News – Page 3 – The Christina Gallery

Our 38th season is just beginning here on the island of Martha’s Vineyard!

Our 38th season is just beginning here on the island of Martha’s Vineyard! With the extremely long winter finally behind us, it has been wonderful to see everyone walking around town and stopping by the gallery to say hello. It’s always nice to catch up with friends and clients and hear about what has been going on in their lives over the last few months.

The gallery is displaying two new artists this season. Kate Tortland just graduated from Gordon College where she majored in art education, as well as, studio art. She has a lovely sense of color and approach to her impressionistic paintings. Kate says “my goal in creating works of art is to call attention to all the wondrous beauty that surrounds us – beauty that is so often ignored or forgotten.” She loves to travel and in addition to painting, she enjoys writing and illustrating books. We are very excited to have her work in the gallery.

"Martha's Hydrangeas" by Kate Tortland — “Martha’s Hydrangeas” by Kate Tortland

Shop Small, Shop Local at The Christina Gallery!

Today is Small Business Saturday. Please support your local business communities by shopping small, not just today but all year round! The Christina Gallery has a select art sale going on and a holiday promotion featuring our antique map and nautical chart collection.

Plein Air Edgartown 2013

The Christina Gallery, North Water Gallery and Pik Nik Art & Apparel are pleased to announce Plein Air Edgartown 2013 during the week of September 9 – 14, 2013. Artists from each of these three galleries will be out and about on the streets of Edgartown painting each day during the week. This will be a wonderful opportunity for art lovers to see the artists at work and watch them paint.

Artists participating include David Bareford, Traeger di Pietro, Herb Edwards, Lillia Frantin, John Hagen, Marjorie Mason, Anne McGhee, Brandon Newton, Marilyn Simandle, Jeanne Staples, John C. Traynor, Dan VanLandingham, Christie Velesig, Ken Vincent and Wendy Weldon.

Marilyn Simandle painting on Saturday, September 7, 2013 across the street from The Christina Gallery and in the gardens of The Fallon.

An Evening of Fine Art with Island Artist – Marjorie Mason

Tomorrow evening, August 8^th, will be the second Evening of Fine Art of the summer 2013 season. Here at The Christina Gallery we will be featuring the work of island favorite, Marjorie Mason. Mason has developed an impressive following of patrons since her graduation from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Art and Design in 1981. Her body of work is composed mainly of beach and landscapes from around the Vineyard.

"Lambert's Cove Bloom" by Marjorie Mason — “Lambert’s Cove Bloom” by Marjorie Mason

Join us at The Christina Gallery from 6 to 8pm on Thursday August 8^th as we open our doors to the public for the opening reception for Marjorie Mason. We look forward seeing you here!

To view new works by Marjorie Mason please click here.

February 2013 – The Upcoming Season

It’s hard to believe it’s already the middle of February because before you know it the daffodils will be blooming around here! We’ve had a little snow here and there, and then of course, there was the blizzard of 2013 which really was a major event here in New England. We received about a foot of snow on the island and it was very pretty, like a winter wonderland!

I have been spending my time preparing for the summer 2013 season and have a great schedule of events. First up, will be an exhibition of paintings by long time gallery favorite, John C. Traynor. We will be displaying works from his recent travels, including Scotland, Ireland, France and maybe even some of Italy, if he makes the trip as currently planned for this Spring.

“Menemsha Harbor”
by John C. Traynor
“Home & Abroad”
June 27 – July 7, 2013

Lillia Frantin will be present for our July gallery stroll event and we will feature her wonderful modernist paintings. She was new to the gallery’s collection last season and her colorful and spontaneous paintings were very well received.

"Primrose & Seashells" by Lillia Frantin "In a Summer Light" July 11 - 18, 2013 — “Primrose & Seashells”
by Lillia Frantin
“In a Summer Light”
July 11 – 18, 2013

During the August gallery stroll, island artist Marjorie Mason will be on hand to talk about her recent paintings of Martha’s Vineyard. As always, that is a popular event!

"Lucy Vincent Sunset" by Marjorie Mason "Vineyard Landscapes" August 8 - 15, 2013 — “Lucy Vincent Sunset”
by Marjorie Mason
“Vineyard Landscapes”
August 8 – 15, 2013

And stay tuned, in September we are planning a “plein air” painting event with one of the other galleries in town. You will be able to watch many artists around town painting and interpreting what they are seeing. More details to follow as they become available.

An “Evening of Fine Art” with Marjorie Mason & Sandi Blanda

This upcoming Thursday evening, August 9^th, will be the second “Evening of Fine Art” of the summer 2012 season. Here at The Christina Gallery we will be featuring the work of island favorite, Marjorie Mason. Mason has developed an impressive following of patrons since her graduation from the prestigious Rhode Island School of Art and Design in 1981. Her body of work is composed mainly of beach and landscapes from around the Vineyard.

