The Oil Painters of America is holding its 2021 Juried Salon Show this summer, an anticipated event that features juried artworks in the realm of traditional oil painting. This year’s show, which runs through August 7, will be hosted by Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville, Georgia. Collectors and visitors can explore a variety of subject matter by more than 200 artists from across the country, some of which include Ann Goble, Cecy Turner, John Buxton, Ann Watcher, Donna Catotti, James Swanson, Pauline Roche, Claudia Seymour and George A. Gonzalez.Kathryn Stats, Morning at MacDonald Creek, oil on linen panel, 18 x 24"

Christopher Forrest brings to the exhibition an oil depicting a group of waterbirds hanging around a misty dock at daybreak. “When someone looks at one of my paintings, I hope it brings them a sense of the outdoors, followed by the observation that the painter really enjoyed making the piece and finally that it all brings a smile,” he says. “Hazy Morning Hangout was based on observation of the remains of a marine structure at a wildlife refuge that I have visited frequently since 1975. This one time there were a bunch of terns hanging out, with one snowy egret meandering around, all in harmony.”Christopher Forrest, Hazy Morning Hangout, oil on panel, 16 x 20"

James Swanson, Train out of Town, oil, 16 x 20"

Another morning scene, but with an entirely different setting, is Hope Reis’ painting North Light Breakfast. “I absolutely loved the north light blazing into this dining room scene, coupled with the mystery of the model seeming to be in a conversation with someone, and wondering what the topic is,” she says.Claudia Seymour, Mandarins and Murano, oil on linen, 14 x 11"

Top Hat Peonies and Bearded Irises by Joan Drennan was inspired by “the amazing rainy season we had in 2020.” The vertical composition features a vase of bright, brilliant blooms. “My perennial garden produced an abundance of bearded irises and peonies which led to my painting,” Drennan says. “Of course I had to paint fast because these beauties don’t last long, and I used many more flowers than you see here.”Sue Foell, The Girl in the Mirror, oil on canvas on panel, 20 x 16"

Mike D Wodnick, Symphony in Blue, Red and Green, oil on canvas, 22 x 16"

Cheng Lian brings a close-up, side-profile portrait of a man in the painting Ceremonial Outfit. The artist describes the painting experience as “a solemn and exciting moment.”

Continuing the theme of serene mornings, Morning at MacDonald Creek features a scene during artist Kathryn Stats’ travels to Glacier National Park.Top row, left to right:  Donna Catotti, Circa 1703 - Elsfreth Alley, oil, 20 x 16"; Ann Watcher, Fiesta Morocco, oil on panel, 12 x 12" Bottom row, left to right: John Buxton, Eagle Feathers, oil on linen, 20 x 20"; Hope Reis, North Light Breakfast, oil on linen, 24 x 18"; Cecy Turner, Quiet Serenity, oil, 16 x 12"

“I glimpsed the long streaming shadows, while heading into Glacier National Park in Northern Montana. I was drawn to the bright morning light, with the shadows still on the water. I liken these experiences to “treasure hunting,’” she says of the piece.

Clockwise from top left: Jim Hallenbeck, Duggers Creek Linville Falls, NC, oil on canvas panel, 16 x 20"; Joan Drennan, Top Hat Peonies and Bearded Irises, oil on canvas, 36 x 12"; Pauline Roche, Servers at the Ice Cream Bar, oil on linen, 12 x 24"; George A. Gonzalez, Framed Peaches, oil on panel, 20 x 16"”

“The colors really sing in this painting,” says artist Mike D Wodnick of his painting Symphony in Blue, Red and Green. “The breakup of space is varied and gives movement to the composition with the figure as the center of interest.”

Sue Foell’s The Girl in the Mirror depicts a young girl sitting in a chair, looking at her reflection in a handheld mirror. She says, “I enjoy capturing moments in time of simple, innocent scenes of people, things and places.”Ann Goble, Trouble, oil on board, 16 x 16"

“In the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, Linville Falls begins its rush of water through the scenic landscape,” Jim Hallenbeck says of the innspiration behind his painting Duggers Creek Linville Falls, NC. “The falls are fast and furious as it descends the mountain. I captured the last break of the water over rocks against the background of the lush, green forest. In this moment I hope the viewer senses the quietness and beauty of Duggers Creek.”Cheng Lian, Ceremonial Outfit, oil on linen, 12 x 16"

The OPA 2021 Juried Salon Show features a number of activities throughout the duration of the event, including artist demonstrations and workshops. —

Oil Painters of America's 2021 Juried Salon Show
When: Through August 7, 2021
Where: Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green Street NE, Gainesville, GA 30501
Information: (770) 536-2575, www.oilpaintersofamerica.com 

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