Tall And Slender
I was born and raised in NYC but mostly in The Bronx. I attended CCNY where I graduated with a BS in Mathematics and an MA in Mathematics Education. I taught high school mathematics in The Bronx. I have always been interested in the arts and started writing poems and playing guitar at age 19. I studied poetry under Professor Robert O’Clair. I studied guitar at The Guitar Workshop. I studied painting and drawing at SUNY in Purchase. I have had paintings in 8 live group shows at Jones Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, 3 at Arbor Gallery, Carmel, NY, and 2 at Putnam Arts Council in May 2024 in Mahopac, NY. Now, in September 2024 I have a painting in a live group show at the Mahopac Public Library and 2 photographs in a live group photography show at the Putnam Arts Council. Also, I have exhibited in many online shows. I have exhibited continuously at HMVCGalleryNewYork virtually since its inception. A wonderful state-of-the-art gallery with outstanding artists! My poems have been published.in magazines, books, and at HVMOCA. I performed some of my poems in April 2024 at HVMOCA with numerous other artists at Writing The Walls 2024. I self-published a children’s book, ”Mr. Fine Goes to the Eye Doctor”. My principal artistic interest has been abstract painting and drawing for the last 11 years, but I have written many poems as well. I live in Putnam County, NY.
My work in fine arts has principally been in 2 classes of abstract paintings: oils and water-based paints. However, I have completed numerous works in drawing. I focus on color, texture, methodology of delivery, and composition. In composition, I am interested in positive space and negative space as well. I believe the painting/drawing is a manifestation of my emotional state of both conscious and unconscious feelings
Tangled
Gayle is a Textural Acrylic Artist using palette knives in conjunction with acrylic paint, gels, and modeling paste. She becomes very immersed in the creative process and has a “conversation” with the painting in order to create a place that speaks to her and the viewer. Her paintings are full of colorful textures and invite the viewer to walk into the landscape to discover a memory or a new favorite place. She wants everyone to stroll about, smell the flowers, watch the sunset or sunrise, lean against a tree, and just breathe.
Gayle is currently represented by Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in New York, Artifact New York, and Jones Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri, and is on the Circle Arts website. Her work has been published in numerous magazines including Art in America, Observica, Exhibitzone, Spotlight, and Artistonish. In May of 2023, Gayle was published as an Icon artist by Art Tour International and was selected as a Top 60 Master. She has also been included in the book Current Masters 6.
Paintings by Gayle are included in corporate and private collections around the world.
I have termed my paintings Textural Acrylics and I get very excited as I watch the paint come off the palette knife in a variety of textures and combinations of color. Every painting is full of emotion and in-the-moment creativity. I start with an idea and a very loose drawing, usually 5-6 lines of composition, and then become immersed in the process. I have always said that a painting is like a child that you nurture, have conversations with, and work through the teenage angst with love and patience and what emerges is a beautiful adult. When I paint, I put on the music (louder than I would have let my children play it), dance to the beat, and even sing, which is a terrible sound. I want my joy to come across to the viewer and I want them to share the beautiful place that I have created. All are invited to enter the painting, smell the flowers, listen to the rustle of the leaves, lean against a tree, and just breathe.
Tango
Stanislav “Standa” Riha
Visual artist, photographer, and writer
Member of CARFAC
Born in 1952 in Prague, former Czechoslovakia. He grew up in Lesser Town (Malá Strana), surrounded by great medieval and modern art and artists that caused his desire to create. From early childhood, he enjoyed drawing and later painting; as a young man, he focused mainly on surrealism. His artistic attitude was shaped by many art courses in childhood, followed by art training by MgA Milos Saska and work in the set production of the Realistic Theatre.
In 1980, he lived for a year in Grinzing, Vienna, Austria, and then moved to Vancouver, BC, Canada. Enchanted with the natural beauty of British Columbia, he dedicated the first few years to realistic nature themes and then switched to Surreal and later Surreal-abstract creative work.
In the last three decades, I have been creating wall-mounted, cast resin, and aluminum sculptures combined with canvas and gold leaf, and exploring the computer as an art tool for creating digital artwork.
All my life, I have loved to create art full of emotions and feelings, “soul,” with the satisfaction of fun. I am interested in the balance and composition of colors and objects rather than the reality of the items.
The direction of the last two decades has been aimed at understanding and, through artwork, expressing the human struggle of emotions and adaptations. For the past ten years, I have been polishing my creative work in the Surreal-abstract style.
The main motto of my artwork is: Just as in a good story, the readers have space to create their image; in a good picture, the viewers can form their own account.
