Innholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2025 i Artists Magazine

Artists are unusually equipped for keen observation, often seeing beauty and interest in scenery and subjects that the more casual observer would typically overlook. But everyone—artists and non-artists alike—will from time to time stumble upon moments in everyday life that are visually arresting, that grab our attention for seemingly no reason: What is it about this random fallen log? That pile of shoes? That stop sign at the corner? It can feel mysterious, but almost always, the attraction stems from the character of the light. As artist Brian Cobble (page 36) says, “The right light can make an otherwise mundane scene seem momentarily magical.” “It’s enough to drive you crazy, trying to depict the weather, the atmosphere, the ambience.” –CLAUDE MONET Capturing these singular “moments in time” is a pursuit…

When Mikael Olson was 6 years old, he wanted to be either King Kong or an artist. “I think I was scribbling when I was crawling out of my crib,” Olson says. “I was attracted to the magic of making marks and altering space.” For many, the goal of becoming a successful artist feels almost as improbable as growing up to be a giant gorilla monster, but Olson, now 52, has accomplished at least one of his childhood dreams—making his living as a painter. To his fellow artists, his teachers, gallerists and collectors, Olson’s mammoth talent is evident. The emotional power and sense of atmosphere in his paintings set them apart in a crowded field of contemporary talent, and he continues to produce next-level works at the fulcrum of representation…

Art has long been considered a valuable investment by corporations. Some of the earliest records of corporate art collecting go back to the Renaissance, when banks such as the Monte Dei Paschi, in Siena, Italy, began collecting art as a branding tool and sign of prestige. The bank is still in business today, so the strategy seems to have worked. “BANKING” ON COLLECTING The practice took off in the United States during the 19th century when wealthy nouveau-riche industrialists saw art as a vehicle to compete culturally with well-established European elite. The post-war economic boom of the 1950s ignited a significant surge in corporate art collecting, especially among companies seeking to project a more refined, forward-thinking image. As during the Renaissance, banks were at the forefront of recognizing not only…

For a plein air painter like myself, finding subjects during spring, summer and fall is pretty easy, as each season is decked out in its own bright colors and specific light. But winter, at least in my part of the world—Montreal, Canada—is decidedly more of a challenge. From November through April, the air is cold, and daylight is short. Still, that’s never stopped me from heading out and finding scenes that are every bit as arresting as those in the gentler months. Since I do my winter “plein air” sketching from the comfort of my car, I drive around for a bit, hunting up subjects. I know what to look for. Sunny outside? I’ll build my compositions around shadows on snow. Cloudy today? I’ll search for a spot of color,…

There are times when light utterly transforms a setting, sometimes evoking an almost mystical feeling. On a cloudy day, for instance, a shaft of sunlight may penetrate for a moment, illuminating a small section of landscape to produce a glorious blaze of color in an otherwise gray world. Or a ray of late afternoon sun might find its way into a darkened room, striking a small length of wall or the corner of a piece of furniture, like a benign and spectacular visitation. This searchlight effect can carry with it a sense of meaning, perhaps even divine intervention—something that has long been known to painters of religious subjects. For Massachusetts-based painter Raymond Bonilla, the transformative effects of light are a way of conveying his strength of feeling about scenes that…

Abstract | Experimental FIRST PLACE Rose Sinatra Toms River, New Jersey Ascension (watercolor on paper, 15x18) Throughout the years, I constantly studied how to improve my art—first as a student, then as an instructor. While searching for guidance on how to “build” a better painting, I came across a document on the principles of design—a guideline of key qualities that are essential to a good painting. I try to keep these suggestions in mind when planning a composition. I believe Ascension incorporates some of the principles—such as unity, pattern, movement and a limited palette—that contribute to a strong design. ABOUT ME I began as a self-taught oil painter, but when I saw someone paint a gem of a watercolor, I was hooked. I sought teachers for instruction and guidance, and…

Feheley Fine Arts—housed in a 19th-century brick carriage house in the heart of Toronto’s vibrant St. Lawrence Market district—offers an ideal setting to experience Inuit art as part of a multicultural art scene. Long before founding the gallery, Patricia “Pat” Feheley gained firsthand experience in Inuit art. Beginning in 1969, she traveled to the Arctic with her father, art collector M.F. “Budd” Feheley, to meet Inuit artists in Cape Dorset. Those early encounters left a lasting impression. A FAMILY’S JOURNEY IN ART Budd was bitten by the art-collecting bug in the 1950s, when he bought his first piece of Inuit art. Over the next decade, he continued building relationships with the artists of Canada’s Far North, earning a reputation as a major collector and champion of Indigenous artists. When Toronto…

I’ve always believed that with just a pen, a scrap of paper and a few spare minutes, I can keep my creative muscles in shape. You can,too. The secret is working small. It lets us see the overall value structure before details take over; spend pennies instead of dollars on materials; stay portable; and build up brush (or pencil) miles fast. Miniature painting has deep roots—from illuminated manuscripts and Mughal Empire court art to the pocket-sized royal portraits of Nicholas Hilliard (English, 1547–1619). In other words, we’re in good company, as working tiny has a long and distinguished history. For this challenge, I’ve designed four exercises featuring bite-sized works, each built on a grid of nine studies. (Think trading-card scale—roughly 2×3 inches or even smaller). Do one grid a week,…

I aim to make paintings of places that are special to me—places that I want to look at time and time again,” says New Mexico-based artist Brian Cobble. “I’m trying to express awe and atmosphere through place and time—something beyond the factual or purely visual.” Time of day, as well as the quality of light and atmosphere, are essential to this landscape artist’s work. “The right light can make an otherwise mundane scene seem momentarily magical,” he says. THE ROAD TO SUCCESS Having trained in oil painting from an early age, Cobble worked primarily in the medium until his mid-30s. Recurring eye problems, however, forced him to make an abrupt transition to pastels, in which he had only dabbled. “I suspect that it was the solvents and varnishes used in…

London TURNER AND CONSTABLE TATE BRITAINNOVEMBER 27, 2025–APRIL 12, 2026TATE.ORG.UK Two of Britain’s greatest painters, J.M.W. Turner and John Constable, were also the greatest of rivals. Born within a year of each other—Turner in 1775, Constable in 1776—both used landscape art as a way to reflect the changing world around them. Raised in the gritty heart of Georgian London, Turner quickly became a rising star of the art world despite his humble beginnings. Meanwhile, Constable—the son of a prosperous Suffolk merchant—was equally determined to forge his own path as an artist, but faced a more arduous rise to acclaim. Though from different worlds, they shared a profound connection to nature—and both set their sights on transforming landscape painting, investing it with layers of meaning and emotion. With the two painters…