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Friday, October 28, 2011

Texas Member Attends Nelson Shanks Exhibition Opening in Russia

This post submitted by Bryan, TX member Janene Pratt:

I was fortunate to be able to travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia to attend the opening of Nelson Shanks portrait exhibit there.  I studied under Nelson years ago.  We had such a wonderful time in Russia, we were treated like royalty and the exhibit was well received.  The exhibit will move to Moscow and then to China.  His exhibit included the wonderful portraits of Princess Diana, John Paul II and Mstislav Rostropovich.

We had a private tour, after hours, of The Heritage Museum in St. Petersburg led by Nelson.  The picture is below.  I am second to the right.

- Janene

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Artist Spotlight: Susan Fleming Hotard

 Interview with our October Spotlight Artist, Susan Hotard:
1) When and how did you first become seriously interested in Art? Four years old. My parents influenced me. My father gave me art lessons when I was young. But I became a professional artist about 10 years ago.
Susan Hotard
susan@susanhotardartist.com

2) What is your training, and what medium(s) / subject matter do you work in? B.F.A. in interior design, Louisiana Tech University. Design, drafting, perspective drawing, color theory, drawing, lettering, watercolor, and rendering, and Art History. New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, classical training. Oil mostly, still life, portraiture, figure painting: all from life. Also watercolor and pastel.

3) What do you try to express in your work? Trying to express life through painterly brushwork

4) What artists/professionals have been your biggest influences? M. Dell Weller (at New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts), Raymond Everett Kinstler, John Singer Sargent, Velazquez, Franz Hals

5) What do you do to gain new inspiration for your work?  Inspiration: looking at life, being still, thinking, praying, sometimes the ideas are gifts.

6) What would you like to be doing with your art ten years from now? I hope I am still searching, discovering, painting better, teaching my grandchildren.
7) Do you set goals for yourself concerning the making of your art? Goals: sometimes I realize that the galleries need more of my work, and will paint with that in mind. It helps to have either real or artificial deadlines. Goal: paint better and keep studying. Sometimes I set up problems: still life in cool light or in warm light for example. Helps to know that you have a solo show to paint towards! That is a real motivator!

8) Are you happy with your job choice as an artist? Do you have any regrets in this career choice or things you would have done differently? Yes, am happy with my job choice.

"Todd," by Susan Hotard
 
"Here's Looking at You Kid," by Susan Hotard

9) Any fun or interesting facts about yourself that you'd like to share? I created over a dozen Katrina cartoons in the aftermath of the storm. Had an accident when I was a toddler (around 14 mos.), my right thumb was amputated. But mostly, I can do anything I want except twiddle my thumbs. And if ever I become a famous artist, I won’t have to cut off my ear!

10) Best piece of advice for other artists?  Keep painting! Keep studying! Keep trying to learn and get better. Encourage others.

Susan's Bio and Artist's Statement:

 “Objects radiate brilliantly against dark umber backgrounds”- American Artist 2005

“an innovative style far from the placid still life”- The Advocate 2004

“astute use of light and shadow”-  The Advocate 2005

Susan Hotard had a cover story in the national magazine, American Artist, July/August
2005; and was a still life finalist in both The Artist’s Magazine, and International Artistmagazine. Her approach to painting and her palette were published in How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Still Life and Florals 2004.

Since being honored with the highest award at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts in 2002, Susan has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows. She has studied painting in New York with Everett Ray Kinstler at The Art Students League, and Daniel Greene in North Salem; and has taught painting workshops and classes in portraiture, figure, and still life. She and her husband moved from New Orleans to The Woodlands, Texas in 2007. She knows what it means to miss New Orleans but was delighted that there was a vibrant art community in the North Houston area. Susan makes many trips a year to visit with her large family and close art friends that still live in the New Orleans area.

"Meca" by Susan Hotard

Artist’s Statement:
"Painting is my tool for interpreting the life our Almighty God has so wonderfully made. Whether it be portraiture, still life, or landscape, I try to record my observations of the world in a realistic, yet painterly way. Painting is a life-long journey. And I’m certainly enjoying the trip."

"Nandina with Granny Smith Apples", by Susan Hotard

Publications:
American Artist, July/August 2005 (cover story)
How Did You Paint That? 100 Ways to Paint Still Life and Florals, International Artist Publishing, January 2004
The Artist’s Magazine, Still Life Competition, Finalist, December 2005
The Times-Picayune: Artistic Expression June 19, 2006
Gulf Coast Arts and Entertainment Review, September/October 2004
The Advocate Magazine, Baton Rouge, November 2004 & December 2005 (art reviews)New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, Spring 2002

Exhibitions/ Art Organizations/ Awards:
Audubon Artists 69th Exhibit, Allied Artists Award 2011; NYC
New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, highest award 2002: The Gwendolyn Laan Ozols Award
New Rouge Fusion, Baton Rouge, 1st place, December 2005
The Artist’s Magazine, still life competition finalist, December 2005
International Artist Publishing, Art Prize Challenge 17, finalist, 2003
Art 11, November 2010
Garden District Gallery, Language of Flowers 2009
Garden District Gallery, Food, Glorious Food 2010
Garden District Gallery, Seeing Music 2011
Just Figures, April 2009
Richeson Small Works, March 2009; March 2010
NOAFA Academy Gallery, Invitational Drawing Exhibition, January 2009
NOAFA Academy Gallery, miniature show; November 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 
"The Way," by Susan Hotard
NOAFA Academy Gallery, Response to Katrina, April 2006
La Nouvelle Salon, World Trade Center, New Orleans, August 2006
Mid- City Art Studios, open studios, December 2006
Crazy Eights, St. Tammany Art Association, November 2006
Galerie Eclat, New Orleans, Solo Show, May 2003
Galerie Eclat, New Orleans, Solo Show, May 2005
River Oaks Square Center, June/ July 2008 Degas Pastel Society National show, 2000, 2001, 2004
From Cezanne to Vermeer, Galerie Eclat, 2003
Modigiliani Group Show, Galerie Eclat, 2003
Junior League Show house 2002, 3 paintings
New Orleans Art Association WTC Show 2002
St. Tammany Art Association, Ashes to Art 2001
Associated Women in the Arts 2000
Art in Bloom, NOMA; 1995, 2001, 2007
Whimsie 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
WYES Art Auction Donor
Art Organizations: Portrait Society of America, New Orleans Art Association, Louisiana
Watercolor Society, Degas Pastel Society, Pone Aliquid Contra Faciem Meam Carbone Delineabo, La Nouvelle Salon, Woodlands Art League

