Archives for Landscape

The Studio of Kim Lordier

The Studio of Kim Lordier

January 15, 2018 | by

Until 2004, Kim Lordier created her brilliant paintings in a small bedroom at her home in Millbrae, California, just outside San Francisco. Today, she is happily at work in a structure that is separate from the house but is connected to it by a deck that features a myriad of colorful, potted flowers. The studio—which she refers to alternately as her “man cave” and “the shed”—suits her needs perfectly, offering a quiet, private space in which to work on the landscape paintings that have earned her a host of awards. Lordier has spent her entire life in California; in fact,
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‘Let There Be Light—and Color’

‘Let There Be Light—and Color’

January 15, 2018 | by

“Color and light are everything in a painting.” So says Tom Murray, whose paintings are proof of his belief in that statement. They are alive with color, whether he is depicting sundown over a canyon, spring in the desert, or the majesty of the Grand Canyon. Viewers are immediately drawn to the vibrancy of his work—red clouds, purple mountains, the explosion of color that is both exciting and mesmerizing. It’s no surprise that Murray’s paintings have captured the attention—and enthusiasm—of collectors throughout the country, who eagerly await each new work. Tom Murray Maricopa Point Vision Oil 64″x48″ “The majestic Grand
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Perfect Pitch

Perfect Pitch

January 15, 2018 | by

The thing about Gene Speck’s art is that, although it’s been dubbed realism, it goes beyond photorealism; it becomes your reality. Once you see one of his paintings, you aren’t just looking at a picture; you’re in another time and space. Speck’s heart and aesthetic nature is inured in a simpler time, when fewer people roamed the earth and had the space to do so. As a result, his paintings reach out and touch the viewer with palpable beauty and reality that in our hurried and fragmented lives seem to be long lost. Speck’s ability to immerse himself in his
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Western Voices: Past and Present

Western Voices: Past and Present

November 18, 2017 | by

Generations of painters and sculptors make up the fabric of art of the American West. The ongoing influence of artists, reaching back to the 1800s, is evident in the ambitions and efforts of younger artists today and, just as the best artists of old are known by their unique stylistic voices, a new generation strives to develop its own voice and, perhaps, the opportunity to influence those who follow them. Art of the West has been a platform for Western art for the past 30 years, helping us to hear the voices of new generations of artists, along with echoes
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Western Art: An Evolving Story

Western Art: An Evolving Story

November 18, 2017 | by

In the late 19th century, Western artists were, in essence, historians of the American West. James Catlin, Hudson River School artists Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran and others created realistic paintings that told the story of Indians, white pioneers, and unspoiled landscape. Other well-known artists, such as Frederic Remington and Charlie Russell, expanded the genre into action scenes depicting the disappearing Wild West. In more recent history, illustrators such as Howard Terpning, Frank McCarthy, Bob Kuhn, and Howard Rogers, continued to document the Western story, but from a more contemporary standpoint. Does that mean there is a Western art revolution,
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Simple Dignity

Simple Dignity

November 18, 2017 | by

George Carlson is a man of many dimensions. He is a former illustrator and a reformed ski bum. He is a husband and father, a grandfather and gardener. He also a master artist, who for more than five decades, has been creating works that have earned him worldwide acclaim and countless awards. And yet, he is unpretentious, happily content to pursue the craft that has captivated him since childhood and that continues to excite him. Born and raised in Illinois, today Carlson and his wife Pam live on 55 acres of land near a lake in Idaho, where four gardens—English,
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The Art of Perseverance

The Art of Perseverance

September 18, 2017 | by

Sometimes, when the moon is full, Dan Young steals out of the house to paint. “I have a tendency to get obsessed with things,” he confesses, “and a few years ago I decided to learn how to do night paintings. I tried a few, and I failed miserably. Being someone who loves painting from life, I thought, ‘I’ll just go out at night and paint.’ I got the little headlamp—one for my head and one to shine down on my palette, so I could mix the paint. I’d go out and observe the scene, and I’d try to paint. I’d
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Speaking the Language of Paint

Speaking the Language of Paint

September 18, 2017 | by

Every once in awhile, Nancy Boren comes across two watercolor paintings she did of the Grand Canyon, when she was about 12. “They were, without doubt, the worst paintings ever created,” she says. “I think I’ve made some progress since then.” That’s an understatement for this talented artist, who describes those early paintings as resembling “a big bunch of purple hamburger meat,” due in part to the fact that, at that age, she was unable to view the scene as a whole. She’s come a long way since then, earning prestigious awards for her paintings, while also finding other outlets
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‘I Paint What Excites Me’

‘I Paint What Excites Me’

September 18, 2017 | by

As humble as he is talented, New Mexico artist Kang Cho is a man of few words and doesn’t like to talk about himself. Then again, he doesn’t need to; his art speaks for itself. Whether he’s painting a mountain vista, a city street, or a figure on a lonely road, his dramatic paintings engage and entice the viewer to look deeper. Kang’s use of light and shadow, combined with expressive brushwork, creates a mood that evokes an emotional response. Sometimes contemplative, sometimes exuberant, he paints how he feels about what he sees. “I paint what excites me,” he explains.
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‘I Like a Sexy Surface’

‘I Like a Sexy Surface’

July 18, 2017 | by

“I’m fascinated with the allegorical—and the real—journey of life.” So says B. C. Nowlin of his powerful, colorful paintings, many of which are included in corporate collections throughout the country, as well as in private collections by the likes of Sophia Loren and Led Zepplin. “I am told that I paint journeys,” he says. “It’s more like a place that people pass through. They’re going out of darkness, toward the light. My paintings are a journey, something that pulls you forward, that goes through time or space. I’m generally an optimistic guy, so it’s always bright in the distance. It’s
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