Post 1 - Introductory Post

Welcome to the Via Buena Art Gallery!!

 

Location:   The Gallery is located in beautiful Yucaipa, California; just 2 miles off of Interstate 10 heading east to Palm Springs.

Hours of Operation:   The Gallery is open from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and open from 10:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Owned/Managed:   The Gallery is the vision of Robert G. McCray and is owned /operated by him today. 

Our Art:  The artworks and pieces that we proudly display are from all over the world. Every piece depicts an Oceanic scenery or an appreciation for aquatic life. Most pieces are on temporary loan to our Gallery for show while others might be from local artists for sale or consignment. The artwork ranges from acrylics on canvas to digital painting with different sizes, matting and framing.

We appreciate you visiting our blog posts daily as we will update and respond to any of your questions or concerns. At times we will also offer discounts and other great deals for our gallery on this blog spot.

Thank you again and enjoy!!

Save our link or add it your likes!!  http://www.viabuenaartgallery.blogspot.com

Post 2 - Via Buena Art Gallery - Exhibition Introduction

"Aquatic Art Exhibition"

List of Artists

1. David Miller - Dolphins Cove
2. Robert Wyland - Backdoor Pipeline
3. Rich Waller - Curiosity
4. Jill Segal - Oceanic Magic
5. Ernie Gerzabek - Blue Landscape/ Seascape
6. Karin Snoots - After Hours
7. Corey Ford - Fossils
8. Carmen Small - Sea Life
9. Doug Barkley - Art Aquatic
10. Susan Clifton - Swim With Me

Exhibition Statement

  This exhibition is about aquatic life and the beauty it holds. Most people do not get to appreciate or enjoy what beautiful life forms the oceans and seas hold. Although the planet Earth is mostly made up of oceans and seas, only a handful of artists depict these beautiful underwater landscapes and creatures. I have loved the ocean since childhood and I truly find it amazing, vastly beautiful and serene.

  The Via Buena Art Gallery is a my Final Exam, one that I choose to do my best at. I have surfed the web looking for some of the finest artworks that I could, some are acrylic painitngs, some are watercolors while there is also a video art and digital painting. I hope that I have depicted the oceanic art to the best ability that I can and I hope that if any of these artists seen what I have done that they would be proud knowing that I chose them.

Thank you and please enjoy!!

Post 3 - Works Exhibited

"Dolphin Cove"

"Dolphin Cove"
Limited edition hand enhanced giclee on canvas, edition size of 99 signed & numbered pieces, image size 24" x 36"

Artist

David C. Miller is an internationally acclaimed marine artist who’s work has graced the covers of everything from greeting cards to jigsaw puzzles, but his best work has always been done on lexan and canvas. His use of acrylics have earned him acclaim from art critics as well as environmentalists. David’s personal pursuit has always been that of environmental preservation. His portfolio includes commissioned works for such prestigious foundations as Sea Turtles of the World, an environmental group protecting endangered sea turtles, and The Franklin Mint, part of the proceeds from the porcelain heirloom collectors plates goes to the Save The Dolphin program. His work is also shown in many prestigious Aquariums across the nation.

Bio  David’s talent as a colorist is exceptional. His extraordinary palette of colors is at once exotic, yet realistic of the habitat he paints. Certified for open water scuba, David has spent many hours diving in the beautiful waters of the Hawaiian Islands, Jamaica, California, and Mexico. Virtually all of his creations depict an aspect of the natural world. His eye-catching effects of color and light extol the artist’s sense of tranquillity and reverence he feels for marine life and is reflected in his exquisite portrayal of life both above and below the sea. He is known for his brilliantly colored tropical fish, sea turtles, and most of all his dolphins and whales frolicking just below the surface of the deep, clean blue ocean in his "above and below" pieces.  David’s art is shown in scores of galleries across the United States, Japan, Australia, and Europe. His stunning and distinctive images are highly collected through his superior quality prints which reproduce his artwork with breathtaking accuracy. We can immerse ourselves in his artistic vision of the hidden frontier --- the undersea world of shipwrecks and marine life, and his above the water scenes of lighthouses and tropical waterfalls.

  Coupling his artistic talent with a degree in technical drafting David began his career as a full-time artist in 1984, and received immediate recognition for his captivating marine subjects, portrayed with unique depth and three-dimensional perspective. In pursuit of excellence even the frames that surround his art are exceptional. They are exclusively produced and custom crafted by artisans at his Florida studio under the supervision of David Miller. Constructed individually, and often formed with multiple frames they feature hand wrapped linen liners, and each frame is hand marbled by the artist David Miller. His unique round and oval frames constructed of one piece of wood adds to the peek-a-boo glimpse of underwater vistas.

