Converge, Where Classical and Contemporary Collide

There is a very exciting fine-art exhibition and sale happening this month in NYC at 25CPW Gallery, November 15-27, 2012. Our family business, Matter Deep Publishing had the privilege of publishing the catalog for the show, which is available at the gallery or online.

There is an Opening Reception on Thursday, November 15 from 6 pm to 9 pm that is open to the public, and many of the exhibiting artists will be in attendance. More info is available on the website for the show.


Through their unique skill and vision, these 30 exhibiting artists—and others like them—are breaking barriers between classical and contemporary art, redefining the rules of those respective worlds, and pointing the way toward the art of tomorrow.

~Allison Malafronte, curator

Allison is the former senior editor of American Artist magazine—is an arts writer, editor, columnist, and curator based in New York City and creator of the show.

You may see all the images on the Converge website but I wanted to share a few of my favorites here.

 I'm loving the fantastical quality of this Daniel Bilmes painting.

What's not to love about this Rachel Constantine self portrait. I've seen this painting in person and it is captivating.

 One of my favorite Alia El-Bermani paintings. I'm captured by the symbolic gesture of standing bare in a threshold

Beautiful and mysterious Diane Feissel. There is a soft and delicate quality to Diane's brushwork that makes me sigh.

Wonderful color and composition in this painting by Sandra Flood.

Super graphic quality to this Geoffrey Johnson piece.

Karen Kaapcke using a zinger spot of red in all these neutrals makes for a sparkling composition.

Michael Klein, wow.

Maria Kreyn's painting has it all, dynamic composition, juicy color, captured emotion.

When I found out Jeremy Mann used palette knives and brayers in his work, that explained much about the delectable paint surface. It looks good enough to eat

Adam Miller does the swirling drapery thing so well.

Oh so subtle palette from Gregory Mortensen.

Cool and warm color and pushed values make this piece from Tibor Nagy vibrant.

These shelves and Jordan Sokol are telling a story and I want to listen.

 You may find more about the show at Artists on Art.

Or in the November issue of American Artist Magazine.

Oh, how I wish I could be there in person, but alas, I will simply peruse my catalog, sip a glass of Pinot Grigio and imagine!

Miller Gallery - CONTEMPORARY REALISM: Invitational

I'm thrilled to have been invited to participate in this show! Cincinnati, OH. Shaping up to be a great looking exhibit.

These images are from the gallery's facebook fan page.
Opening Friday, September 30, 2011, 6-8 pm

The gallery is located at:
2715 Erie Avenue - Hyde Park Square
Cincinnati, Ohio 45208
phone-(513) 871-4420
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 10-5:30 / Thursday-Friday 10-8 / Saturday 10-5:30 / Sunday 10-2
Miller Gallery 

I have a monthly newsletter of show info, workshops, art tips. Interested in signing up for my email newsletter? You may Subscribe Here 

Romantic Realist, Really?

My work was featured on the ArtistADay website on July 16. It's been fun reading the comments by various viewers. A couple have mentioned Romantic Realism as a genre for my work. Curiosity piqued I turned to Google and Wiki for a quick definition. 

Ann Rand defined romantic realism as a portrayal of life "as it could be and should be." She wrote: "The method of romantic realism is to make life more beautiful and interesting than it actually is, yet give it all the reality, and even a more convincing reality than that of our everyday existence."

Today's realists have many modifiers attached as we and others try to categorize our work. Contemporary, Traditional, Social, Political, Hyper, Photo... If Romantic Realism means a love of beauty and discipline of technical skills then I'm fine with the label. Does it also include work of a conceptual and symbolic nature like my work? 

Considering the piece that is on my easel at the moment they may very well be right. This piece is in progress, 30x40, as yet untitled and is for my two-person show with Forrest Solis at Peterson-Cody Gallery in Santa Fe, NM, in November 2011.

I invite you to visit the ArtistADay website and rate my work by clicking on one of the boxes 1-5, five being the highest, You can also share that page with your facebook friends by clicking the like button under Share.

ArtistADay is available as a Google gadget for your Google home page. I have it on mine and enjoy seeing a new artist each day from all over the world.