News & Blog – Page 5 – The Christina Gallery

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.

Les Maitres de l’Affiche

Jules Chéret is universally known as the master of the modern poster. Born in 1836 Paris into a creative family, Chéret had little formal education yet through an apprenticeship he was exposed to the art of lithography. From 1859 to 1866 he moved to London to continue his lithography training. Inspired by British posters and design techniques and the French Rococo style, Chéret applied his knowledge of printmaking towards creating ads promoting cabarets, theaters and other popular social outlets. By the end of his career he had become a major advertising force, working for all manners of clients including beverage companies and the railroads.

From 1895 to 1900, Chéret produced Les Maîtres de l’Affiche, a publication of high-quality smaller-scale iterations of popular posters from Le Belle Époque period by ninety seven top Parisian artists. Each month four lithographs were mailed out to each of the subscribers. On sixteen occasions, an additional ‘special edition’ lithograph would also be included. Today these 256 prints are extremely rare and in high demand with collectors across the globe.

"Quinquina Dubonnet" by Jules Cheret Caption reads: Quinquina Dubonnet / Aperitif available in all cafes. — “Quinquina Dubonnet” by Jules Cheret
Caption reads: Quinquina Dubonnet / Aperitif available in all cafes.

“Quinquina Dubonnet” is from Les Maitres de l’Affiche. This poster by Chéret is indicative of the style for which he was known. He often portrayed spirited, flirtatious, yet elegant women, who became known as ‘Cherettes.’ These women were neither the prostitutes nor the puritans seen in many works of the time. Chéret’s modern depiction of women was seen as liberating to contemporary Parisian women. “Quinquina Dubonnet” is no exception. Here we see a young socialite sitting with her legs crossed, revealing her ankles, with her arms extended to the sides and her head thrown back in joyous laughter. In one hand she holds a bottle of Dubonnet and in the other, a glass full of the drink. The advertisement reads “Quinquina Dubonnet / Apéritif available in all cafés.” Chéret understood how to get the public’s attention and engage them in advertisements. Editions of this particular print are in collections here at The Christina Gallery as well as in the permanent collection at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Check out our website here to view more lithographs from Les Maîtres de l’Affiche or visit us in Edgartown, MA to see them in person!

Painting En Plein Air

Plein air painting was first popularized by the impressionists in the 1870s. For centuries artists have been painting outdoors on location, but it wasn’t until the advent of metal tubes of oil paint that painting en plein air truly became a movement. Finally, artists were able to easily transport their supplies to whatever location they chose and paint on site. Prior to the introduction of paint tubes, artists had to mix their own pigments individually each time they desired to use a particular color. Paints would dry out quickly and so it was simply impractical to attempt to move a palette and supplies outdoors, far away from one’s studio.

Impressionists fully embraced plein air painting. This method was directly in line with their goal of capturing the magic of light and the essence of the landscape. Painting on location encourages the artist to work quickly to capture the mood of the setting. This can often account for the energetic brushstrokes seen in Impressionist canvases. Artists of all time periods and styles worked outdoors from life, but often they would only sketch or draft the composition they saw before them. The final paintings were reserved for the shelter of the indoor studio. Impressionists such as Vincent van Gogh challenged this method.

When inspired by an environment, he would often work fastidiously to render the scene in paint right then and there, such as in “The White Orchard” (1888). These spontaneous paintings by van Gogh and other artists like Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro define the oeuvre of the Impressionists.

Today, Jan Pawlowski works in a similar manner to many well-known masters. “A Day for Sailing” was painted from the beach on Chappaquiddick overlooking the harbor and Edgartown lighthouse. Pawlowski was inspired by the beautiful sunny blue sky and gentle wind to capture this image of sailboats keeling in the wind in front of the lighthouse.

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

Many artists that we represent here at The Christina Gallery paint en plein air. Stop by and ask us to point out some paintings for you or see if you can pick out which paintings were painted en plein air on our website!

Gazette du Bon Ton: French Fashion Plates

Lucien Vogel stirred the French fashion world in 1912 with the publication of Le Gazette du Bon Ton, a fashion journal highlighting the artistic qualities of clothing design. Perhaps if this magazine were produced today it would be equated with the likes of Vogue or ID and possibly even referred to as a commercial catalogue, but these comparisons do not do Le Gazette Bon Ton justice. From 1912-1925 Vogel issued limited edition journals of beautifully rendered fashion plates showcasing designs by avant garde fashion houses including Lanvin and Paquin.

The images printed in Le Gazette du Bon Ton were all pochoir (French for stencil) prints. This work-intensive technique creates beautiful illustrations that preserve the vibrant colors and intricate details of the original designs. Individual stencils would be cut for each color required. The stencils are then hand painted with gouache and watercolor and printed on hand-made paper.

