Best Of Artists & Artisans

Leslie Kirchner is a primarily self-taught wildlife, western and landscape artist who paints in both oil and acrylic. Reference material for her work is obtained through photography, field experience, camping trips, and observing wildlife in their native environments. Her home and studio is in a small, rural mountain community surrounded by the Angeles National Forest with many of her favorite subjects right outside her door including: cougars, bears, coyotes, foxes, deer, raccoons, and several species of birds. A short hike from her front door leads to the Pacific Crest Trail for further inspiration. For several years Leslie was in charge of the caring and management of wildlife housed at a nature center. These animals included birds of prey, snakes (including three species of rattlesnakes), and small mammals among others. She received certification in the care and stabilization of injured wildlife, and trained others how to care for and work with non- releasable wildlife. Leslie now volunteers at a facility closer to home with non- releasable wildlife such as birds of prey, bobcats, cougars, wolves, and other animals, which allows further study of wildlife.

Kay Moore Dewar is a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, currently residing in the city of Bremerton, Washington. She was employed as a Graphics Designer with the University of Washington for more than 30 years. Her graphics are included in a number of Atmospheric Science publications and classroom textbooks and have been included in government publications on the environment. For the past several years she has been designing and administering websites for the arts and entertainment communities. As a fine artist Kay has exhibited and won awards in local and international shows and had solo shows at Glitz, The Gallery in Bremerton, WA, ArtsWest Gallery in West Seattle and Semantics Gallery in Edmonds, WA. Also, finding colored pencil to be a favorite medium, Kay has been actively involved in the international organization, Colored Pencil Society of America, first serving as Membership Director, Corporate Image Director/Webmaster and currently as Webmaster. She was juried into the Women Painters of Washington in 2001 and serves as Webmaster for that organization.

Wayne is An Australian self taught artist who paints from his home studio situated on the North Coast of NSW. Most of his life has been spent in and around the ocean and as an artist he finds it very natural to express on canvas his love and fascination of this environment. “I have always been fascinated with the breaking wave and have spent years trying to capture via the brush its beauty, the ocean has many moods and colours producing an endless source of subject to paint and as a keen surfer I get the opportunity to experience this up close and sometimes very personable”. Wayne believes God has given us a very special environment with the ocean and so we have a responsibility to caretake it, he regularly donates art for auctions to raise money for selected organizations who are dedicated to protect ocean environments. Wayne participates in group and solo exhibitions; his art is in private collections both nationally and internationally as well as being featured in magazines, covers and press publications. Wayne was recently inducted into the Wyland Ocean Artists Society USA . His paintings and reproductions can be viewed and purchased from his Greenroom Gallery Coffs Harbour.

"Seanchaí (shan-a-hee): The traditional Irish storyteller, who are responsible for the transmission of Celtic culture, the history and laws of the people that were not written down, but memorized in long lyric poems which were recited. With my current body of work, I am working in the tradition of the seanchaí, transmitting the cultural experience of Irish folklore to the greater populace. Much like the shift from the expressive, musical poetry of the bards (filí) to the written documentation of Irish illuminated manuscripts, these works follow the monk’s use of visual cues and imagery to transmit cultural details and custom. My use of traditional craft practices to create the sculptures is a direct mirror of the value and importance put on such practices by Celtic culture. Over generations the venerated history and laws that were transmitted helped to hold and preserve one of the oldest written and verbal cultures in Europe. Through the first hand exploration and research of the ruins of monastic communities and their extant remains in Ireland, Cornwall, and Scotland, I balance the ancient traditions and usage of materials with an artistic license that stays true to the essence of historical, cultural transmission. As a creator, the first hand physical involvement of a fluid tactile material is a conduit to the personal and physically exhaustive labour that went into the transcribing and documentation of many of the world's great ancient literary works, whose current existence is due in large part to the work of these northern European monks. While the monks combined the lyrical history with their skillful, sinuous documentation, I continue the artistic evolution through traditional Irish craftsmanship and the aesthetic and mnemonic value of imagery and composition set forth by the bards and monks."

