Innholdsfortegnelse for June-July 2025/No. 163 i International Artist

Welcome to the June/July issue of International Artist! Portrait artists are gifted in understanding human expression, beauty and capturing the essence of the subject—whether it be the emotion in the eyes, the posture and movement, or the lighting and how the entire image speaks to the viewer. The Portrait Society of America is a longstanding partner of International Artist. In fact, if you are a member of the Portrait Society, your membership comes with a subscription to this magazine. The team at International Artist Publishing could not be more proud to support these master painters and portrait artists globally. In May, the Portrait Society of America had their annual Art of the Portrait Conference in Washington D.C. Our own Editor, Alyssa Tidwell, attended the event and came back with amazing…

California, USA Intuition //Wound, charcoal and graphite on board, 30 x 22” (76 x 55 cm) My Inspiration Familiar experiences inspire my work. These experiences are meaningful slices from the larger world, revealing the layers of humanity. Many of us have undoubtedly felt a drop in our stomach, a bubble in our throat, or our eyes well up with tears at some point in our lives. I draw attention to these moments to take the wind out of their sails, as if to say that we are complex beings who share in our happiness and grief. It is an extension of my inner world to yours, inviting you to look within our shared experience. My Design Strategy Much of my design process involves first interpreting emotions or experiences and designating a…

Illinois, USA, White Noise, oil, 56 x 48” (142 x 121 cm) Finalist My Inspiration White Noise emerged as a powerful statement, born from the convergence of the “Stop Oil” environmental protests and the ongoing wars in eastern Europe and Gaza. I sought to capture the shared auditory essence of these events, evoking the striking of hammers against the glass of The Toilet of Venus and the devastating impact of bullets in conflict zones. I am deeply troubled at a time when indifference is no longer an option. My Design Strategy When planning a piece, I like to begin by writing about the idea, describing the characters and crafting a sort of script. I select images and assemble them into a collage before transferring them to the canvas. At that stage,…

Casey Field Mary and Her Demons Are Totally Fine, oil on linen, 24 x 24” (60 x 60 cm) INSPIRATION The idea of painting my personal 21st - century feminine perspective of Mary Magdalene came to me when I was looking through her portrayal throughout art history. This painting’s color and composition were inspired by a trip through the Medieval section of the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. last year, where I saw narrative art, sacred stories and bold color and composition choices coming together in subtle and strange ways. I directly cite the work of German artist, Master Bertram, whose International Gothic work Grabow Altarpiece, was the source for my demons. Look for them on the first panel of the altarpiece! PROCESS I began this painting by hiring a…

This article is for the person who made Tart when they were younger, then for one reason or another, they went on to other things. Now they want to return to it again. Does this describe you or someone you know? Perhaps your art supplies have been neatly put away in a closet, but you haven’t touched them for years. Before we uncap those paint tubes, let’s confront what may have kept you away from your artwork, and I’ll offer three solutions to help you get going again. After each section, I’ll share the life stories of people who commented on my original Substack post. Read James’ post on Substack Immovable Force Obstacle: Something happened in your life that forced you to give up your art, but you’re finding your…

The egg is universal, which may Tbe one reason artists have always painted them. I love painting eggs and am happy to show you how I painted these. A painting begins with an idea. I had an idea to make a picture of eggs so I went to my local farmstand, purchased a dozen and brought them back to my studio. I loved the subtle low chroma blue and green hues and thought they would work well in a neutral environment. I wanted to play with light in such a way that would reveal and conceal the eggs to create a varied, yet harmonious grouping. I created this condition by casting a shadow over the back left portion of the set up, which left some eggs in partial shade and…

I love the immediacy and I unpredictability of watercolor. My approach is all about capturing the essence of a scene in the simplest way possible. Using a limited palette of just three primary colors—red, ultramarine and yellow—I create dynamic, harmonious compositions on A3-sized cotton paper. I enjoy working wet-on-wet, a technique that allows colors to flow into one another, creating a sense of spontaneity and life. One tool that has become a signature part of my process is a Chinese calligraphy brush. Its unique shape and flexibility make it ideal for expressive strokes. I pair this with a palette knife to add sharp edges and textures, ensuring each piece has a balance of softness and structure. My focus is on mood and atmosphere rather than fine details, which helps viewers…

