inspiration. The artist community is quite small, compared to big cities like Mumbai and Delhi, with the result that it is characterized by intimate interactions and each genre is closely connected to other genres. Formal painting exists alongside street art, fine art photography, public art, installation art, video art and new media – and the artists are able to be close to one another in a way impossible in a big city. Because Bangalore is such a special, inspiring place for artists, there are many artists from other parts of India and from the rest of the world who chose to exhibit here. There are also specific events that encourage this, such as the Chitra Shanthe, an annual art fair held in December. It lasts only a day, but covers the street right in front of the Government Art Collage, Chitrakala Parishth (CKP) for a whole mile. Space is available for every artist, from professional to amateur, and visitors benefit from the enormous range of art, and the diversity of visual art from different parts of the country. The Venkatappa Art Gallery is also a must-see site. It is situated within the precincts of the Kanataka Government Museum, where interactive sessions are held regularly. As for art residencies, there are many, including one run by an artist/curator/ art critic/art historian and ex-Dean of CKP. This residency has broken new ground in its ten vibrant years of existence. Here, young talent is nurtured, in a way that benefits the future of the city. The residency is known for its eclectic alternate art. It is a social space for dialog, discussions and creativity. Established artists and scholars are invited to give talks here, and several artists from all over the world have visited this residency for creative symbiosis. This has helped push the boundaries of visual art practice in the city, and will doubtless help insure that Bangalore retains an exciting visual art scene in the years to come. Numerous artists from Bangalore have time and again participated in significant international art events over the last two decades. This exposure has increased in recent decades and these artists have gone on to find their own place in the sun on the international scene – something that only increases the energy and creativity of the native art scene.

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 141 Glasgow, Scotland by Lucy O’Donovan Glasgow is a large, vibrant city in the south west of Scotland. In many areas it is poverty stricken and grim, but in others it has a tremendous amount of inspirational architecture, a wealth of magnificent gardens and parklands, and of course an array of colorful and passionate street characters who command a vibrant use of their language. They also say that the poor weather enhances the creativity of the residents of the city. Whatever it is, it works - Glasgow has a big voice on the international stage, in art, in music, and in many other creative fields. When asked to write an article about art in Glasgow I started to think about why it is such an inspiring city. The existence of the Glasgow School of Art (GSA), founded in 1845, has attracted a large number of highly talented artists to the institution, such as Alistair Gray, Peter Howison and Jenny Saville. The GSA building itself was designed from commission by the influential Charles Rennie Mackintosh, himself from Glasgow. Over the past few years, there has been a distinctly Scottish flavor to the winners of the famous and controversial Turner Prize. Since 2005, 30% of Turner Prize nominees were artists who had attended the GSA. Glasgow also plays host to a number of renowned art galleries and museums which cater for a range of tastes. The most popular galleries include The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which is perhaps Scotland’s most celebrated gallery, The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), The Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Trongate 103, which is a new arts resource and will be a home for a range of creative organizations, and Tramway. I believe that this encourages an environment where art and creativity is important as a lifestyle and leads to an inspiring atmosphere. In terms of museums, Glasgow also boasts the world-renowned Burrell Collection, the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens, the newly constructed Riverside Museum of Travel and Transport, and many more. The most visited art gallery in Scotland is GoMA. It is housed in an iconic building in the heart of Glasgow, shared with the city center’s library. GoMA plays an important part in the city’s rich heritage and inspires the philosophy of exchange by being a place for people to gather, discuss and learn, inspired by the art it collects and exhibits. GoMA collects and loans work that highlights the interests, influences and working methods of artists from around the world. Its public program uses modern art to encourage an exchange of powerful ideas about life and human experiences. Various workshops, presentations and projects offer people of all ages a chance to explore and realize their own artistic potential. A diverse and increasingly high profile contemporary art scene has emerged in Glasgow, centered around Transmission Gallery. Transmission provides a place where artists can meet, talk and exhibit along with local and international peers and influences. One way and another, Glasgow is an inspiring place for artists and art lovers!

