The annual IGOR Exhibition, hosted by the International Guild of Realism, returns this summer for its 16th year. The juried show will feature 100 superb works of art in the realism genre from 89 IGOR members working in a menagerie of mediums, including acrylic, watercolor, oil, pastel, colored pencil, graphite, egg tempera, scratchboard and gouache. Throughout the duration of the fair will be multiday art events, a group dinner with art talks, historic city and gallery walks and more.
Sarah M Paddock, Fresh Lemonade, oil on linen, 18 x 24"
Exhibiting artist Joye DeGoede’s work juxtaposes reality with fantasy, inspiring the viewer to see the fun in the mundane and the vast opportunities for joy in our everyday world. “I love painting the surrealistic mixture of animals imitating human habits and in their natural habitat to bring empathy to wildlife conservation,” she says. “The inspiration behind my art comes from personal life experiences and adventures with family and friends. Every painting has a story!”
Painting still lifes in the tradition of academic realism, Sarah M Paddock places attention upon everyday objects and treasured possessions, “[honoring] them as the artifacts of our living,” she explains. In her practice, she concentrates intensively on surface, light and the relationship between objects. “My realism is very human, traditional in form and practice, yet contemporary in contrast and chroma,” she says.
Glenn Murray, Mel’s Truck Sales, oil on canvas, 24 x 38"
Joye DeGoede, Jack’s Outstanding in His Field, oil on aluminum panel, 20 x 16"
“When I was young, I would spend hours looking at the way light and shadow played upon various objects,” says painter Glenn Murray. Color and function fuel his love of classic American styles. “Starting with photographs as a reference, I imagine the stories behind my paintings and apply layers of paint to create a unique effect. If you can recall a feeling from viewing my painting, then I have done my job.”
The objects that Andrea Alvin portrays in her paintings, whether old or new, all eventually become an ingrained part of our culture. In her oil, In the Good Old Summertime, we see a bunch of milkshakes in those classic glasses on a countertop, reminiscent of the old days. “[This piece] is a celebration of a time when we were free to satiate our desires without guilt,” says Alvin. “Hot, lazy, days capped off with a sugary indulgence. How sweet it is.”
Mark Hunter, Skipjack Off Thomas Point Light Station, oil on linen, 24 x 36"
Christopher B. Mooney depicts the now retired Redbird subway trains of New York City in his show piece. “I used to commute on these workhorses the IRT Lexington Avenue line to Parsons School of Design [in the] 1970s and ’80s,” he recalls. “An iconic look of a 20th-century, a bygone era and synonymous with the New York City subway for years.”
A contemporary realist painter creating marine, coastal and landscape works in oil, Mark Hunter strives to achieve an illusion of three-dimensional depth, atmosphere and luminosity that represents nature. “I work to recreate the effects and mood of light, wind and waves on both open water and within snug anchorages. I want the observer to feel the sun and spray on their face, the wind in their hair, and the movement of the waves,” says the artist.
Top: Andrea Alvin, In the Good Old Summertime, oil on canvas, 36 x 36"; Christopher B. Mooney, The Red Birds Subway Cars, oil on canvas, 48 x 60". Bottom: Jorge Alberto, The Enigma of Love, oil on panel, 16 x 20"; Kenneth Young, Yosemite Valley, oil on canvas, 30 x 24"4"“The Enigma of Love is about the mystery that is to fall in love with someone,” Jorge Alberto says of his juried piece. “What is it that attracts one person to another and in some cases, makes them commit to each other for life? While physical chemistry, sexual attraction and shared interests may fuel that initial spark, ‘falling in love’ can be complicated…[but it] is one of the greatest and divine experiences any human can have!”
Robert Steiner, Melting Masters III – The Fall of Europa and the Apotheosis of the West, acrylic, 42 x 14½ x 1¼"
Kenneth Young finds himself particularly inspired by these words of Michelangelo: “The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” Young adds, “Michelangelo’s words strike a harmonious chord that resonates deep within me. I see beauty everywhere… I find great pleasure in capturing and preserving it with brushes and paint so that I can enjoy it later and draw attention to it for others.”
As an artist, Linda Garcia-Dahle is always attempting to capture light on the canvas. “As I was setting up this room to paint this wonderful light coming in from the main window, my cat came in to see what I was doing,” she says of her piece Curious!. “I loved his face and how his looking at the viewer in curiosity mirrors the viewer looking curiously at what is itself a curious painting!”
“I love living in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona, says Linda Mann. “The unique cacti, different animals, and the ranchers, cowboys and Native people provide endless artistic inspiration.” In many of her works, the artist captures the vibrant colors and shapes of cactus blooms, which are always a source of inspiration. “Each spring I watch for flowering cacti and rush to capture their impermanent beauty.”
From left: Linda Garcia-Dahle, Curious!, oil on canvas, 24 x 18"; Linda Mann, Princess of the Night, oil on board, 14 x 11"; Susan S. Perrish, Regency, oil on linen, 17 x 15"Robert Steiner’s acrylic work in the exhibition is about the artist’s “sorrow…at the loss of the Old Masters’ techniques.” He adds, “The fall of Europa refers to the forefront of Western culture moving from Europe to the United States after [Marcel] Duchamp’s urinal was created during World War I. The heart says ‘sights’ on it, because Plato would call me a ‘lover of sights.’ I prefer the sights of the West.”
Susan S. Perrish is a romantic at heart. “The extravagance of Sargent, the delicacy of Bouguereau, the mystique of Waterhouse all inspire me,” says the artist, naming a few of her influences. Her painting Regency features the profile of a woman adorned in deep blues. “I am swept up by them, taken into another world of grand costume and emotive storytelling. I love to paint detail, yet search for what lies beneath the physical—the intrinsic, magnetic, indefinable beauty that exists uniquely in each of us.” —
16th Annual IGOR Exhibition
When: June 10-July 24, 2022; June 12, 1-4 p.m., Public Opening
Where: McBride Gallery, 215 Main Street Annapolis, MD 21401
Information: www.realismguild.com
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