Good Morning Sunshine
Karen Sachs began painting 25 years ago after moving into her first apartment. Unable to find what she thought would be the “perfect” painting, she took matters into her own hands. Soon paint exploded onto the canvas in a fantasy of color, forms, and textures.
Electric in its vibrancy, no color left unexplored. She feels color can carry emotion and uses this as a foundation for her art.
With her portraits, capturing the essence of the human experience and exposing the parts of ourselves we keep hidden is her focus. While the animal pieces remind us how much we can learn from our furry friends. The abstract compositions are Karen’s most robust presentation of openness and free-flowing creativity. This is only complimented by her nature-themed canvases, which explore the beauty of life through color.
She is always having fun playing and has opened herself up to new opportunities to express herself Karen has added glass mosaic, oil pastels, and pottery to her repertoire.
With a group of other talented and creative souls worldwide, Karen has also contributed images to the adult coloring book “Super Soul Flow,” the Elephant Love postcard set, and has a chapter in “Recipes for Living: A Coloring Journal for Healthy Living in Body, Mind & Spirit.” Karen has been featured in Voyage LA Online Magazine. She has won over ten awards over the years for her artwork. You can find her work hanging in private collections as well as television shows “Undeclared” “Kingpin” and the feature film “Guarding Eddy.”
Karen is passionate about being creative and has once said, “Imagine how your formerly “blank canvas” life can be if you splash it with YOUR expression and play. Give yourself permission to express – have fun – explore YOU – to share your essence with the world.”
I started painting to reveal my soul, aid in self-discovery, and color my world beyond imagination.
When I picked up a paintbrush for the first time and touched it to a blank canvas, paint exploded in a fantasy of color, forms, and textures – electric blue swirls at first, and then purples and reds. My use of color immediately became the foundation for my art. I quickly learned how color illustrates emotions and feelings.
As a contemporary artist, my portraits capture hidden pieces of the human experience, exposing parts that we regularly keep hidden. I paint animals to show how much we can learn from our furry friends while my landscapes explore the beauty of life. Abstract pieces allow me to express openness and creativity freely.
When I added a glass mosaic to my artistic repertoire, it gives me additional opportunities to express myself naturally. Mosaic artwork makes me feel connected to life. We can be these individual pieces that have a connection to one another through various grouted paths.
Painting and glass mosaic is not the only creative techniques I like to play with these days. Lately, I have been adding color to my artwork with oil pastels.
Creating art is an exuberant experience that gives me pleasure. I love finding the truth through artistic expression. The movement of paint or any form of art reveals our true nature, and, like many artists before me, I benefit from art’s healing powers.
Good Samaritan
Dmitry is a Professional Artist Specializing in Water Medium and Mosaic Art with more than 35 years of experience. Dmitry started his art career in early childhood taking art classes then going to art college and continuing to higher education. Art was always a natural way for Dmitry to express himself and to communicate to the world.
He’s been participating in many National and International Shows since Art Institute graduation. Studying Art History visiting Museums and taking workshops Dmitry was discovering his favorite painting concept. There is a long list of inspiring artists including Amadeo Modigliani, Georges Braque, Pavel Filonov, and Gustav Klimpt.
For the last 35 years, Dmitry has been living in the Bay Area California. He is a Signature Member of several Art Societies. The local landscapes hear remind him of native Uzbekistan’s landscapes. Traveling around, observing nature, and meeting new people inspired him to create paintings.
Education
Dmitry was educated in Russia and holds a Master Degree in Fine Arts from the Tashkent Art Institute. This intensive training exposed him to a broad range of artistic styles, building on a strong foundation in classical Western European art traditions with stylistic infusions from Asia Minor. Tashkent Institute of Art, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, USSR, Master of Fine Arts, with specialization in the design of monumental and decorative art 1974 Tashkent Art College, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, USSR, Bachelor of Arts in Education, with specialization as Teacher of Art and Drafting 1969.
