Aquarium

Ronaldo Byrd was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He is a Contemporary Hip “Pop” Artist who began painting at the tender age of 3. As an early teen, Byrd was accepted to and attended Art Instruction School, which boasts graduate, Charles Schulz. He graduated and received a Diploma in Art from Art Instruction School at age 16. While enrolled in the course, Byrd was also attending The High School of Art and Design in New York City, before moving to Burlington, New Jersey. Byrd then was accepted to and attended Burlington County Institute of Technology, where he majored in and received a Diploma in the field of Advertising Art and Design. Byrd is mostly a self-taught Artist who has developed his own style of art and his own characters, which he puts in phenomenal scenes. He has shown his work in several galleries, including a solo show at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Byrd and his artwork have also been featured in several newspapers and magazines. One of which includes, The Philadelphia Inquirer. He has also been a feature story on CBS 3 Eyewitness News. Byrd’s message to the world through his artwork is one of love and acceptance. His hope is to convey this as boldly and as beautifully as he can.

I am a Contemporary Hip “Pop” Artist who just happens to be on the Autistic Spectrum. My artwork focuses on the fact that everyone is beautiful regardless of race, color, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. The bold colors I use represent the way I see the world. There is beauty in everything I see and I believe that everyone has something to offer to the world in their own special and unique way. Thus, I have been deemed “The Artist of Happiness” because of the joy that my artwork brings to countless people. My art and I represent differences and my hope and goal is for the entire world to be able to see beauty and acceptance through my eyes—-the eyes of an artist.

Arashiyama At Night

Born in Beacon NY, Mark is an artist based in Las Vegas, who is known for his impressionist paintings that capture people, places, and the events in his life. Timeless and tasteful, or modern and messy, images in his life demand to be examined. Mark often uses acrylic paint to create highly textured, three-dimensional works on canvas. A graduate of San Jose State’s art program, Mark’s first influence was his great uncle, Alfred Pizzarelli, an artist from New York City in the 1950s-60s. When admiring his uncle’s wonderful paintings, Mark would daydream about the people he painted, and interpret their expressions and colorful surroundings. Mark’s paintings are meant to burst with energy, life, and texture, beckoning the viewer to engage with the same wonderment he experienced as a child. You can find Mark’s artwork across Las Vegas in restaurants, wineries, and local galleries. When Mark’s not working, he’s spending time with his wife, Alicia, and their English bulldog, Belma.

So many things I think about when I look far away. Things I know, things I wonder, things I’d like to say.

After 20 wonderful years of painting, I decided that it was a perfect time to explore different landscapes. After months of researching different regions, I settled on Nara Park Japan. I found the history and landscapes to be intoxicating.

My artwork is a direct reflection of the different seasons of the park. I like to work in acrylics on canvas to enhance all the emotions and colors that Nara has to offer. I use bright or muted colors to communicate the magic and essence of the ever-changing seasons. Even as I branch out to other mediums or subject matters, I’m always tempted to come back to Nara Park.

If a viewer stops for just a moment to reflect on a piece I have created and feels emotion from the thousands of colors captured on canvas that reflect the different seasons, then I have succeeded in my work.

Arohita (Accent)

Nupur Nishith is a USA-based, award-winning artist inspired by Mithila or Madhubani paintings. Roots in Darbhanga-Madhubani, like any Maithil girl, Nupur inherited Mithila Art from her Mother, Dr Mridula Prakash, the first PhD in History of Mithila Painting. She did an MBA and pursued a career in Marketing and Banking with Bank of Baroda. Relocated to the US when her husband was transferred to the New York office in 2011. She rediscovered her art and developed her unique and distinct style in the contemporary art world with a traditional art form, using varied themes and tools. Works on various surfaces ranging from Paper, Canvas, Glass, Clay, Ceramic, Wood, Aluminum, Murals on walls, ceilings, and floors, and installations to Digital tools and software. Her painting Dheeya was awarded by a jury from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), NY. Her art has featured in United Nations, Consulate General Of India, NY, Disney family house, Dr Harvey Manes, Nassau County Museum of Art, NY, Asian Art Museum, SFO, CA, Gracie Mansion, New York Mayor Residence, CBS Sunday Morning News, ABC7 News, News12 NY, Huffington Post, Daily California, Indian National Award winning movie Mithila Makhaan among others. With more than 60 exhibitions in the US, she has 8 Solo exhibitions and around 6 Curatorial ventures. Art Ambassador to share dias as a Speaker for Art and Culture of Bihar with Hon. Consulate General of India, NY, and Emmy Nominated Host to some of the internationally acclaimed people, International Mithila Mahila Summit, Nupur is a great advocate of Mithila Art and Culture globally. Nupur actively supports other Artists as one of the leaders in various art organizations, including former Vice President, Pro Arts, the leading art group in New Jersey. She is the founder of Creative Mithila, which intends to promote Mithila Art globally.

