Winter Plans, 2011-2012

WIP Linda Harbison

It's too cold to go outside and carve stone, so I like to spend the winter months inside painting watercolors. I am always trying to improve. In the past I have used a lot of photographic sources for my paintings. This works great for freezing proportions and details in place so you can study them. It also prevents you from having to position yourself and your materials in some awkward or dangerous place like the ditch beside Route 23 or the parking lot behind AK Steel while you work on a painting. But nothing compares to working from real life. So this winter, while it's cold and nasty out, I plan to set up some nice, cozy still life scenes indoors and paint from them.

People’s Choice Award

All during November and December, art enthusiasts walked through The Renaissance Art Gallery admiring the international miniature art show of 55 artists and 161 works of art, from 17 states and 2 countries. Each person was given the chance to select his or her own personal favorite. At the end of the month, all the votes were counted.

“Morning has Broken” by James Andrews (Bellevue, OH) was the overall winner. James’ other works, “Tobacco Barns” and “Water Lily” also received many votes. Clearly, James was a favorite among Huntington’s art lovers.

There was a tie for second place. John Beach’s (Staines, Middlesex, England)

“First Born” and Karen Chamblin’s (Belmont, WV) “Bathing Sparrow” received the identical number of votes.

This popular international exhibit is held each year at The Renaissance Art Gallery

Art Classes and Gallery Hours Through The End Of 2011

Joop Lieverse's Photos

He will celebrate Xmas on his own way.

Another year is coming to an end. Both the Monday and Wednesday studio hours and art classes will be held this week, December 19 and December 21, but will be not be held the rest of 2011.

Art classes will be held starting January 7, 2012 and will resume their normal schedule, Mondays and Saturday s 10-12 adult painting, Wednesdays Studio hours 12-7:30 with classes at 1:00 adult art, 3:30 Junior Art and 6:00 Adult Evening drawing.

The Renaissance Art Gallery will be closed Christmas day, Saturday December 25, 2011; New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2011 and New Year’s Day, January 1, 2012.

We wish everyone a happy new year and hope to see you all in January, 2012.

Thank You

Thank You,

 

 

 

Thanks to all who participated in our 11th Annual National Miniature Exhibition. We have been privileged to show and admire the work of fifty-five talented artists during the last few weeks. Many of whom we have seen grow in their ability to present a mood or a strong emotional statement through their work, we thank you, and look forward to many more annual exhibits with you.

 

 

 

Thanks also to our juror, Robert P. Hutton, for his sensitivity, knowledge and appreciation, for all forms of artistic expression.

 

 

 

To the members of the gallery, who volunteer many hours in preparation for the opening, you are the best!

 

 

 

 

 

Lil and Bruce Bowersock: hanging work

 

• Laura Moul: host to juror

• Linda Helgason: refreshments

•  Susan Tschantz: publicity and publications

• Laurie Shanholtzer: posters

• Gary Lapelle: ID cards

 

 

 

Purchase Awards: Villers/ Villers/ Whitley, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Huntington ,WV

 

Ryan L. Carlton, Davis Chiropractic, Barboursville , WV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Renaissance Gallery members wish all of you a wonderful Holiday Season!

 

 

 

Yvonne Wilson Boone

Poquoson, VA

“Poolside Setting” watercolor/ink



The hazy in the background, bright flowers on the table, such an inviting scene. You want to pull out one of those wrought iron chairs and sit down.

Ted Daubresse

Sun City Center, FL

What a sense of humor! Ideas exploding from a light bulb, a TV showing an aquarium and is that a skewed view of the Vegas strip? Each of Ted’s pieces while showing great skill and talent, challenges us to make something of it. Question our outlook on life and the things that consume us.

Charlynn Hulse

Lebanon, IN

What a lovely portrait, “Work Horse”. Each detail tells us this is an active, fit animal that enjoys what he was breed for. A really first class watercolor.

Then Charlynn switches things on us and presents a traditional support or form with a non-traditional subject. Porcelain is very much a traditional support for miniatures, but this portrait of a Leopard is not. Nor is this he portrayed as a fierce rampaging beast but a serene king.

