Celebrating the Heritage and Practices of Traditional Fine Arts Worldwide
Exhibitions
Exhibition Dates: March 7 to June 1, 2021
A special thanks to Peter Trippi, editor-in-chief of Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, for selecting the nearly 50 finalists displayed in this showcase.
Each artwork presented in this exhibition is framed, and available for purchase. If you are interested in acquiring a work, please submit a purchase inquiry. Additionally, we request that you consult our Terms of Sale.
Last summer, I did an Ophelia themed photoshoot of my daughter Juliette. I loved the result but the subject was lacking the resolution and depth I was striving for. I mentally set the idea aside. This year, for the "Renewal and Rebirth" show, I spent much time thinking about a birth-themed allegory. It then occurred to me the idea of a nascent moon with my daughters’ photo shoot. Instead of an Ophelia idea about death, the subject then became a painting about the Moons’ birth and the Earth becoming complete in the Moons’ presence.
For years I have been considering how to combine the figure with space themes, both of which are beautiful and deeply embedded narratives in our human history. I am glad this show’s theme sparked new ideas and had an impact on my creative process
Previous to this studio piece I spent the day at Indian beach doing a Plein air composition and color study. The misty atmosphere from the breakers hitting the rocks and the sunlight filtering through the marine layer was truly inspiring. I was able to take that palatial feeling back into the studio and really insert myself emotionally into this piece.
- Rebecca Arguello
– 2nd Place | Rebecca Arguello
3rd Place | Anna Bain
A New Dawn
Oil, 20" x 30", $3600
When my friend Constance modeled for this painting, the events of spring 2020 were still fresh in everyone’s minds. There was still much healing to be done. Yet this woman, who was grieving just like everyone else—maintained hope. She could still dance with strength and resolve. She held her head high and looked to the horizon, knowing that with the rising sun would come a new dawn. Her beautiful dark skin against the band of morning light in the overcast sky, created a literal and metaphorical juxtaposition that was for me, as an artist, simply irresistible.
- Anna Rose Bain
For me, the search of motifs for paintings lies in the act of observation and appreciation of all things beautiful and particularly the small as well as the grand. When my interest is piqued I ask myself two questions. How would that look in paint? And how would I paint that? Then the journey begins.
For some years I have been walking through a park with a forest of eucalyptus trees and have been fascinated with the way they periodically shed their bark and the mandala like pile created at the base. My goal was to paint the scene with the idea of the whole rather than the particular and loose enough to border on abstraction.
This painting “Die Walkure” represents the rebirth of a Walkure (Valkyrie) after the destruction of Valhalla in Wagner’s final opera of the Ring Cycle, “Gotterdammerung”. The fog and cloud formations symbolize the re-generative powers of the Earth. The spear, helmet, and statue of a raven show that she is fierce, strong, and all-seeing as she guards over a New Heaven and a New Earth.
The painting was completed from a photo reference of a model dressed in costumes which she made herself. I captured this particular moment when she was proudly explaining how her costume was made in detail.
Years ago, when preparing an urban design Master Plan for Pasadena’s then skid row - today Pasadena’s vibrant Old Town - I enjoyed visiting the quiet beauty of the Pasadena Spanish Baroque Style City Hall Courtyard. Having spent a great deal of time in Pasadena over the intervening forty-five years, I have been drawn to frequently return and see the courtyard freshly with an artist’s eye rather than my earlier architect’s eye. Where previously I had focused on the larger courtyard environment, I now see the close up beauty of the fountain created by another artist almost a century ago - aged by time but still bringing peace and delight to all that view its beauty and tranquility.
The little Origami boats are on a journey towards the horizon, with an unknown destiny. The setting sun began to color the sky as rays of sunshine burst through the clouds, turning the water molten.
This scene depicts the destructive wildfires that ravaged the Mt. San Gorgonio region, northwest of Palm Springs, California, in the summer of 2015, due to ever increasing erratic and unprecedented warming climate patterns.
Wildfires, though destructive to animal life, civilizations and property, is nature's way of cleansing landscapes of old growth vegetation. Through the powerful, hauntingly beautiful and yet terrifying spectacle of wildfires...some plants, grasses and tree species benefit from these natural infernos. As a result, in the wake of such outward devastation, a natural renewal and rebirth eventually springs forth, through the ashes.