Irena Orlov, innovative, contemporary fine artist, architect, designer, illustrator, photographer is known for creating captivating works which are full of energy. Extraordinary versatile in her mediums, Irena could never imagine life without art. Having a successful carrier in architecture and design for quite a long time, she began to deal with fine art. She is an artist whose path in the fine arts has led her to a unique expression of mood and color. The combination of antique and a very clean, crisp modern design sense creates a highly prized, individual art style. Her images begin spontaneously and give expression to personal creativity and insight. Each piece is unique in design. Irena often prefers to think of herself as a craftsman, constructing, or interpreting imagery and messages from her conscious and subconscious mind. Irena has lived in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Canada, and now lives and works in Los Angeles.

Enamelist and Goldsmith, Mona and Alex Szabados, live in the rural historical town of Mokelumne Hill, CA. They have collaborated to make jewelry for over 30 years, won numerous awards and their work has been published in several books and magazines, including the front cover of “Ornament” magazine. Each Enamel piece is built up gradually using transparent enamel with 24 karat gold foil and granules, and pure silver foil, in approximately 40 layers and firings. The faces are built up with finely ground transparent, opaque, and opalescent enamel in the same amount of firings to create subtle dimensions and a tactile quality. Inspiration, other than wildlife and the life we lead, are the enamels themselves, and the materials we use. The 24karat Gold Foil especially is a very creative material and is important in the movement and depth of design. Also now using palladium leaf has added a new dimension. When Mona has finished the enamel, Alex begins the delicate goldsmithing that encases the enamel, adding unique precious stones, gold granulation, reticulation and anticlastic raising. His artistry enables the enamelist to devote all the time she needs to create the enamels she loves.

In 1975 he graduated Cum Laude from the Academy for Fine Arts in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Several years of private lessons in old painting techniques improved his skills. He uses various techniques like oil painting, airbrush, etching, sculpture, but above all he is a highly skilled draughtsman. Portraits are an important part of his work. His work is found in collections all over the world. Beside his work as a fine artist, he works as graphic designer and digital image editor. He also spreads his artistic skills as a drawing master. He is a board member of a foundation called "Kunst in Kwartier" (Art in Area). The main task of this foundation is the organization of an annual theme exhibition for approximately forty artists. Gérard Philipsen is an artist in the tradition of 'Fantastic Realism'. That means he portrays imaginary things through a realistic way of drawing, etching and painting. He documents dreamlike images with the precision that exceeds that of photography. These images make us glimpse into a mirror. But is isn't a mirror in which one can recognize their own reflection. This mirror reflects images from our unconscious. This artist presents symbols on a silver platter that normally play a vague and for the most part unknown role in the deepest recesses of our mind. This makes this artist the visual chronicler of our unconscious mind... Men say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and that is true. Just as the poet gives voice to the apparently inexpressible, this artist makes the seemingly invisible, visible.

The first time my interest of art was in 1970. I followed courses at the free academy of The Hague. I did a course of sculpture, ceramics, graphics and model drawing. After the academy I could work as an artist in full time. This was from 1974 until 1987. During this time I could add another course, which was the knowledge about resins, like polyester and epoxy. Plastics which can formed with heat, like acrylate I learned. I could make an object in resin with glass fiber. This object can be seen on http://artofjuffermans.freehostia.com/Art%20documentation%20of%20juffermans/ I had several exhibitions in galeries in The Hague and some in near townships of The Hague. In 1987 I had to find a parttime job and until now I work as a parttime artist. Nowadays my interest is with fractalart and all the images I show on fineartamerica are fractalart derived from a fractalgenerator. I hope I have mentioned the main subjects in my biography and leave it.

Jewelry has always been a passion of mine. In January of 2006, I attended my first lampwork glass class and was immediately taken with this incredible art form. To work with a medium that captures light, transforms from a solid to a liquid and back again and ending with a unique piece of art was amazingly magical to me. The process captures an idea or feeling and freezes it in time. The final piece represents a unique experience that cannot be repeated.

