ART TALK

Eric Vanasse photographed with his work

Eric Vanasse, an oil painter from Canada, paints scenes that highlight the beauty of nature with subtle undertones of its fragility. He works within the theme of environmental art. The relationship between his work and that of Earthworks is salient in the way that it ignores its anti-gallery impulse while foregrounding its ecological impulse.

Tropical Flamingos (18“x 24“) by Eric Vanasse, oil painting 

Earthwork's movement out-of-doors, perceived as an “anti-gallery” and “anti-museum” campaign, was inherently controversial in the art world. By using natural materials and amplifying work to an epic scale, artists flouted the confinement and commodification of traditional art forums. While this is undoubtedly bold, it corners artwork into a limited position whose controversy is difficult to sustain without shock factor.

On the other hand, the second prominent impulse behind the Earthworks seems to only have increased in relevance. The onset of the movement coincided with the ecology movement in 1960 that combated increasing eco-menaces such as litter, urban sprawl, and pollution in general and has proven to have longevity.

Eric Vanasse’s work highlights the shortcomings of the "anti-gallery" sentiment, while foregrounding the continued interest in the ecological factors.   

Because a painting is an imagined ecosystem, made of paint, contained by canvas, and unbound by place, it can push into a realm of speculation and hypothesis that the real world and Earthworks' scale cannot. 

Painting allows Eric to project imagined or unlikely scenes into the visual world that awakens chilling realizations about the current climate. For example, in his series, “Losing Paradise,” he creates work that centers on wild animals losing their natural environments.

Losing Eden (24” x 36”) by Eric Vanasse, oil painting

In Losing Eden, he perches a polar bear on a rock distinctly outside of the arctic. The thrashing, dirty waves and angry sky tinge the painting with an impending doom. By mixing elements of realism and imagination, he simulates a vision, heightens the anxiety and uncertainty, and consequently, compels emotion.

Jesse Aldana photographed with his work

Jesse often portrays stark oppositions throughout his paintings such as sky and street, concrete and air, and building and clouds. These junctures between the natural world and the manmade world are a reminder of mankind’s chilling grip on the landscape, and vise versa. 

The Beverly Hilton (30″ x 40″) by Jesse Aldana, oil painting

Jesse often portrays stark oppositions throughout his paintings such as sky and street, concrete and air, and building and clouds. These junctures between the natural world and the manmade world are a reminder of mankind’s chilling grip on the landscape, and vise versa.

While the work of these artists diverges from earthworks in its relationship to medium and site, they imbue the theme of ecology with a multiplicity of perspective, vision, and potential. 

These new perspectives suggest that when a work of art is so inextricably bound to its place, it is profoundly limited to its own situation. So as these ecological statements translate into a post-earthworks world, the most innovative aspect of Earthworks in the 1960s becomes its most limiting aspect in 2017.

Carson Refinery (30″ x 40″) by Jesse Aldana, oil painting

By innovating with sight, rather than site, artists such as Eric Vanasse and Jesse Aldana, guide viewers to a visual agility and elastic perspective. Their freedom as painters can present different versions of the world that break beyond one rock face, or lakeside horizon line, or city in upstate New York. 

1. The Sounds of Children Playing by Ivan Markovic, sculpture

As invoked by its heartwarming title, this minimal wooden sculpture pays homage to the boundless depths of a child’s imagination. The artist, Ivan, learned to sculpt from his father at a young age – a craftsman’s heirloom that bridges generations. Throughout his sculptures Ivan casts a smooth minimalism onto his materials. The naturalism that invokes questions of the human body and its relationships to the external world.

2. White Light (24” x 18”) by Katarina Vicenova, oil painting

In this painting, Katarina evokes the sleepy and graceful rapture of a pre-Raphaelite beauty with edges of a modernist flair. White Light captures a single female figure amid a transcendent moment in nature. The work is impressionist in its quick brushstrokes and flickering feeling of a passing sensation.

3. Marshlands (48” x 72”) by Jenn Williamson, acrylic painting 

A largescale painting, such as Marshlands, offers an aesthetic voyage that is a transporting escapism. This enveloping work by new artist, Jenn Williamson, allows the viewer to fully immerse into the serene composition. The variations that play into the subtlety of nature, the softening changes, and the hazy muddling of colors are constant reminder of nature’s own abstract capacity.

4. Sailing the Open Sea by Stephanie Sherman, photography

Sailing the Open Sea, a photograph by Stephanie Sherman is at once calming and invigorating. The image projects the lost-and-found trajectory selfhood takes on a personal journey. The picture plane, broken up by an elevated horizon line, takes on t the sailboat lifting the sense of enveloped unity felt by a sea soaked voyager.

5. Young Bride (14” x 11”) by John Gardner, mixed media artwork

This puzzling collage juxtaposes themes of matrimony, celestial bodies, and geometry to engage the mind with questions about perspective and time. There is a faded, vintage feel to the images in the collage situates the work with a particular date, but also allows the viewer a point of connection.  The work puns on the notion of “space” as both the macro of outer space and the micro of spatial relationships, forcing a comparison between inner and outer space.

Introducing: Dina Volkova

No matter how many times the sentiments behind “it’s all about the journey” or “enjoy the ride” is calcified into cliché, the words are no competition for a Dina Volkova painting. She is spot on in her capture of the beauty of transit. From an airplane on a runway to a highway scene, she depicts the beauty of transportation in a serene, painterly, and impressionist style. With a chilled warmth and soft subtlety, Dina pauses in the moments that daily life rushes by. 