Exhibitions
Salon at the Triton Museum: 2D Competition & Exhibition 11/09 – 01/26/20
52nd Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition
City of Brea Art Gallery Brea, CA 10/10 – 12/13/20
De Young Museum “The de Young Open Exhibition” 10/10 – 01/31/21
De Young Museum: Golden Gate Park50 Hagiwara
Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco, CA9411
42nd Juried Exhibition “Unbridled Happiness” 01/29 – 03/04/21
Water Works Art Museum
Pikes Peak Watercolor Society 2021
International Water Media Exhibition 04/02 – 06/30/21
Library 21c Gallery, 1775 Chapel Hills Drive,
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
2021 NWWS Waterworks Unlimited Membership
Exhibition available to view online at www.nwws.org 04/22 – 05/27/21
Salon at Triton Museum: 2D Competition &Exhibition 08/22 – 09/11/22
NWWS Waterworks Online Annual Membership 04/28 – 06/30/23
Exhibition 2023
NWWS 83rd International Open Exhibition 10/14 – 11/12/2023
California Watercolor Association 54th National 01/10 – 03/09/2024
Creating art is a pillar that gives Dmitry Grudsky strength and meaning in life, comforts him in difficult moments, and motivates him.
Dmitry’s art is a journey that mirrors his reactions to the world, his emotions, feelings, and obsessions. The context of his work changes as time passes on.
Currently, Dmitry Grudsky is fascinated by performers acting on the stage, in studio settings, or in urban environments.
In the portraiture genre, Dmitry likes to paint storytelling portraits that relate to the viewer and create a dialogue.
Dmitry Grudsky is working in a water medium, which encompasses traditional watercolor techniques and mixed medium art. It is determined by the particular project that calls for a specific structure or textural approach.
Dmitry believes that he achieves his best painting result when his inspiration comes from real-life observation, real characters, or circumstances in which he was personally involved.
Goodbye Friends: To My Team Of Sassy, Smart & Fun Women
Wendy Gemelle, an artist deeply influenced by her surroundings, began her journey in the lively neighborhoods of Long Island, NY. Her childhood, marked by frequent relocations and emotional upheavals, cultivated her vivid imagination and heightened sensitivity. Traversing through Levittown, the Bronx, and eventually Bayside, Queens, Wendy navigated transitions and familial challenges, nurturing her introspective nature. Art became a sanctuary for her, a means to capture enduring symbols such as trees to fulfill her subconscious yearning for stability.
Creativity runs through Wendy’s family, with her mother adept in various artistic pursuits and her brother channeling his expression through music. Despite this familial inspiration, Wendy’s innate artistic abilities ultimately charted her own course. Although deterred from continuing art due to fears of exposure, Wendy ventured into healthcare, where her creativity flourished. She attained a BA in 1982, followed by an MS in Social Work in 1984, seamlessly blending psychological insights with her artistic sensitivity. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she wove her creativity into her practice, enriching it with empathy, attentive listening, and meticulous attention to detail, which significantly influenced her artistic work.
The COVID-19 pandemic marked a pivotal moment; the loss of three cherished individuals compelled her to engage in a transformative art workshop, reigniting her identity as an artist. Inspired by vivid hues and dynamic compositions, Wendy’s art draws from her meditative walks along the beach, tranquil bay-side life, and cherished relationships. Her artistic process resembles a dialogue, where each brushstroke responds to the preceding one. Techniques such as scraping, sanding, and layering uncover intricate stories beneath the surface. Enrolling in programs like Art2Life and workshops with Robert Szot refined her skills, while persistent practice honed her distinct mark-making style, drawn from her subconscious.
As Wendy retired in June 2024, she dedicated herself entirely to her art. Her creations continue to delve into themes of empathy and expression, each piece embodying her psychotherapeutic insights to engage viewers and act as a healing force in society. Her participation in collectives like the Rockaway Artists Alliance and Art2Life Academy highlights her commitment to personal development. While Wendy’s work has not yet appeared in traditional galleries, her participation in events such as the Greenhaven Artists Association Open Studio showcases her aspirations.
