Artists Gallery

Some of the fine artists and craftspeople recently featured on ArtFairCalendar.com have included:

Norm Darwish - Hand-colored Photography

Norm Darwish's specialty is  delicate and often whimsical hand-colored photographs. Using traditional printing methods the images are hand printed in his darkroom and individually hand-colored producing one-of-a-kind images.

A  technically-challenging combination of fine photography and hand-painted enhancements, Norm's award-winning work offers glimpses into today's life, nature, and our Victorian past unavailable except through the eyes of a master artist.

June 2009 - Daryl Thetford - Photography & Digital Art

Daryl's photographs are straightforward captures of Americana, mostly from the rural South. His digital art is built on this base, layering additional photographs onto them and thereby transforming them into something complex, richly textured, and painterly.

About his Americana inspired work he says, "My influences include vintage matchbooks, posters, postcards, graffiti, and pop artists Rauschenberg, Johns and Warhol. My goal is not to present nostalgia, but to revisit existing artworks and then re-vision them into a wholly new and original form.

May 2009 - Ginny Herzog - Architectural Art, Mixed Media

The architectural collage work done by Ginny Herzog is a combination of watercolor and photography infused with her lifelong interest in the elements of geometric design found in architectural drawings.

She thrives on a combination of art fair collectors and commissioned site specific work for homeowners and corporations. Working from images taken on visits to a client's space she develops one-of-a kind pieces that reflect their setting.

April 2009 - Robert Bridenbaugh - Oil Paintings

With a passion for color and a love of light, Robert creates landscapes that transcend reality. He combines impressions from actual scenes with modified sketches to make personal images that highlights the atmospheric aspect of nature.

The subject matter of his work revolves around light, mood, and water. The early morning, or late evening light is what he tries to capture in his paintings.

Robert lives in Michigan where you are never more than five miles from water.  When viewing his work you are caught by the reflections found around the water. Influenced by the Fauvists and by modern landscape artist Wolf


March 2009 - James Eaton - Sculpture

James Eaton creates unique, fanciful, painted aluminum weather vanes and whirligigs, which are suitable for either exterior or interior use. His pieces incorporate expertise gained from a comprehensive art and design background especially in the use of color, materials and processes. He has been a practicing artist/designer for over 30 years.

His objective is to create unique objects that are enjoyable to be with for a long time.

February 2009 - Kathrine Allen-Coleman - Mixed Media Painting
         & Scott Coleman - Watercolor and Drawing

This month you get a two-for-one, the work of a couple active in the art fair world for many years. Kathrine is known for her innovative mixed media painting and Scott embraces traditional watercolor as his media.

Kathrine's current body of work is her "dress series", mixed media paintings where she basically "glues" a dress to the canvas and then paints over the whole thing, sometimes embellishing it with stitches and beading.

Scott has been working in watercolor for approximately forty years. Watercolor is considered to be the most difficult painting medium but he embraces the excitement of not really being in control that comes with this medium. He loves working with paper and transitions easily between drawing and painting.

December 2008 - Pamela Hill - Functional quilts pieced and quilted of silk and cotton

Each quilt is individually made, one of a kind and often a special order designed to enhance the space in which it will be displayed. Made to be used as bedcovers, though they are frequently hung as art pieces as they do have extensive internal and external construction to render them as durable, everyday, functional pieces.

November 2008 - Lynn Krause - Pastels 

If you live in the Midwest you have undoubtedly seen (and hopefully purchased) the fine work of Lynn Krause of Woodstock, IL.  Lynn's pastels have been exhibited at the nation's art fairs since 1967.

Pastels are pure pigment with no liquid binder that can cause discoloration. Pastels from the 16th Century are just as bright today as the day they were painted. This quality is what drew Lynn to the medium. The colors are rich and warm, touching your senses with their vibrancy.

May 2008 - Steve Uren - Woodworker 

Steve Uren specializes in original, custom-created pieces of furniture and art that includes beds, dressers, desks, tables and hutches.  He primarily uses high figure domestic hardwoods that are purchased from a sustainable forester in his neighborhood the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and enjoys the challenge of crafting a special piece from your a customer's salvaged wood.

Each piece of furniture or artwork is an original - from the design to the hand-crafted creation process.

April 2008 - Debra Groat - Heirloom Seed Jewelry 

In our ecologically-challenged times it is very exciting to feature the work of Debra Groat, who not only creates art but grows it!  Debra's jewelry is handcrafted from certified, organic, hand-harvested and heirloom seeds grown on her family's centennial farm in rural Michigan.