Artists Statement

I love to grow as an artist, every new painting is a learning experience. (taken from David's Facebook page)

"For I will see the rainbow in the cloud and remember my eternal promise to every living being on the earth." Genesis 9:16,17

Background

Dolphin Cove was completed after 8 months in the making. This limited edition print comes from the vivid imagination of David’s wife, Nancy. Stemming from her religious heritage, she envisioned the undersea world upon which Noah’s Ark sailed.

Connection

I chose David Miller because the first aquatic artwork that I had seen was by David Miller many, many years ago, when I was stationed in Hawaii as a U.S. Marine. The wall mural that I saw was a very beautiful scene of the ocean with dolphins and sea turtles. This mural was located at the Prince Ku'Hio Hotel in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii. When I first saw it, I thought to myself, "how beautiful it is and how did someone capture such detail into one painting". His work is very similiar to Wyland's work of Hawaii.

Post 4 - Works Exhibited

"Backdoor Pipeline"

BACKDOOR PIPELINE 32" ROUND Giclee on Canvas (2012)

Artist

Robert Wyland - known simply as Wyland, is an artist best known for painting large, outdoor murals of whales and other ocean life.

Bio

  Renowned marine life artist Wyland changed the way people think about our environment when he started painting life-size whales on the sides of buildings in the 1980s. Wyland always thought big. And he never stopped.
 

  Today, the Wyland name has become synonymous with the new generation of awareness about environmental conservation. Through his unique marine life paintings, sculptures, and photography, Wyland has inspired a generation about the importance of marine life conservation. His life – like his art – can find him anywhere around the world, at any time, from the Antarctic ice shelf on a photo expedition to document climate change to a grassroots journey down the Mississippi River on a mission of conservation.
 

  The multi-faceted artist, scuba diver, educator, and explorer has hosted several television programs, including, “Wyland’s Ocean World” series on the Discovery Channel’s Animal Planet Network, “Wyland: A Brush With Giants” and “Wyland’s Art Studio,” a series for national public television. His mission of engaging people through nature-themed art and a more environmentally friendly lifestyle has led to strategic alliances with such notable organizations as the United States Olympic Team, United Nation Environment Program, and Walt Disney Studios, to name a few.
 

  Wyland’s 100th and final Monumental Marine Life Mural, Hands Across the Oceans, a 24,000-square-foot, half-mile-long series of canvas murals with student artists from 110 countries, was displayed in October 2008 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and honored by the National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, White House Council on Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. In May 2010, the United Nations released six Wyland images for an international stamp issue celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
 

  Since 1993, the non-profit Wyland Foundation has set the standard for environmental outreach. In partnership with the United States Forest Service and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Wyland is actively engaged in teaching millions of students around the world to become caring, informed stewards of our ocean, rivers, lakes, estuaries, and wetlands.
 

  The enormous extent of Wyland public artworks (it is estimated that his murals are viewed by more than a billion people every year), his award-winning art galleries, and community service projects have made him one of the most recognized and beloved artists in the nation.He is considered one of the most influential artists of the 21st Century, with artwork in museums, corporate collections, and private homes in more than one hundred countries.

  As a child, Wyland started to have interest in painting dinosaurs and jurassic beings. He became an artist at the age of 3. One of the people who influenced Wyland was Captain Jacques Cousteau. Wyland (as a child) also wanted to be a scientist wanting to study marine life just like Captain Cousteau, which he is also doing today. Captain Cousteau is still the main influence in Wyland’s belief in caring for the environment. Wyland first encountered the adoration of whales when he saw a TV show hosted by Captain Cousteau about whales.

Wyland currently lives in California, Hawaii, and Florida when he is not traveling.

 

Character Statement

Your organization is making an invaluable contribution to effort to promote environmental awareness among our youth and to encourage them to continue their own efforts.

- Al Gore

 

Background

  Wyland and collaborator Steven Power give us a seldom seen glimpse into the other side of the surfing mecca known as Pipeline. But instead of showing world-class surfers pitting themselves against one of the world's most renowned breaks, Wyland reminds us that a kaleidoscope of life flourishes just below the surface.
  In "Backdoor Pipeline," Wyland presents two sea turtles cruising over the famed reef that has long spelled danger to unlucky surfers. "I spend a lot of time on the North Shore of Oahu," Wyland says. "The waves at Pipeline are among the most sought after in the world. But most people don't realize that underneath all that power is a pristine ecosystem teeming with life."

Connection

My connection with Wyland goes back to living in Hawaii. Robert Wyland has made Hawaii so dreamy with his paintings and murals that he has done all over the world. Wyland is one of the most sought out painters of our times and by looking at his work, one knows exactly why.

