Obsession
Am I who I think I am, or who I thought I was? Did I do the things I seem to remember doing or did I come into being only a moment ago? In an attempt to answer these questions, Manal presents exceptional and creative ways of art-based thoughts and challenges the surroundings. Her artworks are not categorized to follow any of the schools, while curators have agreed to call her art a “thought-provoking metaphor”. Recently, a Washington-based art journal referenced Manal’s presentation of her Palestinian identity as “Look into my eyes, I am not afraid!”
EDUCATION
Studied Studio Arts at the University of Illinois in Chicago, and got a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Psychology of Art from George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia, USA
Embedded in many of my layered artworks are images of my own face, but don’t call my pieces “self-portraits.” “They are self-portraits and they are not,” I describe the feminine faces I create as beautiful, powerful, and successful. The women never look fearful or defeated. Despite any potential struggles with discrimination, poverty, loss, or stress under occupation, they are still empowered. They look ready and able to carry the burdens for themselves and their families. This is the feminine psyche at its most magnificent.
For me, the female face is a springboard for revealing deeper and more spiritual connections. I create women on canvas who are a hybrid of their experiences and identities, each one a strong, unafraid, and even hopeful individual. I perceive my hybrid self as empowered and positive despite my feelings of exile and memories of the loss of my childhood homeplace. “I call myself a hybrid being both here (in America) and there (in Palestine)”. “The women I create are extremely brave. They reveal my deep personal identification with my Palestinian history and culture.” I was just 18 years old when I immigrated to the United States from my hometown of Ramallah, in Palestine’s West Bank. I attended art school at the University of Illinois in Chicago, and am now a resident in Fairfax, Virginia.
I have exhibited all over the U.S. and abroad, as a modern American woman, a wife, and mother to three daughters. But the memories of my homeland, the knowledge of the anguish many have to bear, especially women, are layered into my paintings. I blend Arabic words and symbolic calligraphic forms with beautiful, sometimes tranquil, images of faces and people. Often the subjects are clad in traditional Middle Eastern dress. I layer paints, pastels inks, and sometimes digital images, onto my canvases, evoking the look of chipped wallpaper or faded graffiti aging on weathered surfaces. My layering feels like more than just paint; they are symbolic of the psychological layers we all carry of our own experiences, cultures, and traditions. Exploring psychology has been a longtime obsession of mine, and it shows.
After drifting from art to raise a family, I returned to school to study psychology. I earned an advanced degree in the Psychology of Art at George Mason University. After maturing and gaining insight into my own psychology, I began a daily practice in the studio again. That was 15 years ago, and I have never stopped since.
“It’s a beautiful addiction, and it gives me life, to just get lost in the studio”. “Time goes by, and I look up and think, ‘How did that image happen in front of me? That was not a plan.’ I like the surprise and the spontaneousness.”
Ocean Lovers – Angel Fish 2
Selva Ozelli is an artist, writer, lawyer, and CPA. She is an award-winning artist whose paintings have been acknowledged in 19 international art contests and exhibited in over 120 art shows by numerous museums, the United Nations, ministries, and NGOs across the world. She is a member of the Climate Heritage Network, Global Resilience Partnership, and an ambassador to Oceanic Global. She is the author of Sustainably Investing in Digital Assets Globally, published by Wiley. Her artwork has been cataloged by the United Nations, the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, and the Berlin University of Art as part of the project titled Climate Summit Art. Art and Political Event, 1972 – 2022. Her three art shows, Reef Dwellers, Orcas & Reefs, and Healing Waters, are endorsed by UNESCO OCEAN DECADE.
Article: Major Changes to New York’s Freshwater Wetlands Regulations Take Effect
“With my art show ‘Healing Waters’ at the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum and Environmental Center, I hope to draw attention to the nearly extinct Darter Fish and to the fact that action to restore wetlands and oceans is gathering momentum not only in the Chesapeake Bay but also around the world too.”