I am a member of the Miniature Painters, Sculptors and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C., the Miniature Art Society of Florida, the Hampton Arts League, the Association of Miniature Artists, and the Cider Painters of America. “Modern Masters in Miniature Art in America”, a book authored by Wes Siegrist, and sponsored by the Miniature Artists of America details the provenance and history of miniature art. The second half is devoted to the signature members with a painting, photograph and thoughts from each artist. “Candy Striped Camellias” a miniature oil on Ivorine was selected for exhibit in “Blossom II-Art of Flowers. This International Show had over 2,300 entries from 35 countries with only 100 paintings selected for exhibit by the 8 Judges. The premiere opening is at the Naples Museum of art, Naples, FL Feb. 4, 2011 with my miniature being selected for inclusion in the three year traveling show. The miniature “A Long Drink” was chosen for the 49th Annual Exhibition of the Society of Animal Artists in 2009 and in the year long traveling exhibit. Most of the paintings and sculptures were large pieces. My miniature oil painting “White Pelicans Resting on a Sandbar” is included in a traveling exhibit sponsored by the Miniature Artists of America. The collection of tiny works of art by Signature Members is available for special exhibit at museums and galleries through 2012.

Born in 1961 in Kiev, Ukraine, Yuri Shevchuk attended the Kiev Art School and later the prestigious Kiev Architectural Academy. Yuriy has adopted the practice of recording his own experiences in his artworks: his three passions, painting, jazz and historical cars have become the focus of his paintings. Since 1993 Shevchuk has been living in the city of Prague, which he depicts in many of his paintings and also where he exhibits his work widely. He has been described as an accomplished master, full of artistic and intellectual energy. Bewitched with jazz music he skillfully and rapidly sketches the cool and charming figures of musicians in action, showing the positive mood of jazz and the stunning spiritual intensity of this bright magical world. His lively and spontaneous paintings expertly translate the atmosphere and verve of the music, using dripping, seeping paints and pastels. Another part of his interests is retro cars. He does not paint cars as such, but tries to depict his emotional perception of retro style. So, the observer can feel spirit of the past on his works. Shevchuk, an associate member of the Pastels Society of America, has participated in numerous exhibitions and his work is held in collections all over the world. The clarity, harmony, the refined palette of colour and line attract sophisticated art and music lovers worldwide. In the presence of Yuriy’s paintings one can almost hear the blues, feel the beguiling emotions and impassioned feelings of the musicians translated through the artist; such intoxication supports the belief that Yuriy Shevchuk is undoubtedly among the leading contemporary artists exhibiting widely in the Czech Republic today.

Born in Seoul, Korea Grace Kim is the oldest of four children. She received her bachelor's degree in architecture at Hong-Ik University, in Seoul, Korea in 1968. In 1970, Grace immigrated with her husband to the US, where they settled and raised three children. Over the years, she has traveled extensively throughout the world to places such as Japan, China, Italy, France, England, Russia, Eastern Europe, and New Zealand. Currently, she resides in Washington, DC. Grace has studied at the Art League in Alexandria, Virginia, as well as Schuler's Fine Art School in Baltimore, Maryland. She has worked under many artists such as Danni Dawson, Robert Liberace, Gerald King, and Ann Schuler. Since 1998, she has been a copyist at the National Gallery of Art. In January 2000, Grace made the acquaintance of Ken Marlow, and has since been under his tutelage. Working with various media, including water colors, oils and pencils, Grace creates works which showcase the precision of her architecture training through vivid colors, with heavy emphasis on light and shadows. Her style is strongly influenced by the Dutch still life works of the 16th and 17th century. Presently, she splits her time between the National Gallery and original works in her studio. Her goal is not only to capture the work accurately, but to elicit the sensations of taste, smell, and touch from the viewer.

Born into an artistic family, Sylvia B. Ganancia works alone, has her own particular style and lets her sensitivity guide her. Painter, sculptor, musician and always creative, even in her youth, she knew how to create her own visual vocabulary. A part of her artistic career can be analysed as a search between the abstract and the figurative. A surprising thing is that her paintings are not naive; on the contrary they contain a classical harmony and are enriched by private and personal ideas which create simple, moving images. Her work is a combination of dreams and reality. Her very personal technique is the result of constant evolution; she uses a mixture of techniques in her paintings which include varied elements such as leather, inlay and fabrics. These show us other dimensions, creating a subtle and attractive universe. This composition of materials is based on a subtly tinted chromatic scale. Her progress is charming, human and full of feminine sensitivity...Any culture may deeply affect her, and, in her work, the faces of women can be admired: she herself says “traditions perpetuate thanks to women”. In this way she uses her work to take us to the world of different cultures. With a rich interior life and ancestry, Sylvia is prepared to explore her own world. Each of her works is a reflection of her passion and memories of other times, a reflection of the archives of an eternal memory. Her work is as authentic as that sensitive world which she carries inside herself...life, love, tenderness, fervour, passion, contemplation....and the artist becomes a prophet.