I just love his painitngs and sculptures...what a great artist!!

Post 5 - Works Exhibited

"Curiosity"

Curiosity - 10x6.75
Acrylic on Paper dtd. 2010

Artist

Rich Waller - Greenwood Village, Colorado Artist. Owner of Original Fine Art Aquatic Paintings and Studio.

Bio

Richard Waller grew up in Mission, Kansas which is a suburb of Kansas City. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1972, I moved to Denver to start a manufacturing business.
  I dabbled with oil paints occasionally in the 70’s but it wasn’t until mid the 80’s that I built my first serious studio. For the first couple of years, I created relief sculpture that was framed and wall mounted like a painting. This process required complex urethane rubber mold making materials and I cast the positives with very high psi reinforced plasters.
 
  In the later eighties, I began painting with acrylics, which I had been introduced to in college. Acrylics have been around since the 1950’s, but didn’t become a water soluble fine art medium until the 60’s and are now considered by archivalists to have greater overall longevity than oils.
 
  Besides painting, my other passion is playing guitar and composing and recording music. I have a Pro Tools based recording studio next to my art studio and tend to go through periods of time when I focus on music.
 
  Something that has surprised me over the years is how similar the process of creating a piece of music is to creating a painting, especially an abstract painting. I try to let an abstract approach just flow with no preconceived concept. I have found that if I try to plan an abstract, the lower chance I have of creating a successful painting.
 
  Please feel free to send any comments you might have about my paintings or even any questions you might have about using acrylics. I feel that over the years, I have come to a fairly proficient level of understanding this medium and would be happy to share anything that may be helpful.
  I have also included some techniques I have developed and used over the years so, if you are a painter, check these out and share any interesting techniques you may have tried or developed. I know there is a tendency in the art world to not share these secrets, but I doubt that there are very many techniques out there that can’t be figured out by artists experienced in that medium. Rich currently lives in Greenwood Village, Colorado with my wife, Carol, and two children, Jessica and Braden.

Character Statement

Creating a song (I’m strictly an instrumentalist) processes the same way. I may decide which key to start out in, but rhythm, chord structure and melody all flow through a trial and error process until it’s able to stand on its own.

Background  

For Curiousity, although I have experimented with water colors, oils and the newer water soluble oils, I always return to acrylics because of their versatility and my broader understanding of their properties. They can be used in both a watercolor and oil technique and are great for collages.
  While the quick drying time is both a curse and an advantage, I have used acrylics for so many years that I have little patience for the slow drying properties of oil or even waiting for a watercolor wash to dry.
  I paint on canvas, acid free Strathmore bristol board and 140# and 300# watercolor paper blocks. My paintings fall into three categories- underwater oceanic scenes with a variety of aquatic life, abstracts and landscapes.
 
  My landscapes tend to fall into beach scenes and mountain scenes with streams or lakes. I enjoy trying to capture water realistically and rarely paint anything that doesn’t give me this opportunity. Painting is really about catching light as it reflects off objects in different colors, and the challenge of painting water is magnified because it is reflecting surrounding objects above the surface while distorting objects to various degrees below the surface.

Connection

I chose Rich Waller because I felt he was the most seasoned artist in my gallery and one of the most well-rounded artist that I have seen. I just love his work and it is very comparable to Wylands work. Rich has many accomplishments but being my online gallery is a priveledge for me.

Post 6 - Works Exhibited

"Ocean Magic"

 11h x 14w

Acrylic on canvas dtd. 2008 

Artist

Jill Segal, award winning Canadian Artist, teaches classes in watercolour and acrylic painting from her studio in Thornhill (just north of Toronto) and also conducts workshops and demonstrations for art groups and schools across Ontario.

Bio

  Jill was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and immigrated to Canada in 1976. I received a B.A. degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy, from the University of the Witwatersrand, in 1974.

  She has been drawing and painting since childhood and have studied at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) and the Haliburton School of Fine Arts. I have also taken numerous workshops with many prominent artists, including: Margaret Roseman, Lila Lewis Irving, Brian Atyeo, Gerald Brommer, Mary Todd Beam.

  Jill presently teaches classes in watercolour and acrylic painting from my studio in Thornhill, Ontario - just a touch north of Toronto. I also conduct classes, workshops and demonstrations for art groups and schools across Ontario.

Character Statement

My hope as an artist is to connect with people through the visual images that I create, touching something deep within them.

For me, painting is a passion, an expression of the joy of life. My acrylic and mixed media paintings express my fascination with the natural beauty of the world around me. They are celebrations of all aspects of life, reflecting the inherent energy in and around us, and the interconnectedness of all things.

My style is bold, colourful and expressionistic, capturing the essence of the subject matter and producing for the viewer, a magical journey.

