Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025/No. 241 i American Art Collector

Welcome to the November issue of American Art Collector! We report on every opportunity for collecting, from gallery shows to online exhibitions hosted by leading arts organizations. Sponsorship is an important aspect of supporting art shows and events. This issue happens to have several shows that we sponsor and we wanted to give them some limelight. Our partnership with the International Guild of Realism (IGOR) is our longest standing to date. We have sponsored the IGOR shows since 2004, or since the very beginning of American Art Collector. Starting on Page 66 you will find our coverage of IGOR’s Fall Salon Online Exhibition, featuring 200 representational artists from around the world. The works range from photorealism to impressionism and everything in between. It is truly amazing to experience an IGOR…

As we move through the world in our modern era, the bigger or “splashier” something is, the more we’re impacted and drawn in. So much so that we forget to slow down and notice the microcosms that are also significant to ourselves and our world. We often neglect seeing the beauty in the small and unassuming, greatly diminishing our chances of finding a deeper appreciation. This is also the case when it comes to working “small” in the artworld. “A small painting is a great opportunity to create a large world,” Principle Gallery artist Michael T. Davis so eloquently states. “[When working small], the artist is inviting the viewer to come in closer, to put on blinders and block out the chaos of the day. They become engrossed in the…

Two years ago, when José Lopez Vergara’s son was born, the painter had that moment that many fathers have as they hold their tiny newborn children in their arms. It was that feeling of dread about the world this new person will inhabit, and how will he as a parent protect this innocent baby. Vergara took that fear and trepidation and put it in his painting Mother, which shows a woman holding a newborn baby as a wolf-like creature hovers over her shoulder. The painting explicitly invokes the Madonna. It is also imbued with danger and anxiety, and yet there is love and calm within the cocoon-like embrace between mother and child. “That’s my wife and my son when he was three months old. When he was born, I was…

The inspiration behind Robin Jones’ new solo show at Blue Rain Gallery began with a deep dive into her own ancestry, including the spiritual and cultural aspects of those lands, specifically the Celtic lands of Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. The artist focused a little more on Wales ever since learning that the Welsh are considered indigenous to what is modern-day Britain—including a language that is one of the oldest in the world. “It is a very powerful time of year for Celtic pagan practitioners, where the veil becomes thin between the spirit and human worlds, full of liminality, and an inspiration for these paintings,” says Jones. “The animistic aspect of Celtic pagan spirituality—also part of virtually every indigenous spiritual practice around the world, where all things have spirit—is something…

The striking artwork of Ukraine-born Armine Bozhko will be featured at George Billis Gallery’s Connecticut location and in the lobby of a commercial building in New York City this fall. Currently living and working on Long Island, Bozhko works with oils to create clean, simplistic compositions that are energized by bold, saturated color. Her ability to distill scenes down to their most essential elements is just a small part of what makes Bozhko’s work so captivating. “Art provides an opportunity for me to depict the inner and emotional states of existence,” says Bozhko, who has been formally studying art since 11 years old. “Remaining within the form of representation, I aim toward achieving a level of abstracted reality. Even though my works are based on real subjects, during my…

Vicki Sullivan is an Australian contemporary realist painter based on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. An Art Renewal Center (ARC) Living Master, her oil paintings are celebrated for their emotional depth and technical mastery. She excels in both still life and figurative art, and her work is held in collections worldwide, including the ARC Museum collection and the permanent collection of the State Library of New South Wales. Recent paintings like Pomegranates with Blue & White Vase demonstrate her skill in form, volume and color. “I’ve been painting pomegranates lately, drawn to their rich, warm reds and sculptural forms. There’s something magical about the moment they begin to crack open, like a signal from nature that they’re ready to eat,” she says. “Inside, the fruit reveals a hidden world of small,…