Sunrise on a Runway (18″ x 18″) by Dina Volkova, oil painting 

Introducing: Gregory Noblin 

For any subject whose most adequate adjectives are stout, squatty, and proud, there is an inherent humor. Figures in Gregory Noblin’s paintings like the pig in Misbehavin’ and the horse of War of the Roses bear this whimsical humor with a good-postured dignity. However, beneath this humor, and throughout all of Gregory’s mixed-media artwork there are deeper messages that blur fable, fantasy, idiom, childhood, and metaphor. On both levels, there is something to be seen in every one of his works.

War of the Roses (31″ x 31″) by Gregory Noblin, mixed-media artwork

Introducing: Jan Fontecchio Perley 

Jan Fontecchio Perley’s mystifying animal portraits take on the project of a realist but in the whimsical and graceful manner of an impressionist. Her paintings are remarkably relatable. They capture the candid essence of her subjects in their details; each animal – in visage, posture, and relationships – suggests a subtle anthropomorphism that reaches out to connect with the viewer. This deep, reactive duality is playfully underscored in the titles, whose puns pop and irony rings.

You Lookin’ at Me? (22.75″ x 22.75″) by Jan Fontecchio Perley, oil painting 

Introducing: Natalie George

Upon first glance, a Natalie George painting seems like strict abstraction devoid of referent; however, with proper patience a community of concealed references break out of the camouflage. Shrubbery, horizon lines, water, and light reflections all hover on the edge of the paintings’ first impressions waiting to be discovered. This engaging dynamic to her paintings become a metaphor Natalie’s own background in classical and realist painting.

Brightwood Pond Triptych (24”x 60”) by Natalie George mixed-media artwork

Tell me a bit about yourself and Your Creative Brain. How did you begin get started in studying the relationship between psychology and creativity?

I am actually a psychopathologist (one who studies mental illness) by training. I originally became interested in the field of creativity by reading biographies of creative luminaries and noticing that many had struggles with inner demons – including artists such as van Gogh, Michelangelo, Jackson Pollack, writers like Hemingway and Virginia Woolf, and composers such as Robert Schumann, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.

I wanted to know if there were aspects of mental illness that enhanced creative work, and that led me to become interested in the neuroscience of creativity. I truly believe, after over 20 years of studying the brain and creativity, that we are all in possession of a wonderful creativity machine – our amazing human brains! 

The book Your Creative Brain is my effort to explain what we know about creativity and the brain (or knew about it in 2010 when I wrote the book – we continue to learn more about this of course!) and how we can use this knowledge to enhance our natural creative endowments.

Many of the artists in our gallery are in their 60s and 70s. From your research, have you found that there is any connection between age, psychology, and creativity?

There are a number of reasons that the 60s and 70s are a fertile time in the lifespan for the artist. First, of course, is the time element itself. A creative individual in their 60s and 70s at last has leisure time to devote to exploration of the domain and honing their skills – without the daily responsibilities of office deadlines and childrearing. Throughout the course of history, we have seen that cultures and individuals with leisure time are those that produce the most creative work.

Second, allow me to offer my definition of creativity. It is the ability to combine elements (or bits of information that may be stored in your unique repository of memories, knowledge, skills, and experiences) in novel or original ways to produce ideas or products that are useful or in some way adaptive. The artist in his or her 60s and 70s has an increased store of what I refer to as “bits of information.” This is crystalized intelligence or wisdom that can be embedded into artwork often without conscious intent, but that adds meaning and depth to the work that you just don’t see with the younger artist.

Thus, in my opinion, what the artist in their 60s or 70s “sees” when they create work has more richness, and the work embodies more of the human experience.

Guitarists (36″ x 36″) by Pierro Manrique, acrylic painting 

We have found that our collectors typically buy UGallery art for emotional fulfillment, rather than investment opportunities. In what ways does keeping art around the home or office benefit the creativity and mental health of viewers?

Art is a way that we are able to share something of the human experience with others. When we view art, we are not just looking at color and form, but at the interpretation of another human of some facet of our existence. 

Viewing art is a shared connection with the subject matter and with the artist. Art is a way that we communicate with each other – sometimes across centuries, across continents, and across ideologies to find that shared element of human experience. We thrive on those connections with others, even when we do not consciously think about them or recognize them.

Look But Still Leap (16“ x 16“) by Gwen Gunter, acrylic painting

At UGallery, we have a hypothesis that the rise of sales and popularity of original art is a reaction to an increasingly digital and virtual world. Do you think there is any truth behind our theory? 

Yes. And thank you for bringing that to my attention. I think a lot about the effects of the digital world on creativity, but this is one aspect that I hadn’t thought about until you asked.

As our interactions with others become more digital and virtual, we will naturally seek out, perhaps crave, ways to connect with others through physical objects and experiences. Having an original artwork in our home or office is one way to make that connection - with the artist who is sharing their interpretation of some corner of existence with us in a personal way.

Inherit No. 2 (19.7” x 19.7”) by Yuan Hua Jia, oil painting

In this oil painting, the ghostly skeleton of classical Chinese furniture hovers over a simple green background. But this painting is as problematizing as it is meditative. The outline of the classical furniture and the plum blossom have gossamer and incidental ties to the background calling to question the inheritability of an intangible cultural heritage.