A young, strong, independent and determined native American woman travels to the Pine Ridge Reservation. Her spiritual journey continues when she arrives in Wanblee, the home town of the most famous and revered Oglala Titunwan. "Bineshi in Wanblee," is an oil on panel depicting Ozawa Bineshi Albert gazing across the landscape and beyond to the White River. One wonders about her thoughts while pondering her destiny.
My painting," Reflecting on the Flag" is from a visit to the Broad Museum. I came upon these two figures, probably a mother and daughter, viewing Jasper Johns American Flag. So many thoughts came to me while painting this. However, the events that transpired in 2020, with Black Lives Matter, the Covid-19 response, the divisiveness in our election results, and especially the violence that happened on January 6th, brought the importance of our democracy to the forefront and the American flag as a symbol of this truth. Tomorrow is a new day, a chance for rebirth and renewal. Hopefully America is ready to face its past, and its present, in order to create a better future.
Painted from studies down at MacKerricher State Park in Fort Bragg, I wanted to play with the color and bring up the golden light shining through the trees. It signifies a renewal of day.
– Ellen Howard
Katherine Irish
A Forest Poem
Soft Pastel, 18" x 24", $1800
When I moved to New Mexico, I made a conscious decision to contribute beauty to the world through my art. I find the world of natural color to be endlessly inspiring - whether it be reflections from a setting sun or light playfully dancing on the surfaces of changing leaves in a forest filled with maples. A note to be present to the smell of the freshness of the earth, and sound of the gentle rustle of leaves. Nature, art, and beauty are offerings for a renewal of the soul.
Bronze on Black Granite Base, 28" x 15" x 15", $4500
We can choose who we want to be each day. Which part will we choose to be? Which part of
ourselves will we leave behind? We can choose to be comfortable in what we know and
always were, or decide on a rebirth of the part of ourselves we want to change.
This sculpture depicts a struggle within each person for independent thinking.
The figure is holding up all these thoughts while clinging on to some of them, and throwing
away others. Sometimes it is easier to want to grab and hold on to the old until we realize
what strength we have in our renewal of self. What we choose to be each day is our renewal of
body and renewal of spirit. This sculpture is representative of the fight each of us have within,
and the strength of our own self propelled thinking.
Before the Los Angeles River was channelized, the Reed Wren nested by the thousands in vast marshlands along the Los Angeles River. With efforts to revitalize the river comes the challenge of merging the hope for environmental sustainability, and habitat restoration with the needs for socially equitable development.
In this painting, a Reed Wren feeds her young in the Dominguez Strip Wetlands; part of the current Los Angeles River system, giving new life to her next generation along a river that many hope will experience a new life and rebirth of its own.
Lately, I am embarking on a series of the children in our world holding light, and being surrounded by nature’s magical light. They remind us of the foundation of love and light that we are created from, and can keep creating. They are a path to hope. A path to living our light and purpose.
To portray the continued renewal and life giving strength the Eucharist provides, I have combined the images of the rose window of Notre Dame and The Empyrean (also called The Celestial Rose) from "Dante's Divine Comedy" by Gustave Dore. I hoped to express the mystical confluence of the physical earthly celebration of the Eucharist, and the synchronous celestial celebration.
This is a scene high in the Eastern Sierra depicting the beautiful colors of fall on the Aspen trees as they reflect into the cascading waters of Bishop Creek.
Spring is nature's ultimate renewal. This painting depicts the symbiosis of bees and fruit trees of Central California - Sunset in Spring over a blossoming plum field along with vibrant bee boxes ready to receive the bees for the night.
Diane Warner-Wang captures the quiet strength and determination of the subject in
her charcoal (on toned Canson paper) drawing, Russell.
With her confident handling of the medium, Warner-Wang’s portrait exudes an
energy that allows the viewer to see inside the soul of her subject.
Diane’s work has been juried into exhibits at Pacific Art League, NUMU of Los
Gatos, Higbee 6x6, Las Laguna Gallery in Newport Beach, the Santa Cruz Art
League and the Triton Museum in Santa Clara.
She has studied with and is inspired by Brigitte Curt, Jim Smyth, Ray Mendieta,
Ovanes Berberian, Oliver Sin and Melinda Cootsona.
"Ancient One" depicts a nurse log in the Pacific Northwest forest in the vicinity of Mount Saint Helens. Though my painting doesn’t depict the top of the log, it was broken off at about thirty feet. Nurse logs are hosts to mountain huckleberries, ferns, moss, mushrooms, and seedling trees. They represent renewal and rebirth in the forest because their decaying roots, bark, and trunks provide the perfect soil pH for new growth. I painted "Ancient One" en plen air.