Taormina Transverso
Karen Safer is an international, award-winning California photographic artist, writer, and poet. As a native Angelino, she was given a camera and crayons at 3 and exposed to dominant California motifs: light, palm trees, the ocean, music, and vernacular architecture that helped define and influence her left-handed aesthetic. Fortunate to begin a life of travel as a pre-teen, it shaped her love of the exotic, accidental, and unusual that jiggled the lens/frame of her eye; subsequently, she has traveled and photographed in over 230 countries and territories. She was influenced by her dad who developed black & white photos in their back washroom/turned darkroom and by her mother’s thirst for knowledge and travel. She has a master’s degree in art cum laude, a career in design and architecture, and is principal of ArtFocus International. She’s been in 14 solo shows, exhibited in over 500+ international/national venues, received over 430+ awards, is in private collections, featured in over 100 publications including Who’s Who In Professional Women, and is a self-described “romantic soul” with intellectual cravings living in a digital world.
Influenced by everything, she has been honored with TIFA, Tokyo International Foto Awards 2025 PISPA (Paris International Street Photography Awards) 2024, ReFocus and Exposure One B&W Awards, National Photographic Society Awards, Julia Margaret Cameron FotoNostrum Awards, B&W Spider Awards, Botticelli International Prize (Florence), International COLOR awards; featured in Dodho, Docu, LENS, Women United, Spotlight, ArtTour and Artist Talk Magazine, The Holy Art, etc.; and continues exhibiting in Amsterdam, Athens, Budapest, Barcelona, Paris, London, Glasgow, Rome, Berlin, Basel, Dubai, Venice, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, etc. from California to New York, member of IAA-USA, LA Art Association, LA Center for Photography, etc.
I’ve always been an artist. I embrace the natural world and man-made as well. I am influenced by everything from the ancients to Cindy Sherman and while I embrace color, I revere black and white. I am a student of the universe, history, art, architecture, music, literature, and all the arts.
I got a camera and some crayons as a kid,
journeyed along a path in life – far from what I’d expected,
moved from youth to middle age,
did some work, had some fun, got high, got low,
and just continue doing it – never tiring of the next visual surprise.
– Life is still a mystery, after all. – kjs
Motos: “A photographer has the whole world big or small to capture.” kj safer
And wherever I am in the world, it’s my favorite place!! kj safer
Taos Pueblo
Nicole Roberts is an accomplished painter and visual artist whose work spans mediums and styles, bringing vibrant and emotive pieces to life for both personal and commissioned projects. With a strong foundation in fine arts and design, Nicole’s paintings have been featured in a variety of settings, from private collections to bespoke interior spaces. Her journey into visual art began at an early age and was shaped by formal education at the University of Oregon, Oregon State, San Jose State, and California College of the Arts, where she developed her unique perspective and honed her craft.
Over two decades running a design agency in San Francisco, Nicole cultivated a multifaceted skill set that includes brand identity, book cover design, and photography, which she initially explored using her father’s Pentax film camera. Although she is now based in San Diego, Nicole’s global travels—spanning 17 countries—have enriched her work and connected her to diverse communities and cultures, inspiring her current focus on portraits and expressive, story-driven art.
Nicole’s photography experience includes collaborations with renowned photographers such as John Brennan, Hugh Harline, Mel Lindstrom, Glen Matsmera, and Edward Richardson. This background adds depth to her painting, allowing her to capture dynamic perspectives and an intimate understanding of light and form. Nicole is particularly drawn to the human experience, and she finds inspiration in portraying the unique stories of LGBTQ+ individuals, dancers, and artists.
From her San Diego studio, Nicole continues to explore and blend the worlds of painting and photography, working alongside her partner, Elizabeth, and capturing the vibrant energy of queer life and artistic expression.
As a painter and visual artist, I am captivated by the beauty found in vulnerability and authenticity. Whether on canvas or through the lens, my goal is to reveal the unseen stories that live within each subject, capturing not just what is visible but also what is felt.
Growing up with a camera in hand, I first learned to observe the world in fragments—details of light, texture, and mood that others might overlook. This early passion for photography shaped my approach to painting, imbuing my work with a cinematic quality and a sensitivity to composition that allows me to tell deeply personal stories. Inspired by my travels and the diverse individuals I’ve met along the way, I gravitate toward themes of resilience and transformation, often featuring LGBTQ+ individuals, dancers, and artists who embody a strength I find both inspiring and universal.
In the studio, I work with a blend of structured technique and instinctual movement, allowing colors and forms to emerge naturally. My process is a balance of control and spontaneity, one that mirrors the unpredictability of human experience. Through each portrait, I aim to invite viewers to encounter people different from themselves in a safe space—to be curious, to feel drawn into the shared human experience, and to recognize beauty in a new context. I believe this curiosity can bridge divides and break down the walls of fear that too often separate us, fostering a deeper understanding and compassion that help us get along in the world.
Art, for me, is a constant act of discovery—a way of engaging with the world and with myself. Through each piece, I seek to open a space of connection, reflection, and empathy, where every detail contributes to a larger narrative of what it means to be seen, understood, and celebrated.
Taxi Ride
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 950 International exhibits. She has won 1449 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!