My passion in life is to explore and photograph our world's wilderness areas. I love adventuring in wilderness landscapes, combining my love for photography, traveling, adventure, the mountains, and seldom-visited places with my desire to remember and share the unique sights I see with others, hoping to create appreciation and respect for these wilderness areas. Photography also helps me to slow down in my wanderings and notice the details and wonder at the beauty that nature exhibits every day, all over the world, whether anyone is there to witness it or not. I specialize in panoramic wilderness landscapes and wilderness adventure photography. A main goal in my photography is to make the viewer of the photograph feel like they are really in the scene, and not just looking at a photograph, and I feel the very large panoramic format, along with a minimalist mounting method which emphasizes and bolds the photo and does not distract the eye with a fancy frame, helps to achieve this feel. I believe that if a viewer feels they are part of the scene, they will connect with it, and the wilderness landscape it depicts, better. And if someone connects with a landscape, that person is more likely to value it, which then leads a person to want to preserve and/or personally enjoy it. While much of the photographer community strives to achieve simplicity in their compositions in order to create more impactful imagery, I have evolved my style to include as opposed to exclude. This style, I hope, adds to the realism feel of my images, as well as differentiates my work and style in a crowded photographer community and over-photographed world.

Take advantage of the unexpected. I started my photo efforts as something to do when the kids moved out and I had extra time (as well as discretionary income) on my hands. With a borrowed manual Pentax, I learned the basics of lighting, shutter speeds, and f-stops, and the decade-plus journey to where I am now has been fun in its purist form. Someone is quoted, "The style of Larry's photographs vary. Sometimes the photos are elegant, such as his pictures of the night skyline of San Francisco with the full moon overhead. Some photos are more artistically styled. The black and white driftwood photos come to mind. Other photos just make you want to grin and enjoy. Larry's diving polar bear and ladybug on a flower are some of my favorites." Another says, "I have seen several photos that Larry has taken . Not only have I been impressed with the quality of the end result but I am amazed at the extreme amount of time and effort Larry puts into each one of his shots. From checking the rising and setting of the sun for any given day, or a certain month in spring when wildflowers are in bloom to planning the day off work and rising at the crack of dawn to ensure everything is in place for how he wants to capture the shot. Truly a guy that takes his photography very seriously!"

Kevin's work involves the fusing of layers of glass, with engravings and lenses to trap and transmit light and colour. His art is informed by his interest and study of fractals and the Mandelbrot Theory, and the resonance of these patterns and designs as found in nature .

Glenda Brown is a portrait painter who works in the French Academic tradition. Her portraits have been described as remarkably lifelike, so much so that people on the canvas seem to breathe. Her masterful use of light and shadow is especially effective in capturing the personality of her subject. She maintains freshness and a wonderful spontaneity in her work, which makes each portrait appear to have just happened. This great talent enables Glenda to personalize your portrait, with consideration of your ideas and tastes, so that the finished work of art is how you - her valued client - envision your Heirloom Portrait

Antonia's photography literally speaks from the heart. With alluring color and beautiful composition Antonia brings a fresh perspective to the moments she captures on film. After spending two decades under the seductive spell of San Francisco, Antonia found new adventure. She sailed to Mexico, Central America, South America, the western Carribean and Cuba before reentering North America to explore the eastern seaboard and Nova Scotia. Around-the-World-Images was born during travel to 17 countries in 6 years. Her photography is sold on three continents. Antonia currently lives in Rockbridge County in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Painter Alexey Adonin, originally from Slutsk, Belarus, graduated from the Arts College of Minsk's Grafhic Arts program in 1991, at which point he relocated to Israel. With his loyalty to imagination above all other rules of artistic logic, his paintings begin with a single line and then take on vivid lives of their own as landscapes in wich viewers can lose themselves. Adonin strives to create works that allow for free form exploration in an abstract universe without the hard constraints of realism. Rather than beginning with a preconceived idea of a painting's final form, the soundtracks he chooses while creating each piece determine the end results, allowing for free form evolution.

