James Valerio

Robert Coleman Jackson

I saw Robert's work in Chelsea last week at the Gallery Henoch. His still lifes were fantastic! He uses common inanimate objects and creates a narrative with them that is very quirky and fun! I think they are hilarious. His handling of paint is so meticulous, and his color choices really remind me of childhood. So creative!

Apparantly Robert was not always a painter. He actually graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Electrical Engineering and became a systems engineer designing for Motorola. He left engineering, not to paint, but for the church working as an assistant pastor for 6 years. Since 1997 he has been painting full time and exhibiting his work.
http://www.robertcjackson.com/index.htm

Bo Bartlett

I saw Bo's work this past summer at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans. I was floored. His paintings were enormous, life-sized figures... in tremendous landscapes; they had such presence. Some of the pieces were probably about 16 ft by 10 ft. Absolutely gorgeous. His palette is so beautiful, somewhat muted.... I find the colors to be very soft and soothing. Although I think he may have a few anatomical issues, (the legs on his figures always look like sausages) his paintings really speak to me. 

Bo is from Columbus, Georgia. He went to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art. He received a degree in Painting, and later a degree in Film making from NYU.  He created a film with Betsy Wyeth (Andrew Wyeth's wife) on Andrew's life and works... they became great friends. It is obvious that Andrew has had a strong influence on Bo's work.

He spends his summers on a small island off the coast of Maine, and his winters on an island in the Puget Sound in Washington. Sounds incredible!

Bartlett is an American Realist.

http://www.bobartlett.com/

John Alexander

I saw John's work in New Orleans at the Arthur Roger Gallery and was intrigued. His pieces were so energetic, and his application of paint seemed to be brave and confident. His portraits of both figures and animals are almost like caricatures, yet with a sort of eerie, psychological quality. He is also an excellent colorist, and his compositions are very complex. He often(like many contemporary artists) makes references to art history.... the first image below is very reminiscent of Copley's Watson and the Shark, and the other image of the figures on a struggling boat is obviously taken from Gericault's Raft of the Medusa.... (two of my favorite paintings)

Alexander is from Beaumont, Texas. He has spent most of his career in the south, studying at Southern Methodist University then the University of Dallas. He taught at the University of Houston, but now lives and works in New York. No surprise!


http://www.johnalexanderstudio.com

Andrew Lenaghan

Andrew was my painting instructor last semester. He was fantastic..such a quirky personality and genuinely great guy. Although his work is representational, it is so expressive and full of energy. His understanding of color and temperature is unmatched in my book!

Andy is from New York. He received his BFA from Cornell and later his MFA from the Brooklyn College of Art.

He begins his pieces with a loose abstract drawing with paint to block in the major light and shadow masses, creating the foundation for his space. He continues to quickly block in color after color and shape after shape, and the scene begins to develop. I was baffled by his process... my brain just doesn't seem to work that way!

His mark-making is sort of gestural and loose, but he originally started off as a photo realist, studying with Richard Estes. He said once he felt that he mastered the technique he began to loosen up.. he was constantly trying to get me to do the same!

Andy's work is shown at the George Adams Gallery in New York, the same gallery where two of my former professors are represented. He teaches at Pratt as well as the Academy.

I am so honored to have had the opportunity to study with him!

http://www.georgeadamsgallery.com/artists/artist_ins.php3?artist=11

Richard Estes

Estes was born in 1932 in Illinois. He is one of the many photo realist/ hyper realist painters that emerged in the 60's. Estes studied at the School of Art Institute of Chicago. After his studies, he worked as a graphic artist for magazine publishers and ad agencies, and continued to paint on the side. He is drawn to painting reflective surfaces and cityscapes, working primarily with oil on board.

Although he is not one of my favorites, I admire his skill. Attempting a painting of the city would be my worst nightmare!

Steven Assael

Steven is one of my favorite artists... in fact, he is one of the reasons I decided to come to the New York Academy of Art. He is actually one of my painting professors this semester!

Steven's work is absolutely amazing. The way that he applies paint is so unique and fantastic to watch! Many of his drawings are done with ball point pen, and the amount of detail and naturalism he achieves with this medium is pretty astonishing. Donald Kuspit has called him one of the "new old-masters," and he truly deserves the title. He was born in New York, and says that he grew up drawing and doodling, as well as copying old master paintings here in New York at the various museums. He went to the Pratt Institute in New York.

In class, we were fortunate enough to get to watch him paint, and every week we try to replicate his technique...it is extremely difficult! I still don't quite know how he does it, despite watching him time after time!

http://www.stevenassael.com/
http://www.forumgallery.com/adetail.php?id=207