“L’Utile Recommandation” is an exceptional example of the intricate fashion plate prints from Gazette du Bon Ton. Accompanied by the witty text, “Dinner’s ready / Dinner gown by Cheruit.” we see an image of an elegant young woman wearing a vibrantly dyed red dinner dress with a sheer overlay bodice. She looks back over her shoulder at a butler in the background, standing over a set dinner table. This woman is clearly living an enviable life full of leisure and grace. Her head is turned away from the viewer while her body faces forward allowing us to gaze at her dress without being caught staring. It is easy to infer, as the artist intended, that by purchasing this dress one also achieves part of the same quality of life. This combination of intricate imagery and tempting advertisement made Gazette du Bon Ton a very successful endeavor. It helped reinforce the public’s fascination with an idyllic life of leisure and highlighted the artistic abilities of both the fashion houses and the artists themselves who were producing these exquisite poichor prints.

Enjoy more images from Vogel’s Gazette du Bon Ton here on our website or visit us in person at The Christina Gallery in Edgartown, MA on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Russell Gordon: A Contemporary Realist

Russell Gordon’s realist still-life paintings are, at first glance, reminiscent of 19^thcentury still lifes. Take a moment to really absorb the scene before you; however, and Gordon’s charming sense of humor and lighthearted attitude burst forth off the canvas. Gordon designs traditional compositions of objects such as fruit, mussels, and books then infuses them with his own unique brand of wit. Examine his paintings closely and you are sure to notice nuances such as a ladybug perched atop an otherwise unblemished flower or a water droplet sliding down a dewy mussel shell.

Gordon’s use of chiaroscuro heightens the drama of his compositions. He uses a very traditional, richly colored palette that lends itself to the theatricality of the seemingly simple arrangements that he portrays. Vividly colored lemons, or other objects, pop against a background of brown and burgundy. A single light source is frequently used to illuminate the foreground and provide gleaming highlights.

"Shell Collection" by Russell Gordon — “Shell Collection” by Russell Gordon

“Shell Collection” is a 22” x 27” oil painting of a curiosity cabinet filled with seashells. True to his nature, Gordon has included humorous references and objects such as the crab in the center of one of the bottom ‘cubes.’ The crab’s claws hang forward, moving into the viewers’ realm of reality. His eyes glisten as they stare directly ahead, watching us look at him. Gordon signs the work with a playful business card pinned to the center of the display case. The card reads, “Shell Shop / Seashells of Unique Beauty / 19 Ocean Drive / ask for Russell W. Gordon.” The detail that Gordon captures, just like in all of his paintings, is incredible. The viewer can practically count the threads that compose the green string tying the key to a nail.

Come visit us at The Christina Gallery in Edgartown, MA to spot more of the tongue-in-cheek details in Gordon’s original oil paintings, or view them here on our website.

“Les Roses” by Pierre-Joseph Redoute

Pierre-Joseph Redouté is perhaps the most famous painter of flowers in the world. He served as the official flower painter to both Queen Marie Antoinette and Empress Josephine Bonaparte of France, Napoleon’s first wife. He is best known for his work “Les Roses,” a series of stipple engravings of roses based on his watercolor paintings.

Redouté was born in 1759 in the Belgian Ardennes. Both his father and grandfather were artists and encouraged Redouté to begin painting at the age of thirteen. He began his career in religious art, modeling himself after the likes of Michelangelo and Raphael. While working at a cathedral in the Netherlands he was first introduced to the flower paintings of Van Huysum and other Dutch artists. In 1782, after this initial exposure, Redouté ventured to Paris to further his interest in botany painting by studying specimens at Jardin du Roi. While there he met Gerard van Spaendonck, an artist, and Charles Louis L’Heritier de Brutelle, an amateur botanist. Both individuals became dominant forces propelling Redouté’s career. In fact it was L’Heritier who first introduced Redouté to Marie Antoinette; a connection that soon led to his appointment as court painter.

In 1804, after six years of patronage, Empress Josephine Bonaparte took on Redouté as her official artist. Empress Josephine was known for her love of roses and is often referenced as having grown the first garden exclusively composed of roses at her home near Choisy, Chateau de Malmaison. It was her mission to collect and plant every known rose variety. To achieve this goal she worked closely with nurserymen including M. Andre du Pont, the director of the Luxembourg Gardens. Of the Empress’ extensive collection, Redouté published over 160 stipple engravings of roses from the Empresses Chateau de Malmaison. He was an avid botanist, an interest that was nurtured by his relationship with van Spaendonck, as well as an artist. It was this combination that impressed Empress Josephine and allowed Redouté to produce such exquisite, elegant and accurate renderings of each flower he painted.