There is something irresistible about the Tcolors, textures, patterns and ancient patina of the medieval villages in Italy. This group of buildings with a gathering crowd of people caught my attention. I love the strong colors in the people and the contrast against the dark shadows under the awnings. The buildings have quirky, varied shapes and the windows are all slightly different—a fantastic subject from which to coax out that wonderful medieval atmosphere. The colors I used for this painting were cobalt blue, aureolin, permanent rose, alizarin crimson, phthalo blue, french ultramarine blue and quinacridone gold. I also used some burnt sienna pigment ink and white gesso. For brushes, I used a ½” bristle, a ½” long flat, a ¼” long flat, a size one rigger brush and a goat…

For artists, inspiration can strike anywhere at any time. In this section, we’ll present a different photo prompt in each issue for artists to use as inspiration for their next piece. Rather than a reference, this photo is meant to be interpretive. It’s a jumping off point—a means to spark creativity and get the imagination going. Capture the image exactly as you see it, or take elements of it to create something entirely new. Submissions can be fully completed artwork or rough sketches. Every approach is the right approach. In the following issue, we’ll highlight several Editor’s favorites (including your Instagram username), along with the next photo prompt. Chosen submissions also receive a free six-month digital subscription to International Artist. Happy painting/drawing/sketching! A SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT ISSUE’S PROMPT! Highlights…

Recently, I started meeting up with a good friend of mine at roughly the same time and place every week to work on our art together. The idea—no matter what we worked on, no matter how big or small, tame or wildly experimental—was to simply create something. I liken it to having a gym buddy. Sometimes you might feel like skipping out, but there’s someone waiting for you, expecting you to show up. So you do. And through that accountability and sheer consistency, you find yourself trying new things, going down new artistic avenues and having more fun than ever. It’s wonderful because I get to see what she’s working on, which sparks new ideas in me and encourages me to take on things I hadn’t considered. All the while,…

New Brunswick, Canada Veil, graphite and ink on paper, 18 x 12” (45 x 30 cm) My Inspiration During the time I began working on the concept for Veil, I found myself reflecting on how we never truly show our authentic selves to others. Instead, we present different versions of ourselves to different people, depending on the circumstances and the nature of our relationships. While others may perceive what they believe is the real you, there is always a layer between who you truly are and the version you choose to portray. My Design Strategy The design for this drawing was heavily inspired by an older self-portrait I created a few years ago, which I felt was a raw and honest representation of myself at that time. I used the reference…

New Jersey, USA, A Songbird Holding on to the Child Within, oil, 30 x 20” (76 x 50 cm) Finalist My Inspiration I met Mary in 2017 at the Stone Pony. Her voice moved me deeply—it was raw, emotional and unforgettable. As a visual artist, I strive to evoke the same feeling through paint. Her childlike spirit and authenticity were so present, I felt compelled to paint her. She embodies that 5-year-old wonder all true artists should hold onto. I saw myself in her and knew I had to capture that energy on canvas. My Design Strategy Mary’s busy schedule allowed only a one-day photoshoot. She arrived wearing a childlike aqua and pink dress, which felt perfect. I added a black beret for contrast against her gray hair. I aimed for…

FULL COLOR DIGITAL PRINT-OUTS Use the Official Entry Form over the page ONLINE Visit our website to upload digital files of the images you want to enter and pay for them using our secure server. www.internationalartist.com To upload your entries you need to prepare your image files to be at least 400 pixels at the shortest edge. Once you are in the Official Online Entry page simply select which challenge you wish to enter then follow the prompts and finally pay the entry fee via our secure server. There you can also see other entries received along with past winners of our competitions. HINTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR ARTWORK • Set your camera to the highest quality available. • Shoot your paintings dead square on and fill the frame as much as…

In 2023, I dedicated my time to creating Ia body of work for my debut solo show, Halcyon, with Arcadia Contemporary. Peace was one of the portraits featured in this exhibition. As I transition from still life to portraiture, each new portrait presents its own unique challenges, requiring thoughtful problem-solving and technical refinement. While portrait painting still feels like uncharted territory at times, I embrace the challenge—it pushes me to grow as an artist. Each portrait demands a delicate balancing act of technical elements: value, chroma, hue, brushstroke quality, form modeling, and, of course, precise drawing. This particular portrait posed a distinct technical challenge. My model’s youthful face has delicate, rounded planes, with subtle shifts in value and hue, particularly around her softly smiling cheeks. Her expression is peacefully enigmatic,…

SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL: How did teaching at Scottsdale Artists’ School begin? ADRIAN GOTTLIEB: Several years ago, Scott Jones, then director of Legacy Gallery, introduced me to Scottsdale Artists’ School. I was immediately impressed by the space and the high regard other instructors had for the school. Inspired by its reputation, I contacted the administration and offered to teach as an instructor. Within a year, I started teaching my first workshop at the school. SAS: What do you look forward to the most when teaching online and in person? AG: Teaching online opens doors for students who might not have been able to attend in-person classes. I’m thrilled that these students now have access to instruction they might have otherwise missed. Online classes also provide flexibility, allowing students to learn from the…

Many issues ago, I wrote about the Mvarious avenues available to study art these days in an article called “Art School Today.” One of the great ways listed there was attending workshops, and today I would like to explore a bit more on this exciting subject. The value of these various artist-lead workshops, either through their own studio or co-hosted by an outside company, are invaluable and provide numerous positive outcomes beyond just improving and elevating your artwork, such as group camaraderie and important networking opportunities to advance your career. All ages are welcome in workshops, and there is no need to apply for them as they are typically open to the public. This makes for an easily accessible art class. There is a full gamut of classes from crafty…

A viewer once commented on one of my landscapes, “I have no idea where these scenes are, but I feel like I’ve been there.” That’s what I hope for in my paintings—a sense of familiarity that we can relate to and also a sense of mystery that may leave us asking, “What’s on the other side of those trees, who is behind the window, where will that road lead us?” Blue House in Summer began as a scene very familiar to me. It’s one in a series called Here on Our Hill that I have underway for an upcoming solo exhibition. The theme is what I see every day, through the changing light and seasons, when I walk the mile from my home to my studio. Both where I live…

Growing up on the Northwest coast Gof Ireland, I learned from an early age to see the landscape as a living entity, constantly evolving from one moment to the next. Even now, living so close to the Atlantic ocean, the changing coastlines feel like a part of my daily life, influencing my dedication to capturing the ever-changing light on water and rapidly altering climatic conditions. In my work, I aim to convey a sense of time as much as place. As a result, light plays an essential role, with the weather and time of day often holding as much significance as the location itself. Before beginning a painting or a new series, I gather a lot of reference material. I take trips along the coast, sometimes for several days, collecting…

Every great artist bends light to their will, not slavishly copying a scene. EIn my online painting lesson, you’ll discover the power of orchestrating light and shade to shine a spotlight on your center of interest. Once you see it happen you’ll be able to use this technique in every painting you do from now on. This is what most beginner paintings are missing. In the following pages are several critiques from the “Mountain Stream Workshop.” STUDENT CRITIQUES 1 Elena Sokolova Mountain stream, oil on canvas, 16 x 19½” (40 x 50 cm) Great work as usual, Elena. Strong clear color, bold brushwork and good shape design. The only tweak I’d make is to lose or reduce some of the spots on your yellow tree on the right. I’m guilty of…

Daniela Werneck Texas, USA, Let the Light In, watercolor on Aquabord, 24 x 18” (60 x 45 cm) Grand Prize is a four-page editorial feature in American Art Collector magazine Natural Flow Daniela Werneck started creating human sculptures from shells she’d find on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro as a child. That innate love of creation propelled her into the art world as she grew up. “I have always enjoyed observing the human figure and its body language,” she says. “My paternal grandmother had a collection of statuettes that I would spend hours just admiring every time I went to visit her.” When the artist turned 16, her father enrolled her in private drawing classes, which she attended for seven years. “I learned a lot from my teacher,” Werneck reflects.…

Oregon, USA, Medusa, oil on linen, 36 x 24” (91 x 60 cm) FINALISTS Each receives an Award Certificate and a one-year subscription to International Artist magazine PLUS having their work seen worldwide by international galleries looking for new talent. Finalist My Inspiration The inspiration for the painting of Medusa originated from the Greek myth that included Perseus as the hero, Pegasus, the winged horse, and Medusa. In some versions of the myth, Medusa was originally a beautiful priestess who was raped by the sea god Poseidon in the temple of the goddess Athena. The part of the myth I chose to paint was the immediate aftermath of the trauma. Most artwork of her depicts the curse of Athena. The image of a hideous creature with serpents for hair, whose gaze…