I began creating jewelry in the early 1970's as a hobby. That hobby turned into a vocation after taking many art classes at Rowan College and the Center of Visual Arts in Summit, NJ. Classes continued at Wild Acres and Young Harris, GA and New Smyrna Beach, FL through sponsorship of the Florida Society of Goldsmiths. While living in Cherry Hill, NJ, my wife and I traveled throughout NJ, PA, DE and NY participating in fine art shows. We relocated in 1995 to Jacksonville, FL and continued to exhibit and sell our jewelry at the fine art shows from Florida to South Carolina, winning many awards and ribbons along the way.

Specializing in figurative bronze sculpture, artist Myra Weisgold (more commonly known as Marci) imparts the motion and emotion of life into each of her works of art. Myra is acclaimed for her exquisite detail and the radiant feeling prevalent in all of her figurative sculptures. Available for public and private commissions, Myra has created works for parks and universities, as well as individuals looking to capture a moment in bronze. Myra is one of an elite group of less than one hundred elected fellows of the National Sculpture Society, the highest achievement one can reach in the world of figurative sculpture.

My current series of photo-based work originates from photographs I have taken on city streets in New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco and in public spaces such as Grand Central Station. I am expanding and shifting the parameters of traditional photography by combining it with digital technology, oil painting, narrative text, and resin. By blending the distinctions between these areas, it enables me to push beyond their conventional boundaries to create a new format. I was born and raised in Chicago, so my work is informed by city life and the multitude of issues we encounter living in a large city: loneliness and alienation in our fast-paced society, the concept of personal identity and the loss of it, the individual as part of the crowd, the passage of time, and finding our own unique voice. Around 2000 I began writing text over some of the people in my photos in an attempt to personalize or individualize them, and make them stand out from “a sea of sameness”. These brief stories about the figures are from my imagination, based solely on their appearance or stance. By using written narrative in my work, it creates a public/private dichotomy, giving the viewer an opportunity to “experience” the artwork. One can become a part of the process by reading it, rather than simply looking at an object from a distance, creating a greater impact and duration in its effect on the viewer.

Dazeley's Solo exhibition '21st Century Platinum', at the Conningsby Gallery in London's West End, was an exhibition of his personal work that had been an eight year journey of discovery, experimenting with different processes, lenses and techniques, looking for and photographing people and things that he found visually stimulating.

It was after his degree, that Jack developed the art of glass blowing...At this point in his life, he ventured out on his own and founded "Jack Pine Studio." Starting with oil lamps and Christmas ornaments, he stumbled over the idea of making glass pumpkins, for the Circleville Pumpkin Show. Why didn't he think of this before? After all, he was born and raised in "Pumpkin Town." All one has to do is look at the Water Tower in Circleville, to know that Circleville is "Pumpkin Town." The annual celebration of the harvest, has turned into the largest street festival in the United States of America, with the largest pumpkin in the show, winding up weighing upwards of 1,500 to 1,800 pounds.

Amy Roper Lyons is a studio jeweler and enamelist. Her work expresses her love for the marvelous variety of form and color found in the natural world. Inspired by her garden, and long walks along the seashore near her home, she creates one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces in high-karat gold, enamels, and gemstones.

Born in Texas (1950), of Scottish and Cherokee Indian descent, Aden McLeod has captured the likeness of world figures, historical identities and outback characters with his distinctive style. During a 35 year odyssey Aden has explored over 80 countries, interpreting their cultures in his work and sharing his holistic approach to sculpture with local communities. A flamboyant performance artist, Aden delights in taking his art to the people and has mesmerised audiences worldwide with his ability to intuitively reveal the spirit and likeness of his subjects. He also revels in the opportunity and freedom to create purely imaginative works with compelling and provocative results.

Canadian Artist Kenneth M. Kirsch was born and raised in Toronto Canada. Working with Acrylic and Oil paint on stretched canvas, Ken paints the Canadian Landscape that he knows and loves, in his own unique realist style. His paintings and reproductions may be seen in hundreds of Fine Art Galleries and private art collections worldwide, at an ever increasing demand and price.