Contact:


Monday, October 17, 2011

Sign up for a Graphite Workshop THIS WEEKEND in Alpine, TX

Post submitted by Alpine, TX member Deborah Allison:

I teach adult-ed classes at the Museum of the Big Bend and it just so happens that I've got a portrait drawing in graphite workshop this weekend.

Graphite portrait by Deborah Allison

Just for Grown Ups!

Beginning Portraiture In Graphite One-Day Workshop
October 22
9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. with one-hour lunch on your own
$120 - Includes All Supplies
Ms. Allison will teach the basic elements of drawing the face using a live model. Workshop will include live demonstration and participant time to work from life.


The workshop is 9:30-5:30 with lunch on your own. $125 covers tuition, supplies and model fee.  The museum has been wonderful about letting us use their space and does all of the advertising and admin for the class.

Deborah Allison
Alpine, TX

Upcoming Show at Rail Station Studio Gallery

Post submitted by Texas member Gene Dillard:

Rail Station Studios and Gallery is proud to present a show of works by a group of artists who gather to paint and draw every Friday night. The group has been meeting for more than 15 years for the purpose of painting and drawing from life.

Currently, the group meets at Brookhaven College... though officially a class, the group is open to all artists of all levels and no instruction is offered. It is the passion to paint and draw and practice that drives these artists to achieve their artistic goals




Thursday, October 13, 2011

Upcoming Event and News from Pastel Artist, Daggi Wallace

This post submitted by Dallas member Daggi Wallace:

Please, join me this Saturday, Oct 15th, 2011 at 7pm at Luminarte Design Gallery in Dallas, Tx, for my first solo exhibition. The show features the first series of portraits from my nonprofit Moni's Kids, plus all new work from my Up Close & Personal series. The proceeds from sales of the Moni's Kids portraits go towards the library we started at their orphanage in Haiti this past summer.

If you know anyone else who might like to stop by, please feel free to forward this to them.
Thank you for your support!
Best,

Daggi

Other exciting news from Daggi:

Innocence Lost, 22x16, pastel

This painting won the Degas Pastel Society Award at the 39th Annual Pastel Society of America Exhibition at the National Arts Club in NYC last month. I achieved signature membership earlier this year.

"Secrets" 12x24 pastel

"Secrets" is showing at the National Arts Club this month as part of the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 115th Annual Juried Exhibition.
I was also recently juried in as full member of the CLWAC.

I had three paintings juried into the Richeson 75 Figure/Portrait competition, two as part of the gallery exhibit and all three to be included in the catalogue. (Juror: Everett Raymond Kinstler)

Two paintings were accepted into the Pastel Society of the Southwest National Juried Show (Juror: Doug Dawson). The show runs from Nov 1-28 at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, TX. The reception and awards ceremony is on Nov 15th, from 6-9pm.

My website - Pastel Paintings that Capture Life's Moments http://www.daggistudio.com/
"Moni's Kids", my non-profit project http://www.daggistudio.com/page/358/monis-kids-non-profit-project
My blog, http://www.daggistudio.com/blog
My studio facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/daggiwallacestudio
Moni's Kids facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Monis-Kids/124149241002344?sk=wall

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Rail Station Studio and Gallery Opening Reception

Post submitted by Plano member, Gene Dillard:

Public is invited to attend the opening of
Rail Station Studios and Gallery
in Historic Downtown Plano.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8
7:00 - 10:00pm

Your are invited to attend an opening reception at the new Rail Station Studio and Gallery. It is located next to the Dart Rail Station on 15th Place in Historic Downtown Plano.
For the past several years it has been the location of Legacy Portrait Painters and the Michael Holter Studio. It will now maintain a primary emphasis on portrait and figurative subjects, but will be open to many other genres.

Artists whose work will be exhibited at the opening will include Gene Dillard, Don Mullins, Joanna Littlefield, Michael Holter, Don Dillard and Perri Sparks.

PAINTINGS BY EXHIBITORS

"Delilah" by Perri Sparks
Perri Sparks is a resident of Canada, former State Representative for Texas to the Portrait Society of America.
"Delilah" by Perri Sparks
"Dr. Ambrose" by Don Mullins
Don Mullins is a Portrait Society of America award winner and a participant in Legacy Portrait Painters. This commissioned portrait was featured this month on the cover of a national magazine honoring Dr. Ambrose who perished on 9-11.

"Dr. Ambrose," by Don Mullins
"Farm Hand" by Michael Holter
Michael Holter is resident artist at Rail Station Studios and an award winning watercolor painter. Currently exhibiting in a number of shows including the Southwest Watercolor Society competition.

"Farm Hand," by Michael Holter

“Sarah” by Gene Dillard
Gene Dillard manages Rail Station Studios. He is a member of Legacy Portrait Painters and a member of Portrait Society of America.
"Sarah," by Gene Dillard