Waves dancing gracefully toward shore. Aspens rising from the snow. The glow of sunlight on canyon walls. Moonlight casting a mystical glow on the land below. There is no beauty like that we find in nature—with the possible exception of an artist’s rendering of those scenes. Debra Joy Groesser (Nebraska) Laguna Cliffs Oil 14″ By 18″ Kathryn Stats (Arizona) Old Highway 6 Oil 12″ By 18″ Carol Swinney (Wyoming) Desert Sojourn Oil 16″ By 20″
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Dan Beck was justifiably pleased when one of his paintings earned a Gold Medal Award at the Oil Painters of America Show in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in June. It was the latest in a long list of honors for the talented artist. While he admits that he enjoys the recognition, he keeps things in perspective. Dan Beck (Colorado) Vania In White Oil 20″ By 10″ For me, there is such a mystique and energy to this beauty. Dan Beck (Colorado) A Warm Breeze Oil 36″ By 24″ There was something noble and connected about this model. I wanted to show
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In his art, as in his life, Utah artist G. Russell Case is interested in honesty, simplicity, and purity. The landscapes he paints so meticulously are rendered with the intimacy of someone in tune with nature. The land calls to him like a lover. The intricacies and nuances of the natural world whisper to him seductively, speaking of patterns and beauty, color and light, mystery and promise. This has always been so, from the time he was a child. Russell Case (Utah) Enchanted Mountains Oil 30″ By 40″ This painting is about the patterns of shadow and light and the
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David Halbach readily admits that what drove his initial interest in art when he was a young boy was a bit of sibling rivalry. His older brother, he says, loved to draw trains and, upon showing them to his parents, would receive glowing reviews and a pat on the head. “I wanted a little of that praise, too, so I started drawing,” Halbach says. David Halbach (California) Track Inspectors Watercolor 21″ By 29″ Totally baffled, these Indians have watched the white men uproot the soil, lay wood, then hard cold material. With all having left save the wood and cold
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Kim Casebeer has never gotten over her love of the outdoors- and for that, art lovers are grateful. If she had, they would have been denied the opportunity to lose themselves in the beauty of the landscapes she so expertly and artistically creates. Kim Casebeer (Kansas) Reflections Oil 24″ By 18″ This is close to the popular Schwabacher Landing area in Grand Teton National Park. Whenever I’m in an area like this, I try to paint something unexpected, because the typical view has been photographed and painted so many times. I just loved how the reflections and the leaves in
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Born and raised in Carthage, Missouri, population 14,000, 53 years later Andy Thomas still calls the small town home. He is living proof that you can find success and personal fulfillment without straying far from your own backyard. Andy Thomas (Missouri) Johnny Saved The Girl Oil 40″ X 30″ Cowboy lore tells us to help the unfortunate, punish the bad guys, and save the girl. Andy Thomas (Missouri) You Can Call Me Darlin’ Oil 30″ By 24″ A worldly, wise saloon girl has won the affections of a naïve cowboy.
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One of Dan Young’s most serious collectors refers to the Colorado artist as his “crack dealer.” For years, every time the Seattle businessman saw a new painting by Young, he’d buy it, admitting he had a huge addiction to the painter’s moody style. Dan Young (Silt, Colorado) Signs Of The Season Oil 10″ By 12″ North of my studio is a mesa that is dotted with small family farms and ranches. It is a maze of roads and fields that makes for an ever-changing wealth of subjects. I’ve spent years driving the roads, searching for inspiration. You would be hard
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“My life as an artist began as a felon.” While that statement is an exaggeration, it provides an insight into the wonderful wit with which Curt Walters approaches life. The felonious incident he is referring to was the theft of his sister’s paint set, which he coveted as a young boy. If the end does indeed justify the means, it was a theft that deserves forgiveness. Curt Walters (Arizona) The Arborists’ Reward Oil 28″ By 28″ I have always been fascinated by the arborists’ craft, especially with regard to apple trees. This ancient agricultural art reveals manicured, old wood bursting
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Tong Luo is living out his dream of studying technique and art history in New York City. But following his passion has come with a price. His family is far away, living in China. Although he is sometimes lonely, Luo tries to stay focused, knowing that he is doing what he needs to do, not only for himself, but for his family. Tong Luo (Canada) Snow Valley Oil 30″ By 30″ I saw this girl on a snowy day. Although she is only 6 years old, she has to fetch water every day. Tong Luo (Canada) Nomadic Girl Oil 30″
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Whether he’s painting the desert near Palm Springs, vineyards in Tuscany, or a street scene in China, California artist John Budicin captures the beauty, of each, illuminating them with a light that has caused the hearts of more than a few viewers to beat a little more rapidly. Those paintings have earned him numerous awards, membership in several prestigious art organizations, and an enthusiastic following of art aficionados. John Budicin (California) Pulling Up Weeds Oil 20″x20″ This area is in New Brunswick, Canada, an area rich with working boats and small harbors. This is backbreaking work, pulling up seaweeds, filling
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