“I’m 76, and I’m going to paint what I damn well please.” So says Rock Newcomb, laughing heartily as he does so. In fact, he laughs freely and often during the interview for this article. With a successful teaching career behind him and more than 30 years as a successful artist, he’s earned the right to say what he wants—and to paint what he wants. There is no niche for Newcomb’s art, and that’s exactly how he—and his collectors—like it. He’s earned national and international acclaim for his paintings of subjects that range from wildlife, landscapes and ruins, to cowboys,
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Archives for Landscape
‘I’m Just A Vessel’
Nathan Solano took the long way to becoming an artist. He spent years working in restaurants, shooting photos, and working in graphic design before finally settling down as an artist when he was 40. And, for the past 30 years, that’s what he’s been. From his studio on the second floor of an historic building in downtown Pueblo, Colorado, Solano paints Western landscapes, cowboys, and Native Americans—and sometimes the simple scenes that unfold on the streets below his windows. He recently took a break from painting to talk about the path he took to get to where he is now—and
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Walking With Grace
Walking with grace has become a way of life for landscape artist Jennifer Moses. “I have always had an affinity for the word,” she says. “For me, grace encapsulates so many other words. It exists in all things that are in their purest, natural state.” Moses’ fascination with things in their natural state might have begun in Virginia. She and her family moved there from Kansas when she was 3 years old. Her father Mike was in the Army Reserve and was assigned to Fort Eustace Army Base for advanced training. There, Moses and her sister Krista enjoyed spending summers
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Classical Realist
Joshua LaRock will turn 40 in August. Artistically, however, he’s a bit of an old soul. Inspired by the 19th century painters, he is a classical realist. Brilliantly executed, LaRock’s paintings have earned him designation as a living master by the Art Renewal Center and have been exhibited at prestigious venues that include the Autry Museum, the Beijing World Art Museum, and the National Portrait Gallery in London. LaRock’s paintings have been described as “classic nostalgia with a masterful touch.” That’s quite a compliment considering the fact that he began to study art just 16 years ago. Read the full
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Peaceful Feelings
When Paul Dykman steps outside his rural Montana home, his first instinct is to look up. “I look up, and I see the mountains; I see the amazing sky,” he says. “And I think, ‘Lord, how did you do that? Will you please show me how to do that?’ “It’s so beautiful. I look around and wonder how to get that certain color in the sky or the hue of the mountain. It’s not easy to emulate what God finds so easy to do.” Dykman has spent the past 20-plus years trying to do just that. Read the full article
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Capturing the Human Experience
An elderly woman in her Sunday-best hat, a father carrying his son on his shoulder, a man waiting at a bus stop, another asleep in his favorite chair. These evocative images of humble, hard-working people who are often overlooked by the world at large are so powerful in their simplicity that they motivated one New York art critic to describe their creator, Dean Mitchell, as a “modern-day Vermeer.” “My work is primarily about the human experience,” Mitchell says. “I want it to be a commentary on the reality of life as lived by the ordinary people in this country.” Read
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A Master In His Prime
George Carlson has never subscribed to any “ism.” As the only person in history to be honored with the Prix de West Purchase Award—the top prize in Western Art—in two different media, he also has never seen himself as a “Western artist,” at least not in the way it has celebrated iconic landscapes, cowboys, and indigenous people. But Carlson does believe in a way of seeing that is articulated by many, going back to the ancient Greeks. It is embraced by American master realist Andrew Wyeth and by Carlson’s friend, painter Robert Lougheed. Their maxim is this: Nature provides all
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Painting Nature’s Majesty
Like her landscape paintings, Jan DeLipsey is a breath of fresh air. She’s wonderfully witty, laughs freely, and is an open book when talking about her life and struggles. It’s not quite what you would expect of a psychologist. A what? Yes, you read that correctly; DeLipsey is not only an award-winning artist; she’s a psychologist. “I’m 68,” she says. “I retired when I was 60 and started painting for fun. One thing led to another, and here I am. It’s the most interesting, fun thing I’ve ever done.” Read the full article in the January/February 2022 issue. The Homestead
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Patience and Precision
Randal M. Dutra has enjoyed a varied career in art for more than 46 years. He began his studies in 1975, working from life at a Canadian game farm, and in 1977 he enrolled at the Art Students League in New York. During his early art career, he also learned from several respected mentors, including Clarence Tillenius, Robert Lougheed, and George Carlson. In 1981, Dutra became involved in cinematic visual effects. During his 25 years in the movie business, while concurrently producing fine art, he worked with Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Disney on several films, two of which earned
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Discipline, Control, and Wisdom
If you log onto Rick McClure’s Facebook page, you might think for a minute that you’ve wandered into an online Buddhism class where the teacher has become the student, asking his former pupils to critique his teaching skills. “Generous and sincere,” offered one. Another responded, “Doesn’t hesitate to share all the tips and techniques he’s spent a long career learning.” And a third asked, “Is this a trick question?” Not necessarily. Art professionals will tell you that great art teachers share many characteristics, including passion, dedication, and perseverance. Being a great artist and a great teacher are not mutually exclusive;
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