Background

In "Ocean Magic", Start pouring the paint one colour at a time ...

Connection

My connection was that this was a lighter piece compared to Wyland and Miller's artwork. I really liked that Jill uses acrylic in different ways and also incorporates watercolors into some her works as well. She is very taleneted and and it truly shows in her work.

Post 7 - Works Exhibited

"Blue Landscape Seascape"

699 Blue landscape / seascape
91x91cm / 36x36in, acrylic / canvas, self-framed

Artist

Ernie Gerzabek - Visual Artist (Northern Beaches, Sydney)
A professional landscape painter and abstract artist and sculptor. He was born in Budapest, Hungary and immigrated to Australia in 1958. Ernie started painting in 1970 while practising as a Chartered Architect. Following his retirement from Architecture in 1997, he commenced painting full time.



Bio

Ernie Gerzabek started painting in 1970 while practising as an Architect. He has exhibited in various group and solo shows ever since. As the popularity of his paintings increased, he retired from Architecture in 1997 to paint full time. His main inspiration is nature and the unique landscapes of Australia, in particular wilderness areas, wetlands, the unspoilt countryside, deserts and seashores.

Gerzabek's interpretation of natural phenomena is unique, surprising and unpredictable. His paintings not only encapsulate the essential elements, colours and features of a particular place, but also recreate the ambience and the 'feel' of being there. Typically, his work is exuberant, highly original, vibrant, confident and eye-catching. Most pieces are charged with positive energy, richly textured and overflow with dazzling colour. Other pieces are soft, meditative and introspective.

Gerzabek tends to create playful, decorative and inspiring images, which are both optimistic and spiritually uplifting. His paintings are sold in a number of commercial galleries in Sydney and hisworks are highly sought after by art lovers, interior designers and architects.

Gerzabek would like to connect with creative artists who are inventive and use their imagination - rather than just depict what the eye sees and relying on their technical skills only.

Character Statement

"I pride himself on being a self-taught artist as I do not follow in the footsteps of any teacher or master. I have a very broad range of original approaches, thus cannot be pigeonholed into a single ‘style’."

His main inspiration is Nature, the unique landscapes of Australia, the United States and Canada:- the unspoilt countryside, wilderness areas, deserts, wetlands and seashores.

"As to artists who most influenced me, I must admit I admire Vincent Van Gogh’s use of colour and his emotional intensity. I love Paul Klee’s sensitivity and deep insight into our inner beings. I marvel at Kandinsky’s exuberance and sense of composition. I am amazed at Picasso’s inventiveness and broad range of interests."

"As for Australian artists, I love John Olsen’s imaginative expression and playfulness, Fred Williams’ unique ability to extract the essential abstract elements of a landscape, and most importantly, I am most impressed by Emily Kngwarreye’s innate mastery of colour, structure and connection to Country."

  He is often told his interpretation of natural phenomena is unique, quite surprising and somewhat unpredictable. His paintings not only encapsulate the essential elements, colours and features of a particular place, but also recreate the ambience and the ‘feel’ of being there.

  Ernie tends to create playful, decorative and inspiring images, which are both optimistic and spiritually uplifting. Typically, his work is highly original, exuberant, vibrant, confident and eye-catching. Most of his creations are richly textured, overflow with dazzling colour and charged with positive energy. Other pieces are introspective, soft and meditative.

  Ernie believes that his artworks are not only collectable but also provide long term enjoyment and relaxation as a counterbalance to the stresses of everyday life. He had more than 26 solo shows since 1999 and have participated in countless group shows in commercial galleries and other venues.

  Ernie's artworks are sold in a number of commercial galleries in Sydney, they are highly sought after by art lovers, interior designers and architects. Apart from Australia, his works can be found in public and private collections all around the world, including the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Great Britain and many other European countries.

  He is a member of the National Association for Visual Arts (NAVA) and has had exhibiting memberships in Ku-ring-gai, Mosman, Hornsby and North Shore Art Societies and The Sculptors’ Society.

Background

In Blue Landscape/ Seascape, Ernie was aiming to create artworks which celebrate Nature, nurture the human spirit and provide stimulation and enjoyment to peoples lives. He believes that people need more than the simple necessities of food, shelter and security.

"We should also satisfy our intellectual curiosity, fulfil our aspirations and nurture our spiritual and emotional wellbeing."

The need to rise above the humdrum, the ordinary and the daily grind of survival. This is where the arts provide a relief. Encounter with literature, music, theatre and fine arts provides great opportunities if we want to satisfy our creative urges. At the same time we are rewarded with lasting enjoyment and satisfaction.