Spring Tree Convergence (10” x 10”) by Janet Dyer, acrylic painting

Spring Tree Convergence delights in the fruitfulness of green. The grass, rendered in broad, improvisational strokes is the springboard trees that bear leaves of various colors. This painting has an optimistic outlook of springtime productivity that is literally grounded in green.

Near the Quiet Stream (16” x 20”) by Sharon France, acrylic painting

A spotlight on a calming green would be grievously incomplete without mention of Sharon France’s work. Her use of green, particularly in Near the Quiet Stream both in the field and the misty atmosphere creates a tranquil idealism of country life. The subtle variations of green in the greens of the tufts of trees, the stream, tinges of the sky, and the grass suggest a unified calmness of the color.

Kensworth (20” x 24”) by Allan Friedlander, acrylic painting

Kensworth is one painting in Friedlander’s series of depictions of English countryside. There is an undeniable balance through different shades of greenery that anchors the composition. The patchwork of yellow-green hues juxtaposed with the cloudy sky are the quintessence of natural harmony.

We hope that these highlights have brought peace and serenity that will carry through the rest of the new year!

Color Prediction: Green and Yellow

Country Life Charm (12” x 24”) by Nava Lundy acrylic painting

If the earth had a mood ring, it would be art. Art is the expression of a deeply personal energy that courses through both artists and collectors. Consequently, the trends in art sway with the general sentiments and shifting values and projects into the world through its colors. 2017, even as mere reaction, is a year of growth, rejuvenation, and rebirth. Greens and yellows are manifestations of renewed, exciting impulses. These colors light up with positive energy, photosynthesizing the sugars of our own happiness.

Subject Prediction: Animals

Waterfall and Waxwings (9” x 12”) by Jan Fontecchio Perley, oil painting on wood

Generally, when times are more uncertain, there is a subtle but district tendency towards creating and buying animal art. Within our own gallery there is an upsurge in animal focused art -- from anthropomorphized cows, to a selection of rooster art, and everything in between. Juxtaposed with the outside world, the interior becomes a space of comfort. Whether channeling the comfort and simplicity of story time nostalgia or the subterranean and self-identification of metaphor, or a mix of both, animal art will continue to strike a chord in 2017.

Scale Prediction: Large-Scale Artworks

Adonai (40” x 60”) by Iris Scott, oil painting

While 2016 was the year of the “Tiny Painting,” we are expecting a big change in 2017. We foresee a rise in large-scale, space-filling artwork. This type of art prompts the cognitive shift out of an individual perspective and reaffirms the connection to the larger systems of the world and beyond. It is rather refreshing. With artwork that is amplified to an environment changing, something as simple as stepping into a room becomes a chance to reset with a fresh perspective.

Source Prediction: International Art

Abstract 206 (24” x 48”) by Jingshen You, oil painting

Throughout 2016, we have seen a steady increase in international artists that we represent on our gallery. With more international artists than ever bubbling up into our “Top Artist” page. These increases suggest a trend that will continue throughout 2017. With a worldwide, longstanding reliance on the internet, art from faraway places gives new exposure and connections between artists and collectors that would have unlikely have been made before. 

Purpose Prediction: Art for Appreciation

Blossom Evolution XIX (36” x 36”) by Naoko Paluszak, oil painting

This is a trend that has been rumbling in the distance for several years. As art news circulates stories of plummeting price tags, we sense a reevaluation in the general stance on art. Because of the unpredictability of the market, the intention behind purchasing art becomes less driven by the mirage of financial gains and more by the fulfilment of a personal need for originality and emotional connection through artwork. As speculation on the mercurial market becomes deemphasized, art will function as it was originally intended: as a way to enrich lives and spread joy.

This past year was one of growth and expansion for UGallery. From welcoming new team members and moving into a new office space, to bringing more variety to our roster of artists and inventory, we continued our journey to become the leading curated online gallery.

The scene at the 10-year-anniversary party on the rooftop of our new office space 

Growing into the Space

Since we launched in 2006, the mindset towards an online art gallery has changed considerably.

In the first few years of UGallery, the most commonly asked question was, “Will people really buy art online?” The past ten years have answered that question with a resounding “yes!”

2016 was particularly pivotal in understanding our place in the art marketplace. We had the opportunity to interact more closely with many of our customers and artists. Through pioneering the curated gallery space in ways that distinguish us from our competitors, we’ve reached a more full understanding of who we are as a company and our position in the larger art world.

One of the most exciting areas of growth is within our staff. With the new positions of Marketing Associate, Senior Art Consultant, and Artist Liaison, our team has grown significantly this year. In a short time, we’ve already begun to provide stronger content, marketing, and relationships with artists and collectors.

The UGallery team

International Expansion

In addition to internal growth, expansion has stood out as another theme in the past year.

We currently represent more international artists than ever. With top artists such as Jingshen You from China, Gustavo Minas from Brazil, Fernando Bosch from Spain, and creators from many other countries, we are grateful to provide opportunities for artists and collectors to make connections that would not have happened before.

We are also expanding to represent more established artists and offer a growing variety of art, such as more sculpture and large-scale works on the site.

Spirit 1 (40″ x 40″) by Jingshen You, oil painting

Looking Ahead

In 2017, expect noticeable improvements to the customer experience, such as filters, search results, and curated collections, making it more enjoyable to shop for art. We look forward to continuing to increase and strengthen our roster of artists and refine the look and experience of the website. Lastly, we are excited about building UGallery’s physical presence and increasing the ways you – our customers and artists – can interact with us. So plan on seeing more of us in person soon :). With that, I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Supermoon (20″ x 24″) by Sidonie Caron, acrylic painting

“I think my ‘style’ is recognizable in whatever subjects I choose to depict,” says Sidonie. “My aesthetic is to create something beautiful with some subtlety. Consequently, my enjoyment and challenges come with whatever I choose to paint; landscapes, seascapes, abstracts and so on.”

