Boquet Of Tootsie Pops In Jar And One Ready To Eat

Now Denver-based, I specialize in Realism, mainly working in Graphite, Charcoal and Watercolor. I spent my earlier career in the Fine Jewelry Industry as a Jewelry Designer/Merchandiser working with major companies throughout the globe developing fine diamond jewelry collections for some of the world’s most well-known Retailers and Brands. My love of detail stems from designing with precious materials, no detail is too small when working with gold, diamonds, and gemstones.

I grew up in New York and was fortunate to attend art classes at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Cooper Union on Saturdays while school-age. I went on to attend college at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for Fine Art and later majored in Industrial Design and Jewelry Design. I’ve also studied Fine Art at Art Center Pasadena as well as Otis Parsons in Los Angeles. I received more classical training at REAL Academy of Art, in Denver.

I am a classically trained Realism Artist with an eye for fine detail. My passion is to bring into focus what others might pass by. I work in graphite, watercolor, charcoal, and oil paint. The object tells me what medium I need to use to get the most out of my subject. I’m inspired by the beauty found all around us and try to bring that out in my artwork,

My approach to art is possibly very different from most people. Using my fine jewelry background, I try to showcase the precious jewels that I see within the design of an item or arrangement. I see beauty in everyday objects. To me, the jewel of the scene is the way light reflects and refracts on the surface of the object. Often the beauty I see is just in the way colors relate to each other. I believe there’s a quiet reverence in this beauty. It is my desire to show people what I see and hope they can see the beauty of it too.

Born From Love

I am a multidisciplinary artist specializing in digital art that centers on storytelling and conceptual depth. With a background in interior decorating, textile design, and fashion concept design, my work reflects a fusion of structure, texture, and narrative. Each piece is thoughtfully created to communicate a deeper meaning, often inspired by personal experiences, cultural influences, and design principles. By blending elements from various creative disciplines, I develop visually compelling compositions that invite viewers to explore the concept and story behind each artwork. My practice is rooted in transforming ideas into immersive digital forms that connect aesthetics with emotion and meaning.

Born To Make Changes

Born and raised on Long Island in New York, Veronica dreamt of being an artist as a child, but it was many years before she could follow that dream and make it come true. Since studying with the artist, Kathi Coyle at her atelier in Gardner NY, she has had four local solo shows featuring her oils, pastels, and drawings and was named Artist of the month by the Center for Creative Education in Kingston, NY. She has been in 30 group participation online art exhibits including the Stay Home-Make Art for the Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz in NY in 2020. Ms. Russo won a page in World Wide Art Magazine #9 in 2022 which features her oil on canvas, Kathi’s Barn, and a page in World Wide Art Magazine #10 in September 2022 through Artavita.com featuring one of her watercolor botanicals.

“I just need two things-a paper and a pencil.”

Botanica Imaginaria Winter

Jan Brandt is an artist working in mixed media, textiles, printmaking, and painting. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Fine Arts, both from Illinois State University in Normal, IL. She is the owner of Jan Brandt Gallery in Normal, IL, and has curated Visiting Artist Exhibitions since 2012. Brandt’s work has been shown in San Francisco and Davis, CA, Chicago and surrounding areas, New York City, Oberlin, OH, Indianapolis and Evansville, IN, Boston, MA, Champaign- Urbana, and Peoria, IL as well as in her local community of Bloomington-Normal, IL. Her work has been exhibited digitally in three Venice Biennales and once in The Bienal de La Habana through the Boston Biennial Project.
Brandt’s work has been selected for many print and online publications, including Create Magazine, Studio Visit, and Creative Quarterly. Her installation work was featured in The Illinois State Museum Galleries of Lockport and Springfield. In 2018, Brandt’s Happy Contagion was exhibited at The Boston Biennial V at Atlantic Works Gallery as The First Prize Winner in the Installation Category. In 2020, she was part of a three-person show, “Prism,” at the McLean County Arts Center 2020. Her solo exhibition, “Hothouse” was on exhibit at The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria in the summer of 2021. Her work was included in the Champaign-Urbana, IL Boneyard Art Festival in 2020 and 2022. During the Fall of 2022, Brandt’s work was included in the juried Illiart exhibition at Gallery 7 in Lockport, Il as well as 1868- The Exhibition, Busey Bank Wealth Management Group, Urbana, IL. Brandt’s solo exhibition “Botanica Imaginaria” was shown January – February 2023 at Water Street Studios in Batavia, IL. She will exhibit at the Anne Lloyd Gallery, Decatur, IL in April 2023, and in Ottawa, IL’s Open Space Gallery Fall of 2023.

