Eric Green: On the Spectrum of Reality

Gallery artist Eric Green was recently featured in a recent article by Mutual Art magazine, written by Michael Pearce. The article highlighted Green’s journey as an artist both figuratively and literally, commenting on the personal and complex nature of his work.

2022, Mirrored Landscape with Smudge Pots, 14 x 36 in.


Stephanie Schechter: Spring Exhibitions in New York

From Precision to Flow, Two Exhibitions Feature the Evolving Work of Artist Stephanie Schechter 

Two exciting art exhibitions in the southern tier of New York are featuring paintings from artist Stephanie Schechter. The Arnot Art Museum and Anthony Bunelli Fine Arts are highlighting different series of Schechter’s bold, evolving work. From her photorealistic depictions of signs and architecture, to her nature inspired abstract works, viewers have the opportunity to see Schechter’s striking work up close.

3 Americans  |  Arnot Art Museum

February 17 - April 26, 2024  |  235 Lake Street, Elmira, NY

The Arnot Art Museum is presenting Schechter’s precise, photorealistic oil paintings of signs and architecture in its current 3 Americans exhibition. Schechter’s sign and architecture series grew out of a love of typography and design, as well as a desire to document history. Schechter began her creative career as a designer. As she noticed some of her favorite old buildings being demolished, she felt compelled to use art as a medium to document the places she loved. She uses her “designer’s eye” to create powerful compositions that articulate the beauty she finds in her subjects.

The “3 Americans” exhibition highlights the evolution of Schechter’s work from 2015-2022. The museum will be exhibiting her works alongside exquisite drawings and textiles by Melissa Conroy, and classical landscape paintings by George Wellington Waters.

Nature: Precision + Flow  |  Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts Project Space

March 1 - April 27, 2024  |  186 State St, Binghamton, NY

 

Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts is exhibiting new paintings by artist Stephanie Schechter in its Project Space, an area of the gallery dedicated to experimental projects. The exhibition will feature some of Schechter’s new nature inspired abstract paintings. Schechter, a painter known for her photorealistic oil paintings of signs and architecture, recently began to explore nature as a subject. This exhibition highlights the results of that exploration from two very different angles.

In her Precision Series nature works, Schechter follows a similar process to her paintings of signs and architecture. She looked to WPA posters for inspiration for how to represent nature with a limited palette and limited details. The resulting large oil paintings express the qualities she finds beautiful about a place using “the fewest words.” By focusing on form and color, and refining the composition to its simplest elements, she creates minimalistic, yet powerful imagery.

While she loves every step of her Precision Series process, Schechter felt a craving to create art that is more spontaneous, and where the outcome can’t be predicted ahead of time. She says “I longed to lose track of time, become fully engaged, and enter into a “flow state.” Her new Flow Series paintings are the most expressive works she has ever created. Using new materials and techniques, and following her instincts, she creates richly layered and textured works on paper.

About Stephanie Schechter

Stephanie Schechter is a painter known for her bold, photorealistic depictions of signs and architecture. She is currently expanding her practice to include experimental abstract paintings inspired by nature. A New York native, Schechter graduated from Rhode Island School of Design, where she received a BFA in Industrial Design. Although she began her creative career as a designer, she now uses painting as a means to express the beauty she finds in the world. She lives and works in Providence, RI. Her paintings have been included in numerous publications, exhibitions and collections throughout the United States. She is represented by Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts.

Under Pressure: Painting with Air 2023-2024

UNDER PRESSURE – PAINTING WITH AIR

(A Survey of Contemporary Airbrush Realism)
By Curator/Tour Director, David J. Wagner, Ph.D.

UNDER PRESSURE – PAINTING WITH AIR (A Survey of Contemporary Airbrush Realism)

Exhibition Dates:

Haggin Museum: November 16, 2023 - January 14, 2024

Stamford Museum: June 13 - September 2, 2024

Under Pressure - Painting with Air wrapped a fantastic opening leg of the 2023-2024 exhibition tour at the Haggin Museum last month. Next stop: Stamford in the summer!

Most people are familiar with airbrushing as a method used by commercial artists to decorate a broad range of material culture such as t-shirts, sporting equipment, cakes, body art, makeup, tattoos, and vehicles ranging from boats to pickup trucks, semis, cars, and motorcycles. In the 1950s and ’60s, airbrush became a go-to medium for the so-called Kustom Kulture, a neologism that refers to styles and fashions associated with custom cars and motorcycles in the United States, particularly the hot rod scene of Sothern California. As would be expected, many commercially successful airbrush artists possess incredible skill, but many lack true artistry, which may be the reason why the medium has often been unfairly maligned or ignored by the fine art world over the years.