Beach Evening (24″ x 32″ ) by Sidonie Caron, acrylic painting

She is an artist based in Portland, Oregon. She categorizes several of her paintings in a collection called the “Visual Catalogue of Portland.”

Recently, Sidonie has been painting city scenes throughout Portland. She captures the images of her city’s historical homes.

“Sadly many of them have been demolished because of ‘gentrification’ or ‘progress’ which is a shame as I feel these are part of the history of the city of Portland,” says Sidonie.  

Arable Land (25.5″ x 30″) by Sidonie Caron, acrylic painting

Whether painting the historical relics of her city, the banks of a river, the ocean, or a mountainous scene, Sidonie maintains a signature style that unites a multiplicity of subject matter.  

The role of her brushstrokes in her compositions is wonderful and complicated.

In the backgrounds, they often, bear broadened sweeps that give widening impressions. Yet, in the fore- and mid-grounds, her strokes appear as if they have a casual knack for capturing detail precisely and pristinely.

Hardstem Brushes (48″ x 72″) by Sidonie Caron, acrylic painting 

The contrast between the clouds in the sky and the reeds on the riverbank in the painting, Hardstem Brushes, illuminates this dexterous brushwork.

In this way, Sidonie’s detailed foregrounds and sweeping backgrounds enact a perspectival tidalism; where, the eye ebbs and flows in and out of wide and narrow focus.

You have been teaching for 20+ years. How did you first get started?

I first got started teaching at a sleepaway camp that I used to go to over the summer. When I was old enough to be a counselor, I ran their arts and crafts programs. I was 17 at the time and have pretty much taught since.

What were some of your founding principles for your current work?

My founding principle is that everyone has his or her own true, creative voice and that if you trust in yourself you will be able to express your own truth. I believe we each have something unique and valuable to add to this world.

When did you get the idea for Studio Stories? 

The idea for Studio Stories came from the classes I started teaching 11 years ago. I found that through writing, making art, and sharing in a supportive and safe atmosphere people figure truths out about themselves, have epiphanies about their lives, and make big changes.

I told my husband about these epiphanies and he encouraged me to write a book. So, that was an interesting moment for me because typically my creative work comes from my own heart and soul. And in this case someone was telling me to create this book. I saw it as my husband’s vision; so, it took me a while to understand what it would look like from my perspective.  

Mess of a book, plasticine.

When I started, I had no picture in my mind of the finished book. Around that time, in my art classes, we were working in clay using the idea of “Life as a journey.” My journey at that moment, writing a book, was a total mess. Thankfully, one of my students, and an author of 3 published books, explained to me that all books look like that when they start. I can’t tell you how helpful that was!

What are some of the similarities that you found between painting or sculpting and writing?

Once I started writing, I realized that it was just another creative process. I understood why writing is called a craft – you craft your words. In some ways, it is the same process as painting. They are both forms of self-expression. And, the way that you write and write, and then then step back to change, alter, and reshape your work is the same process as painting.

You help women connect with their truest selves. When did you first feel connected to your own truest self?

Do you remember those sheets of loose leaf paper with the holes punched in them? Well, when I was 9-years-old, I would take a pencil and color in those holes onto the paper behind so there would be these black circles on the paper. And, I loved the way that looked. One day, I drew one circle on the page in the perfect spot – one black circle. It was perfect and I loved it.  

I would say that was my first art truth.

I took it home and hid it away because I didn’t think that anyone would understand why I thought it was so beautiful. Many years later, when I had the maturity and knowledge to be comfortable with being that minimal, I went back to that concept and did a series of black and white paintings.

But, that was my inclination when I was 9. I think that we are just older versions of who we always are and I think that is why I teach kids with the same respect for their work as I would for anyone else’s.

How do you keep that connection in the busy life of a successful author and artist? 

I keep in touch with my truest self by writing every day, talking a walk along the river most days, and doing my artwork.

You have mentioned several major career shifts and (literally) life changing moments as a product of your classes. Are there any stories that stand out as particularly moving? 

One woman moved away because she realized what she really needed was to live in the country. A couple of my students have gone back to school – one even went back to school for design, another for landscape design. And there have been many moments of remembering and clarity that have brought dramatic life changes for them.

Many UGallery artists have come to art as an encore career, and it is so exciting to be able to provide a platform for those artists to exhibit and sell their work. In what ways can individuals who are professional artists connect even more deeply with their own true selves and inner creativity? 

Writing by hand is very, very powerful because it gets you in touch with your quiet inner voice. Some people tell me that typing works best for them, which is fine, but I think that somehow when you write by hand you can go magically from your heart to your page. It is almost like bypassing your brain. You can get to deeper truths writing that you cannot get any other way. I would suggest to your artists to allow all judgement and all the inner critic’s questions to sail out the window and, if there are certain questions that remain troubling, to write about them.  

I also use music quite a bit, both with my students and with my own work. Rather than just choosing any music for my work, I choose my music very carefully based on what I am feeling and what I want to express in my work.