Ocean View Condos From $3,000,000
Janice (Jan) Bock has lived in Redondo Beach, California for the past 30 years. She has painted throughout Los Angeles, most notably in the South Bay beach towns of Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beach. “I love the beach and my paintings show it,” she says; She currently has hangings at the Destination Art Associates show, the South Bay Credit Unit, The Gallery of Hermosa, and Smileworks offices. Her styles include plein air (oil), pastel, acrylic, and watercolor. She paints abstract and realistic including landscapes and seascapes. She belongs to the Friends of Redondo Beach art group as well as The Redondo Beach art group, the Pastel Society of Southern California, The South Bay Watercolor Society, and the Palos Verdes Art Center. You can find her art on Artsy, Instagram, Facebook, and on her website: JanBock.com. She led a workshop for the Redondo Beach Art Group (pastels) and has received awards for creativity. She continuously takes workshops, and her style is “evolving and experimentational.” I call it “Janism.”
Art Keeps my brain in top condition and creativity is my specialty. I get lost in the creative process. Sometimes my hand moves and creates a piece of art that I barely remember doing. Most of my works are inspired by scenes or colors, thick paint, or a feeling of intuition. If it makes me happy, I share it, if not, it goes into the “revisit this later” section. I only started sharing my art a couple of years ago when I semi-retired. I find it scary but rewarding to hear comments and putting my art on display is a little like baring my soul.
I also teach and perform comedy improvisation both live and on Zoom. I continuously work on trusting myself and keeping a positive attitude. I work on being willing to expose my art to others and to take compliments and productive criticism as well.
October Glory
As an army brat, I ended up marrying my husband at eighteen and settling in Lawton, Oklahoma, to raise our two children. They have given us four grandchildren, two grandchildren in love, and I am expecting a great-granddaughter in February. We moved to the beautiful little town of Medicine Park five years ago. Very sadly, I lost my husband and best friend last December after 65 years together, and painting has been my salvation!
I am an eighty-two-year-old May 2025 Fine Arts graduate! Painting is my desert after many years in the financial industry. I will be retiring at the end of this year, so that I can express my feelings of joy and gratitude full-time!
October Napa
Barbara West is an orthodontist and an artist. Her style is contemporary realism. Her mediums include oil, pastels, and monotypes. She paints landscapes, marine scenes, still lifes, figures, and animals. Barbara studied art at the University of Pittsburgh. Rhode Island School of Design, the Boston Museum School, the de Cordova Museum School, and many workshops. She has been juried into many shows and has won numerous awards.
There is nothing so exciting as a blank canvas and an image before me that needs to be painted. It makes my soul so happy to be in that place. There has to be something exciting about the subject that appeals to me, that makes me want to paint it. Be it the subject, the lighting, the atmosphere, the composition, the colors, or the emotional appeal.
I usually start with a quick charcoal sketch to lay down the composition and design of the painting and establish lights and darks. Next, I cover the canvas with paint. Ahh. But after that, the struggle begins. Bringing the painting from the basic concept to the finished piece is not always easy. Fortunately, most of the time I’m happy with the finished painting. So happy. To a struggle. To be happy again. That’s my process.
