Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025/No.237 i American Art Collector

Welcome to the July issue of American Art Collector! This month our eye is on sculpture and the impact it has on contemporary realism. If you have ever walked through a sculpture garden, collection or museum exhibition, the scale and 3D definition of the work is truly a sensation for all the senses. The journey of creating sculptures begins with the material used—whether bronze, stone or wood—that is then sculpted into a form that captures the spirit, warmth and dimension of the subject. The amount of time, energy and often physical exertion that goes into into creating these masterpieces is truly admirable. While the majority of our focus as publishers and collectors is on contemporary realism paintings, this issue lets us dedicate our attention to the American sculptor. Evidence suggests…

The painter who spends long, lonely hours alone in the studio. The writer toiling away, their only company their mind and the blank. Many art forms defy the adage “no man is an island,” famously penned by English poet John Donne in the 17th century. But sculpture is a genre that can be extremely laborious and often calls for, if not requires, extra hands. It is especially true with blown glass, which is up there with bronze as one of the most physically demanding sculptural mediums. Some creative collaborations are born out of necessity but sometimes they blossom into partnerships that result in boundary-breaking pieces that neither artist would have conceived of, or been able to execute, working on their own. In 2012, multimedia artist Shelley Muzylowski Allen was a…

Prodigal artist Kyle Ma’s latest solo show, held at Wilcox Gallery in downtown Jackson, Wyoming, is made up of the places and experiences that have inspired the 25-year-old painter within the last year. While Ma has made a huge name for himself as a painter of Western subjects—think expansive canyons, grazing cattle and desert flora—he’s made just as big an impact in the wider art world at large. With a deft and painterly hand, Ma uses oils to create florals, cityscapes, still lifes and figures that captivate viewers across the world. “People recognize Kyle’s talent isn’t just amazing for his age. It’s flat-out amazing,” says Jeff Wilcox, general manager of Wilcox Gallery. “He’s already a master and just keeps getting better.” In his upcoming exhibition, collectors can be swept away…

Featuring sweeping landscapes, big skies full of light and color, as well as a unique, textured style, comes a show of new work by painter Caleb Meyer. Titled In the Moment, the show at Gallery Wild includes themes of light, time and place. “There’s something about Caleb Meyer’s work that just pulls you in,” says gallery owner Carrie Wild. “With bold palette knife strokes and thick oil paint, he brings the big skies and open spaces of the West right into the room. Meyer’s work not only portrays the physical landscape but also encapsulates the essence of Western outdoor culture, reflecting a deep reverence for the wild and untamed. This collection is a testament to his ability to translate the soul of the American West onto canvas, offering viewers an…

I must admit, I’ve always been more of a painting person than a sculpture one, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that regard. But a recent trip to Italy re-opened my eyes to the sheer power of sculpture, and the almost unfathomable skill it must require to transform stone into flesh. During a visit to Rome’s Villa Borghese, I was stopped in my tracks by Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s Rape of Prosperina, which he created in 1621-22 when he was just 23 years old. I was mystified by the detail—the tear trickling down the goddess’ cheek, the squeeze and imprint of her abductor’s hand on her thigh. The intensity of their struggle captured in marble, and the strain of the three-headed dog, guardian of the Underworld, at their feet. I…

There is something priceless about painting directly from life, especially in a communal setting. I’ve had the joy of attending life drawing classes, and the experience of physically being in a room full of creatives, easels all propped up around a model in the center of the room, everyone capturing a slightly different angle—the energy is incredible. Working directly from life allows artists to take in all aspects of the model and then, through their artwork, distill the parts that speak to them. But working from life isn’t typically an easy opportunity to come by. For some, in-person workshops are downright impossible. It was this sentiment, among others, that ignited something in figurative artist Stephanie Paige Thomson. The award-winning artist (some of her most recent accolades include the Certificate of…

From the rocky shores of Maine and white sand beaches of Massachusetts, to the fresh seafood and quaint cottages of Cape Cod, there’s nothing like summer in New England. The region, which is made up of the states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, is marked by summer barbeques and lobster cook-outs, beach excursions and wine tours, and of course, art. Hundreds of artists, galleries, museums and other major arts institutions are based in the New England area, like a bright lighthouse illuminating the art scene in this part of the country. The historic city of Provincetown, Massachusetts, has a wonderfully storied past when it comes to the arts, starting when Martha Dewing Woodward, one of the nation’s leading painters, opened the Cape Cod School of…

Andrii Kateryniuk and Anhelina Holembivska are holding their very first husband and wife exhibition at Arcadia Contemporary this July. Originally from Ukraine, the couple met through their shared love of art and continue to inspire each other as they move through life together. In early childhood, they met at an art school in Kyiv, but grew close during their final years in school when their artistic pursuits became more serious and aligned. “Around that time, our personal relationship also began to deepen,” says Holembivska. They continued studying together at the Academy of Fine Arts, and in private ateliers in Kyiv, and eventually set off on what was intended to be a grand tour of Florence, Italy, which unexpectedly lasted for seven years. Today, Kateryniuk and Holembivska share both a life…

Occasionally, an artist comes along that pushes the boundaries against their own limitations, enabling their work to stand the test of time and resonate with future generations. Sculptor Kevin Box is exactly that kind of artist. With his show, Rays of Hope at Altamira Fine Art in Jackson, Wyoming, Box’s work embodies the human condition as it is and challenges the notions of what it could be. As a small-town kid from Oklahoma, Box never could run fast or do math, but he could draw and was encouraged to pursue art from a young age. As a teenager, he spent summers in Atlanta, apprenticing at his uncle’s graphic design company and was guided to take his career in that direction. He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York…