Connection

I chose Ernie Gerzabek not just for his great artwork but for his philosophy behind his work. Ernie has a true passion for his work and he loves to give that passion to people through his art. Ernie is a well-travelled man, being from a foreign country and seeing the world, his retirement years are some his best. His artwork is splendid and I am proud to bring his works to my online gallery.

Post 8 - Works Exhibited

"After Hours"

"After Hours"
Acrylic - 18"H x 24"W

Artist

Karin Snoots -Independent Fine Art Professional ; from Harbeson, Delaware (Dover, Delaware Area)

  The primary focus of her art is our natural environment. I have a strong commitment to express the urgency of protecting and promoting conservation by donating portions of my sales to conservation causes.

She works with oils or acrylics specializing in depicting the natural beauty of my surroundings.

Bio

  As a professional artist, my fundamental mission is to serve as a catalyst for environmental awareness and conservation. I am inspired by the drama of nature and I’m constantly challenged to capture the dramatic sense of scale in space and light. I never tire of the many moods and impressions of the ocean and strive to paint them with conviction and a deep sense of spirituality.

  My work is driven by a passion for exploration of color, which has the ability to evoke so many different emotions as well as spatial relationships.

  The driving force of her work is to share with the viewer the inherent aesthetic beauty that all living things possess, be it raging surf or a tranquil pond. She wants to express my excitement over the incredible things she is so fortunate to encounter. Much of her passion to paint came from early childhood influences, such as studying the art of revered artist Robert Bateman. Watching episodes of Jacques Cousteau served as kindling for the intense desire to capture the spirit ever so delicate in nature.

It was in February of 2006 that her husband and her took a leap of faith and followed their dreams to be near the beach. Her primary focus is our natural environment of Delmarva. The earth is our home and we need to take note of what we have. Karin wants to express my excitement over the incredible things she is so fortunate to encounter. She hopes in some way through her art she can help promote and protect our natural wonder and the place she now calls home.

Karin has vowed to herself to make it a practice at the start of each new work to reflect on all that she has learned and never take for granted all the blessings that has been put before her. Each day brings a new experience and Karin strives to make positive growth in her abilities as an Artist. She has discovered the key ingredients for artistic success are courage and focus to pursue the passion and the possibilities will happen!

Character Statement

 

I have a deep respect for power and beauty of the ocean. My fundamental mission is to serve as a catalyst for environmental awareness and conservation. I find inspiration in the drama of nature and I'm constantly challenged to capture the dramatic sense of scale in space and light. I am also driven by a passion for exploration of color, which has the ability to evoke so many different emotions as well as spatial relationships.

Background

"After Hours", was one of Karins first acrylics on canvas, professional paintings that is not for sale. Karin painted this when her and her husband first moved to the beach in delaware so that Karin could more inspired. This was Karin's vision of the beach with the vision of the beach in the sky. This original piece is 18" by 24" canvas framed.

Connection

I chose Karin's art because of her passion to paint and to be inspired so much that her and her husband moved closer to the beach. Her paintings are very beautiful, not so detailed like Wylands but still great paintings. Her paintings are more of a visionary rather than detailed realistic. I just thought this one was perfect for my online gallery.

Post 9 - Works Exhibited

"Fossils"

"FOSSILS" - Humpback Whale mother rises to the surface from ancient fossil beds with her two baby whale calves.

Medium: Painitng / Digital painting 4500.000 x 3000.000 pixels  -November 2009

Artist

Corey Ford - Freelance Illustrator, Fine & Digital Artist

Bio

  Painting and creating art has been my passion my entire life. I have worked in many different mediums and if you visit my website you can see some examples. I'm trying to emulate the great illuminary atist by the name of Frederic Edwin Church who used a lot of light and detail as one of the 'Hudson River' painters. Undoubtedly, Maxfield Parrish has had an impact on my art as one of my visitors pointed out in my painting called 'Memories'. I love a lot of Parrish's paintings. My main subjects are science fiction, marine, beautiful women, cowboys, landscapes, fractal abstract, horse and Egyptian.
  Many of my fine art paintings have been sold and are now in private collections throughout the USA. My digital art is used in prints for private collections and also used in advertisement, book covers, CD covers and computer games all over the world.
  Beginning in late 2003, I began dabbling in digital art and found it very much to my liking and have produced many digital paintings since then. I'm always trying to improve my work in an ongoing process.
   I'm also continuing to work in acrylic painting. Some of my paintings are for sale as mentioned on this website.
   Hope you enjoy my work and visit my gallery often to see my new paintings.

Just to let you know, I am also known on the Internet by the tradename of 'Coreycupcake' and also 'Catmando'.