From my childhood spent on a farm, punctuated with visits to arboretums and botanical gardens, to the many hours now spent tending my garden, the higher dimensional hand-cut and sewn fiber installations I create have grown out of a lifelong fascination with the seemingly otherworldly realm of plant life. The use of abstract interpretations of botanical themes underscores my interest in both naturally occurring and personal expressions of growth. Utilizing sewing methods taught by my mother and grandmother as a child, I hand-form petals, vines, and leaves, oftentimes using thrifty and gifted materials. The abundantly bountiful dome-shaped sculptures recall the nurturing teachings of my mother and grandmother, while also allowing for a sense of surreal, childlike wonder and understanding of nature.

Botanique#Anemone-Pulsatilla

Amarger is a Paris-based visual and textile artist producing mural or sculptural pieces, interior and in situ installations, that explore themes of nature, light, memory, and human being. Her glossary of disciplines includes textile and digital techniques, laser cutting and engraving, photography, and painting. Amarger works with medical imagery, handmade paper, hot glue, textile, luminescent and reflective materials.

I have always worked on the beauty of Mother Nature through my art and these works are part of a series made from revisited botanical plates. Successive engravings refine the paper until it disappears, evoking in parallel that of plant species. Pieces of X-rays appear in the hollowed-out parts, suggesting the human, whose fate is intimately linked to that of nature. Under a decorative aesthetic aspect, this series conveys a lightness that veils the dramatic weight of the subject.

Bottle Your Blues

Tom Loggia began making pottery as a young boy growing up on Lake Truesdale in South Salem, New York. At age 11, he discovered the pleasures of working with clay on the potter’s wheel, an experience that quickly became a lifelong passion. During high school, one of his ceramic pieces was selected for his school’s first “Evening with the Stars” exhibition, encouraging him to continue creating in his free time.

As his interest deepened, Loggia became increasingly ambitious, building his own kick wheel along with raku and gas kilns. He spent years teaching himself the craft while learning to formulate the clays, slips, and glazes used in his work. Mentored by noted local ceramic artist Jay Lindsay, he attended numerous workshops and classes with accomplished ceramic artists. Through these experiences, Loggia continued developing his own distinctive style, which led to being honored with having one of his jugs jury-selected for a 2025 exhibition at the New York State Museum in Albany, New York. Having Tom’s work recognized and exhibited at the NYSM is extra special for him, being that he is a 10th-generation New Yorker, and being able to show his work there is extra special indeed.

He now enjoys sharing his knowledge with aspiring ceramic artists of all skill levels as the Senior Studio Manager and Teacher at the Railyard Arts Studio in Croton Falls, New York

With my art, I strive not only to connect with the earth but to become part of its history. Clay is a unique medium, as a fully fired ceramic piece can endure for thousands of years. Each finished work is a trail marker along my journey through life, leaving a small part of myself and documenting my existence through the permanence of clay.

I believe every piece should be truly one of a kind. I often take the longer path, making many of my own clays, slips, and glazes, sometimes incorporating natural elements from my surroundings. Using traditional pottery techniques, I focus on the strength, structure, and natural form of each vessel. I do very little trimming, allowing the piece to retain its individuality and subtle imperfections.

Each work is stamped “Loggia” and signed “Loggia View,” along with details of its creation, so future generations may understand the journey of each piece and feel a connection to the person who made it.

Bound To Grow

My ya’ll is an authentic one being from Texas. After a career as a nurse, I turned to photography as a way to express myself. I compromised on my childhood vocational dreams and found that my desire for storytelling was much more suited to be done through my camera. I am self-taught when it comes to photography, although I have wonderful peers that willingly share their knowledge and experience. (An extra special thank you to the boy in my life who has been supportive from day one.) I have been fortunate to connect with audiences and galleries that enjoy my artistry.

