The American Artists Professional League’s 96th annual Grand National Exhibitionwill bring together over 80 superb artists for a showcase of representational still life, landscapes and figurative art. Running from October 28 to November 15, artwork in the exhibition encompasses a wide range of mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, drawing and sculpture, displayed in the Skylight Gallery of the historic Salmagundi Club.

Andres Cabanos, Marcus, oil on canvas, 28 x 22"

Iconic Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla was the inspiration for Andres Cabanos’ oil Marcus, which will be part of the upcoming show. “Sorolla’s paintings are known for his magnificent depictions of bathed sunlight. However, his paintings of family and friends have always drawn my attention in an awe-inspiring way,” says Cabanos. “They are nostalgic and intimate, and his color harmony enhances the sitter’s beauty and spirit. I hope my painting of Mark, a close friend who is always determined and passionate about art, evokes the same feeling.” 

Clarissa Payne Uvegi says the inspiration for her vertical figurative work Ruby, Standing was her friend Ruby “Magic” Hawkins, who happens to spend part of her time as an artist’s muse. “She is extraordinary and magical, hence the nickname,” says Uvegi. “We always tend to talk about life when we work together. She inspires me to paint beyond the surface of what I see…endeavoring to reach deep within to her essence. It’s been my honor to paint Ruby.”

Clockwise from top left: Jess Bell, Buoy, oil on canvas, 24x 24"; Clarissa Payne Uvegi, Ruby, Standing, oil on canvas, 60 x 30"; Mary Chandler, Monhegan Houses, watercolor, 14½ x 18"

Jess Bell is an oil painter from Middletown, New Jersey. She takes her reference photos from local beaches and bodies of water all hours of the day, capturing the fleeting moments where the ocean displays interesting reflections. Bell enjoys painting coastal beach scenes and finds the ocean and water a never-ending source of inspiration. Her ocean scene Buoy can be seen during this year’s Grand National Exhibition.

“Aspiring to create a sense of timelessness or calm and reflection in my work, I find my inspiration in the beautiful light and atmosphere created by the proximity of the sea,” says artist Mary Chandler. Her opaque watercolor Monhegan Housescaptures an idyllic New England home on a tree-lined street. “There is harmony in the light and shadow spilling across an architectural structure, cast by mature trees, and it’s where I discover poetry in the rambling wild textures and colors of the surrounding moors and marshes that lead to the ocean vistas of coastal New England,” she says.

Beverly Davis, Solitude, hand-built porcelain, 12 x 13 x 17”; Luisa Gabriela Guzman, Waiting for the Beat, pastel, 16 x 12”

“Working in graphite has allowed me to discover my most authentic voice as an artist. Without the romance of color, working in graphite is like creating a short story rather than writing a novel,” says Patsy Lindamood, whose crisp architectural scene Shadow Play is full of sharp detail. “My focus on lines, shapes and values to tell my story results in compelling art that resonates with viewers on a visceral level, evoking memories and emotions. Shadow Play is a consummate example of how lines, shapes and values can evoke a time and place infused with intense emotion.”

“Ideas in Waiting is one of those paintings that plays with unexpected pairings of everyday objects, inviting you to find meaning in the most ordinary things,” Brian McClear says of his playful still life in the upcoming show. “In this piece, crayons—full of creative potential—sit alongside a light bulb that’s almost, but not quite, screwed in. It’s a playful nod to ideas that are on the verge of taking shape. I love how these found objects come together to tease at something deeper, sparking curiosity about what’s waiting to emerge.”

Brian McClear, Ideas In Waiting, oil on canvas, 48 x 48”

Patrice Schelkun’s art career spans mural and decorative painting, as well as the design and painting of architectural stained glass installations for churches and other public institutions. “My goal as an artist is to raise the mind of the viewer to beauty and truth,” she says. Her recent work includes autonomous painted glass works as well as portrait, figurative and floral paintings. The inspiration for her piece in the exhibition comes from a quote by C.S. Lewis: “Any patch of sunlight in the wood will show you something about the sun which you could never get from reading books on astronomy. These pure and spontaneous pleasures are ‘patches of Godlight’ in the woods of our experience.”

Patsy Lindamood, Shadow Play, graphite on cradled Ampersand Claybord, 36 x 24”; Patrice Schelkun, In a Patch of Godlight, oil on linen, 24 x 36”

Luisa Gabriela Guzman is also captivated by the qualities of natural light. “[Waiting for the Beat was] inspired by the beauty of light draped on a young musician’s face sitting next to a window. The focus of the painting was to render the beauty of the light on part of his face and torso falling in a triangular shape as the shadows disappeared into the background. The delicate balance between the light and the shadow took adjustments, until he felt like he was moving into the light and the overall painting reflected his creative nature. My paintings are a reaction to the beauty in my everyday life,” says Guzman. 