Gemelle’s artistic journey is one of resilience and renewal, creating a new chapter driven by insatiable curiosity and a passion for depicting the world’s beauty. Her art stands as a testament to personal growth, understanding, and the relentless pursuit of self-expression.
My work is an exploration of color, form, and emotion, expressed through the versatile mediums of acrylic, pencil, collage, and occasionally other materials. By combining bright colors and multiple layers, I engage in a process of sanding, scraping, and revealing, allowing organic shapes, marks, and lines to emerge and evolve on the canvas. At times, geometric forms find their way through the layers, creating a story that surprises even me, a narrative I wasn’t aware existed when I began.
The subject matter I choose is primarily driven by my internal mood and thoughts, influenced heavily by my experiences of living by the bay. This beautiful environment inspires a spontaneous yet balanced expression, where the interplay of different shapes, marks, and colors guides the viewer’s eye across the canvas.
My artistic technique is unique in its allowance for evolution. I embrace the unpredictability of multiple layers, using sanding and scraping to uncover hidden elements. The process is one of playful discovery, where I make intentional choices that guide the final composition, resulting in art that both surprises and resonates.
Goose Jelly Fusion
I left doing art for years until I discovered photography through supporting Adobe Lightroom. Photography allowed me to develop my artistic vision. I wanted to push photography further, so I started fusing more than one of my photographs in Photoshop, and then adding some of my drawings. I started drawing again a few years later, rediscovering the love I had for ink. When the colors in watercolors weren’t strong enough, I started painting abstracts in oil that are based on aerial land photos, and convey my love of bold, bright colors.
I spent my childhood around Narragansett Bay, so water has always been fundamental to me. My fusions started with photos of the Pacific Ocean beaches and continued by including ponds, lakes, and photos of aquariums.
Photos from the plane window showed me patterns in the land that- natural or man-made – grabbed my attention, but they had to wait for an idea. With retirement glowing in front of me, I tackled something that had defeated me in college: oil paint. I turned to two of my favorite painters, Richard Diebenkorn and Wayne Thiebaud for inspiration. Using photos I’d taken on a rock plateau outside Santa Cruz. and those from the airplanes, I created sets of abstract paintings, trying to achieve a similar color energy that Thiebaud infused in his paintings. Ideas for new patterns and new ways to use colors came from experimenting with the paint itself, as well as using other photos as the basis for subject, pattern, and color exploration.
Gourdgeous
Cher Pruys was born in Regina. Over the years, she lived in many places, including Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Fort Frances, settling into her present home in Devlin, on the banks of the Rainy River with her husband Mark and pets.
By age three, Cher was seldom found without a drawing tool in hand. She worked in pencil, charcoal, and ink over the years, picking up a paintbrush at the age of 35. Beginning with oil paints, she found her chosen mediums in acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, and her passion for hyperrealism.
Although self-taught, her dedication and talent have seen her work juried into 875 International exhibits. She has won 1344 awards for her work in the International Juried Exhibits.
Her work has graced the covers of 3 books, 42 magazines, including The Best Of Acrylic Fall 2021, cover of the May 2022 Arabella Magazine, #20 Hyperrealism Magazine with “Girls Girls Girls”, & #21 with “The Young Cowboy”, Artists & Illustrators March 2024 Artistonish 2024 July edition, Observica Elite 2024, Art Closeup Magazine#26 Jan. 2025, The back cover of Novum Artis #007, 2025, & Hyperrealism Special Edition “The Amazing World of Cher Pruys”. She has been featured in over 700 International publications. Cher’s works have found a permanent home in private and public collections worldwide.
“To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you, the viewer …. That is the ultimate in self-expression.”
I am very drawn to shiny surfaces as well as transparent objects, especially when the lighting brings them to life. I look for beauty in everyday objects that most people take for granted or just don’t truly see as they are. The seemingly boring and mundane subjects can truly be like magnets if portrayed in the right light. Shiny metal is one of those materials that can host endless visions. The light hits it, and the reflections are captured on the smooth, sleek surface. Animals, people, living things with character…an artist’s dream!
