In its quest to represent the best artists from across the country, Oil Painters of America is currently hosting the latest edition of the Eastern Regional Exhibition,showcasing exceptional oils by artists from across the Eastern region of North America. The exhibition, which features roughly 110 representational oil paintings, takes place at Beverly McNeil Gallery in Birmingham, Alabama, through October 11, 2025.
Stephanie Spay, Fourth Life, oil on aluminum composite, 24 x 24 in.
Among the artists selected from a rigorous jurying process is Stephanie Spay, who brings a painterly interior to the 2025 exhibition. “In our home of 16 years, this room has taken on many lives,” says the artist. “First it held the wonder of childhood, toys, papers and crayons and the marks of small hands. Later, it became a space of learning and exploration during our homeschooling years. In time, it became my art studio, where I rediscovered myself as a painter. Now, in its fourth life, layered with the memories of all that came before, it has become a sanctuary for rest, reflection and renewal.”
Orna Greenberg, Trout and Sardines, oil, 18 x 24 in.
The still lifes of Orna Greenberg celebrate the ordinary and often unseen objects that populate our lives. “I often paint fish and other food-centric vignettes that offer the viewer a glimpse of a moment in time, a story in the midst of its telling. These snapshots of quotidian details are symbolic of our nostalgia for family, the passage of time and the sweet chaos of life,” she says. Her juried piece in the show, Trout and Sardines, depicts fish in a crinkled paper wrap, presumably just purchased and ready to be cooked.
Another still life in the upcoming show is Lara Restelli’s Rocks in a Box Green, part of a series of five paintings highlighting different stones and crystals. “These paintings intend to evoke a feeling through color. In this case, I chose a palette of cool greens and blue-greens to soothe the mind,” Restelli explains. “The sparse touches of warmth bring balance to the composition, making it more interesting and pleasing. These greens aim to bring harmony, abundance and healing.
Lara Restelli, Rocks in a Box Green, oil on canvas, 20 x 20 in.
A figurative piece by Nicholas Palella depicts a stalwart Ajax, one of Homer’s heroes in the Iliad. “Occupying a space seemingly outside of his time or ours, he clings to eroded bronze armaments atop crumbling fortifications,” says Palella. “He is a defender, a preserver. His great aspis shield perpetually raised—a spectral paragon of protection defiantly standing against a vast void.”
This year’s Juror of Awards is acclaimed OPA Master Signature artist Cindy Baron. Beverly McNeil Gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To inquire about or purchase artwork in the exhibition, contact Beverly McNeil Gallery directly at (205) 328-1761 or by email at info@beverlymcneilgallery.com. —
Nicholas Palella, Bulwark of the Achaeans, oil on canvas, 33 x 24 in.
Oil Painters of America's Eastern Regional Exhibition
When: Through October 11, 2025Where: Beverly McNeil Gallery, 605 28th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Information: (815) 356-5987, www.oilpaintersofamerica.com
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