Opening January 11 at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art in Laguna Beach, California, is Likeness, a new group exhibition that asks a vital question about figurative painting: When painting someone’s likeness, how much of the artist’s paint should conform to what they see? “Realism, impressionism, abstraction…what do we use to describe a work that is a combination of the three? How much does a portrait or figurative work need to look like the model or subject these days?” the gallery asks.
Cornelia Hernes, Josephine, oil, 16 x 12"
Artists have relied on a wide variety of techniques—from dripped paint and blurred edges to bare canvas and abstracted backgrounds—when it comes to rendering the human form. “This has of course happened before—figures in art have been known to be loose and lightly suggested, not realistically painted, and artists without academic training were often creating them,” says Vanessa Rothe, the curator of the show. “However…recently, our academically trained realist painters are pushing the envelope and adding blurred edges, visible brushwork and bold abstraction in their works, for a few years now…Postwar modern and Bay Area figurative was already experimenting with this, even the impressionists and the post-impressionists before them…The difference is now it’s done by some of the tightest trained academic realists, the academy trained artists...and the result is simply outstanding. They have created a hybrid style combining design, and abstraction and crisp, classical realism. The works still present and hold a trained realist sublime quality as well as a purely creative side with abstract backgrounds and blurred edges that aid to the overall ‘feeling’ of the work.”
Olga Krimon, Flush, oil on board, 30 x 30"
Matt Talbert, Sleep Tight, oil on canvas board, 18 x 14"
David Gray, The Curator, oil on linen board,16 x 12"
Artists in the show come from all around the globe and include C.W. Mundy, David Gray, Casey Childs, Vincent Xeus, David Shelvino, Michelle Dunaway, Aaron Westerberg, Mike Malm, Terry Miura, Eric Bowman, Hope Railey, Elizabeth McGhee, Matt Talbert, William Neukomm and many others.
David Shelvino, Diane, oil on canvas board,16 x 12"
Painter Leoniya Okun, who will be presenting her 40-by-18-inch work Swing, is excited to see artists who work in different styles all showing together in the same exhibition. “In Russia and the Ukraine there are two types of art schools, ones that focus on decorative arts, color and design, and others that are more academic,” Okun says. “Some teach kids to know color before all else, others more academically with casts and values and they often don’t mix the two styles. It’s encouraging to see that both are being accepted here in America even in the same artwork.”
The show opens January 11 and continues throughout February.
Vanessa Rothe Fine Art
418 Ocean Avenue • Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 280-1555 • www.vanessarothefineart.com
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