"Rose Centifolia Anglica Rubra" by Pierre-Joseph Redouté — “Rose Centifolia Anglica Rubra” by Pierre-Joseph Redouté

“Les Roses” was commissioned by Empress Josephine as a record of her extensive rose garden. Each Redouté’s career flourished and he enjoyed the success of his career merging naturalist research with timeless art. In 1828 at the height of his fame, Redouté met Jean-Jacques Audubon (or John James Audubon as he is also known). The two became close friends and supporters of each other’s work. Today they are both recognized as pioneers of iconographical botany and ornithology painting.

A number of rare original engravings from Redouté’s “Les Roses” series are on display at The Christina Gallery in Edgartown, MA. You can also view them here on our website.

Carol Fortunato: Vanitas Still Lifes

Carol Fortunato’s oil paintings are reminiscent of works by 17^th century Dutch masters. Like the Baroque artists, Fortunato employs chiaroscuro (an application of intense light and dark) to add drama to her still lifes of flowers, fruits and vegetables. Her muted tones and dark palette contrast with the bright light sources that she arranges, and lends an air of mystery to her paintings. Dutch artists of the baroque period often experimented with vanitas painting. These still lives were quiet reflections on mortality. Food and flowers were used as metaphors for the fragility of life. Fortunato’s work reflects this interest in evolution, “Perhaps I focus on most things edible because at the peak of their ripeness, their fullness and vibrancy is made all the more precious by their transience—whether it’s because they are about to wither or to be eaten.”

Young White Peonies” by Carol Fortunato

A lush bouquet of white flowers blossoms out of a clear glass vase in “Young White Peonies.” Fortunato depicts the flowers at different stages in their lifecycle. The white peony in the left is in full bloom. Its petals open up, embracing sunlight and perhaps emitting a light fragrance into the air. To its right, we see another blossom lying at the base of the vase; petals strewn about in a mark of decay. These memento mori serve as reminders of the beauty of life. Fortunato’s renditions of vanitas painting are beautiful, elegant and even joyous celebrations of the value of life.

Carol Fortunato graduated with a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. It was during her post-graduate training with the Art Students League under David Leffel and Greg Kreutz that she developed her interest in chiaroscuro painting, which is so dominant in her work today.

To view more original oil paintings by Carol Fortunato please visit us at The Christina Gallery on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, or here on our website.

David Bareford’s Seascapes

David Bareford’s seascapes effortlessly capture the spirit of summer. His plein air oil paintings are beautiful renditions of sunny beaches and elegant sailboats. He paints each scene with a loose brushstroke and a palette dominated by sea-foam greens and cerulean blues. It is rare to find a gallery visitor looking at Bareford’s paintings without a smile crossing his or her face. His blue skies are simple and succinctly portrayed, yet they effuse connotations of heat, sun and sand and the happy memories that accompany those images. Bareford plays on the viewers’ nostalgia as he portrays faceless families gathered on beaches and majestic sailboats gliding across the water. These are all scenes that strike a personal cord for many viewers. The graceful sailboats muster up thoughts of afternoons out on the water; the children splashing about in the ocean remind us of mornings on South Beach.

H Class Racing off Edgartown by David Bareford — “H Class Racing off Edgartown” by David Bareford

David Bareford was born in New Jersey and has been painting in New England throughout his life. He began his artistic career working in watercolors, but moved into oil paint to expand his vision. Bareford is part of a long-standing tradition of marine artists working out of Rockport, MA. He is an active member of a number of artistic societies including the Rockport Art Association and the Copley Society. You can see a selection of Bareford’s oil paintings online here or in person at The Christina Gallery in Edgartown, MA.

La Belle Epoque: A Look at Paul Cesar Helleu’s “Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau”

“La Belle Epoque” was an era of great beauty, excess, innovation and renewal in France from the 1890’s until World War I. Paul César Helleu encapsulates the elegance of the time period in his work. Using oil paint, pastel and drypoint etching with a diamond stylus, Helleu is known for his animated renderings of Parisian society women. His portraits are a far cry from the structured, rigid canon that was frequently followed throughout the Victorian era. Rather than relying on the three quarter length, forward facing, hands-crossed-in-lap pose that was traditionally employed, Helleu encouraged his subjects to relax and be themselves.

The etching “Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau” depicts a finely dressed woman crouching slightly to play with her spirited puppy. Her back is turned to the viewer, obscuring much of her face, yet she still feels familiar. Helleu introduces us to this woman through her other details. She wears an elegant tiered dress and a formal hat that clearly speak to her status as an aristocrat. The ornate molding and lavish furniture in the background of the etching also support this conclusion. The figure becomes much more personal when we consider the whimsical way she has been shown. Helleu chooses to show the woman bending forward towards an eager puppy while delicately lifting the skirt of her dress. There are very few details in this etching yet Helleu’s sparing use of line brings life to the scene.

"Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau" by Paul César Helleu — “Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau” by Paul César Helleu

This richly burred print is an exquisite example of Helleu’s etchings. He understood how each mark on the copper plate would translate to the paper. This knowledge helped Helleu bring his images to life. Look, for example, at the short staccato lines that compose the woman’s skirt. The lines transform into a tactile image of bustling fabric. One can almost hear her skirt rustling as she moves towards the dog.

Helleu was part of a group of artists including Tissot, Manet and Whistler who depicted Edwardian era Paris. In fact, it was Tissot himself who first introduced Helleu to the technique of using a diamond stylus to create drypoint etchings such as “Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau.” Helleu’s most famous commission was the star-filled ceiling of Grand Central Terminal in New York City. After being covered for over six decades, the mural of the night sky was restored in 1998 and is on display for the millions of travelers passing through the train station today.

“Elegante de Chien Faisant le Beau” is currently on display at The Christina Gallery. Come visit us in Edgartown to see the etching for yourself or check out our website here to learn more about Paul César Helleu.

American Folk Art by Ted Jeremenko

It wasn’t until his mid-twenties that Ted Jeremenko discovered his love of painting. While working in the computer and banking industries, Jeremenko began his artistic career as a hobby. After the success of his first show at Jay Johnson America’s Folk Heritage on Madison Avenue, NY Jeremenko followed his passion and became a full-fledged professional artist. “I paint primarily for myself,” he explains, “but it is very gratifying to know that my artwork touches other people.”

Jeremenko’s work is very unique for its simple, geometric forms and raw view of the world. His oeuvre is very much a part of the folk art tradition. He paints landscapes scattered with houses and other architectural buildings including lighthouses and churches. Jeremenko approaches each painting with a goal of simplifying the view. Each plane is painted with a solid color, breaking down entire scenes into a handful of colors. This stylistic representation of architecture works in harmony with Jeremenko’s pointillist-inspired landscapes to create striking compositions.

“Along the Pond” clearly demonstrates the dualistic technique of pointillism and abstraction that Jeremenko employs. He uses color to define light, form, and a sense of space. The focal point of the painting is the red house slightly to the left of center, but the viewers’ eye moves easily around the canvas to the stark white church and on to the dark green mountains in the background. The multi-hued leaves on the trees seem to move in the breeze and it is easy to imagine each individual blade of grass that grows in this thriving landscape. Jeremenko helps the viewer see beauty in every scene. His stylized methods create a serene world filled with greenery, blue skies and composed buildings.

Jeremenko was born in Yugoslavia in 1938. He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of twelve. His carefully arranged compositions and beautiful renditions of space allow us, as his viewers, to see the world through Jeremenko’s eyes.

View more acrylic paintings by Ted Jeremenko here or visit us in person to see his works for yourself.

Lush Landscapes by Curtis Hanson

When I look at a Curtis Hanson painting I’m immediately transported to a warm summer day in the lush landscape of New England or, equally as frequently, to the rice fields of Thailand. Hanson devotes himself to meditation and through this practice he has learned to observe the world around him with an astute eye and an open mind.

“As one whom has given my whole life to the practice of painting, at its heart has been that painting is an object of awareness of what it means to be alive. Through direct observation of nature both in the external and the internal world it has and continues to be a way of knowing and understanding what this life is.”
~Curt Hanson (from his blog August 18, 2010)

Hanson studied with Charles Palmer and Stan Taft at Fort Wright College in Washington State. After graduation he moved to New York City where he was influenced by the work of the Barbizon School paintings and George Inness. The Barbizon School was a movement beginning in France in the mid-19^thcentury following John Constable’s lead portraying nature as the focal point of paintings rather than the backdrop for portraits or historical scenes. Hanson has wholly adopted this attitude towards art. Outdoor landscapes and scenes of the natural world dominate his canvases.

"Salt Marsh" by Curtis Hanson — “Salt Marsh” by Curtis Hanson

“Salt Marsh” is indicative of Hanson’s reflective painting style. His work is easily recognizable for its natural palette of green, yellow and blue based hues. He often selects calm and meditative landscapes such as this New England scene. The sky glows with glazes of pink and yellow underlay beneath the blue haze of a foggy day. The clear water mirrors crisp reflections of the trees dressing the horizon line. Hanson understands exactly how to capture the viewer’s imagination and help bring them to a place of quiet contemplation. Each canvas that he paints bathes its audience in his message of meditation.

More original oil paintings by Curtis Hanson are on view at The Christina Gallery. Come visit us in Edgartown, MA to see the full collection in person or visit us online here.