“My jewelry has a story to tell. Most of the seeds I use have a documented history; some we grow for their beauty, as their past remains hidden.”

February 2008 - Ted Gall - Sculpture

Ted is a master of both welded and cast work. His contemporary, representational pieces adorn parks, corporations and private collections. Looking at his monumental work one doesn't get the sense of the playful man who created it, yet slow down and look at his signature enigmatic bronze heads and you see his offbeat imagination at work, influenced as much by Monty Python as by Giacometti, and as open to serendipity as to creativity.

"I knew when I was very young that art takes commitment and a willingness to learn," says Gall. Urged by his teachers to pursue industrial arts rather than liberal arts, he learned to weld, work with power tools and think in three dimensions--all of which, in fact, would come in handy later on in his career.

December 2007 - Dolan Geiman - Contemporary Art with a Southern Accent

Armed with a silk-screen press, a studio brimming with wood, and enough paint and fabric to swath his Chicago neighborhood of Wicker Park, Geiman creates aesthetically alluring yet functional works—many of them imbued with a rustic, folkloric sensibility.

He terms it "reco-design." It stands for reconstructed design, a process whereby he disassembles something ordinary to get all of its useful parts, and then reconstructs them into a work of art, culminating in a body of work that's unexpected, yet warmly nostalgic.  

October 2007 - Ray Jones - Fine Wood Boxes, Since l982

Ray says, "I enjoy making wood boxes, turned or otherwise. A wood box should be just that: wood. So, as much as possible I use only wood in my boxes, including the hinges, fasteners, and drawer slides. I'm fascinated by wooden mechanisms, and the intersections of various geometric shapes.

The tremendous variety of woods that exist in the world fascinate me. I try to use sustainably harvested, plantation grown, salvaged, or otherwise "environmentally friendly" woods whenever possible.

September 2007 - Don Ament - Photography

Don Ament has been known at art fairs for his fine large format color photographs handprinted in his own darkroom. He is one of those fortunate people who has been able to turn a serious avocation into a profession.

Coming from the demanding background of a commercial photographer he has turned his love of nature into a means of support as well as self expression. His portfolio of images is varied but mostly is dominated by sweeping landscapes, exposing the planet at its most beautiful.

August 2007 - A.E. London - Endangered Species Art 

Anne’s work and concern for endangered species is the heart of who Anne is. Making her way on her own you may meet her in an airport in Nairobi or Johannesburg as she travels to study the subjects that give meaning to her life. Her body of work contains paintings, drawings and etchings that tell the stories of the animals that she has met.

July 2007 - Kathleen Eaton - Painting

Kathleen Eaton's paintings will take your breath away, an exciting body of work that encompasses urban life as few see it. Kathleen's vision captures architectural spaces that pour light out into the twilight manifesting a quietness and solitude that are both intimate and detached.

Her subject matter is the city, most specifically Chicago, but truly, many American cities reside in them.

March 2007 - Ray Hartl - Photography

Ray's dedication to the 4X5 view camera as a creative tool lends itself to a slower, more thoughtful approach to the medium.

As more and more traditional photography and its skills are lost to posterity because of the digital revolution it is particularly satisfying to find men like Ray who carry on this master craftsmanship and who continue to explore with these age old tools, large format cameras, enlargers and wet darkrooms.

February 2007 - Patricia Hecker - Mixed Media

Patricia calls her work "Low Dimensional Wall Art," assemblages that mix color and texture which allows her to "paint with shapes." The work is based upon inspiration from many sources, from textiles to exotic woods to industrial materials, all with minimalist undertones.

She has several intriguing bodies of work worth your exploration.

January 2007 - Michael Weber, AWS - Watercolor Painting

Have you seen Michael at the art fairs? Have you seen his luminescent paintings? You will remember it if you have. Using traditional still life forms there is a freshness and radiance to the colors that is his alone. This man is a demon for painting, disciplined and creative, always at the easel. Lucky for you he leaves his studio to attend the nation's art shows on weekends.

Dale Rayburn - Paintings, Monotypes & Etchings

Dale Rayburn is well known for his Southern-inspired fine paintings, etchings and monotypes that he exhibits at top art fairs throughout the country.

His wife, Mamie Joe, a printmaker, usually exhibits in the next booth.

Cynthia Davis - Hand-altered Photographs

Cynthia Davis uses a unique, personally developed technique to alter her Polaroid photos into haunting but beautiful images of the world around us.

Twenty years of work with this process have made her a master of the craft and her work is widely collected.