Sailors’ Valentines by award-winning artist Sandi Blanda will also be highlighted during the evening stroll. Read more about the maritime history of Sailor’s Valentines here. Blanda will be running her annual workshop from August 7 – 10, 2012.

"Crimson Tide" by Sandi Blanda — “Crimson Tide” by Sandi Blanda

Join us at The Christina Gallery from 6 to 8pm on Thursday August 9^th as we open our doors to the public for the opening reception for Marjorie Mason and Sandi Blanda. We look forward to seeing you here!

“Paintings of Provence” by Lloyd Kelly

Lloyd Kelly is internationally renowned for his landscape and equestrian oil paintings. He has exhibited at The Christina Gallery since 1994 as well as at galleries and museums around the world including the United States, Mexico, Japan, China, France and Italy.

"Juillet en Provence" by Lloyd Kelly — “Juillet en Provence” by Lloyd Kelly

Kelly’s works are often celebrated for their bold use of color and unique asymmetrical balance. High horizon lines simultaneously provide the viewer with both an interesting focal point and an entryway into the canvas. Diagonal lines extend off the canvas out into the viewers’ space, resulting in the dissolution of barriers between reality and the world created by the artist’s brush. This technique allows the viewer to become a part of the painting.

A consistent thread seen in Kelly’s work throughout his career is his use of complementary colors in the fore and background of his paintings. He places great importance on the under-painting of his canvases. The contrast that his layering creates adds dramatic tension to the deceivingly simple compositions and subjects. His selection of beautiful and serene subjects such as lush lavender fields and floral still-lifes are familiar to viewers. Kelly himself frequently reminds the viewer that his work is abstract and that diverse and unexpected meaning can be found in even the most seemingly innocuous subject matters. The painting is not only about the object itself; conventional subjects become a way to express other ideas.

From July 5-19, 2012 The Christina Gallery will have on view an exhibition of original oil paintings by Lloyd Kelly entitled “Paintings of Provence.” Inspiration for the works in this show comes from Kelly’s travels to the south of France. Many master painters in history are either from, or travelled to, Provence. The rolling hills, impressive architecture and surreal natural lighting provide a rich subject matter for this collection of paintings. As Kelly explains, “The south of France is inspirational because of the food, the wine, and the magic light there. It is still a big influence on artists today. There is such a rich diversity of landscape; nature is so present. It energizes the artist and inspires…”

We hope to see you at The Christina Gallery for our first show of the 2012 Summer Season!

January 2012 – The Upcoming Season

Happy New Year! We found 2011 to be a very optimistic year for the gallery. The economy is starting to improve and more importantly art patrons are once again purchasing. We want to thank all of you who passed through the gallery this past year, it was a pleasure to work with you, we appreciate your business and we look forward to seeing you again this season.

Last season’s exhibitions featuring four generations of Camille Pissarro’s family was a resounding success, as was “Favorite Places” featuring the work of acclaimed artist John Traynor. Sandi Blanda held her first workshop on Martha’s Vineyard on how to make Sailors’ Valentines. Everyone who took the three day workshop had a wonderful time with her. One of the participants even entered her completed valentine at the Agricultural Fair in August and won second place for her creation! More recently we exhibited at the 15th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show which proved to be a very interesting weekend meeting new clients and catching up with our colleagues.

This can be considered a quiet time on the Vineyard, but we are very busy planning the upcoming season and talking to artists about their works. And we do have artists sending new work now. We received this painting by William R. Davis last week and it’s absolutely stunning!

"Return Sail from Nantucket, Off Great Point" by William R. Davis — “Return Sail from Nantucket, Off Great Point” by William R. Davis

Our website is a current representation of the gallery’s inventory and as new works become available they will be added.

We will be traveling to Paris at the end of this month to see several dealers for our Works on Paper collection. We recently sold La Danse a la Campagne by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Histoire Ennuyeuse by James Jacques Tissot; and find our collection of works in need of some new acquisitions. This season we again will feature an exhibition of the Works on Paper, which will include the Pissarro family, as well as other notable modern masters.

We also have an exhibition planned for early July with Lloyd Kelly featuring paintings of the French countryside and other interests. Lloyd is a very accomplished artist whose paintings have hung in many of our American embassies abroad, as well as, many private collections in this country. The last exhibition we did with Lloyd was at the National Arts Club in New York City in 2004 so we are very much looking forward to sharing with you his new works this July.

There will be two gallery strolls this summer, the first taking place on Thursday, July 12th and the second on Thursday, August 9th. Sandi Blanda will be back for another Sailors’ Valentine workshop the second week of August. This summer’s workshop will include an advance class for those who took last summer’s workshop.

We will keep you posted on the gallery’s news and happenings throughout the winter. If you find yourself on the Vineyard over the next couple of months please stop by and say hello as we are open year round.

Our best to you and yours and wishing you all a happy and healthy new year!