Awards:
'Artist of the Month' in Warren, Michigan in 1986.
'Artist of the Month' in Sterling Heights, Michigan in 1987.
'Honorable Mention' Award 1986 - Warren Society of Arts
'Honorable Mention' Award 1990 - Warren Society of Arts
'Terragen Silver' Award 2005 - Terranuts Website
'Digital Artworks Gallery' Award 2005 for 'White Jasmine' by Digital Artworks Gallery Website
'Terragen Bronze' Award 2006 for 'Zaxix' by Terranuts Website
'Honorable Mention' Award 2006 - Redico Art Show
'Outstanding' Award 2006 - Redico Art Show
'Zazzle Showcase Award Winner' 2007 for 'The Guardians' by Zazzle Website
'2D Terranuts Award' in 2007 for 'Rare Princess' by Terranuts Website.
'Zazzle Showcase Award Winner' 2007 for 'Dark Passion' by Zazzle Website
'Star of Excellence for Artistic Design' 2009 for 'Hawaiian Orchid' by Awesome Zazzlers - Zazzle Website
'Terranuts Showcase Award' 2010 for 'Rare Princess' by Terranuts Website
Featured on 'The Best Of Zazzle Weekly' 2010 by Squidoo for my 'Ebony Nautilus' Print
Featured on the front page here at Fine Art America in 2010 for 'Ebony'

Education
Commercial Art at Cass Tehnical High School in Detroit, Michigan.
Nursing Degree '1977' from St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron, Michigan.

Character Statement

  I've been an artist my entire life. I remember when I was a small child drawing horses, which was my favorite subject at that time and still is to this day. I am mostly self-taught. I had one year of professional art training at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. I also took a watercolor class at Oakland County Community College. Other then that I've learned my art by trial and error. Learning art is an on-going endeavor. I am always learning new ways to get my ideas across to my viewing audience. I have sold 57 fine art paintings.
  My earlier paintings are signed with just my first name "Corey" with no last name. I signed my early works this way because I knew when I married my last name would change which it did to "Ford". If you are in possession of one of my paintings please use my contact page. After you send me a photo of the painting I will send you a "Letter of Authenticity".
  Right now I am concentrating on my digital art paintings which is gaining respect in the eyes of the public. They are more and more willing to buy one of my digital art prints, digital archival prints or digital painting canvases especially since my name has been getting around the Internet. I love the Internet because I can get my paintings in front of people all over the world. Visitors from around the globe have visited this website and I greatly enjoy having you as my guests.
  If you notice, I use a lot of vibrant colors in my art. The world and outer space are so beautiful
and I want to bring that beauty into my art.  

Background

"FOSSILS" - Humpback Whale mother rises to the surface from ancient fossil beds with her two baby whale calves. This is a Medium: Painitng / Digital painting 4500.000 x 3000.000 pixels  done in November 2009

Connection

My connection with this artwork was that is was something different an new to me. I have never seen something like this bbefore and wanted to include into my online gallery.

Post 10 - Works Exhibited

"Sea Life"

Sea Life - A Dolphin ocean scene. This work was done using pastel on sanded paper. Sfumato method gives it a soft, serene feeling. Aprox: W 36" x H 24"  dtd. May-2011 

Artist

Carmen Small- Carmen is a multimedia artist specializing in pastel paintings. Her style is minimalist/surreal and accentuated with the sfu mato method.

Bio

  For most of her life, she has been actively involved in the Arts. She studied in Southern California and was a commissioned muralist for custom homes, with the main focus being on Children’s design. She has participated in several selected jury exhibitions and shows on the mainland and in Hawaii. Her paintings are in both public and private collections in Chicago, Florida, Colorado, and Hawaii.
  Creating art is a form of communication for her and her love of the tropics and the Hawaiian culture is evident through her work. Swimming in Hawaiian waterfalls and hiking in the rain forests are some of the places where she draws her inspiration. She is also a certified scuba diver and is passionate about aquatic life. Carmen truly has a zest for life and her affinity to water’s freedom is reflected in her work.
  Art is also very healing for her. She has an autistic son, which is very painful, but her spirit is replenished through her work. She is currently working on international sales and divides her time between Colorado and the big island.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

  Besides from just spending time on the islands and being inspired from Hawaii, we also buy genuine Hawaiian flowers, gifts, and great Kona coffee!

Character Statement

  Some of my favorite works are shown, including images of Modern and Contemporary Art, Semi-Nude Art, Landscape and Floral Art, presented on canvas and sandpaper. I have used various mixed media, including Acrylic, Pastel, Oil, and Watercolor. All of these are original works of art. All paintings and prints are for sale. I have combined my best selling originals and prints into 17″ x 11″ posters, superimposed with inspirational messages. I love the exotic protea flowers from upcountry Maui, and how about those beautiful anthuriums, orchids, red ginger, bird of paradise, and heliconia? If I can’t be there, at least I can bring some of that beauty into my home—and you can too!