Grab Back
Pauline Hudel-Smith has 35 years of design, fine art, and educational experience. Pauline received a Master of Fine Arts from Texas A&M and has held teaching positions at the University of Texas – Arlington, Collin, and Richland Colleges.
In addition, Pauline has exhibited her work in a number of juried, invitational, and one-person shows – Internationally in China, Belgium, South Africa, Mexico, Italy, and nationally in 23 states and including San Francisco, Boulder, Chicago, Austin, Brooklyn, Wichita, Los Angeles, Seattle, New Orleans, Saint Louis, Santa Fe, and Houston.
Pauline has won numerous awards including multiple gold, silver, and bronze awards from the United Design Alliance International Design Awards, a Grand Apex Award and an Apex Award of Excellence, a Platinum and two Gold Hermes Creative Awards, a Light Bulb Award from the DSVC, a Special Judges Award – Best in Category and multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze Addy Awards from the American Advertising Federation.
My current work is called “Dissent”, defined as political and socially driven visuals designed to communicate and is a direct reaction to the current national discourse. Assimilating art/design into the culture can create meaningful citizen engagement and encourage a sense of belonging in communities.
Artists/designers have a special skill set to strategize, problem solve, and innovate, providing visual solutions for positive social impact. My work concentrates on the catalytic role of art/design, and how visual messages communicate ideas and connect with audiences. A portion of my work is devoted to underrepresented groups who are also underrepresented by art/design.
Grace
Denise is mainly a self-taught visual artist. However, she has studied with prominent artists online and in-person workshops. Her art career began shortly after retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic. She retired from active careers as an Occupational Therapist, Yoga instructor/ therapist and United Church of Christ Ordained Minister. Denise was born in Chicago, Illinois USA, and lived in NYC for a portion of her adult life and then returned to Chicago where she remains. Denise is the founder of Denise Grossman Fine Arts LLC. Her work in the past has primarily consisted of soft pastel medium featuring landscapes and floral designs. However, recently Denise has been exclusively working in a medium of oil and cold wax. Her work is described by followers on social media as being unique yet beautiful in scope/ approach and powerful.
What sets Denise apart is that she views her artwork as a Ministry which profoundly impacts her work as an artist. Her hope is that her artwork will provide comfort and peace to the viewer.
At this point in time, her art has shifted primarily to the medium of oils and cold wax, which she feels provides a more expansive modality to further explore her purpose in life, creating art that has the capacity to nourish and comfort our hearts.
Denise Grossman, Visual Artist/ Painter
To answer the question, regarding the healing aspect of my work. I initially start my process with a sketch/ value study of my subject which is in tandem with prayer and intuition. However, once my art-making commences, I am keenly listening for guidance on something Greater. I can only answer this from my vantage, as a retired Ordained Minister of the United Church of Christ, Occupational therapist, Pastoral Counselor, and Yoga instructor.
Art as a medium, I believe has the capacity to heal one at a heart level. Which has the ability to facilitate self-discovery, change in one’s perspective and viewpoint in a positive sense.
As a retired person Ordained Minister, I envision my art as a force for healing because, in fact, it has healed me. Therefore, if it has the capacity to heal me, why not another? Thus, at its very core creating art is a “Spiritual calling, for me. A calling that profoundly impacts my creative endeavors as an artist. Moreover, I am basically, a self-taught artist. However, for the past five years, I have had the opportunity to study art informally, online with professional artists formally, a local fine arts school, and face to face workshops with professional artist.
My hope and goal, is to produce art work that captures a part of life/ nature that relates to the viewer in a deep sense that elicits thought and comfort. With that said, initially my work predominantly consisted of landscapes and animals in the medium of soft pastels. Just recently, I have become very attached to drawing and painting textured surfaces with parts of structures to depict boundaries and resistive qualities that relate to current-day issues in our contemporary society. At this time, I am a member of the Oil and Cold Wax Academy, Redrock Pastel Society of Nevada and hold Associate membership at the American Impressionist Society. I am inspired by the work of other artists such as Impressionist VanGogh, Symbolists such as Odilon Redon, and Tonalist George Inness. These genres inspire me to create art in ways that are insightful and spiritually guided in profound ways.