The opulent, golden paintings of Stephanie Rew harken to an age of Elizabethan extravagance. Working in oil, egg tempura, sanguine pastel and gold leaf, the artist paints figures in costumes inspired by Tudor and Medieval garments, complete with ruffled necks, bodices and brilliant embroidery. “My work always has a strong sense of history, and this recent series of paintings is inspired by the British Arts and Crafts movement as well as the Tudor court paintings of Holbein,” says Rew. “I have included flora and fauna, and the symbolism that comes with it into my work. The small gold leaf panels incorporate ivy, Jacobean lilies and magnolias, which signify fidelity, purity and eternity. The female portraits are symbolic of strength in the feminine.” The costumes, while rooted in history, come from…

F or Erin Currier’s upcoming solo show at Blue Rain F Gallery, we see the artist’s ability to interweave fine art, activism and cultural storytelling. While utilizing the portrait as her vehicle for communication, Currier also relies on paint and repurposed materials from her many travels to achieve her message—while creating a unique look and feel that is wholly her own. Garnering inspiration from her tango and swing dance, figure drawing, arts and martial arts communities and her neighborhood in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with her recent travels to Italy, Greece, Turkey and Argentina, Currier has put together a beautiful 25-piece body of work for the show From Santa Fe to São Paulo to Sicily: The Sublime. Show attendees will also find travel journals on exhibit, and will be…

Changhua City, Taiwan • misure@gmail.com • misurenien.art Born in 1965 in Taiwan, Misure Nien is a contemporary gouache and watercolor artist known for his exquisite handling of light and lyrical approach to realism. With a strong foundation in classical techniques and a deep reverence for nature, Nien’s work often captures fleeting atmospheric moments through a fusion of layered brushwork and subtle emotional tones. Whether in watercolor or oil, landscape or seascape, his paintings speak with a quiet precision that resonates deeply with viewers. Nien’s works have been exhibited nationally and internationally, earning awards and a dedicated following among collectors. He is also an active educator, frequently sharing his insights through workshops and lectures. In some of his latest works, Nien brings together scenes from travel, nature and personal memory, offering…

Artist Catherine Eaton Skinner’s work centers on the balance of opposites and the systems and patterns we construct to give order to our world. Her latest solo exhibition, The Earth is the Magnet of the Sky, is being held at Step Up Gallery in Los Alamos, New Mexico, through July 24. “The natural world holds an immense, intrinsic energy—an ancient equilibrium that sustains life. The historical reverence for this power and the recognition of Earth’s sacredness spans the timeline of humanity’s memory,” Skinner explains of her new body of work. “Staying connected to nature, each other and ourselves has never felt more challenging. Through my work, I explore these connections, hoping to deepen our bond with the environment and, above all, our understanding of one another.” Nature as Muse The…

Some might argue that there’s a fine line between indecency and “art” when it comes to depictions of the nude figure—especially in our modern era. However, within art history, we’re provided a different perspective of the naked human form—a story that tells us not resort to shame or embarrassment, and dispels narratives of promiscuity or immorality. Instead, it’s a narrative of beauty and celebration. “The nude first became significant in the art of ancient Greece, where athletic competitions at religious festivals celebrated the human body, particularly the male, in an unparalleled way,” says art historian Jean Sorabella in an article for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The athletes in these contests competed in the nude, and the Greeks considered them embodiments of all that was best in humanity. It…

For the entire month of July, George Billis Gallery hosts a show of new works for artist Stephanie Reiter at their Fairfield Connecticut location. Her unique style—achieved by only using a palette knife—is highly textured, colorful and full of light. Her landscape and still life floral subject matter (among others), provides an uplifting, peaceful feeling—communicating the artist’s connection to the “magic” of nature. “The work that is presently in the show is a good cross section of my paintings at this time,” Reiter notes. “I try to capture the light and time of the day, the magic and beauty of nature, whether I am standing directly outdoors, knee-deep in a landscape or alone, indoors in my studio. Art is always needed to raise our spirit and remind us of life’s…

Eric G. Thompson paints in the elusive and mysterious medium of egg tempera. It involves more chemistry and cooking than squirting paint from a tube onto a palette. It also involves, as the name implies, eggs. And in Thompson’s case, his own chickens. That level of commitment to his medium is reflected in his subjects, which include rural, farm-like settings that speak back to a time when everyone had their own chickens. “I grew up in the suburbia of Salt Lake City for kind of my whole life. And so I always had to leave there to find a lot of the subject matter I paint. I’m drawn to old homes and old churches—that country life,” Thompson says. “About two years ago, I ended up in a little Utah town…

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Northamptonshire, UK • www.davidsandell.com • info@davidsandell.co.uk Portrait and landscape artist David Sandell began his career as an illustrator, designer and creative director, all of which were built on his ability to draw and sketch. His more than 40 years of creative experience informs the artwork he creates today, from people to animals to sprawling nature scenes and botanicals. Sandell’s process is widely based on classical methods. “I tend to follow a similar process for drawing and painting, developing the painting as a whole in stages rather than completing small sections,” says the artist. “I’ve served at sea. I was also born and raised near it and have lived next to it, so I have always been drawn to the power of the sea…Studying waves can be mesmerizing, but we…

A celebration of the people, wildlife, landscapes, cultures and history of the region, the annual Art in the West exhibition and online auction features nearly 120 works inspired by the High Desert from some of the top artists in the country. Visitors will be able to explore a wide range of mediums as well, including photography, sculpture and painting, along with gold leaf and sagebrush. “I am always in awe of the diverse array of artwork that continues to captivate visitors, and this year is no exception. These works unveil fresh and unique perspectives of the West, helping us better understand and appreciate the region,” says Dana Whitelaw, executive director of the High Desert Museum. “I look forward to seeing the museum walls full of vibrancy and color and hearing…