Want Even more info on art fairs, artists and other art events? Then visit the ArtFairCalendar.com blog now!

Jim Wilbat - Glass

Jim Wilbat's work is known for its sensual use of glass in colorful and creative applications. The combination of color, form and delicate hand blown glass creates delicate one-of-a-kind works delightful to own.

 

Dawn Adams & Dale Steffey - Glass

Beautiful glass panels incorporating stained glass and hand painting, Dawn and Dale's work is a visual treat. 

Their unique and complex production process draws upon a variety of influences including but not limited to folk and ethnic art, icons, mosaics and a large group of painters from many eras and movements. Often their themes stress growth, nature, spirituality and joy. 

Michael Kopald - Chinese Brush Painting

Michael's paintings, done in the tradition of the Southern school of Chinese painting, have won him many awards and been exhibited worldwide.

All of his paintings are originals, painted with traditional Chinese materials: ink stone and stick, brushes and rice paper. 

Bonnie Blandford - Mixed Media Jewelry

A fascinating combination of metals fused to create limited edition and one of a kind wearable art is what you will find when you enter Bonnie Blandford's booth at an art fair.

A 20+ year veteran of the art fair business, Bonnie's delicate and creative work has won dozens of awards and is prized by collectors nationwide.

Jerry Berta - Ceramics and Diner Sculpture

Jerry, and his work, are a perennial art fair favorite. Along with his partner, Madeline Kaczmarczyk, he has been traveling the country showing his one-of-a-kind pottery since the early hippie days.

Jerry will never grow old nor will his work. A man who has worn many hats and dabbled in many businesses, it is hard to believe that you can still see the work at a show and have the opportunity to take it home with you. 

Chris Maher - Photography

Chris is an photographer whose work changes so fast that you have to show up in his booth periodically to catch up! A man clearly in love with the media of photography his enthusiasm will keep you staying longer and longer in his booth. The images are amazing and push the edge of what you expect  of a photograph. Stop, take the time and see if you can figure out how he got that image.

Chris travels with his wife, Annette Morrin, a jeweler, who can usually be found in the next booth with her gold and silver jewelry.

Derek Youngquist - Metal Work

A master of unique finishes and textures, Derek Youngquist works primarily with mild steel to create commanding metal wall sculptures. Typically, one of his pieces will be 48 inches by 60 inches and weigh approximately forty-five pounds. 

Armed with a laser torch and his inspiration, he must move precisely as he cuts, shapes and molds the hot metal.  His work is so diverse that it can be categorized as sculpture, as metal art or as mixed media depending on the piece. 

Michael Hamilton & Dee Roberts - Fine Woodworking

Michael and Dee look at their boxes as small pieces of furniture that can be held in the hand. The boxes display their attention to detail and love of the wonderful variety found in wood. The boxes in their present form came about, as much good design does, from a slow evolution and refinement of design.

The Hamilton-Roberts boxes are prized by collectors because of their precise craftsmanship, exotic woods, use of fine materials, and creative use of traditional materials. 

Allan Teger - Bodyscapes© and Handcolored Photographs

Allan was one of the first photographers to show traditional handcolored photography at the art fairs, thereby leading to its’ revival.

What he is best known for, and has brought him a bit of notoriety, is his Bodyscapes®. Audiences are alternately delighted, amused and scandalized as they filter through his booth at a fair. What at first glance seems to be merely titillating turns out to be something more. 

Julia Swartz - Oil and Watercolor Paintings

Julia is best known for her impressionistic landscapes painted with a palette knife using oil on canvas. She paints the life around her from a wide variety of subject matter, with an emphasis on capturing the immediacy of the light and emotion of every day life. 

John Gunther - Contemporary Fiber Designs

John's latest work is what he calls "framed landscapes," reflecting his continuing interest in interpretations of natural phenomena. These are wall and floor pieces that provide beauty and sound absorption in contemporary homes, office and public spaces. 

Susan Sturgill - Drawer, Printer, Illustrator

A well-published author of books, calendars and illustrations, owning a piece (or more) of Susan Sturgill's original work is a must!

She draws, illustrates, and etches using plates, pen and ink, colored pencils and watercolors, whatever suits her needs.These images, though traditionally done, adapt to today's world and are a wonderful recapitulation on the experiences of a modern day woman.

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ArtFairCalendar.com provides these listings for free as a public service. The constantly changing art fair business means that we can not be held responsible for inaccurate listing information or typos. Please contact the promoters of each event to confirm specific attendance details before making your plans. To receive regular updates on the fine art fairs in your area, please join our email list.

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