I practice art inspired by Mithila or Madhubani folk art from India. I paint on canvas, paper, cloth, wood, ceramic, terracotta, glass, aluminum, along with murals on walls, ceilings, floors, and 3D installations. Even digital paintings for an even wider reach. I have evolved a unique style of art with an amalgamation of traditional motifs of ancient folk art with modern contemporary themes and tools with global appeal.

Mithila Artform is famous for the details in the paintings in a flat two-dimensional perspective with no shading or overlapping. Taking it to the next level, I draw inspiration for my art from my experience and surroundings. I visualize objects and situations in perspective to create the symbolic motifs and designs that make my art unique and distinct. Mithila paintings use natural and bright colors with symbolic distinct features, which I never hesitate to experiment with while conserving the essence of the art form. While a set of my paintings is inspired by the colors in the artform, mostly primary colors, the other set is mostly black and white or subtle use of a few colors in line work, also inspired by the artform. Paints range from various contemporary commercial paints to natural vegetable paints used with brush or dip nibs. I like to work mostly freehand without using any stencils or pattern tools on my projects.

I have learned through observation and everyday experiments. During research and production, new areas of interest arise and lead to the next body of work. So, every piece that I create has a story to tell based on the research and its process of development

Ascending Shadows

Raffi Bashlian’s photography beautifully weaves together themes of resilience and the complexity of human experiences. With a rich cultural background from cities like San Francisco, London, New York, and now Paris, Raffi infuses his art with a global perspective. His dual roles as a clinician and researcher lend depth to his visual narratives, allowing him to capture emotional nuances with scientific precision. The stark contrasts he observed during Lebanon’s civil war—where destruction meets renewal—serve as a powerful backdrop for his storytelling.

Through his lens, Raffi reveals the hidden beauty in everyday life, encouraging viewers to appreciate both the simplicity and intricacies of existence. Each image he captures symbolizes survival and transformation, inspiring hope and resilience in those who engage with his work. His art transcends traditional photography, creating an immersive tapestry of cultural narratives that foster connection and reflection, celebrating the essence of life and the extraordinary stories within ordinary moments.

Raffi’s award-winning portfolio spans diverse genres, ignited by a transformative safari experience in Africa in 2013. From the majesty of wildlife to urban architecture and vibrant street scenes, his keen eye captures unique moments that tell compelling stories. His understanding of composition, timing, and gesture reveals a passion for symmetry and balance, whether in striking black and white or vibrant colors. For Raffi, photography is not just about capturing images; it’s about seeing the world through a fresh lens and expressing his artistic voice. Each photograph reflects his commitment to uncovering the beauty and complexity of everyday life, inviting us to discover hidden treasures in the most unexpected places.

In the “Where Worlds Meet” exhibition, my photographic series explores the dynamic interplay of urban landscapes and the ethereal realms of imagination. I have always been very curious about our wonderful world and what it visually offers. What fascinates me about photography is the ability to start a narrative, while leaving it open for interpretation by the viewer. My work ranges from abstract compositions to simple and straightforward images. When I witness a scene, I strive to visualize it as I experience it, seeking the perfect angle and patiently waiting for the ideal moment and lighting to capture it. This process can be spontaneous or require hours of dedication. Photography not only feeds my imagination but also excites my mind. It takes me to beautiful places, both physically and spiritually. I find it to be a therapeutic and fulfilling art form. I hope you enjoy my work and find your own stories within them. Through these works, I aim to build bridges across perceived divides, inspiring audiences to embrace the multifaceted nature of connectivity and coexistence. My artistic vision seeks to celebrate the beauty and complexity that emerges when different worlds, identities, and elements meet, intertwine, and coexist within the realm of artistic expression.

Ashish (Blessings)

Athena

Nikki is a Fine Artist based in the South Lakes, Cumbria, UK. Nikki studied Theatre Design in Birmingham before completing a PGCE in Lancaster and a MA in Film and TV Production Design in Kingston. After completing her studies Nikki went on to be Head of Art and Design, Photography, and Media Studies in a school outside London before moving back to the Lake District in 2010. Nikki currently teaches full-time A-level and Post 18 Art, Design, and Photography as well as working on her own creative practice. Nikki has always worked on her own creative practice whilst working full time and completed commissions over the years in a variety of media and subject matter as well as being a lifestyle and wedding photographer for a short time.

Nikki lives with her Italian husband and two boys and can be found avidly reading or walking their beagle in the beautiful surroundings of the Lakes when she isn’t teaching or being creative.

When I consider my own artwork, I often struggle to find the words to describe my work, creating art is a need for me, to unload my thoughts and emotions. My artwork comes from within and often contains locations or motifs that are personal or from my surroundings. I have always enjoyed color and nature, and when I paint, I love exploring different color palettes to provoke different emotions and feelings. Art to me should be something to be enjoyed and bring different meanings to those who look upon it.