142 ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com Santiago, Chile by Maria Eugenia Akel For many years, visual art in Chile followed defined lines: Conceptual Art; Spanish Informalism; Hyperrealism; and Surrealism, best known through the creations of our famous artist Roberto Matta. But the great development Chile has experienced in all ways in the last ten years has had and continues to have great influence over the development of art. New art schools at the universities are growing all over the country, producing talented new artists every year, many of whom go on to enter the global market. One aspect of this newly global reach is the new methods and technologies it has brought to art, such as digital photography and installation art. Many of Chile’s art institutions are concerned with reflecting this diversity as well as the more traditional aspects of the country’s art. In Santiago there are three main places that show art, and naturally their choices of what to show have played a role in the current development of art in the city. The first is the National Art Museum, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. This is housed in a building that was specially designed for it, to celebrate the first centennial of the Independence of Chile, and the architecture and the history of the building is worth seeing for itself, as well as worth nothing for its impact on the way we see the art inside. There is also the Alonso de Córdova Street, which is well-known as the most glamorous street in the city. It is also the home of many influential art galleries, including Patricia Ready Gallery, which specializes in contemporary art and photography and often presents emerging artists to the wider public, Isabel Aninat Gallery, which is known for its events and art shows that include the work of internationally renowned artists, ArteEspacio Gallery, which among other forms of contemporary art has a focus on sculpture, La Sala, and A.M.S. Marlborough, which shows contemporary Chilean art but also presents the work of European and American artists. The Museum of Visual Arts (MAVI) is also worth a visit. It is associated with modern art and its collection includes paintings, sculptures, photography and more. It is oriented towards promoting and sharing the work of young, emerging, talented artists, encouraging the growth and diversity of the art of the city. There is also the Centro Cultural Palacio la Moneda, which hosts revolving exhibitions of Latin American art, both modern and historical. The building itself is worth seeing, and it contains a permanent exhibition focusing on the traditional arts and crafts of the country, which helps to give visitors a flavor of the context of the art they have seen. In addition the university art schools showcase the works of their students in wonderful spaces that present the future of San- tiago’s art in the most inspiring way possible. All in all, there’s more than enough to thrill an art lover visiting Santiago!

ARTisSpectrum | Volume 28 | artisspectrum.com 143 Tel Aviv, Israel by Shifra Tel Aviv-Jaffa has it all, from the ancient city of Jaffa, which is mentioned in the Bible, to the high rise buildings of the most modern parts of the city. There are busy roads full of traffic and quiet streets where you can wander past artisans at work. All this, in addition to a cosmopolitan lifestyle, and a multitude of cafes, restaurants, stores and parks, runs down to the Mediterranean Sea and beaches of golden sands. It should be no surprise, therefore, that with all this inspiration, the city is also home to a vibrant art life. Walking the length of Rothschild Boulevard, one of the oldest boulevards in Tel Aviv, you will benefit from the shade of the huge trees and can enjoy the numerous small art galleries that run on both sides of the boulevard. The galleries generally show contemporary art, mostly by local artists, so this is a great place to get a feel for the contemporary art of the city itself. Jaffa, on the other hand, its skyline decorated by crosses and minarets, boasts an archaeological museum housed in an eighteenth century building and galleries which display images from previous times. In addition, though, you can find some contemporary galleries, hidden within the winding white stone streets. Walking under a vine-covered gateway, you may suddenly come across an artist’s studio, with the artist at work inside, ready to welcome you in. Another area with a number of little galleries where you might come across the artists themselves is Neve Zedek, one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. Unusually for Tel Aviv, most of the buildings are low rise, dating back to the time when Tel Aviv first began to expand as Jaffa became increasingly overcrowded. The result is a village-like, neighborly feel which has come to definite the area and which adds a special charm to the narrow streets. The Nahum Gutman Museum is located in this area, where you can see the sculptures, murals and mosaics of an artist who helped to develop a distinctively Israeli style of art, depicting the city just as it began to grow and following its progression over the years. The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is located in the modern part of the city. It is newly renovated and holds a great collection of international art, as well as hosting temporary exhibitions by contemporary local and international artists. This museum, as well as the Helena Rubinstein Pavilion, focuses on modern and contemporary art. Another museum, the Eretz Israel Mu- seum, is comprised of several exhibition pavilions, each of which is dedicated to a different cultural field or subject, including Archaeology, Judaica, Ethnography and the Applied Arts of the Land of Israel. It also plays host to craft shows, and is a great place to get a sense for the rich cultural heritage of the area. The architecture of Tel Aviv is also very interesting. Tel Aviv is covered by a UNESCO World Heritage Listing which describes it as the ‘White City,’ an outstanding example of the architecture of the Modern Movement. There are even Bauhaus tours you can go on to appreciate this aspect of the city, which is celebrated by a sculpture called “The White City” by world-renowned Israeli sculptor Dani Karavan, located on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. There is so much more art in this city than I could possibly list – from street art, for which Tel Aviv is known worldwide, to public art sculptures, to art festivals in the avenues to installations by the sea. I hope I have just whetted your appetite!

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