Tea Garden
Stephen Von Mason (American, 1954 – )
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1954 Born: South Bend, Indiana
1971 – 1972 Studied figure drawing at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN – College Preparatory
1973 – 1977 Studied printmaking and painting at John Heron School of Art, BFA, Indianapolis, IN
1977 – 1979 Studied printmaking and painting at the San Francisco Art Institute, MFA, San Francisco, California
1981 – 1983 Taught at the University of California, Berkeley, California with the ASUC division
1991 Lectured at San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, and the Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA
2002 Taught summer art school at Washington Elementary School, Oakland, CA
2003 Taught summer art school at Glenview Elementary School, Oakland, CA
2008 – 2022 Taught art at Making Waves Academy, Richmond, CA
2010 – 2011 Taught painting over the summer at the Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA
2012 Received an invitation from President Barack Obama to present his Art Program’s success with Making Waves Academy to the “President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities” at a Salon hosted by Pamela Joyner in San Francisco.
Other presenters included Alfre Woodard, Theaster Gates, the Louis Vuitton family, and Pixar.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Something All Our Own: The Creation of a Fine Arts Museum,” Virtual Exhibition, TeraVarna Art Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2014 “In Search of Humanity,” Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts, Blue Mountain Lake, NY
1988 “Without Sanctuary II,” Judith Weintraub Gallery, Sacramento, CA
1988 “Sanctuary,” Pence Gallery, Davis, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 “Community Art Channel – Figurative 2024,” International Exhibition, Toulouse, France
2024 “Gallery 4% – Faces & Features-3,” International Exhibition, Distinction Award Winner, San Francisco, California
I’m striving to make art that creates a response and evokes a challenge that is desperately needed. My stylized work revolves around showcasing excellence and promoting cultural healing. There is a constant push for love and rebuilding in my work because of past mishappenings and an un-natural current setting. My imagery has intense color and a sense of urgency indicative of what is needed for rebuilding a cultural lobotomy. My figurative paintings attempt to push specific scenarios through subject matter that is provocative and sometimes uncomfortable. The act of painting for me is about problem-solving, showcasing, story telling, and beauty. Equity and equality are very important components in my community so I am always speaking to these elements and dynamic.
I have a strong connection with sculpture, architecture, and structural engineering as much as I am connected to painters like Kerry James Marshall, Oliver Lee Jackson, and Sandro Chia. Because I am an untold story teller and history painter, there is a strong need to produce paintings that reflect my passion. This will always be the case because it is what moves me. Like in the film “Sankofa,” it is imperative that I continue to pursue my purpose because the ancestors need to know that I am continuing this mission.
Tears
78 years old California artist, who loves using bright primary colors and abstract shapes, and hidden sayings. Most of my paintings contain layers plus at least 2 or 3 other paintings underneath. I enjoy painting over paintings it gives lots of depth and texture.
When I was in school I was sent to the office quite a bit for daydreaming and doodling it was a crime in the 50’s now in certain schools it is a class. When covid began I started repainting full-time and have never stopped. I have a studio in my house where I spend a lot of my days. It is a mess but not to me. I love creating art using different materials. Recently I have been using lots of different acrylic mediums, and pens. Paint, ink, and leaf blower spread the paints and ink, so now instead of getting sent to the office I get paid and I get to daydream and almost all day.
I am a California artist documenting my daily life and thoughts through my artwork.
I have been painting for the last 50 years I am 78 now When I create my painting I utilize different acrylics, paint pens, and oil markers and I use palette knives, my fingers, and brushes to shape my designs.
Every one of my paintings incorporates a profound depth, revealing details throughout the many layers of materials I use. They are all done on a professional artist’s quality stretched canvas.
Tears For The Divided States Of America
Before art became his passion, much of Rich Sheaffer’s prior career in engineering and management was rather mundane. The exceptions were when he did not follow conventional wisdom and explored on his own without necessarily doing things the accepted, “correct” way. That is when breakthroughs occur, discoveries are made and quantum improvements can be initiated. It is with that spirit that Rich creates art by inspiration and imagination rather than more conventional rules of how art should be created. Rich’s works reflect the angst of a common man regarding events occurring in society, and some of his works have also predicted future events. When events are so outrageous that he is left at a loss for words … he paints. Rich is active with the Artists Guild of the San Diego Museum of Art, the Artist Alliance of the Oceanside Museum of Art, and others.
Since the events of 2016, Rich Sheaffer has been developing a genre of art he calls Socio-Political Abstractionism. While political art is common, it has generally taken the form of such things as cartoons and caricatures. Socio-Political Abstractionism, in contrast, is an art form in which hot-button social topics being divisively debated in the political milieu are “abstractionized” and expressed via painting in abstract form, to inspire thought and discussion. Such works are primitive expressions of dreams or visions that express the events and angst of our time in history. His works are experimental and inspired by current events; he never knows from the onset how the final work will appear. Topics covered by Rich have included societal fear and anger, climate change, human rights, assaults against diversity, truth versus “alternative facts”, degradation of kindness and compassion, migration issues, attacks against democracy, risks of conflict and war, self-created chaos, and so on.