Who Needs Reality...

What you see isn’t always what you get (in art, that is) . . .  

You Drive Me Cuckoo 30"x30" acrylic on canvas
by Trevor Mikula 
An artist’s "style" often emerges from an interest in a certain subject. But what characterizes his or her paintings is the interpretation of that subject. Is it abstract or figurative? If it’s the latter, does the artist portray realism, or a more personal means of expression? 
The Effects of Diet on Pattern
48"x36" acrylic on panel
by Timothy Chapman

At Wilde Meyer, it’s safe to say that many artists are interested in animals. A visit to the gallery will include sightings of horses, dogs, chimpanzees, zebras and other varieties of fauna. However, not all animals are portrayed in the same way. 

Timothy Chapman’s animals are a unique group. Many of them are floating – and they’re not always birds. Their hides do not have the traditional markings, and some appear to be a newly created species (by Timothy). A sense of wonder as well as humor is the thread that ties his work together.

According to Timothy (who studied biology in college), his paintings owe a lot to his fondness for earlier styles of depicting animals, particularly the copperplate engravings that illustrated Buffon's Natural History, as well as Victorian animal portraiture and old scientific illustration. Since there was no photography at that time, the images are not always correct.

The Antlered Lagomorphs of Western North America
16"x12" acrylic on panel by Timothy Chapman


"I have tried to present similarly earnest, but basically inaccurate, renderings of animals by using humor, irony and surrealistic sensibility that’s not available to the scientist," he said. 

For example, in his painting entitled "Recent Addition to the Genus Equus," we don’t know if it’s a horse or a zebra, but its floral markings are so exotic! Decorative giraffes are another favorite subject. A seemingly tattooed giraffe is reaching for fruit in a beautiful painting he donated for the Arizona Cancer Center auction. In "The Effects of Diet on Pattern," a patterned giraffe appears to float on a trip to another place.  
Recent Additions to the Genus Equus
48"x72" acrylic on canvas by Timothy Chapman


Since Timothy gives himself permission to be creative with his animals, he has painted "The Antlered Lagomorphs of Western North America," depicting four hares with different antler-style head gear. Could this be a new breed, like the Jackalope?

"What I want most is to impart to the viewer a sense of wonder and strangeness that nature photography and video, in spite of their inherent capacity for precision, cannot," Timothy explains.

Animals also are a favorite image for Trevor Mikula. His creatures bear a faint resemblance to their realistic sisters and brothers, but for the most part, they are all fantasy and humor.

Gossip Girls 20"x60" acrylic on canvas
by Trevor Mikula
I often start with an idea for a title, usually a play on words, and then I take off from there," he said.
"Often, my friends give me inspiration for a painting.  I get a lot of ‘Oh, you should do this, and you should do that,’ he explained.

Bulldog 36"x36" acrylic on canvas
by Trevor Mikula

According to Trevor, there is a narrative in his paintings, but he says it’s up to the viewer to create a story. "Gossip Girls" is a good example. Just what are those three birds saying to each other?

He is drawn to "crazy ideas that make me laugh," such as the fierce "Bulldog" with the annoying bird on its head. "You Drive Me Cuckoo" (shown at the top of this post) is definitely open to interpretations, although the gist of it is very clear!

Alice the Camel 13.75" x 13.75" acrylic on canvas
by Trevor Mikula 

Trevor has a youthful, naïf style that is very happy. His colorful images painted with palette knifes always put a big smile on my face. He can take a plain camel, name it Alice and give it a special look that’s far better than reality. Who needs reality, anyway, when you can have art?

Who says fruits & veggies are just for eating?

Still life paintings have always been a favorite subject for artists. Some painters, like my friend Joyce, paint floral arrangements exclusively. But others prefer fruits and vegetables. Why? 