Lately, I have been a dark mood and I have been listening to the Leonard Cohen album that was released right before he passed. It’s called “You Want It Darker.” I listen to the album “In Rainbows” by Radiohead and “Essence” by Lucinda Williams. It is all very moody, which I love.

What has the response been like so far for Studio Stories?

It has been a great response! A lot of people are telling me they are buying my book as a gift for the holidays. I was really touched by that; I had no idea it would be a gift book. I hear stories of people re-reading it and giving it to the people they love. So overall, It has been really awesome and I totally did not expect it.

Are there any more projects in the pipeline? 

I have been really loving doing book readings and interviews like this one. I could talk about creativity forever. I typically think of myself as a shy person, so I am surprised by how much I have loved talking to people and doing readings. Sometimes I do a mini-art project as a part of my book readings and people love it, so I’m loving that too. So I hope to do more talks and lectures and mix in a little art for people too.

And, as always, I’ll make art.

Special thanks to Lauren Rader! 

Tell me a bit about yourself and Partner Art Advisory. 

I have always been curious and fascinated about art, artists, and the significance of the wider context of the artwork itself.  Visiting museums and galleries as a child with my mother created a foundation for my passion for art. This early exposure to many artwork styles and origins along with my European heritage led me to continue studying art formally. I received a BA in Art History from Emory University, an MBA and ultimately an Art Business Certificate from NYU.

While at NYU, I recognized the phenomenal expansion of the global art market and how quickly the level of transparency was changing.  I began to see an opportunity to create a business where I could finally become an “art matchmaker,” an art partner bridging the gap between novice or seasoned clients and the highest quality fine artwork; hence Partner Art Advisory was established in 2013.  Partner Art Advisory focuses on emerging to mid-established contemporary paintings, works on paper, and sculpture.  It is my mission to help my clients navigate the often overwhelming art market and oversee all aspects of acquisition from research, invoicing, framing, installation, shipping and insurance.  I work closely with private collectors and businesses, utilizing my extensive network of industry professionals and comprehensive services to serve each client uniquely.  

It is most important to me to exceed my client’s expectations. My greatest pleasure is seeing my clients’ complete satisfaction once their artwork selections are finalized, installed and work perfectly for them and their space!

What have been some of the biggest changes you have seen in the art market since you first founded Partner Art Advisory?

This is a great question. I believe the “biggest change in the art market” is that the art marketplace is readily available to everyone. The shift toward transparency through online art marketplaces; UGallery.com, online galleries, artists’ collaboration sites, etc. create a truly efficient marketplace by providing access to art and artists from around the world while simultaneously revealing prices alongside the artwork. When I began advising, less than 20% of my business was conducted online, and currently it has risen to approximately 60%.  This major change in the art forum has opened art collecting up to a vast new entry-level audience.  These art enthusiasts finally feel more comfortable purchasing art through a transparent platform with the assistance of an art partner.  

Artwork by Jane Robinson

As an art advisor, you work with many clients who have a variety of personal styles.  What are the most important things you look for in an artwork when trying to find a piece that expresses different styles?

I begin by having a dialogue with my client. My clients range from first time art purchasers to art connoisseurs wishing to build upon their collections.  After listening and understanding their interests and perspectives, I visit the client’s residence or business location (apartment, house, office building, hotel lobby or vacation home) to develop a further understanding of their unique architectural setting and personal style. I interpret the client’s goals while evaluating the artwork subject matter, style, genre, movement, mood, medium, and, of course, price – these are among some of the most critical evaluation criteria. One of my primary focal points is researching the artist’s education, experiences, and the trajectory of their career. It is fundamental for me to understand and analyze each proposed artwork from a 360-degree perspective. 

Artwork by Mélisa Taylor

Of the UGallery art that you have purchased on behalf of clients, do any of the pieces stand out as having a memorable story behind them?

Actually, they are all truly memorable! This is the best part of my job – the unique and extraordinary journey my clients embark on with me. Art is a very personal reflection of ourselves, so you can understand how my adventures are full of an array of emotions.  

Artwork by Kloska Ovidiu

One recent amusing memory: a client asked me to take photographs in the natural light for a piece they were interested in purchasing. It was quite the “art scene” as I pulled this very large piece of contemporary artwork outside onto the front steps of my house where the natural light perfectly captured the essence of the artwork. As I began snapping photos, I began to hear car horns and call outs from the traffic below. After sharing the story with my children, my young son called it a drive-thru gallery!

Mangata 44 (14″ x 11″) by Mélisa Taylor, acrylic painting

How would you describe your own personal style when it comes to art? Are there any UGallery artists that you are particularly drawn to?

I have collected emerging artwork for over 25 years and it seems as though I am drawn toward works with references to water and movement as well as gestural pieces. There is a certain clarity, calmness, and soothing effect for me as well as a bit of nostalgia, as I grew up near the ocean. 

Boat/25 (36” x 48”) by Kim McAninch, oil painting 

UGallery’s Mélisa Taylor beautifully exhibits a textural and elegant sense of movement and wonder. Kim McAninch’s beautiful brushstrokes and seascapes also intrigue me. Finally, Eileen Braun renders my curiosity with water through her lovely “Splash Bowl” sculptures.

Splash Bowl (Large) (8″ x 10″ x 10″) by Eileen Braun, ceramic 

What are some of the most common challenges that you see people face when they are thinking about buying art?  Is there any advice you would give to our readers?