Maybe some of you have noticed we have started including bylines with all of our articles. I was all for this idea. We had been writing the stories all along, but I think it makes reading more meaningful when you can associate the words with a specific person. I like to think that maybe, even without a name attached, you could tell which pieces were written by the same person. After all, writers, like artists, can have a signature style or voice. I also felt it would encourage us take more ownership of our work, more pride in it, and hold ourselves more accountable—since our name would now be stamped on it. (This led me to a bit of wishful thinking. Perhaps there would come a time when readers would…

Opening mid-November, the American Artists Professional League hosts its largest event of the year—the Grand National Exhibition, now in its 97th edition. The overall mission of the show, and AAPL, is to support and honor artists who excel in realist art. Artists from across the country submit works in mediums like oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, graphics and sculpture. The top 100 works are shown in an exhibition at the historic Salmagundi Club in New York City. This year’s guest jurors were Kara Ross, co-founder and chief operating officer of the Art Renewal Center; and Signature AAPL Members Joel Edwards and Don Taylor. The Juror of Awards is Frederick Brosen, a renowned watercolor artist and instructor. “We are proud that our members bring such diverse training and perspectives to AAPL, and…

33 CONTEMPORARY 500 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460, (708) 837-6091 www.33contemporary.com ALETA PIPPIN www.aletapippinartist.com ALTAMIRA FINE ART 172 Center Street #100, Jackson, WY 83001, (307) 739-4700 www.altamiraart.com CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS christopherphillipsart@gmail.com www.christopherphillipsstudio.com DYLAN MARTINEZ www.dylanmartinezglass.com dylanmartinez GIACOBBE-FRITZ FINE ART 702 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM (505) 986-1156, www.giacobbefritz.com PRINCIPLE GALLERY 208 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 739-9326 www.principlegallery.com…

Humans have homes, which are most frequently some sort of wood, glass or metal box where we store our stuff, eat our meals, sleep and experience the ups and downs of life. For the animal kingdom, home is the entire planet—no box needed. For Mary Carroll’s newest show at RJD Gallery, she explores nature, home and how they intersect with living beings of all types. “I fight to cling to ways in which I feel like I belong to this world. I feel out of place, or perhaps out of time. I often find my thoughts longing to go back to somewhere I think of as ‘home,’ but I don’t know what, or where that place is. It seems like a place in the wild that is free of human…

Israeli artist Dana Zalztman had wanted to work with Arcadia Contemporary since her days studying at Italy’s Florence Academy of Art and now, a few years after catching their interest, she is having her first solo show at the New York City gallery. Zaltzman creates exquisite still life paintings that highlight the beauty in the ordinary—a pile of pillows, fuzzy dandelion heads, a feather atop a watermelon, a rag and pail—and manages to infuse them with an almost aching poignancy. “The simple truth of everyday objects is what fascinates me,” says Zaltzman. “Every such object has a story and the older and rustier the object, the more interesting its story. I don’t always know what the story is, I just know that it is there, and the viewer can take…

For Under the Same Sky, an upcoming exhibition of new and recent works by Lindsey Kustusch at Abend Gallery, the artist explains she “dedicated this collection of paintings to all living things, including us and our manmade world, as well as the pieces to the puzzle that have shaped me as an artist.” Kustusch describes herself as “a longtime city dweller, and a lifetime animal lover and advocate.” Her urban landscapes, such as Below the Noise, capture the vibrancy of the city. In an interview for an earlier exhibition of her work she said, “How can you not fall completely head over heels in love with San Francisco the moment you arrive? I am continuously humbled by its beauty.” On her work today, she says, “Ever since I was little,…

Daniela Werneck is a Brazilian-born, Texas-based watercolor artist known for her realistic and highly detailed figurative paintings. A self-taught watercolorist, Werneck began devoting her life to her artwork full time in 2015. Since then, her work has been exhibited in national and international competitions and can be found in prestigious collections including Dick Blick Art Materials and the Bennett Collection, which features some of the best women artists working in figurative realism today. “I find beauty in quiet moments, small details and emotional depth. My work is rooted in realism but guided by imagination and storytelling,” says Werneck. Inspired by her Brazilian heritage and shaped by her many life experiences—including caring for children in foster care—the artist seeks to create paintings that evoke a sense of innocence, serenity and wonder.…