In my own case, I love the organic shape of "produce." I actually spent a few years just painting pears!
For those of us who are colorists, you can’t beat the hues of fruits and veggies. I’m drawn to these objects in a seasonal way, and seem to want to paint them in summer and fall when they are fresh at a farmers’ market.
From the August Garden  44"x48"  acrylic on canvas
by Stephen Morath
Stephen Morath depicts edible arrangements in a classical, Italian style, yet his colors are so much more vibrant. He told me that he likes to garden and be amongst the fruits and vegetables he grows, and also is inspired to paint them in late summer and fall. depicts edible arrangements in a classical, Italian style, yet his colors are so much more vibrant. He told me that he likes to garden and be amongst the fruits and vegetables he grows, and also is inspired to paint them in late summer and fall.
Peppers and Apples  36"x40"  acrylic on canvas
by Stephen Morath
"I like to grow some exotic squash like crooked neck and paddy pan because of their unique shapes," he said. I guess I’m always thinking of how they would look in a painting."
I definitely agree with Stephen when he said that painting fruits and vegetables is a respite from more complicated works. However, his still life paintings are anything but simple. As you can see in "From the August Garden," considerable work has gone into arranging and painting this assortment of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

I can sense the bounty of a late summer harvest when I look at it. His excellent rendering of the cool blue and white cloth napkin, teacup and knife are a wonderful contrast to the colorful produce on the table. In his painting entitled "Peppers and Apples," Stephen focuses on the interesting shapes and colors of curvy peppers, placed among round apples and bright yellow sunflowers.
Standing in Blue 46"x40" oil on canvas
by Linda Carter Holman

 
For Linda Carter Holman, fruits are a secondary element in her paintings – part of the setting she creates.

"When I plan a painting, I often think about creating a party, so there’s always a person, sometimes an animal, a table with flowers and some fruit," she said. "I use accessories that have meaning to me and create an inviting environment."
You can see a typical scene Linda creates in her painting entitled "Standing in Blue."
There are times, however, when produce takes front stage in Linda’s painting.

The bowl in "Mystery of Life Four" is the focal point, full of luscious fruits. But Linda still creates a setting, with some of her favorite "accessories" such as the love birds perched on the bowl and the goldfish vase with calla lilies.
Mystery of Life Four 24"x36" oil on canvas
by Linda Carter Holman
It’s a little too early for produce inspiration, but watch out for other beautiful still life paintings later in the summer!

The Second Time Around…


New Beginnings oil on canvas 48"x48"
by Lawrence Taylor
There was a period in my life when I didn’t mess around with oil paint – or any art materials for that matter.

A good part of my adulthood was spent working as a public relations consultant – a fairly creative field, but mostly marketing ideas and writing. It wasn’t until I moved to Arizona in 1996 that I took up painting. But making art was in my genes: my mother was an artist, and my brother is a professional sculptor. In Arizona, I had more free time, and so I started to learn about painting. Sixteen years later, painting has been a focus of my life!

I asked the staff at Wilde Meyer if there were other gallery artists who also had a previous "artless" career. Here are a few, and in all cases, it seems that the desire to pursue art has always been brewing.

Labra Duo oil on canvas 24"x30"
by Connie Townsend
 As a child, Connie Townsend loved art. Her parents allowed her to paint murals on her walls and build a club house in her back yard. Although these skills would serve her well throughout her life, Connie could be the poster child of non-artistic early careers!

For a short time in the early ‘70s, she worked as a service station attendant, where she learned basic car maintenance. She spent her work breaks sketching the vehicles parked at the shop, with a keen interest in the VW Bugs and Vans.

You can see Connie’s love of cars and dogs in many of her paintings, such as "Labra Duo" and "K9 Taxi."
 
Color Me Lovable oil on canvas 30x30
by Connie Townsend

K9 Taxi oil on canvas 24x36
by Connie Townsend

Then, in 1980, she moved to Flagstaff where Ralston Purina hired her to drive a fork lift, loading trailers and box cars with dog chow. No time for art, I would guess! By 1990, she had enough of hard labor, and took a course in screen printing.  One month after the course, Connie left Purina and opened her own company, "Outrageous Tees Custom Screen Printing". That’s when her artist side began to show.

She started noticing the graphics on t-shirts and began to visit local galleries and art exhibits. She enrolled at the community college and started oil painting and was instantly hooked. A large painting entered in a show at the Coconino Center for the Arts received public acclaim, and the sale of that painting got Connie thinking that perhaps she could make a living as an artist.

By 2001, she had enough confidence to approach galleries both inside and outside of Flagstaff. Her art was well received, and she is now a full-time artist, calling her new business Blue Collar Art Works.

