A Reluctant Farewell

I want to restate my thanks to the artists who allowed me to feature their work here over the past several years. Although I have made the difficult decision to stop posting to this blog, it will remain accessible as long as Blogger exists.

I've rearranged the sidebar elements so the index is near the top. By clicking on an artist's name, you will go directly to that person's feature. Links to each artist's blog or website are included in their feature. You can also choose to see all posts with a particular subject matter (birds, landscapes, etc.) by clicking on the appropriate index entry.

Jonathan Frank

From the Beginning, 21" x 25"

Jonathan Frank spent his earliest years playing in the canyonlands of western Colorado, and out of that experience, he developed a life-long passion for western lands and the desert. His subject matter is clearly a direct outgrowth of that, but his distinctive style was the result of an early experiment for a high-school art class.

Ephemeral Pool, 19" x 29"

As Jonathan tells it, "The practice of outlining my paintings began as a spontaneous, extra-curricular experiment on a high school art class assignment. Born of sheer teenage boredom, I was compelled to take a ballpoint pen to a rather bad watercolor abstract and just outline the whole thing. I found that the process of doing this was completely relaxing, and simultaneously exciting, and the result was visually striking. It made my bad painting 'kinda cool.' I was so impressed with the look of this that I adopted the concept into my general artistic thinking from that day forth. Nearly twenty years would pass before I started painting seriously, but when I did, this was my starting place. This was my style and I never questioned it.

"The outline has since become much more stylized and refined, as well as poignant. I now use a Rapidograph pen with India ink for precision and permanency. The outline also helps to give the whole piece a clean, unified appearance, as well as to emphasize the sheer strength of my subjects. This all results in what I call High-Definition Watercolor."

Convergence of Memories, 21" x 29"

Owachomo, 14" x 21"

Jonathan has received well-deserved recognition for his unique works, consistently winning awards in national exhibitions as well as in various magazine competitions. His paintings are published in Splash 7 and 10 (North Light Books), and he was featured on the cover and in a full-length article in Watercolor Artist magazine in June, 2009. He is a signature member of the National Watercolor Society, the Colorado Watercolor Society, the Western Colorado Watercolor Society, and the Texas Watercolor Society. His works are in both public and private collections.

Genesis Inviolate, 21" x 29"

Coming of Age, 25" x 25"

To see more of his art and learn more about his artistic accomplishments, please visit Jonathan's website.

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American Watercolor Masters -- Gary Bukovnik

Ecstatic Italy: Red Amaryllis, 30" x 20"

Cleveland-born and educated, Gary Bukovnik has made his home in San Francisco for over 25 years. Although he works in several media, he is probably best known for his monumental floral watercolors.

Beginning in early childhood, Gary was drawn to paint the flowers in the plant nurseries that surrounded his family home. However, he put this interest aside as an adult and began painting landscapes, until a perceptive gallery owner urged him to paint flowers. His early works were quite formal, frequently featuring controlled bouquets presented in simple, columnar glass vases.

Ladies Amongst the Thistles, 60" x 80" (diptych)

In 2003, the American Academy in Rome invited Gary to attend as a Visiting Artist, providing him with a room and studio for six weeks. During his stay in Rome, his work began to change -- becoming more free-spirited in nature -- and this change continued after his return to the States. Over time, his paintings have shifted to compositions that feature tipping vases and tumbling fields of flowers, conveying a joyful energy.

Flying Tulips, 40" x 60"

Ecstatic Italy: Flying Roses, 30" x 20"

Monet's Dream, 40.5" x 22.5"

Gary's work has been featured in numerous solo gallery and museum exhibitions throughout the United States, as well as in Europe and Japan, and beginning this June, his paintings will be featured in seven exhibitions in China over the next two years. His work is represented in diverse public and private collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. There are two books on his work -- Flowers: Gary Bukovnik Watercolors & Monotypes, published in 1990; and Gary Bukovnik Watercolors, released in October 2005.

Tipping Arrangement, 40" x 28"

For more information about Gary and his work, please visit his website. I strongly encourage you to watch the video interview -- a wonderful insight into the life and work of this charming and very talented artist.

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Amanda Spencer

Peonies, 20" x 20" (51cm x 51cm)

Although British artist Amanda Spencer attended art school and qualified as a graphic artist, her work life headed in an unrelated direction. However, she retained her deep interest in art and, in 2005, she began to paint in watercolor -- teaching herself by studying books and DVDs. At about the same time, she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which periodically disrupts her ability to concentrate and paint due to severe fatigue.

Despite these challenges, she has produced a wonderful body of work over the past six years, with both floral and people/places as her subject matter. Her latest work is a series based on reflections – particularly windows showing the new reflecting the old, but she continues to paint florals, particularly the small pieces which she intersperses between her larger paintings. She writes, "I love watercolour – the colours, the vibrancy and the unpredictability of the medium.... I hope that I have developed a style that incorporates the unique qualities that only watercolour can offer. I find it both a challenge and a joy to produce a painting which, in turn, inspires me to continue towards my goal of becoming a full time artist one day." She credits Nick Simmons for inspiration and for his encouragement of her work, in addition to her husband Dan's support and encouragement, which has given her the confidence to continue working through bouts of CFS.

Summer, 20" x 20" (51cm x 51cm)

Sunlit Roses, 20" x 27" (51cm x 71cm)

Amanda was juried into the inaugural Shanghai //Zhujiajiao International Watercolour //Biennial Exhibition in 2010 and was also selected to take part in The Society of Women Artists Annual London Exhibition. In 2011, her work will be shown in The Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours 2011 Exhibition as well as The Society of Women Artists 150th Celebratory Exhibition.

Chrysanthemum, 20" x 20" (51cm x 51cm)

Pashley, 4.75" x 4.75" (12cm x 12cm)

Please visit Amanda's blog to see more of her work.

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A short interruption...

I'm taking a break from the showcase this month. All is well, I just need to focus on some other projects. I expect to be back in the editor's seat in May.

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American Watercolor Masters -- Chris Krupinski

Cooking with Wine, 30" x 22"

Although Chris Krupinski has been drawing and painting all of her life, watercolor became her passion after she discovered the medium in the mid-1980s, and she is widely regarded as a brilliant watercolorist. Dynamic light and shadow treatments are prominent in her paintings, and by focusing much of her attention on the smallest details, the viewer is drawn into the intricacies of her work. These two elements have enabled her to create powerfully expressive still lifes and bold compositions.

Lemons and a Lime, 22" x 30"

Clementines and Pitcher, 30" x 22"

Chris has continually drawn rave reviews for her fine art work, winning nearly 100 national awards and honors. She is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, the National Watercolor Society, Rocky Mountain Watercolor Society, Allied Artists, and the American Artist's Professional League, to name a few. Chris was one of 26 "American masters" invited to the prestigious Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary International Watermedia Masters in Nanjing, China in both November 2007 and May 2010. She has been published in major watercolor publications, has been a featured artist in numerous leading national art magazines and is consistently included in Marquis' Who's Who Internationally, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who Among American Women.

Apples, Stripes, and Jar, 30" x 22"

Pears and a Glass, 30" x 22"

Please go to Chris's website to see more of her exquisite watercolors.

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