Subscribe today to get the best contemporary American art magazine in the country, and the only monthly magazine that highlights the top artists, galleries, museums and fairs throughout the art market. Need proof? The proof is in your hands. Flip through this stunning issue to find the most thorough coverage of the contemporary realism genre through: » Previews of all the biggest gallery shows, art events and sales. » Destination guides for the hottest art markets. » Special genre sections to expand your collecting power.» 12 issues a year, each one presenting work from the top artists and the rising newcomers… and everyone in between! Join our huge community of subscribers who have chosen American Art Collector as their go-to trusted source for everything they need to know about the…

Art has been a big part of Vicki Pedersen’s life for as long as she can remember. As a child growing up in Utah, she began to realize that she perceived light and form differently than her classmates. She married her high school sweetheart and while raising their family in Utah, they spent their summer months in the Wyoming backcountry. Pedersen felt a deep connection to the area as well as a love for painting the cowboys, cowgirls, Native Americans and horses. Visits to galleries in Jackson Hole became her inspiration. This love of the West is still reflected in her work to this day as she always aspired for her work to reflect the region’s soul. Pedersen works primarily in oil but has also worked in pastels, pencil and…

Peter Swift’s work combines two distinct elements: classical realistic still life painting and symmetrical design. He has coined the term “symmetrical realism” to describe this style of work. Swift uses everyday objects to create symmetrical still life paintings. His Forest Shrine series embodies reverence for nature in a timeless, almost church-like atmosphere. His biggest influences have been Louise Nevelson, Martin Puryear and Andy Goldsworthy. Following in the footsteps of these iconic artists, his goal is to use common objects to create laconic, resonant symmetries. "Symmetry is a fundamental, underlying principle in art. However, over the past century, symmetry has been, for the most part, a factor only in abstract art, as seem in the work of Josef Albers and Frank Stella," explains Swift. Swift’s work combines both symmetry and realistic…

If you happen to stop into a FedEx store in Atlanta and see a woman obsessively cutting out shapes from blown up photocopies of photographs of grand interiors, then splicing them together to create a cohesive composition of near proportional perfection, it may be artist Gail Wegodsky. It is one step in a long, painstaking creative process that results in elaborate oil paintings of the interiors of some of the world’s architectural wonders. A little more than a decade ago, Wegodsky took a selection of her paintings to New York to shop them around to galleries. In her portfolio were figurative works, interiors, landscapes, still lifes and portraits. “For years, I would paint whatever I saw in my daily life that I found inspirational,” shares Wegodsky. “I’d be walking early…

Every year, the International Guild of Realism (IGOR) brings hundreds of exceptional artists together for its Fall Salon Online Exhibition, which collectors can view on the official websites of both IGOR and American Art Collector. This year’s exhibition will feature 202 artworks by 198 IGOR artists across 15 countries, working in styles like magical realism, contemporary realism and photorealism. In the following pages, collectors can learn about a variety of artists who have been juried into the 2025 exhibition and see their work. Artist Victor Mordasov brings a crisp snow scene, titled Golden Stream of Winter, to this year’s show, inspired by the depth and stillness of this serene snow-covered forest and meandering stream. “The water reflects the golden hues of sunlight filtering through the trees with a warm contrast…

When thinking of New York, many of us first imagine Manhattan—the towering skyscrapers, dazzling lights and endless energy. Iconic New York City is known for major institutions like the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art, with roots dating back to 1866 and a collection of more than 490,000 works of art across 5,000 years. There’s also the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney, the Guggenheim, the New Museum—the list goes on and on. But others know that beauty and inspiration can be found all across the great state of New York, from the stunning Adirondack Mountains, to the Hudson Valley, to the coastal plains. The geography of New York is diverse, with much of the state dominated by farms, forests, rivers, mountains and lakes. There’s also Upstate New York, comprising counties…