Nancy Garcia

Falls Church, VA



Miniature art is all about the details, in the added little bits that tell the story. All three of Nancy’s pieces have that little something extra that adds just enough to draw you in.

But of course I focused on the drawing. “Mule Deer”, done in graphite pencil is finely drawn. The background, while there, is more implied in lighter values and vague suggestions. You “read” the shading as grasses and trees. While the mule deer appears to be in a natural setting, nothing takes away from the star.

Renaissance Gallery Art: Lillianne Bowersock

Renaissance Gallery Art: Lillianne Bowersock: Ona, West Virginia Lillianne is known for her large florals and stately old homes. Cats In the Window “The Red Umbrella” is a total ...

Lillianne Bowersock

Ona, West Virginia


Lillianne is known for her large florals and stately old homes.
Cats In the Window

“The Red Umbrella” is a total departure from what is expected of her. Even though it is a painting of a couple huddled under and umbrella walking in the rain, it has a light, airy feel. Lillianne’s use of negative space denotes a new maturity in her work.

With a few basic shapes and implied lines she draws us into the scene. The waves lap at the walkers’ feet, and the viewer gets a sense of the scene.

Debbie Shirley

Boxford, MA

Debbie is an accomplished miniaturist. The detail shown in “Bountiful” certainly shows mastery of her medium. The fruit of the still life fills the small canvas, making it appear larger, and more dominating.

I find the contrasts in “Lumberman’s Lantern” far more compelling and interesting. We see a contrast in texture between the worn wood and the rusting lantern. This is only accentuated by the strong horizontal lines, which bring the eye back to the vertical elements in this composition. Even the color contrasts work to make this an interesting painting and move our eye through the painting. The warm reds of the rust draw the eye, and then contrast with the cool grays of the weathered siding.

Bathing Sparrow

Bathing Sparrow

For some reason my attention has been drawn to this little speck of life by Karen Chamblin --, Bathing Sparrow. I believe it's the momentary abandonment of self -- a complete surrender to a brief interlude, which gives me a wonderful feeling of life's source.

 

A young woman from NC, a writer, and her mother were in the gallery at the time, and she gave me the word I needed to describe the moment. Thank you, Michele.

~Fern Christian, Director The Renaissance Art Gallery

Behzad Fallahi

Esfahan, Iran



Perhaps the most unusual works in this year’s miniature show are the works of Behzah Fallahi. He works with watercolor in the Persian tradition. One can imagine these delicate paintings adorning an ancient Persian manuscript, perhaps tales of Arabian knights?

John Beach

Staines, Middlesex, England



Charming.

That one word is perhaps the best to use when describing the work of John Beach. His highly illustrative works remind me of the best of English illustrations. They bring back memories of classic children’s book, treasured as much for their pictures as for their stories.

These pieces tell their own stories. Stories of squirrels and baby birds. Stories of a fox and owl. Just what are they up to? Each animal a character with things to say. You look at these wonderful paintings and have to speculate on the stories to be told.

Judy Ferguson

Huntington, WV

Judy entered three pieces in a series, entitled “America I, II, and III”. “America III particularly caught my eye. The use of complementary colors and opposing vertical/horizontal lines makes this a particularly interesting composition.

Judith E Bayes and Pears

Judith E Bayes

Treasure Island, FL

What is it about a pear that intrigues artists? We all seem to be drawn to them. They are the fundamental shape in so many still life paintings. Here they are the total of the still life. “Scarlet Harvest” is the contrast between the soft red-ripe luscious texture of the fruit and the hard grain of the floor. The underlying harmony of the colors, both rich warm colors and the striking differences in texture make this small painting worth a second look.

Mary Effie Ford

Mary Effie Ford, Ironton, OH

Mary Effie Ford is an artist in a class by herself. Her work is so poetic and tender, it is almost a song! She combines very subtle hues in a composition that leaves a world of interpretation to the viewer. She handles atmosphere as if she invented it! If you could meet her, you would get to know her personality and it is as tender as her work! You must see this miniature show before all these little jewels are either delivered to their new owners or sent home to the artists who created them. What great Christmas gifts and they start at very reasonable prices!

~LILLIANNE BOWERSOCK

Mary Effie Ford paints small paintings with feeling. She captures the impression of places with emotion.

~Pati Payne