October Solitude
Babler’s work has been juried into: 38th September Competition – Juried Exhibits Alexandria Museum of Art juror Erika Mei Chua Holum, Associate Curator – Blaffer Art Museum; “After Dark 2025”, “Fall Juried Exhibit 2025”, and “Reflecting 2025”– Maryland Federation of Art; 38th Annual McNeese National Works on Paper Exhibition; “In the City” exhibit juror Christina Gomez (Art Institute Chicago); North American Print Biennial juror Elizabeth M. Rudy (Associate Curator of Prints Harvard Art Museums, Boston); Dubuque Museum of Art Biennial juror Pamela Hugdahl (Executive Director, Rochester Art Center); Rockford Art Museum Biennial Juried Exhibit of Contemporary Artists; Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D. (Director – Albany Museum of Art); Gary Freeburg (Professor/Director of Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Art at James Madison University); Amanda C. Burdan (Associate Curator – Brandywine River Museum of Art); Christiane Paul (Curator of New Media Arts at the Whitney Museum of American Art); Felice Frankel (Science photographer/research scientist); Malcolm Daniel (Curator of Photographs – Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC); Kenneth Baker (Art Critic, San Francisco Chronicle); William Lieberman, Director of Zolla/Lieberman Gallery – Chicago; Annette Carlozzi (Sr. Curator at Blanton Museum of Art); Dr. Jefferson Harrison (Chief Curator Chrysler Museum of Art); Charlotta Kotik (Curator of Contemporary Art Brooklyn Museum of Art); David Houston (Chief Curator –Ogden Museum of Southern Art); Dr. Russell Panczenko (Director – Museum of Art, Madison Wisconsin); Siri Engberg (Walker Art Center); Stephen Phillips (Phillips Collection – Washington DC); Sam Gilliam; and Ed Paschke.
She is a Ragdale Residency Fellow, a juried member of the Illinois Arts Council’s Arts-In-Education Roster, and exhibited at Northwestern University, Concordia University, Rockford Art Museum, and the Alexandria Museum of Art. She was a fine art consultant and advisor for Grumbacher/Prismacolor, along with developing a program for Blick Art. Artwork is in corporate, university, and private art collections.
A leaf floats down to a walking path, materializing into a blanket of color; a farmer’s market displays gourds and pumpkins; and the air has a crispness with a slight chill. All are signs of transition and moments to reflect on the passage of time as October ushers in a time of change. The “Whispers of October” is a feast for the senses and a gentle reminder of things to come. My submission visually captures reflection, Autumn color, and choices. A curator has described my artwork as smart and thoughtful and dense with information; gorgeous with color. Mysterious and challenging…puzzles for the viewer to solve.
Octopus’ Garden
Megan Stueber, a Richmond native with a deep love for nature and a passion for vibrant colors, seamlessly intertwines her environmental consciousness with her artistic expression.
From her earliest memories, Megan displayed an innate connection with the outdoors as she spent countless hours exploring the James River and Maymont Park as a child. It was during these formative years that Megan’s fascination with the intricate details of the natural world began to shape her artistic sensibilities.
Megan pursued her passion with a degree in Environmental Biology, a decision that reflected her commitment to understanding and protecting the environment. This educational foundation provided Megan with a unique perspective, allowing her to blend scientific insights with artistic endeavors.
Megan’s art is a visual symphony of vibrant colors and intricate details. Her work is a heartfelt homage to the environment, capturing the essence of nature’s beauty in every brushstroke. Her pieces are infused with a sense of awe and wonder, inviting viewers to reconnect with the world around them.
Megan Stueber has left her artistic footprint in juried art shows across Virginia, showcasing her work at prestigious galleries such as CrossRoads Art Center, ArtWorks, and the VA Beach Art Center. Her solo gallery show “One World” at the Unity Renaissance Boutique Art Gallery in Chesapeake this summer sparked conversations about the intersection of art and environmental consciousness.
Her work is an ode to the beauty of nature, an invitation to reconnect with the Earth, and a call to action for a sustainable future. Megan envisions a world where art and science converge to inspire collective responsibility for the preservation of our planet.
Through vivid acrylic paintings on canvas, I create art that speaks to the beauty of nature and the urgent need to protect it. My work features vibrant depictions of animals and ecosystems, interwoven with themes of environmental crisis—global warming, plastic pollution, habitat loss. These pieces are not just visual expressions, but calls to action.
I aim to draw viewers in with beauty—lush color, graceful forms, the wonder of wild creatures—and gently guide them toward a deeper realization: that human waste and consumption are deeply connected to animal suffering. Rather than confront with despair, I offer a sense of hope. By revealing these connections with care and intention, I invite reflection, empathy, and ultimately, change.
