A few short days after wrapping up its Western Regional Exhibition in Dallas, Oil Painters of America (OPA) launches its eastern equivalent in the flourishing art center of Indianapolis, Indiana. Held at James R. Ross Fine Art October 6 through October 28, the Eastern Regional Exhibition is open to all OPA members living in the Eastern parts of the U.S. and Canada. Upholding the same rigorous standards of its Western counterpart, only 100 artists are selected from an estimated 1,000 submissions to participate in the exhibition.Claudia Seymour, Sea Glass Beads, oil on linen panel, 18 x 24"Associate OPA member John Buxton’s juried work is a tribute to a dear friend. “He and his family have been models for my paintings many times over,” says Buxton. “We traveled to events together, discussed historical truths and myths and became brothers of the 18th century [reenactment] genre. He passed away recently, too soon and, shortly after, his beloved dog followed him. I have painted him here as a reenactor with his companion—not as the early Native American warrior I have so often painted…I miss him and other friends that have left our genre lately.”John Buxton, Tribute to Friend Jamie, oil on linen, 9 x 20"

Traditional still life is Signature OPA Member Claudia Seymour’s chosen genre, whether a few select objects or, as in her juried piece, a “crowd” of objects given life by some natural element—in this case, sunflowers. “My ‘crowd scenes’ are my attempt to update or modernize slightly the classical still life format, so I gather a multitude of objects related by color, theme, subject, etc.,” Seymour explains. “Here, the common factor is the blue and white color scheme, with an underlying theme of items having to do with the sea: the fish plate, fish glug-a-jug, shells and, of course, the sea glass beads.”Rana Jordahl, On the Hunt, oil on birch board, 16 x 20"

The great blue heron is a common sight where oil painter Rana Jordahl lives in Charleston, South Carolina. “I have fallen in love with these majestic birds that symbolize strength, independence and self-determination,” she says. “They have become a frequent subject matter for me to paint. In the painting On The Hunt, I used a limited palette and experimented with new techniques for handling the water and reflections while making the heron the star of the painting.”Rita Spalding, Wabara Roses (11:27), 30 x 24"

Yun Li, Truth is Beauty—A Portrait of Max Ginsburg, oil on linen, 24 x 18"

As demonstrated by her subdued Wabara Roses (11:27),Rita Spalding’s approach to painting is fairly traditional, but not purely representational. “I combine very realistic elements with an abstracted, softened view of reality,” she says. “While sometimes dramatic, I generally strive for peaceful, calming beauty in my work. My love is creating quiet, poetic paintings with deep, rich colors, compelling subject matter, and concise, elegant compositions.”

Yun Li’s painting is a portrait of celebrated New York artist and teacher Max Ginsburg. “Max Ginsburg chooses to paint realistically because he believes realism is truth and truth is beauty,” explains Li. “He expresses his feelings about peace and justice, deep outrage to war, injustice and torture in his paintings. This scene with him standing in front of his War Pieta painting, strongly speaks about his belief and pursuit of realism art.” Barbara Nuss, Secret Garden, oil on linen, 16 x 20"“There’s a painting around every corner in Charleston,” says OPA Associate Member Barbara Nuss. “When I found this intriguing private passageway with the garden and the gate, I knew I had to paint it. The glorious light at the far end beckoned me to explore the many textures and contrasts. The biggest challenge was painting the gate ajar rather than closed and locked up tight as the photo showed.” —

Oil Painters of American 2022 Eastern Regional Exhibition
When: October 6-28, 2022; October 6, 5:30-8 p.m., opening reception and award ceremony
Where: James R. Ross Fine Art, 5627 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Information: www.oilpaintersofamerica.com

Powered by Froala Editor