Altered Bloom Yellow

From childhood joy and interest to adult determination and training, my journey is not so different from so many other artists. Much credit must go to my parents for indulging my interest and not standing as a barrier to my development. Quite to the contrary, I was given rich opportunities and a fair share of luck growing up. Luck came by way of wonderful art teachers in school and Saturday classes at the Detroit Institute of Arts. There is a sidebar story in all this that has to do with my poor health as a child and how it prevented me from taking part in athletic classes. That disappointment provided opportunities for more art training and exploration. My circle of friends consisted of musicians, actors, dancers, writers, and, of course, visual artists. As a result, my childhood orientation was entirely cultural starting in the 1950s and 1960s.

Post high school, I was accepted to The Art School of the Society of Arts & Crafts in Detroit. I did well, winning a merit scholarship for my work blending graphic design with fashion illustration.

I moved to Toronto, Canada, after art school to apply my skills to things other than automotive-related advertising, the focus in Detroit, and that was such an exciting place for any young artist to work in the 1970s. I did graphic design and illustration for fashion, package goods, and government services like the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Now well into the second chapter of my life, and living in Michigan, I’m finally doing what my heart always wanted: fine arts. It’s not that I didn’t like my life as an applied artist; it’s that I also needed to answer a very different calling in the arts.

Amanda

Born in North Dakota, Mark Kaufman came of age during the 1960s. A champion for gender equality, Mark paints the female figure in sometimes absurd, sometimes haunting locations. Far from creating emotionless family portraits, Mark blends color and imagery to explore themes of mythology, literature, philosophy, and emotion.

He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Mark’s work has been shown in Galleries across the nation. He is a signature member of the Baltimore, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia watercolor societies. He chooses watercolor as a medium because it is fluid and sometimes serendipitous.
Thirty years ago, Mark was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. In addition to painting, he is highly visible in the community providing support and advocacy for all those who suffer from mental illness. The bipolar helps shape his work, more in some collections than in others.

Amber Meadow 3

Aleksandra was born in 1987 in Poland. She is a graduate of the University of Warsaw. She loved to paint since she was a child. For many years she participated in classes conducted by prof Paweł Lewandowski- Palle. She loves the diversity of the world and it is from this diversity that she draws inspiration. Aleksandra took part in many exhibitions around the world. Her paintings have been in, among others, New York, Rome, Venice, Barcelona, Munich, Sanremo, Valetta, and Paris. She received many international awards, e.g. Woman Art Award 2022 in Paris, ATIM’s Top 60 Masters in New York, Career Art Award in Sanremo, etc. Her paintings have also appeared in many publications.

American Jukebox

Bobby is an “end-to-end” digital artist who does all the work himself. He is equipped with specialized skills in image/video processing, digital generative and derivatives arts, etc., using diversified methods, multiple software, and techniques to derive his creatives.

In terms of style and themes, Bobby likes colorful stuff. Although some of his works may carry similar themes, he believes “while imagination has no border, art has no limit”, and that includes the techniques used in turning imagination into realization, and injecting digital science into the presentation process of the creatives.

Bobby believes that most artworks existed due to the intention of the artist to “communicate” his/her feelings to others, be it on an aesthetic piece of work, a sculpture, an illusion, a game, etc. In recent years, the rapid advancements in digital science may have added more venues and techniques for an artist to “communicate” his/her feeling, which may otherwise be lacking in traditional arts. These advanced techniques could include using AR, multimedia, website, metaverse, etc., This application of digital science on traditional arts created a hybrid known as “Digital Arts”, which is understood by many as “artistic work or practice that uses digital technology as part of the creative or presentation process”. However, in Bobby’s opinion, whereas digital technology is used in the creative process, it is currently underutilized in its use in the presentation.

Bobby further believes the introduction of digital science into arts would eventually bring about a paradigm switch as to how arts would be appreciated in the future. For example, expression may no longer need to be confined to the creative itself as additional elements of surprise, participation, interaction, engagement, etc., may now be “extended” outside the realm of the original creation with the help of technology onto other “digital devices” such as mobile phones.