Background

Sea Life - A Dolphin ocean scene. This work was inspired by Carmen while working in her studio. This was done using pastel on sanded paper. Sfumato method gives it a soft, serene feeling. Aprox: W 36" x H 24"  dtd. May-2011 

Connection
I absolutley love the how Carmen used the pastel colors and on sanded paper. This is not an acrylic piece so it will appear somewhat blurry on my online gallery, but the shear beauty in this piece is amazing. I guess because I have tried using pastels and never could shade or blend the right way. carmen has done an amazing job!



Post 11 - Works Exhibited

"Art Aquatic" 



Art Aquatic

Underwater Video

On display at the Art Aquatic: An Exhibition 2011

video dtd 2007 

Artist: 

Doug Barkley, owner of Video Dude Productions and an avid scuba diver and well-known underwater videographer, has produced a number of underwater documentaries including one most recently for National Geographic.

Bio

  Doug Barkley has been a professional underwater videographer since 1999, shooting video for such diverse clients as National Geographic and The Neptune Society, as well as several dive operators from Jupiter, FL to the Florida Keys. A certified scuba diver since 1980 and currently certified as a NAUI and SDI Instructor, he has traveled all over the Caribbean and South Florida bringing memories of the underwater world back for everyone to see. His ability to get “up close and personal” with the creatures under the sea makes his videos interesting enough for even non-divers to enjoy!

Artist Statement - (taken from Doug's DAILY blog page)

  Went diving today with Force-E Dive Centers on their Goliath Grouper Dive in Riviera Beach, FL.Nikole put on a great trip for us aboard Jim Abernethy Scuba Adventures‘ “Deep Obsession”, and we dove on the Mitzpah Corridor, a wreck trek of 4 wrecks. Most of the groupers were hanging around the “Mitzpah” wreck and we got a few close encounters both inside and outside the wreck. Enjoy the video!

Having fun shooting video here in Paradise,
The Video Dude

  Background

  Art Aquatic is a collaboration of mixed media paintings and underwater video as seen through the eyes of Susan Clifton and Doug Barkley. This video represents the underwater aquatic life that is constantly changing day by day. This life is usually not seen by in this art form and Doug did a great job capturing the beauty and tranquility of it.

  Connection

  The reason why this particular piece was added was because it is a different type of art. The video displays the beauty of the ocean not just in colors or still frames but in a flowing continuation of beauty. This also adds to my on-line gallery of underwater aquatic and oceanic art. The artist Doug is also part of a gallery in Florida with another artist that will appear on my next blog.

Post 12 - Works Exhibited

"Swim With Me"

Swim with me.

36" x 24". Mixed Media on Wood.

Dtd 2009



Artist

  Susan Clifton - A long time resident of Fort Lauderdale with a successful business as a web designer, Clifton has been in the graphic arts field for more than 30 years. As the Internet grew in importance, Clifton decided to focus on web design, and it wasn’t until five years ago that she started to paint again. Since then she has had several gallery shows and has been an active participant in the arts community serving as vice president of the South Florida Artists Association, and is committed to bringing new business opportunities to South Florida artists.

Bio 

  Susan Clifton, a South Florida artist, attended Philadelphia College of Art as a painting major and studied Photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Susan worked for many years as an advertising art director, graphic designer and web developer before returning to her first love . . . Painting. Her experiences working with some of the great photographers of the Twentieth Century, like Richard Avedon and Francesco Scavullo, contributed to her sense of color and composition. Susan believes she was born an artist. She has dabbled in many forms of the arts – Dance, Photography, Graphic Design, Mosaics, Jewelry Making and Painting. Her early paintings were large graphic representations of the human form in a more POP art style. She is returning to the human form but combines realism with bold graphics with a strong sense of color.
  In 2009 she was one of ten artists selected for the Broward County grant funded show called DBA….Artist Entrepreneur. 2009 also found her in Art Fusion Gallery in the Miami Design District.
  In 2010 she was awarded a Broward County grant for an exhibit called Art Aquatic, the opening was in May of 2011 and was a hugh success. This exhibit was a collaboration with her husband Doug Barkley. The show included Doug’s underwater video along with Susan’s series of aquatic paintings.

  Artist Statement

  In the last few years I have been growing in a new direction. I’m exploring the use of fractal shapes in the form of fabric mosaics. I use custom printed fabrics painstakingly positioned to bring my figures to life. The balance between order and chaos of the fractals gives the illusion of movement, and it also represents the fragile nature of life.