I started reading when I was 4. I had a voracious appetite for the words that formed music, poems, plays, and novels. Growing up, I wanted to be a librarian by day and an author by night. At many key moments in my life, I failed to communicate what I needed to say because I couldn’t find words that seemed powerful enough to encompass my thoughts and feelings. I was often misunderstood. However, with my camera; my voice, and my thoughts finally found an outlet. My photographic approach is to try and capture movement or color in a way that creates a visceral response from the viewer when seeing a subject captured in this way. I want to draw the viewer into the visual story that unfolds when I use my camera to seek out the essence of my subjects. Stories breathe life into images and forge connections to art in a way that still fills me with awe.

Bounty Of Heather

Dixie Allen enjoys exploring the planet through adventures in Photography, Art, Nature, Travel, and Hiking. Her Lens-based Photography and Art Curation reflect a passion for these interests.

The Photographic series Adventures in Global Travels brings her storytelling to the forefront. Photographic works appear in numerous exhibitions and publications.

Including Scotiabank CONTACT Photography, ORION Magazine US-based global reach, Women’s Art Association of Canada, Todmorden Mills Papermill Gallery, Visual Art Open 2023, London U.K.

Art Curation projects include the ECHOES Juried International Art Exhibition, the Hotshots Photography Exhibition, and the Through Hikers Lens Photography Exhibition.

In 2022, completed Sotheby’s Art Institute Art Curation, London U.K
A published author with media and public-speaking appearances.
McGill University Executive Management graduates with an accomplished career in Business and Finance. Dixie brings decades of Business Leadership with a dynamic range of creative skills into the evolving world of Art.
Dixie Allen
Toronto, Canada

Chasing light in all ranges and catching a glimpse of an extraordinary moment in nature are the primary inspirations for my lens-based photographic images.

As light shifts are swift and fleeting, camera craft, photographic composition, and depth of field are applied with urgency to create the image as nature had painted it. Images come to life through a dynamic range of colors and light within the composition. My photographic works take full form through storytelling, be it factual, imagined, or a shared experience with the viewer.

Images are printed on Live-Edge Archival paper, Giclée Canvas, Acrylic, or Metal as best suits the atmosphere of the composition.
The Art of Photography changes like the light. Each moment introduces a refreshing perspective, taking this photographer on a never-ending journey of discovery to capture the beauty in the world we share.

Bouquet

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 Jewel 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 online courses and dedicating countless hours in the studio, has led Gayle to newfound success in her career as an artist.

In her current artistic chapter, Gayle has embraced the multi-dimensional world of layered acrylic painting. These layered landscape paintings pulsate with depth, intricate patterns, and whimsical interpretations, inviting viewers to step into a space that offers a sanctuary from life’s pressures. Her aspiration is clear — to guide everyone towards a place, be it a memory or a dream, where they can meander, savor the fragrance of flowers, feel the gentle breeze, lean against a tree, and simply breathe.

Gayle’s works have graced numerous exhibitions, gallery shows, and juried art festivals, earning accolades and finding homes in corporate and private collections across the globe.

In my art practice, I describe my creations as Textural Acrylics. This term represents the exciting experience of observing paint flow from the palette knife, forming captivating textures and colors. Each stroke channels emotion and every canvas captures a moment of creative inspiration.

My process is spontaneous – I start with a loose outline, sketch the composition, and then fully immerse myself in the act of creating. Throughout the process, music is my closest companion, its volume soaring. I dance to the rhythm, losing myself in the beats, and, on occasion, even letting out a song. My painting process is a multisensory experience, an immersive journey into the fusion of sound and color, where each note becomes a brushstroke and every stroke on the canvas is a dance of creation. I often liken my paintings to cherished children—it’s a relationship that involves nurturing, engaging in heartfelt conversations, and weathering the challenges of creative adolescence with boundless love and patience. With each brushstroke, I invest love, patience, and understanding, allowing the artwork to evolve organically. The end result is akin to witnessing a child mature into a beautiful, fully-formed adult—a testament to the transformative power of artistic expression.

When the viewer engages with my work, I want them to do more than observe; I want them to partake in the sensory journey. Inhale the delicate fragrance of blooming flowers, listen to the subtle rustle of leaves, lean against the painted tree, and simply breathe. My paintings are meant to cease to be static images—they become portals, immersive experiences where anyone is welcome to wander, explore, and connect with the essence of my artistic vision. Through my Textural Acrylics, I aim to create a sanctuary where the boundaries between creator and audience blur, and the shared experience becomes a celebration of art and life.