American Victorian Restoration

Second place for oil painting Southern Allegheny Museum of Art purchased for their permanent collection
First Place for oil painting, Southern Allegheny Museum of Art Loretto PA
The permanent collection at State Museum (Harrisburg, PA)
First Place Art of The State 2007, Pennsylvania State Museum, Harrisburg, PA
Third place Art of the State 2008
2nd place Art of the State 2009
First place in 2015 – 48th annual Art of the State for painting (The State Museum of Pennsylvania)
The 32nd Chelsea International Fine Art Show(won a show at the Agora Gallery NY,NY) August 19th to 30th, 2017
Excepted into the LAS LAGUNA Gallery /2023 Figures and Faces show /Laguna Beach/California

Amethyst Beauty

Gayle Faulkner, with over 35 years of artistic exploration and creativity, stands as a seasoned watercolor, acrylic, and mural artist. Her journey has been marked by constant exploration, a playful engagement with diverse media, and an unwavering commitment to growth in the world of art.

Her academic journey, rooted in a BA in Sociology from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, initially led her to work with children, integrating art into their day-to-day experiences. Gayle’s passion for art eventually pulled her into a more immersive pursuit. She delved into Art and Design courses at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, unlocking her artistic soul. The willingness to ”put herself out there”, coupled with years of hard work and a penchant for thinking outside the box, allowed her to undergo a major growth period.

Finally, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 quarantine became a catalyst for Gayle’s artistic metamorphosis, leading her to focus on acrylic paintings on canvas. Engaging in an online course.

Amongst The Crowd

I received my BFA and MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology. My thesis was “Kviatkev, the Understanding of Abstraction.” I have been drawing since age 4. My background is a BFA and an MFA in painting with minors in ceramics, design, and printmaking. I began my career from 1976 to 1991 and during the dormant years, from 1991 to 2021 I still painted but did not exhibit. Tumultuous times but healing times. During the isolation of COVID, I began to paint again and found a genuine newness and expression in my work. I follow T. S. Elliot’s Objective Correlative. This is a means of expressing emotion in art by using either a set of objects, a situation, or a chain of events. Through this method, the painting becomes that emotion. My style leans towards abstract painting because it supplies the necessary tools to allow the portrayal of thoughts and emotions in work. In my work, I do not dictate the emotion found in my paintings; but leave it for the viewer’s discovery and interpretation. This work subjective in nature, utilizes color to illustrate feelings, and dreams, and with each piece, there is an underlying core of darkness and a definite area of light. This draws the eye over the piece to the core. The lines keep the eyes moving, while the dots scream, “Look at me”. The work ranges in size from small works on paper to 48×48 inches on canvas. With each piece, there is an underlying core of what could be construed as darkness and a definite area of lightness.”  The exchange between colors, lines, and shapes tells my story.

Amongst The UFOs

Michael Tilbury is a disabled combat veteran who recently graduated from the Maine College of Art & Design with a Master of Fine Art. Making art and writing poetry has been therapeutic and a necessity in his quest to heal from the effects of war. Twice a month he teaches his niece and nephew art lessons so that they may find enjoyment in the act of creating for themselves. He has recently taken a keen interest in blind contour drawing from one of these lessons and plans to pursue it to build his universe.

Amore

Bobby J. Jones was born and raised in Texas from 1966 to 1989. Jones attended Texas Tech University and graduated from his family’s alma mater with a BFA in Art (Painting and Drawing) in 1989. Bobby moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and attended The University of New Mexico. He received his master’s degree in Art Education (Museum Education, Ceramics, and Photography) in 1994. Jones worked in Retail Management in California for 12 years and in Customer Service for 4 years in New Mexico. He currently works for Albuquerque Public Schools. Even though Bobby has lived in Texas, California, and New Mexico, he considers New Mexico home!!!

Bobby is a Lifetime Member of Alpha Phi Omega, Golden Key National Honor Society, and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He was a member of the now-closed Matrix Fine Art Gallery. Jones is also a member of The New Mexico Imaginative Arts Collective and The Art Posse at First Unitarian Church.

He continues to exhibit his artwork at different art galleries in Albuquerque (The Tortuga Gallery, The South Broadway Cultural Center, The Albuquerque Open Space Visitor’s Center, and The Gallery With A Cause at The New Mexico Cancer Center). He also exhibits his art online through international art exhibits through The Biafarin Company in Ontario, Canada. Jones also creates publications of his coloring books, his photography, and his artwork. These publications are available on Amazon and online through Barnes & Noble. Jones has a website through Art Storefronts. Where art lovers can buy prints and artwork from this artist!!!