One of her paintings is currently on exhibit at the Sky Harbor Airport in a group show. Arizona became a state 100 yrs ago on Feb 14. In honor of that Centennial, 60 artists from across the state were chosen out of 572 submissions. The show is titled "Arizona Valentine". And my piece is "LUV AZ" 20" x 40" oil on canvas. The show is up 'til June 17 terminal, level 2.
LUV AZ oil on canvas 20"x40"
by Connie Townsend
 
Roses Near the House oil on canvas 42"x72"
by Lawrence Taylor 

Lawrence Taylor spent 20 years as a financial executive for a Fortune 500 gold mining company. "When I was growing up, you were trained to have a career that could earn you a living," he says. Although he studied finance in college, he also took electives in fine art and art history. Whenever he had the time, once he started working, he took classes at the San Francisco Art Academy. 

 Then a series of personal events occurred that motivated Lawrence to make a life change and do what he really wanted to do: create art on a full-time basis.

The Winding Steps oil on canvas 40"x50"
by Lawrence Taylor
In 1980, he took a trip to England and Wales. As a member of the British National Trust, he was able to visit and photograph many private gardens throughout the countryside. "Nothing in North America compares to these gardens," he notes.

Now, Lawrence makes a trip to England every two years to visit more gardens that have been turned over to the Trust. It’s easy to see the influence of these beautiful environments in his paintings: "English Gardens X" is a 42"X72" work that takes the viewer right into the space, ready to walk down the curved path. "Roses Near the House" is another large painting. Here, bright red flowers jump to life against lavender in the foreground and the misty English landscape that recedes. Winding pathways and artful paintings of flowers are recurring themes in Lawrence’s work, seen above in "New Beginnings."

England Gardens X  oil on canvas 42"x72"
by Lawrence Taylor

Sanctuary at Purgatory Chasm 60"x40" acrylic on canvas
by Acacia Alder

The beauty of landscapes also inspired Acacia Alder to change careers. Although she has always been involved in art – she was a jeweler for 10 years - the move from Ohio to Tucson had great visual impact.

Summer Aspen 18"x18"
by Acacia Alder

The large vistas she saw during hikes in the area caught her attention, and she became fascinated with the details and structures of plants as well. "I’m interested in how things weave together – the relationships of the things I see," she says.

Aspen Snow Shadows 18"x18"
by Acacia Alder

Acacia has studied drawing extensively, and that medium comes through in her acrylic paintings, such as "Sanctuary at Purgatory Chasm."

She has a delicate mark making that is very distinctive, and shows her love of the locales she visits. Aspens are a favorite subject at different times of the year.

I think we’ve all been extremely lucky to be able to pursue our passion for art in the second part of our lives. It gives us a new appreciation of our surroundings, lots of energy and a wonderful way to express ourselves. What a gift! 

Aspen Trail acrylic on canvas 48"x60"
by Aacia Alder


A Beautiful Sunday


Judy Feldman at "Art at the Royal Plams"
paintings shown: Teapots (left) and Chloe and the Red Chair (Right)


Royal Palms with Judy Feldman art
My exhibit last Sunday at the Royal Palms Resort was really nice. Many friends came, and I met some new art collectors who attended the event as well. The courtyard setting was a perfect backdrop for my paintings, and several guests said they thought the resort should buy "Under the Red Umbrella," since it looked so nice there. I told them to speak to the manager!

Temptation oil on canvas 30"x40"
by Judy Feldman


Admiring a painting
A view of the exhibit

Art at the Palms

Under the Red Umbrella oil on canvas 36"x48"
Every Sunday, the beautiful Royal Palms Resort invites an artist to show his or her work in the courtyard during the brunch hours, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. I’m very excited to be one of the featured artists! I’ll be at the Royal Palms on Sunday, Jan. 22. I’ll display about 12 paintings on easels, and show some nice small paintings as well. (I became enamored of the small format after I wrote about the Gem Show.)

Here is a preview of some of the art that will be on display: 

Breakfast at Marianne's oil on canvas 10"x10"
Garden Series II, oil on canvas 12"x9"
by Judy Feldman
These paintings and others will be available at Wilde Meyer Gallery.  You can see more art at Wilde Meyer's website: http://www.wildemeyer.com/judy-feldman.php

Brutus and the Crazy Chair oil on canvas

So please come! And, if you want to have brunch, you can make a reservation by calling the Royal Palms: 602-808-0766.

Royal Palms Resort
5200 E Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85018

click here for google maps