I enjoy working with portraits, the human face can show a variety of emotions and can create mystery and intrigue. I have a passion and love for lighting, color, and a sense of narrative within my work due to my background in film. My love of narrative and storytelling within the image, I hope creates intrigue and invites the viewer to interpret ideas for themselves, to question and be thoughtful.

During the pandemic, painting was my lifeline. I enjoyed rediscovering color within portraiture and using elements at juxtapositions to develop compositions that created new ideas. My work contains motifs of floral elements associated with emotions, feminine traits, and awareness of balance within compositions, through color and texture. The lockdown gave me time to re-energize my artwork and reflect inwardly to express outwardly in my painting. Through expressing floral elements, I have explored the Queen of flowers the peony in recent work. A flower that can bring joy and beauty into the world during some dark times. These flowers represent regrowth, strength, and resilience as well as feminine beauty and softness. My most recent work has explored Goddesses and the divine feminine with symbolism within the flowers selected, colors, and other elements helping to tell a story.

Attraction

Subodh Maheshwari was born in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, North India where she learned folk art and classical music. She passionately believes: “In the threshold of my life, my present is the window to the past and a key to the future”. She acquired her degrees and studied art at Agra University, California State University of Fullerton, and the University of California Irvine. Subodh has won numerous awards, including the Regional Fellowship Award at UCI in 1986, the Bharat Gaurav Award in India in 2015, and the 60 Masters Award in 2017, 2018, and 2019. She is also registered in Marquis’ “Who’s Who in America”, the standard in biographical information. Her paintings have also won awards in a variety of categories including landscape, open, all women, nature, elements, seasons, and abstract.

Subodh is a diversified artist who enjoys telling stories through her artwork, whether it is through landscape, flowers, or abstract art. Her art is a fusion of Eastern symbolism and Western composition, influenced by 16th and 17th century Rajasthani and Mogul art, and accented by poetry, passages, and phrases in Hindi, Sanskrit, and English. She admires Georgia O’Keeffe for her floral influence, and Frida Kahlo for her courage. Whether it is the serene beauty of nature, her spirituality, or the current political climate, she finds inspiration. Having a life shared between India and America, she sees the beautiful similarities, like love which transcends all borders. Highly individual in her style, her works are described as emotional, mysterious, personal, spiritual, and humorous.

Attractive Nuisance

Anna Mathai is a multidisciplinary artist based in San Francisco with a practice spanning from mixed media and painting to sculpture, decorative residential wall installations, and writing. She creates sculptural and textured works that use color, light, texture, and shadow to tell her story, and frequently works with plaster, textile, and metal. Her goal is to create things that hold some strange magic. It’s why she likes to experiment with and create new methods (like her “canvas kintsugi” and hardened silk origami). She makes works that interact with their viewers and the light around them, reflecting, shifting colors, and jumping off of the wall to mingle art and enjoyment, to transcend viewing into experiencing. She feels that the aesthetics (and a touch of whimsy) are paramount. However, on the “series level,” her work often references deeper themes from her life, such as rebellion, feminism, “otherness”, and the immigrant experience. Her work, however, is not overtly political. In her mind, her art generally reflects on boundaries, both real and imagined and blurs them.

Mathai was born in the UK to Indian parents but spent most of her childhood in the rural Deep South. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University after graduating from the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and Arts, then went to medical school, and eventually law school, later practicing as an entertainment lawyer. Since pursuing her art professionally, her work has been featured in international art magazines and exhibited nationwide. In her other time, she writes lyrics and screenplays, enjoys nature with her Australian Shepherd, and Cowboy, and tests jokes on friends and family.

I create sculptural and textured works that use color, light, texture, and shadow to tell my story, and frequently work with plaster, textile, and metal. I want to create things that hold some sort of strange magic. It’s why I like to experiment with new methods and create works that interact with their viewers and the light around them, jumping out of the canvas to mingle art and enjoyment, to transcend viewing into experiencing. I feel that the aesthetic (and a touch of whimsy) is paramount, though on the “series level,” my works sometimes reference deeper themes from my life, including those of rebellion, feminism, and the immigrant experience. My work is not overtly political, and it would be unlike me to have one meaning for any single work—in fact, the exploration of dualities and the blurring of them is conceptually central to most of my art. Even in my poetic writing, I find beauty in the multiplicity and ambiguity of meaning. So, I prefer to avoid prescribing meaning to each work and let the viewer interact with it themselves, adding to the art with their own interpretation. It’s a sort of acceptance of all meanings: each one is true as it applies to you—I call it my “quantum art” philosophy. All that being said, in my mind, my work generally reflects on boundaries, both real and imagined, and blurs them.

Aura 11 Seahorse Shooting Star