Seemingly, I hear it time and time again, the most common challenges people face when they are thinking about buying art is that they did not think they could afford high quality, fine artwork!  Most people are aware of the 5-6-7-digit price tags characteristic of the blue-chip market.  However, it is important to remind art patrons that those blue-chip artists were once affordable emerging artists.  My advice is regardless of the price point, only purchase artwork that you truly love. 

A different challenge people have when purchasing art is selecting the appropriate scale/size of artwork for their space. More often than not, people choose pieces that are too small for their wall; these pieces of artwork can aesthetically translate poorly and may lose their message. UGallery has a wonderful feature that reveals the scale of all of their artwork in a room called “Virtual wall” – this is a very helpful tool.  For many of us who may still be uncertain, ask a friendly art enthusiast or your Partner!

Acrylic paintings by Jane Robinson 

Special thanks to Shirley Rollins and Partner!

Introducing: Nava Lundy

With her textured surfaces from palette-knife work, blurred, yet evocative style, and interspersed glints of gold, Nava Lundy joins UGallery from Parkland, Florida. Throughout her portfolio, Nava blurs with recognizable subjects with a palpable dreaminess. Her work resists categorization, falling between abstraction and impressionism.

See Nava’s Portfolio.

Introducing: Oksana Johnson

Led by a reference for French and Russian Impressionism, an impeccable eye for casual beauty, and the harmonies of a soft color palate, Oksana Johnson’s portfolio is entrancing. While currently based in San Francisco, she grew up in Russia, visiting the museums that house the great masterpieces of the artistic tradition, and was instilled, from an early age, with a lifelong admiration for the fine arts.

See Oksana’s portfolio. 

Introducing: Morgan Fite

Morgan Fite is an abstract painter from Nashville, Tennessee. She brings a fresh breath of beauty to our gallery through feathery, softened forms that float across neutral, quiet backgrounds. Her inspirations span across the many aspects and materials of nature. Rocks, flowers, branches chime through her earthy and lovely color palette.

See Morgan’s portfolio. 

Introducing: Nacho Frades

Lighting up the gallery with a thought-provoking electro-surrealism and a self-referential sense of humor, Spanish digital artist Nacho Frades translates traditional painting to the language of the digital age. Nacho has a background in oil painting that manifests through his use of light and shadow.  

See Nacho’s portfolio.

Introducing: Jodi Dann

“Acrylic is my medium. Abstract is my passion,” says Joid Dann of Beavercreek, Oregon. Her work exudes this passion in textured, spontaneous, hazily-associative compositions. Often juxtaposing glowing yellows, with dark tones, and occasional flares of red, Jodi offers an anchored balance in her paintings through her color choices.

See Jodi’s portfolio. 

Blue Foothills (16″x12″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor

She began a series (incidentally, on which she is currently working) of watercolors that portray the interiors of Locust Grove. 

“The interior rooms with natural lighting emanating from the windows were beautiful. And, I hope to capture that in my paintings,” says Judy.  

Condemned (11″ x 15″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor

Judy’s modest and hopeful words direct themselves towards one of the most arresting qualities of her artwork: light. Throughout her watercolors, she uses light and shadow to instill each scene with its own aura.

A New Dawn (11″ x 15″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor

“Expressing mood and atmosphere is more important to me than sticking with a genre,” says Judy. In a way, these finessed elements – light, mood, and atmosphere – are her genre. 

Judy’s use of light is both multilayered and atmospheric – a style that, though in some ways obscuring, illuminates important compositional details into focus.

Brigid’s Way (10″ x 14″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor 

In many of her paintings – such as, St. Brigid’s Way, Union Station, and Vision of Anchorage, light and shadow divide the picture plane, guiding the eye through the composition. In other paintings – such as, A New Dawn, Happy Hour (Chicago), and Sunday Drive – light hangs in fog creating a thick depth.  

Sunday Drive (11″ x 15″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor 

To capture her signature ambiance (which, in its relationship to space, is more bespoke than prêt-à-porter) she meditates to recreate the sensations of each setting.

“I find myself meditating to attempt to put myself into place and imagine what it would physically feel like being there, as I see it. I then interpret those feelings into colors, values, and edges,” says the artist.

Willows Walk (16″ x 12″) by Judy Mudd, watercolor 

In some ways – certainly in its omnipresence and enlightenment – the light throughout Judy’s compositions can be looked at as a metaphor for her own artistic impulse.

She is in a constant state of creating and learning. She fills each moment with thoughts, observations, studies, notes, lesson plans for her painting and painting instruction.  

“I sketch at ball games, restaurants, doctors’ offices, and even waiting in traffic at a long red light,” says Judy – who is always is kitted up with a sketchbook and camera prepared to annotate the inspiration around her.

She describes herself as both the type who grows bored easily but also one who is easily intrigued and inspired. These traits are reflected in her wide range of subject matter that spans from rural landscapes, to cityscapes, to portraiture, to still life.

See Judy Mudd’s full portfolio on UGallery.

Snow/Field (18″ x 18″) by Nanci Erskine, oil painting  

Nanci Erskine: “I've always had an attraction for the time of day when light releases its hold on the earth and colors become muted and softer, shadows, longer, and trees are silhouetted against the darkening sky. Winter shows you the bones of the world. Unadorned, spare, lit by a sun hanging low. It invites introspection and time in the studio, with no distractions from the garden, bike rides, swimming.... Winter walks provide lots of inspiration. The grasses and weeds are revealed in stark contrast against the snow. Branches of trees, finally unadorned, can express their inherent grace or angular awkward beauty.”