"In her sculptures, Ms Faucher tries to capture the particular expression of her subject, in a dynamic rather than static state. Using different patinas to convey colour and thus to add an emotional dimension. Ms Faucher travels a lot, has lived in North America, West Africa and Europe, and impressions from these travels heavily influence her work."

www.isabellefauchersculpture.com

"Glass Artists Ola Höglund and Marie Simberg-Höglund celebrate 27 years of working with glass in New Zealand. They have won several awards and their work has been exhibited in more than 40 international exhibitions, including Australia, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, Indonesia, Taiwan, India and Japan. Finding the rainforests of New Zealand and Tropical North Queensland highly inspirational, the pace of life is a strong influence in their work. "For us life is about our work - inspiration comes to us - we make art to live""

www.hoglundartglass.com

“Vibrant color has always been a strong element in my work. For me, painting is a combination of exploration and intuition. My goal is to harmonize the ideas and feelings that evolve in my mind and heart, and then express them on paper or canvas.” “My paintings have been collected and exhibited widely in commercial and public galleries in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia and South America. An elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists, I was awarded an Art in Public Places commission in Ottawa, Canada. In 1995, I was honored to have one of my paintings presented to the mayor of The Hague in honor of the 50th anniversary of VE Day. My work was also included in the Arad International Biennale of Contemporary Art in Romania in 2005.

Judy Crane has been a full-time professional artist for more than 20 years. While her current focus is oil painting, she has also worked in pastel and watercolor. Her painting style lets the viewer see the subject as the eye sees a scene—not in photographic focus, but with atmosphere and depth of field. Her work captures the sophisticated, lush colors of nature and our man-made environment, and presents them in a believable and exciting way. Judy has painted in plein air on location in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and many areas of the U.S. She is also a highly sought after instructor at workshops throughout North Carolina, including Art of the Carolinas. Her teaching focuses on shape, value, color and design—emphasizing what is really important in a painting, rather than the details.

“I am proud to have remained independent throughout my career, and to have established a reputation for taking my work beyond ‘the dead cherub syndrome’ that has characterized much of figurative sculpture. This is what I feel I have achieved in my work. I see my style as unique, not bound by superficial trends or fashion. I strive to make my mark among those who have had a significant impact on the history of sculpture.”

http://www.baldwinsculptor.com

"I’ve been greatly shaped by paintings that call to more than one sense. I’m pulled under by water painted in such a way that the mind can actually feel it crashing and smoothing over (Sorolla). I’m wooed by mathematical order boldly rendered in whimsical but appropriate chaos, and planes of surfaces bouncing edible, colored, liquid-light (Asaro). I ponder stories and fears explored, exposed, provoked (Kahlo), and respect the haunting beauty of contrast--of mood and harmonious color mastery (Rembrant/Sargent). I’m most inspired--most fiercely driven--by honest expression."

http://www.kpstandard.com/

The work is about the nature of nature, exploring the inherent infinity behind organic forms. Evolution provides endless unfolding of repeating structures, patterns and colors which lend themselves comfortably to painting. Cacti, Succulents and Seashells serve only as a starting point in extracting the essence of nature's architectural tendencies. They are not the subject; infinity is the subject. The work composes these forms to suggest that they extend beyond the boundaries of the canvas, focusing only on pattern and not monolithic object. Each work is a singular study, finding the multiple within.

He received his MFA from Otis College 2007.

www.ericrdoolin.com

The pursuit of masterly quality and technique is a high priority for Lyn Diefenbach. Her paintings are a celebration of her Christian faith and the joy found in life. Her work covers a myriad of subject matter, with her bold florals receiving accolades nationally and internationally. Lyn’s ability to communicate her ideas has entrenched her as a respected and sought-after tutor, with teaching engagements internationally and across Australia.

www.ldief.com

"Inspired by the wildlife and landscapes I encounter while traveling I return to my studio with insights about the world and about myself. Rather than faithfully documenting the flora and fauna, I strive to capture the feeling and emotions these trips provide. Each trip consists of both a journey through the outer world, and an inner journey where I learn more about my humanity, my spirit and the world inside. These paintings are about both worlds and how they relate."

www.craigkosak.com

"The beauty of nature is both omnipresent and illusive. Although beauty is everywhere, we have masked ourselves from understanding or even seeing this beauty. We have trained ourselves to be ashamed of our bodies and become increasingly apathetic to the beauty of the natural world. The goal of my work is to seek, capture, understand and unleash the innate beauty that lies silently dormant within human figure and in nature. Only then can I invite the viewer to pierce through their conventional perceptions and penetrate the beauty within all things."

www.sukiart.com

“My one-of-a-kind work focuses primarily on the necklace form and also includes earrings, bracelets, beaded bags, decorative tassels, and even small sculptures. Most of my work is intended for personal adornment. It is therefore meant to beautify, to protect, and to make a statement about the wearer.