Moreover, in 2023 I was awarded the Donatello International Fine Artists Award in Florence, Italy, in 2024 I received an honorable mention in still life category by Best Awards an international juried competition. My work has been featured in four juried international art publications.
Currently, I continue my daily practice of drawing and painting exclusively in the medium of oil and cold wax exploring different substrates and textures to evoke emotional and spiritual sentiments to elicit complexities and challenges of our human condition such as isolation, etc.
At the very core of my work, is my continued call to art as a ministry, which profoundly impacts my work and practice of art.
Grace
Even at an early age, Marissa has shown an enthusiasm for illustration. She can recall spending hours creating and illustrating stories inspired by the many books her parents shared with her. That inspiration has led her to some of her greatest artistic passions, including children’s book illustration and portraiture.
Marissa earned her BFA in Illustration at the Hartford Art School in Connecticut, where she found new inspiration in her professors. While there, she received many distinctions for her work, including the best portfolio in each of her departmental portfolio reviews. She has also had the honor of having her work featured in numerous exhibitions, including the Society of Illustrators Annual Student Scholarship Competition in New York City.
Since graduating from Hartford Art School, Marissa has continued to follow her passion as a freelance illustrator and portrait artist. After completing her first children’s book illustration project, she went on to be featured in numerous publications and television appearances. Her projects have included collaborations with ESPN, as well as creating illustrations for Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s yearly concert production “Tales of Halloween”.
My artwork is very much inspired by visual storytelling. The thing I love most is capturing my subject’s likeness through vitalizing details – both on the surface of the artwork, as well as the narrative behind it.
I often use a mixed media approach combining acrylic and colored pencils. Working this way combines the freedom of laying bold washes with the tight control of drawing. As the piece is built up in many thin layers, I can carefully explore all the details. Quilting these details together as a visual story is where I find my greatest artistic passion.
Graffiti Alley
Cher Pruys was born in Regina. Over the years she lived in many places including Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Fort Frances, settling into her present home in Devlin, on the banks of the Rainy River with her husband Mark, and pets.
By age three, Cher was seldom found without a drawing tool in hand. She worked in pencil, charcoal and ink over the years, picking up a paintbrush at the age of 35. Beginning with oil paints, she found her chosen mediums in acrylic, watercolor, and gouache, and her passion for hyperrealism.
Although self-taught, her dedication and talent have seen her work juried into 722 International exhibits. She has won 1104 awards for her work in the International Juried Exhibits.
Her work has graced the covers of 3 books, 42 magazines, including The Best Of Acrylic Fall 2021, cover of the May 2022 Arabella Magazine, #20 Hyperrealism Magazine with “Girls Girls Girls”, & #21 with “The Young Cowboy”, Artists & Illustrators March 2024 Artistonish 2024 July edition, Observica Elite 2024 & the latest Art Closeup Magazine#26 Jan. 2025. She has been featured in over 572 International publications. Cher’s works have found a permanent home in private and public collections worldwide.
I am a self-taught artist working in water-based medium, mainly acrylic, but also at times gouache and watercolour. I am a hyperrealism painter fascinated by the world around me. I am very drawn to shiny surfaces as well as transparent objects, especially when the lighting brings them to life. I look for beauty in everyday objects that most people take for granted or just don’t truly see them as they are. The seemingly boring and mundane subjects can truly be like magnets if portrayed in the right light. Shiny metal is one of those materials that can host endless visions….the light hits it and the reflections are captured on the smooth, sleek surface…people and animals, especially the eyes…an artist’s dream! My future art plans are to paint the countless subjects I have chosen to become paintings and to share my art with as many people as I can.
“To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you, the viewer …. That is the ultimate in self expression.”