Elegance (12” x 16”) by Lisa Elley, oil painting

Lisa Elley: “The holiday season inspires me in many ways, from the obvious visuals of winter wonderlands, snowy landscapes and birch forests, to the bigger picture of hope, giving, compassion and empathy. In our modern world of change and uncertainty it gives me immense pleasure to create a little beauty in our world, and share it with others in the form of vibrant and textured palette knife paintings, luring the eyes in with a composition focal point, and then encouraging them to rove around the painting, and enjoy the movement created with the palette knife. Around the holidays I love to paint winter landscapes with thick, luscious titanium white oil paint, and pops of color with lingering fall foliage. I picture my childhood winters racing under the silver birches, feeling the bark, the smell of the pine trees and of course the hot cocoa to top it all off!”

Welcome Snow (30” x 30”) by Julia Hacker, oil painting

Julia Hacker: “I think, that most of us lead chaotic, fast paced and overwhelmed life. We are so busy with tasks, goals, and desires to achieve more. We often forget the reason behind all our efforts during this season. The holidays are the time when we are reminded of the essence of our lives – our families, our loved ones. It is time to slow down and reflect on the simple joy of being surrounded by friends and close ones. It is a time where we have only one idea in mind – a pure non-materialistic pleasure of sharing love. It is ability to remind myself about the beauty in the world and appreciate the gift of life. When I paint a holiday themed art, I imagine all the warmth and light, all the beautiful, large cities around the world, and all the small gatherings in every household. I feel blessed to be able to experience, feel, laugh, cry, and, of course, paint.” 

A Gathering of Kings (22” x 30”) by Catherine McCargar, watercolor painting

Catherine McCargar: “Even here in the Bay Area of California where I live, there is a pronounced change in what we see in the landscapes around us. Although the color factor seems to diminish some in winter – and I am generally attracted to, and inspired by color – there are other exciting changes that occur. Winter brings rains, washing away the dusts and pollens that have dulled the colors of the foliage that remains, leaving polished rich dark leaves that play so nicely with the now more pastel skies.  Beautiful misty atmospheres are revealed through the now often leafless tree branches, giving us deeper, yet softer views beyond what we saw in the other three seasons. I love the blues and the lavenders that seem to slip in and out of these wintry scenes behind the framework of branches and grasses, and these natural designs are often an inspiration for my own calligraphy.”  

Winter (New York, Flatiron Building) (24” x 30”), by Suren Nersisyan, oil painting

Suren Nersisyan: “Of all holidays, I feel the most inspired by Christmas. I am particularly inspired by the contrast of the cold winter and the colorful, warm lights of the city. This contrast makes me feel like a child fully enjoying the atmosphere. Over the holiday season there is this positive energy everywhere. Throughout my life, I have spent holidays in both rural areas and in big cities. In rural areas, I remember the feeling of being inside of a small, warm house with Christmas lights. I recall looking outside of the window to the blue snow. Calm and peaceful. These memories are what inspire me to paint snowy landscapes. In the cities, it is a little different. On holidays, I run out to feel the energy of people, car lights, and all this motion of life. When the snow isolates the noise and cleans the air I feel very inspired. It is a moment when your life becomes fairy tale. I am sure that all these feelings and impressions make us dream and believe in miracles!”

Ma and Pa (20″ x 20″) by Mary Pratt, oil painting  

For Mary Pratt, the traditions begin once the meal is over. 

“After everyone is fat and happy, guests at the table share their joy and hopes for the future and what they are grateful for,” says Mary.

Gals (48″ x 48″) by Mary Pratt, oil painting

As the conversation is passed around the table, the reflections range from the abstract, to the concrete, to the practical.  

November Headlands (24″ x 36″) by Suzanne Massion, oil painting 

For Suzanne, Thanksgiving is “simple but old-fashioned.” She spends the holiday with her sister and husband and cook and bake in her kitchen.

“It’s turkey, sage dressing stuffed in the bird, garlic mashed potatoes, maybe steamed Brussel sprouts, acorn or butternut squash, pumpkin pie with a dollop of frozen yogurt,” says Suzanne. 

Prairie Crossing (30″ x 40″) by Suzanne Massion, oil painting

After the meal, they watch old movies – from the heartwarming Mrs. Miniver and Random Harvest to the sidesplitting, The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming, Operation Petticoat, and Ghost Busters.

“We laugh, reminisce, eat well and enjoy each other’s company. We’ll do a repeat at Christmas,” she says.

On a Moonlit Night (12″ x 16″) by Sharon France, acrylic painting

While Sharon France and her family celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey dinner, they take also take an alternative approach to the turkey tradition. They keep them as pets.  

“We raised a few rare heritage turkeys here on our old farmstead for about 9 years. They were not intended to eat, we instead kept them as farm pets.”

Sharon France’s Mottled Black turkeys

After purchasing fertile eggs and an incubator and checking countlessly on temperature controls, Sharon France hatched her own “Mottled Black” turkeys – “a beautiful and gentle breed.”

 “One day I looked into the window on top of the incubator to see several little turkey chicks looking up at me! What fun!  They bonded with us and when we would let them out of their pen, they would follow us around, much like a pet dog will.”  

Furthering the likeness to dogs, Sharon describes that they even bark like a dog, or a seal.  

“We found that turkeys can make great pets for us folks living in a country location,” says Sharon.

Shop “The Big Holiday Sale” on UGallery!