Passionate about nature, Beverly Davis prefers working directly in the field, as being with the subject brings out the fullest experience and most accurate interpretation of her art. Her sculpture, Solitude, was impassioned by the unique beauty inherent in her subject, Lisa, one of her students. During the time she spent observing and connecting with Lisa, the artist says, “A spiritual imprint came through with a strong sense of aloneness and peace, which can be appreciated by the viewer in the finished work, Solitude.”

Scott Royston, Petunias, oil on linen panel, 12" 

“I just wanted to go for a nice round painting of a study of flowers, playing with the different value scales of foreground to background,” Scott Royston says of his circular floral Petunias. “I wanted this to be a Dutch-style piece. Painting Petunias brings me back to my floral workshops with Jerome Atherholt, a teacher of mine at the Schuler School of Fine Arts…I always want to keep an open mind regarding painting themes and ideas. I stick with oil as it has more life to it and is easier to rework back into it.”

At the height of La dolce vita in Italy, artist Gabrielle Tito’s family carved out a small niche in Rome’s fashion world, which fed her obsession with painting couture. “Stories are written between the seams of history. There is nothing that holds a secret like a well worn dress!” says Tito. “While the history of fashion wares is ubiquitous, the story of each ware is unique. Perhaps in these stories you will find threads of your own.”

Theresa Otteson, She, oil on copper, 8 x 8"

Sculptor Cindy Stevens brings to the upcoming exhibition a bronze of a scarlet ibis, a brilliantly colored tropical bird. “Scarlet embodies the elegance and vibrancy of the scarlet ibis, a bird that has always captivated me with its stunning crimson hues. This bronze sculpture highlights the ibis’ graceful form and celebrates the inherent beauty found in nature,” says Stevens. I believe we all share a deep, eternal connection with the natural world, and my hope is to bring that connection to life for those who are inspired by my work.”

“This mixed media portrait captures my son’s friend, Dante, just before delivering a heartfelt eulogy,” says portraitist Mika Denny.“As a whole, this piece symbolizes America’s ongoing reckoning with racial injustice and gun violence. I want this work to draw viewers into a moment of sorrow, encouraging empathy and reflection on the emotional weight of these injustices and their aftermath. In all my portrait drawings, I aim to evoke emotion and inspire human connection.”

Gabrielle Tito, Girl in Velvet Blue, oil and 24k gold leaf on linen canvas, 24 x 12"; Mika Denny, The Eulogy, PanPastel and charcoal pencil on Strathmore toned gray mixed media paper, 23 x 15"; Valerie Morone, Sonoran Saguaro, oil, 20 x 10"

The need to create is a big piece of Theresa Otteson’s soul. “It drives me and makes my life better. The idea that I can take paint and a two-dimensional surface and create something interesting or beautiful to look at seems miraculous to me. It is even more satisfying when someone finds my work beautiful, interesting, or better, evokes an emotional response,” she says. Her oil in the show, titled She, is a closely cropped portrait of a young girl.

“Taking walks in nature gives me a feeling of peace and serenity,” says artist Valerie Morone. “The way sunlight filters through leaves in the fall, reflects on a coastal salt marsh, casts a golden glow on rock formations before sunset, or reveals various textures of the desert, are things that inspire my landscape paintings. My intention is to capture a special moment in time and share that emotion experienced using dramatic light and atmosphere.” Her show piece captures the grand and majestic Saguaro cactus, found only in the Sonoran Desert.

Xiong Yanteng, Eternal Elegance, colored pencil 16 x 11"; Cindy Stevens, Scarlet, bronze, 12 x 10 x 8"

Xiong Yanteng is an internationally acclaimed award-winning artist based in San Francisco, California. His colored pencil artwork in the upcoming exhibition depicts a serene woman adorned with a delicate pearl necklace, her hands gently resting on her chest. A butterfly, symbolizing transformation and beauty, rests gracefully on her head, while a small flower tattoo on her collarbone adds a touch of natural elegance. The artist captures the softness of her expression and skin tone, blending hyper-realism with a dreamlike quality.

The Grand National Exhibition is free and open to the public. Awards will be announced at the reception on Friday, November 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. —

96th Grand National Exhibition
When: October 28-November 15, 2024
Where: Salmagundi Club, 47 Fifth Avenue @ 12th Street, New York, NY 10003
Information: www.aaplinc.org/96-gne 

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