From London to Manhattan, Florence to Paris, and beyond, the grand vistas and intimate street scenes of Claudio Cionini and Mark Laguë take viewers on a transatlantic journey to the most romantic cities around the world. Nearly 40 paintings by the artists will hang side by side at Principle Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia, from November 14 through December 1. Laguë, who is known for his contemporary style, and the energy he infuses into his canvases through his confident brushwork and bold use of color, has always been drawn to urban subject matter “because of the way light rakes across the architecture,” he explains. “Also, I find the way that I organize values lends itself to more geometric, man-made shapes, as opposed to the more organic shapes found in nature…As a…

Australian-based artist, Joseph Zbukvic, by way of Croatia, is quite versatile when it comes to subject matter—covering subjects like horses racing, chefs in a kitchen and plein air landscape scenes. Because of this variety, there isn't a particular “theme” to the artist’s new solo show Hidden Gems, but one element does remain constant—use of watercolor. “My individual technique and style were developed by being completely self-taught,” Zbukvic says. “I have never had a fine art lesson, and only took up working with watercolor by sheer accident during an industrial design course at university. I instantly fell in love with the most difficult of all mediums the moment I saw the plethora of magical effects it left on paper. It’s the only medium that continues working after it’s applied to the…

Right off the bat, Ilya Zomb wants to set the record straight. “Many mistakenly categorize my paintings as surrealism,” he says. “That is not the case. I invent situations that one does not usually encounter in everyday life, yet they remain entirely possible. There is nothing supernatural in them—everything is rendered with strict realism, and the interaction of all elements within the composition is natural and logical.” Zomb is equally puzzled by those who label his work “fantasy art” because “any imagined composition is, by definition, a product of fantasy,” he explains. “Almost all of my paintings reflect a sense of balance—the fragile instant just before everything begins to change rapidly. I create situations in which anything might happen, and I call this approach pseudo-realism.” Be that as it may,…

Tehran, Iran-based artist Nassim Akhlaghi Garmjani has been drawn to the world of painting from a young age and has meticulously studied the methods of the classical painters to hone her crisp, vibrant style. Working in realism, Garmjani captures the essence and forms of her subject matter with expert hands, creating pieces that truly put the life in still life. She works in other subjects as well, including figures. Though she completed a degree in industrial engineering, she eventually started studying classical painting under the guidance of master Amir Jamshidi in 2012. During this period of mentorship, Garmjani dedicated herself to learning the principles and techniques of classical art while engaging in an in-depth study of the works of the great masters. “As my artistic vision expanded, I felt an…

Bell, Jess 44 Bigda, Kara K. 69 Bozhko, Armine 102 Carroll, Mary 88 Cassaboon, Jamie 81 Cervera, Eileen 68 Chidester, Wendy 108 Cionini, Claudio 93 Cook, Lynette 70 Davis, Michael T. 72 De Lipsy, Jan 68 Di Pilla, Gwynn Walker 43 Dion, Mark 60 Fabia, Natalia 121 Fink, Alan 67 Forrest, Christopher 66 Foster, Emma 72 Fournier-Wynne, Veronique 71 Freeman, Kerin 70 Garmjani, Nassim Akhlaghi 114 Goll, Lori 28 Gordon, Russell 127 Grossfeld, Katherine 44 Grossman, David 73 Haberlin, Brian 79 Haines, Rebecca 74 Harrison, Derek 119 Hernandez, Mike 120 Hicks, Ron 127 Hildreth, Sandra 81 John, Susan Schauer 30 Jones, Robin 96 Katz, Alex 80 Kinard, Cynthia Cochran 67 Koons, Jeff 80 Korolenko, Oleksandra 45 Kulla, Roland 78 Kunkle, Brad 79 Kustusch, Lindsey 104 Kutriansky, Dimitrina Stamboldjiev 68 Lackman,…