In Memory of Yves Parent 1941-2011

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend and long-time gallery artist, Yves Parent on July 8, 2011 after a long and extremely successful artistic career. He died at his home in La Trinité Sur Mer in France and was surrounded by his loved ones.

Parent was a talented artist whom we have worked with for over two decades. He was born in Normandy in 1941 and was first a lawyer and an executive at his grandfather’s mineral water company before dedicating his life to his artwork. We met Yves and his friend and fellow artist, Marc Bertier, back in the 1980’s. Both avid sailors, they would come to the States from France during the summer season to paint along the Eastern seaboard. Yves then did watercolors from his boat giving the observer a unique window into how he saw the harbor fronts, lighthouses and surrounding landscape.

It wasn’t until many years later that Yves switched to oil paints and managed to achieve the very same tranquil mood many came to appreciate in his watercolors. His work continued to be admired by all that loved the sailing genre and he was an artist member of the American Society of Marine Artists.

His cheerful demeanor and very charming smile will be deeply missed by all those who ever interacted with him.

Sailors’ Valentine workshop with Sandi Blanda

Last week award-winning artist Sandi Blanda was on the island to teach a workshop on how to make Sailors’ Valentines. Sandi is very well known for her own work and has been teaching workshops for several years, though this was her first workshop on Martha’s Vineyard. The workshop was filled to capacity and it was a tremendous success! It took place over the course of three mornings and was held at the Boathouse, here in downtown Edgartown.

Thirteen people signed up for the workshop, four participants had taken a workshop in the past, and the other nine people had not. So understandably there was a little hesitation on their part, but once Sandi got everyone involved the group moved right along and most days stayed later to ask questions and continue their creations.

On the first day everyone learned about the different shells supplied by Sandi and the other materials they would be using to create their valentines. They learned the basics and then were assigned homework which entailed coming back in the morning with an idea for a design. Which everyone did and began to layout the different shells and other components to create their valentine.

On the last morning, the group started to permanently assemble their creations, some of whom finished and others whom had a beautiful work in progress. Sandi had a wonderful time getting to know her new friends and is looking forward to next summer’s workshop. To view more photographs and a video of this summer’s workshop please visit the gallery’s Facebook page.

“En Plein Air” with Jan Pawlowski

Jan Pawlowski is known internationally for his impressionist seascapes, landscapes and city scenes. Sunday the 24th of July marked the opening of the Polish artist’s one man show here at The Christina Gallery. Pawlowski has been a frequent visitor to Martha’s Vineyard since joining the gallery in 1996.

This exhibition of his work highlights these visits as he displays views of the island. The paintings displayed in the show demonstrate Pawlowski’s confident and quick brushstrokes as well as his sensitive understanding of color and form. Pawlowski’s followers appreciate his bright and serene palette.

"A Day for Sailing" by Jan Pawlowski — “A Day for Sailing” by Jan Pawlowski

Paintings such as “June Afternoon, Edgartown Yacht Club” capture the essence of the Vineyard. A light wind blows causing the American flag to flutter in the wind and a cluster of sailboats breeze by in the distance. Pawlowski manipulates the oil paint masterfully, transforming a few simple brushstrokes into light and fluffy clouds gracing the otherwise clear afternoon sky.

Jan Pawlowski paints en plein air or ‘in the open air.’ This technique of painting was advocated by the Impressionists of the late 19^th century. In 1841 tubes of paint were invented, allowing artists to easily transport their materials and paint from life wherever they were inspired. Prior to this invention, artists and their assistants hand ground pigments and produced their own paints. Many art historians and critics credit the creation of tubes of paint for the development of Impressionism for it was the ease of movement that allowed artists to paint outdoors. Pawlowski embraces this technique and can often be found along the beaches and waterfronts of Martha’s Vineyard capturing the jovial atmosphere of the island with his expressive brushstrokes and pleasing palette.

Pawlowski has been recognized for his oeuvre of artwork by the Polish government; in 1979 he was awarded the highest honor given, called “Authorization and Certification.” His work was also in the collection of Pope John Paul II.

Evening of Fine Art July 14, 2011

Last evening The Christina Gallery participated in an “Evening of Fine Art,” the first of three gallery strolls of the summer 2011 season. From 6 – 8pm visitors enjoyed the art and refreshments at four of North Water Street’s fine art galleries. The Christina Gallery opened its doors to the public along with Eisenhauer Gallery, North Water Gallery, and Willoughby Fine Art Gallery. At The Christina Gallery works by John C. Traynor were featured as part of the “Favorite Places” exhibition that is currently on view. The collection of four generations of the Camille Pissarro family was also very well received with many people viewing the family tree with the works which were on display.

Visitors also enjoyed our extensive collection of antique maps and nautical charts. Proving to be exceptionally popular were our maps of Martha’s Vineyard dating back to the 18^th century. If you dropped by our gallery during the gallery stroll we hope you will check out our Facebook page and let us know what you thought of the evening!

Evening of Fine Art Gallery Stroll July 2011