I favor natural materials including stone cabochons, fossils, natural crystals, and pearls. I also use authentic Zuni fetish carvings and handmade glass beads by contemporary artists. I use traditional metalsmithing techniques and often embellish the work with seed beads to add rich texture and color.”

“I have 25 years of experience as a self-taught fine art motoring and motorsport illustrator. I’ve had a passion for motorsports since I was a young boy growing up within earshot of the Crystal Palace racing circuit in London, England. This passion for Formula 1, Superbikes, and touring cars eventually developed into a vocation.

“I pride myself on carefully planning, preparing and finishing all of my artworks to a very high standard. Wherever possible, I try to capture the feeling of action, speed, and excitement while maintaining an exacting eye for detail.

“I have exhibited at Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donnington Park, Goodwood Revival and at festivals. A full member of the Guild of Motoring Artists and the Coloured Pencil Society, I welcome commissions from corporate, commercial and private clients.”

This gallery does not contain any pictures! To add pictures, click on the gallery title (or icon), and select "upload new pictures" from within the gallery.

Having spent much of her life on the coast of South Wales, Suzie is fascinated by the movement and reflections of the sea and has a particular interest in ammonites. These structures are delicate and beautiful, while being naturally strong. Her intention is to thread these qualities through each piece of work.

In her current collection of contemporary jewellery, Suzie has employed the techniques of hammering and forming freely by hand with the more rigid process of pressforming. The resulting body of work is light, tactile, and strong with interesting reflections.

Douglas J. Fisher is a full-time artist living on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Since 1992 he has been involved almost exclusively in creating some form of art, including painting, stained glass, photography, pen and ink drawing, and wood art. Wood sculptures, primarily made using a lathe, have been the focus of his work since 1997. When not in his studio, Douglas can often be seen performing in theatre productions.

Prior to becoming a full-time artist, he taught skiing and sailing, was an ironworker, a driller and blaster in several underground gold mines, and delivered sailboats in the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean, and across the Atlantic Ocean.

Influences from the art world are many but Douglas has always liked the work of Monet, Seurat, Rodin and Bernini. “I had the opportunity to see several Seurats at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris and what fascinated me the most was not seeing his painting “The Circus” which was stunning, but seeing the working model beside it. To glimpse a portion of this creative process for me was worth the total price of admission.” Douglas is known internationally for his unique style of wood turned sculptures. His works are in private collections around the world.

“My main photographic portfolios concentrate on graffiti, momentary puddle reflections, the street, pond reflections, and rain. These are subjects that fascinate me because of their transitory and ephemeral nature. I search for the aesthetic possibilities in the ordinary—places where people may pass by daily, without ever actually 'seeing.'

“Graffiti is subject to daily, whimsical transformations of passers-by. Puddles may be affected by traffic, people, and the wind. Ponds and rain vary from moment to moment, due to the quality of light and natural forces. My images seek to portray either the transient, vivid reality of the street or the dreamlike qualities of water—where perception is influenced by many factors, including the viewer’s own state of mind.”

“I became a professional artist as a second career. After years in R&D, I was drawn to creative work.

"My work is largely influenced by the materials I use: mainly stone, wood and metal (which I love). 'The Soul of the Material' series is, perhaps, my main body of my work. In this series, I finally reached a point when even the hardest granite or basalt stone becomes like 'clay in the hands of the artist.'

“My art is mainly abstract. I avoid figurative works that address rational thinking and can be described verbally. Abstract art directly impacts the viewer’s feelings, and this is what satisfies my creative drive.”

“A graduate of the New York Institute of Photography, I've been a professional photographer for more than 13 years. I photograph engagements, weddings, babies, family, travel and more.

“The most rewarding part of my work is traveling around the globe to capture images of nature and culture in other parts of our world. I teach, lead groups and lecture on all levels of photography. I also mentor high school students and run summer camps for young photography enthusiasts. My photos have appeared in advertisements and decor publications, and I've won several awards.

“My work provides challenge and opportunities for discovery and understanding. I'm thrilled to have my photos displayed in other countries. Most exciting of all is that my work will outlive me!”

Member: WPPI, NAPP, PPA, CNPA, NANPA, NPS