Virginia, USA, Arrival, acrylic and silver leaf, 26 x 20” (66 x 50 cm) Finalist My Inspiration Jessie Mann, daughter of celebrated photographer Sally Mann, was both the model and muse for this painting. Initially inspired by Hekate, the Greek goddess of the night and moon, our concept evolved to depict Hekate guiding Persephone from the underworld and into the arrival of spring. The application of metal leafing was used to replicate the silvery look and texture to that of the moon, and as a nod to her attributes. My Design Strategy After reviewing the photographs I took of Jessie, I wanted to introduce ethereal elements into the composition like the sensation of levitating, the lifted hair, light tones, and color. Jessie’s gaze has a unique resonance that evokes endless narratives…

ENTER OUR NEW ART COMPETITION CHALLENGE No. 149 Landscapes See your work published in International Artist magazine and also receive a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector, the prestigious magazine read by collectors and galleries looking for new art work in the world’s biggest art market. Winners and Finalists in our competitions don’t just win awards to hang on their walls. The real value of entering and being one of the winners is that your work will not only be seen by hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide but also by leading galleries and collectors in America, the biggest art market of all. Our Grand Prize Winners receive a 2-page spread in International Artist magazine and a 4-page Editorial Feature in American Art Collector. Publicity at this level is…

ose Frantzen is a contemporary American Rpainter known for her expressive and dynamic portraiture, figurative works and narrative paintings. Born and raised in Maquoketa, Iowa, she studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and further honed her skills under prominent artists. She gained national recognition for her project Portrait of Maquoketa, a series of 180 oil portraits of residents from her hometown, which was exhibited at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Rose recently agreed to share her artistic journey, process and inspiration with us: As an artist, I’m inspired by a sentence, a narrative, a theme, and most often, by questions: questions about life, community, service, about being in the world. I am inspired by light, color, form and nature, especially when it takes form as human. I am…

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…

Artists never really stop learning. For artists, life is a continuous stream of new experiences, captivating scenes and poignant moments just waiting to be captured on the canvas. That discerning eye for the world around you often inspires a deeply-held desire to continue learning and growing in your art practice. You may be inspired to experiment with new mediums or tackle foreign subject matter. You may wish to simply strengthen the fundamentals of your chosen medium or deepen your technical knowledge. Or, as many artists are wont to do, you may just be longing for new adventures. This is where art schools and workshops come in—and there are thousands out there. In the following pages, we’ve curated a few excellent possibilities to get you started. Some workshops let you stay…

My theme for this demonstration Mis how to balance a variety of greens, which almost everyone has a tough time with. I will also show my method of working from the inside out by comparing adjacent values on the palette. About three-quarters of this painting is done alla prima (in one sitting). Working from three known adjacent values, I can work out from there during my block in. My goal is to start a story with the painting and let the viewer finish it to conjure a remembered time or a place they want to wander into. I’m not interested in creating a photorealistic painting where everything is spelled out, but rather, a painting with some realism, some vague areas and a feeling that you are right there in the…

My pastel works combine Melements of realism, abstractionism and impressionism, based on keen, direct observation of my subject. I interpret the visual information with varying ratios of conscious calculation and spontaneous experimentation. My preferred painting genre is still life, as it allows me to work undisturbed in silent conversation with the setup and the painting. My painting process is like a backward-and-forward dance of both the intuitive and the analytical approach, adding and removing pigments, making marks, then softening them by blending with sponges, brushing or washing off if not satisfied. The choice of subject reflects my identity, state of mind, mood and energy level. I have loads of ideas in my head as well as clutters of props on my shelves. The man-made objects are picked for their color,…

Subscribe today to get the most comprehensive magazine filled with demonstrations, workshops and creative inspiration from the best international artists working today. International Artist is the only educational magazine by artists for artists devoted to sharing voices from across the world, along with special features, columns and more. In every issue, you’ll find: » 6 issues a year, each one featuring a diverse range of work from artists around the globe! » 8+ artist demonstrations and workshops, featuring mediums, styles and subject matter that will inspire you. » Special features that dive deeper into the world of art and the artists. » Regular columns from famous artists such as James Gurney and Harley Brown. » Enjoy features from esteemed organizations including the Portrait Society of America every month. Join our…

I’ll keep saying it: you don’t want to Ibe better than another artist, you want to be better than you are. Only you can be you and that includes your art. Your art develops, and you within it. Hour by hour, year by year. Very early on, I was unsure about myself and my individuality. In a way, I was a poor imitation of others. I had good drawing abilities but still felt unsure about myself and my art. As time went on, I became more aware of my life, who I was and where my art was going. Working hard brought confidence—not an outward, brazen confidence, but one where I actually became my confident self. Developing my skills in the extreme, finding myself in a steady process like constructing…