  My work has always been a fusion of abstract and representational styles but even more so in this new work. In my series called “Heart & Soul” I’m studying the female psyche … the negative and positive thoughts that control her actions. As a woman I’m perplexed by these thoughts and wonder of their origins. Through this series I encourage both men and women to look into their hearts and souls to find the true meaning of their life.

  I incorporate my history into these paintings, not only in the thoughts but through the type itself. My mother was a typesetter, and I spent many a time with her at the office sitting at a typesetting machine. I went on to have a career in Graphic Design and Advertising…working with type. So it is that I now embrace my past by using type as a medium.

  I’m not an artist who can work on just one subject, but love investigating new ideas as they come. I was asked to paint something that represents Florida for a deck of cards featuring artists of the United States and Zelda the Flamingo was born. That has now led me to a series of animals that also use fractal shapes and are colorful, interesting, and unique. A less serious subject, but it represents the fun side of me as an artist.

-Susan Clifton

  Background

  This piece was inspired by Susan's love of the ocean and living in the Forida area. The sea turtle was one of her first pieces and was a winner in the Broward County Art Grant Fund.

  The Connection

  How this piece connects to my gallery theme, is that it represents one artists beginning and how it has grown into something more for her. She went from painting, to fine arts, and is now trying new things like mozaics, which I think are so beautiful. I chose this piece as the last one because of it's simplicity and colors.

Conclusion: What I have learned.

  I have learned so much more about Art

  The question to what have I learned about the process of organizing an exhibition of works by various artists cannot be simply answered in one word or sentence. I have learned so much about what it takes, adjectivally speaking would be compassion, dedication, devotion and vision.
  I use these words with the deepest of meanings, and I am not just saying that to fill one's ears with words. The amount of compassion a person has to have for a gallery in itself is enormous. This person must have both passion for art and passion for what type of art they display. The compassionate part is sharing their passion with the world, through their eyes that is very intimate, emotional and at times very private.
  Dedication is such a simple word when used by itself. Dedication added to other words means more like dedicated their lives to their work has so much more impact than just dedication. That's what a curator, art gallery owner or artist does when they do this work. They have dedicated their lives to this work and most of the artists that I have displayed in my gallery were highly dedicated. Dedication to the aquatic life and oceanic scenery's, bringing what most people never get to see first hand, out from the cool depths of our enormous seas, so that children from all over the world may dream of someday visiting these places themselves.
  I am devoted to my gallery and this project. I feel very proud of what I have accomplished and what I have achieved over the past few days. I have devoted much of my time appreciating and understanding why these various artists do what they do, and all so well. Their level of devotion is without argument higher than mine but none the less, appreciated by all. I too have somehow in my own mind joined this league of artists whom see the world for it's natural beauty and have explored it's appreciation through the eyes of the beholder. It has made me more open to art and how I see that art. Whether it's paintings, sculptures, music, poems or mosaics, I now see not just the designs and colors but feel the passion or pain behind it.
  Vision is the deepest of all. An artist without a vision is like the sun without shine. Every artist has a vision, although that vision isn't clear in the beginning, that vision is always seen in the end. Like the 20/20 hindsight cliche, it is always a vision of what was and what became. I appreciate these artist and their lovely artworks because of their vision and the ability to put that vision out there for the world to see.
  The part that was the most natural for me was picking the art pieces that I used. I knew that I wanted to use bright colors and designs that really stood out. That was the main baseline factor for determine what I used and how I chose them. There were so many good ones, I wanted to use them all, but chose these for my own personal reasons. As a curator, the job is not easy and it takes a lot of devotion and dedication to the upkeep of a gallery. Mine was a virtual gallery which is simple, but I visited a couple of galleries in the local area. I asked one curator what was his job like and he said it was his life as he was also the artist. He lived above his studio and painted whenever. He said that he sometimes couldn'y sleep at night and so he would get up and paint. That to me was amazing and hard to comprehend. I have to work a full-time job and whatever spare time I have to hobbies, then I will do. His life was his hobby, painting was it. His paintings paid for his gallery, paint, food and shelter. I just think that is a very unstable lifestyle, but for him, it was all he knew. He chose that life and has dedicated his life to that dream.

  The reason why I chose aquatic and oceanic sceneries is because as a child I was always fascinated by the ocean. I am originally from Illinois, where there were no oceans, only pictures of oceans. I dreamed of one day being on the ocean, swimming through it's depths and seeing everything it had to offer. I still today am chasing that dream, I have moved closer to the ocean, I bought a boat and I have travelled around the world by different ships and boats. I have been scuba diving in Hawaii, snorkeling in Japan and travelled across the Pacific Ocean, which is just the beginning as someday I want to explore the the coldest of oceans, the Antartic. That's my dream and that's my discovery.