Off River Road
Mark Weller is a fulltime artist represented by the D Anthony Gallery of Wausau, WI. Weller’s work has appeared throughout the country in 16 art museums and 100 gallery exhibitions. Selected highlights include Manhattan Arts of NYC, The Holy Gallery of London, The Black Box Gallery of Portland, the Praxis Gallery of Minneapolis, the MiKiHASi Gallery of San Francisco, and the Stola Contemporary Art Gallery of Chicago. Weller has won 32 awards for his work. Selected highlights include Best in Show from Envision Arts of Dallas and a gold medal from the Kira Arts Gallery of Toronto. In his home state of Wisconsin Weller has exhibited at the Trout Museum of Art in Appleton, Gallery Marzen in Madison, The Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay, The Racine Art Museum, and the Wright Museum of Art at Beloit College. He also has had solo shows at the Anderson Arts Center in Kenosha, The Pump House Regional Arts Center in La Crosse, The Aventine Gallery in Madison, and the University of Wisconsin.
Time, the fourth dimension. That element is an integral component of my art. Unlike traditional photography which captures three dimensions, I seek a higher truth by examining the effects of time on the subjects I photograph. My primary focus is on clouds which celebrate the distinctive look of the upper Midwest. I depict the either playful twirling or the menacing texture of the atmosphere. My work has a painterly feel to it, the result of taking 100 exposures over several moments and then stacking the exposures into a single image. I separate each exposure by some measure of time – a second, perhaps many seconds, or even minutes – which allows a landscape to more truthfully reveal itself, reaching beyond the limits of human sight, which – like traditional photography – only captures the moment in front of you. Why limit our visual universe to what we see only at the moment we see it? My portraits of clouds are more honest and accurate.
Oh Morning Glories
LEAH K. TOMAINO received her BFA from Cooper Union, New York, and her MA from William Paterson University, New Jersey, both with concentrations in painting. She also studied at The Studio Art School of the Aegean, Samos, Greece. Leah is an Adjunct Professor at The County College of Morris, Randolph, NJ where she teaches Two-Dimensional Design, Three-Dimensional Design, and Drawing classes. She also is an art instructor of painting classes for adults and children at Artworks Studio. Leah has taught workshops at the Children’s Museum, SoHo, New York, NY, and has been a grant recipient from the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, New York, NY. Her work has been recognized by the National Association of Women Artists, as demonstrated by the NAWA Medal of Honor and Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation Award which was received in 2012. Tomaino’s work has been publically lauded for its unique pioneering collage technique and bold content by newspapers, various formal publications, and in-person television interviews. Her work has been widely exhibited in galleries, universities, and museums throughout the USA, and is in many private and public collections. Leah is a member of the National Association of Women Artists, New York, NY.
I am taken aback by the beauty and intangible qualities of natural flora. Our largely urban society has dulled the ability to appreciate our natural surroundings, the ability to see the wonder in a tree, the mysterious magic in a flower, and the resultant peace and contentment that can fill one’s heart. I try to show this to the viewer through my work as a surreal reminder of the peaceful, centered energy of the miraculous natural living world which surrounds us.
My artwork is made from simple materials and features a pioneering collage application of acrylic paint, brown paper bags, and canvas. Originally my collages had plain torn brown bags for their backgrounds, and only the subject was made from the painted bags. However, they have evolved to have their entire surface covered with the painted bag pieces.
I hope that the viewer thinks that they are looking at beautiful and serene paintings at first glance, then discover that they are viewing a collage that involved a painstaking genesis in the studio. Each is the product of many months or years of work. I paint the ordinary bags with color and tear them into myriad pieces, which I then hand apply with matt medium to realize my vision.
Inspired by nature’s beauty, my interest in this medium relates to the cycle of life and nature. The bags start out as trees and are made into paper bags, which I recycle, paint, tear, and collage into the image of the natural world which provided the original inspiration and energy.
In addition, the pieces are often autobiographical, and I am both relieved and tormented at placing my story in plain view.