Though a hip medium in the world of commercial art today, airbrush is actually a 19th-century invention. Francis Stanley (who with his twin brother became famous for the Stanley Steamer) patented a simple atomizer airbrush to colorize photographs in 1876. Some fifteen years later, Charles Burdick revolutionized the airbrush with his patented double action, internal-mix airbrush similar to those used today. It contained paint somewhat like a fountain pen and featured an index finger trigger with the air supply re-positioned through the bottom, which improved balance and control. Burdick’s invention was promoted by Thayer and Chandler, a Chicago mail-order arts and crafts retailer, which also showcased it at the 1892 World Columbian Exposition. As other improvements ensued, the medium took off. Pioneers of airbrushing include Surrealist Man Ray and graphic illustrator Alberto Vargas. Later, Pop artist James Rosenquist used it to evoke the qualities of advertising in his work. Today, works by artists who use airbrush embody a diverse range of styles, subject matter, and techniques.

Under Pressure is comprised of 45 works, wide-ranging in theme. It is a survey exhibition of contemporary realism by 15 exceptional airbrush artists from around the U.S. and beyond, including photorealists Don Eddy, Kirk Lybecker, and Hisaya Taira; still-life painter Cesar Santander; abstract illusionist George Green; Dru Blair; Silvia Belviso; David Evanoff; Joshua Zarambo; Jerry Ott; Bruce Evans; Alan Pastrana.

A recent feature in Airbrush magazine highlighted some choice works from this impressive curation, which can be accessed here.

Under Pressure is organized by David J. Wagner, LLC. 

HAGGIN MUSEUM

Stockton, CA

STAMFORD MUSEUM

Stamford, CA

ARTIST NEWS: Na Chainkua Reindorf - Artist Talk: Expanding the Masquerade

Na Chainkua Reindorf will be guest speaking at Binghamton University this coming Thursday, October 26th.


ARTIST TALK: Expanding the Masquerade
Thursday, October 26 @ 6pm
FA-117, Casadesus Recital Hall

Press Release:

With an ongoing art practice centered on exploring the art of masquerading as an intervention through which guises and mutable personalities can be used to explore deviancy, this talk focuses on Reindorf's largest project to date; her glass bead installation which featured in the Ghana Pavilion during the Venice Biennale in 2022. This installation not only presented the concept of the masquerade in relation to space and scale, but was also realised through the incredible collaboration with students from Binghamton University's Art department. Reindorf will present her ideas from germination to fruition on how the installation was realised and will also discuss how her interest in masquerades that transform the body can open up new ways of thinking about how masquerades can transform spaces. 

Na Chainkua Reindorf is a multidisciplinary artist with a deep interest in world-building and mythmaking through the art of the masquerade. Upon imagining a fictional female masquerade society, Reindorf’s art practice is currently focused on creating artworks ranging from paintings and tapestries to sculptural installations which serve as referential visual lexicon for this imagined world. Inspired by personal experiences and exploring West African folklore and religious cosmologies, Reindorf is interested in masquerading as an intervention through which guises and mutable personalities can be used to explore deviancy and non-conformity. Na Chainkua received an MFA from Cornell University and has exhibited in institutions across Africa and internationally. In 2022, Reindorf was one of three artists representing Ghana at the Venice Biennale. 

October Interviews at ABFA

We’ve had an event-filled October thus far, and a well documented one too!

Binghamton’s Channel 34 News interviewed Joel Carreiro on his current exhibition, A Tour of Possible Worlds. Our Autumn main exhibition, this show will be open through November 4th.

Credit: Jim Ehmke, Channel 34

You can watch Joel’s full interview here.

And over on Channel 12, our own gallery assistant & local photographer, Claire Trasorras, shared her thoughts on her first Art Trail experience. The Broome Art Trail is an annual weekend-long celebration of local artists in Broome County, with numerous galleries and local businesses hosting different highlighted artists. Claire, along with local photographers Joshua Lasky and Jackson Galati, exhibited a selection of their digital photography in our upstairs viewing room for the event.

Credit: Benjamin Hodil, Channel 12

You can check out Claire’s interview & coverage of the Art Trail here.