1. Alex is Bringing: Still Life with Persimmons by Susan Sjoberg

“Growing up in Arizona, I had never heard of persimmons until moving to California. Now, they are my favorite fruit–they are what I look forward to most about the fall. This painting beautiful captures the warmth of the season and the feeling of sharing a meal with family and friends.”

2. Sam is Bringing: A Corner of Mama’s Kitchen by Jay Wong

“My mom is an incredible cook and loves bringing people together to share a nice meal. She especially loves Thanksgiving and contemplates her menu weeks in advance. Jay's notes about the piece are completely in line with how I feel about my mom's kitchen- it's always open, warm, and never runs out of food!”

3. Marie is Bringing: Cat and Cake by Jonelle Summerfield

 “I would bring Cat and Cake by Jonelle Summerfield. My whole family is on the other coast in New York and this is the time of year I get to go back for a visit which is always a highlight for me. My cat, Pudding, is so curious – just like the one in this painting! She is always exploring on tables and sticking her cute little nose near my food!”

4. Madeline is Bringing: Red Roofs of Prauge by Yelena Sidorova

“The first Thanksgiving I ever spent away from my family was my semester abroad in college, and I went to Prague with friends.  We had a big authentic Czech feast.  It was a great time, and I love to reflect on those memories at this time of year.”

 5. Stephen is Bringing: “Wind Storm” by Stanislav Sidorov

“No matter the weather outside, we are all in this together.  Think that's always a good theme for any potluck dinner in both the good conversations and the ones that spur debate!”

6. Keith is Bringing: “Let’s Play Dominoes” by Autumn Rose

“After the eating and drinking, and of a course a little more eating, my favorite thing to do during the holidays is play board games. From the Bowl Game to Settlers of Catan to Beyond Balderdash, there's nothing like some good clean family fun to work off all that turkey and pumpkin pie.”

7. Margaretta is Bringing: “Lemon-Aid” by Dwight Smith 

“I would like to bring this painting into the UGallery Potluck limelight. The painting is both endearing and fun. Deep down we all love a zesty pun. While some greet them sourly, for me, they have a peel!”

James calls his style “messy realism.” He pairs a bright color palette with impressionistic brushstrokes, to create compositions that are flattened and yet detailed at the same time.

His en plein air technique articulate the contemporary scenes of the San Francisco Bay Area with a pronounced respect for the artistic tradition.

Painting on Mt. Diablo in June (40″ x 48″) by James Hartman, oil painting  

Each of Hartman’s paintings contains its own atmosphere. Whether dense, or overcast, or crisp, or misty each canvas has its own sense of place – evokes its own bit of nature.

“I can tell if a painting is moving in the right direction if I can detect a feeling of atmosphere,” says James.

Coming Around the Bend (12″ x 12″) by James Hartman, encaustic artwork

His all-encompassing portfolio are paintings that not only consider, but value, the world’s daily natural wonders.  

Take Morning Sun Burning Off the Fog, where routine weather pattern is anthropomorphized, galvanized, and then immortalized into his painting. James stretches the perspective of the picture plane beyond they eye’s typical ability as if offering more attention to more of the scene.  

Morning Sun Burning Off the Fog (31“x 24“) by James Hartman, oil painting

He often takes his vantage point from an unexpected angle, instilling a traditional, familiar subjects with a new, unfamiliar beauty.

Inside James Hartman’s studio

See James Hartman’s Full Portfolio on UGallery!

Introducing: Marie-Eve Champagne

We are very excited to present Marie-Eve Champagne’s absorbing and attractive paintings to our gallery. While her portfolio ranges from abstract to figurative, they are all of a distinctive style. In her series, “Fragmentation,” she paints dynamic and rhythmic systems of line work and color that appear to float on the surface. In her “Spikes” series – where she paints single cacti against two-toned backgrounds – her California influence sticks out sharply.

Introducing: Jay Wong

Jay Wong’s traditional and elegant oil paintings bring a simple, soft beauty to our gallery. As a creative hyphenate, Jay also is an award-winning computer graphic designer and consultant for movies. He has two studios – one in Los Angeles and one in Shanghai – giving him a rich and varied array of everyday experiences to furnish his inspiration. Beyond his surrounding, he also draws inspiration from American painter, Richard Schmidt this is evidenced by Jay’s own “virtuosity and joy” that exudes from his art. 

Introducing: Ferdinando Bosch

Ferdinando Bosch draws much of his inspiration from his childhood the Bandama Caldera in the Canary Islands. He recalls a childhood of piqued-imagination and early-artistic inspiration as he would play in the volcanic terrain. Today, many of the elements of his compositions today reflect the flowing magma and shifting tectonics of his youth. “Now I understand my need, with the perspective of years, enables me to understand the search for my identity through creation,” says Fernando.

Introducing: Philip Harding

Philip Harding asks big questions. His personal viewpoint is intuitive and intellectual – he analyzes the world around him. Philip’s mixed media artworks mimic this complexity of thought. He places orbs gathered in currents against geometrically patterned backgrounds. This synthesis of creative and rational is sure to fire synapses camped in both the left-brain and the right.  

 Introducing: Julia Hacker

With a master’s degree in Fashion Design, an entrenched love of traveling, and deep appreciation for nature, Julia Hacker has a diverse art style. Julia has a humble and gracious attitude towards life and wants to create the visual cues for this optimistic lifestyle in her viewers, saying, “I would like to share with you the moments of enlightenment where life flow creates beauty, healing, and, inevitably. hope.”