"New York" by Scott Nicol

Award-winning artists Rob Gonsalves and J. Scott Nicol are being showcased by Huckleberry Fine Art right now at Artexpo New York 2012! Huckleberry owner Boots Harris, who has exhibited at the show for 16 years, is displaying the works of his top artists at booths A105 and A107. Fine art collectors: come meet the artists in person and watch as Nicol demonstrates his creative process!

Rob Gonsalves—recognized as the most famous living surrealist painter in North America—is the recipient of the Governor General’s Award, Canada’s most prestigious award for fine art. Gonsalves’ work infuses magic into realistic scenes, thus transforming mundane forms into flights of fancy. His popularity has exploded over the past decade; even in this economy, Gonsalves still has a three-year waiting list for his original paintings, and his equity in the art market has risen by an astounding 2800 percent. Gonsalves’ stunning painting, “The Sun Sets Sail,” is featured on the cover of Masters of Deception—Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion (Sterling, 2007), in which he is compared to those iconic surrealist masters in a chapter devoted to his work. He is the illustrator of the Simon & Schuster series Imagine a Day, Imagine a Night, and Imagine a Place; and of the Master of Illusion 2011 wall calendar (Sellers publishing).

"Tower of Knowledge" by Rob Gonsalves

The art of J. Scott Nicol may be seen in premier galleries across the country. Like Gonsalves, Nicol also has a lengthy waiting list. Throughout his career, whether in commercial or fine art, Nicol has always told a story with his paintings. In his latest series, he constructs shelves of invented book spines, which stand as libraries of cultural memory. Photorealistic in style, each oil painting captures the three dimensionality and physicality of an old and well-loved book, including wear, tears and occasional scotch tape. Each dynamic piece showcases an era, a place, or a philosophy, featuring a diversity of cultural touchstones: these include pop culture icons like Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles, sports legends like Joe Namath, historical arts figures like Vermeer and Shakespeare, and cultural landmarks like the Statue of Liberty. His related series of first edition covers portrays literary classics, such as The Old Man and The Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Atlas Shrugged. Nicol, who creates commission pieces based on the collector’s input, will be painting live at the show. His latest book spines piece, “Mega Pop II,” features a vibrant juxtaposition of iconic Pop artists, spanning the art historical period from Warhol’s Marilyn and Mickey Mouse to Mel Ramos’ femme fatale and Lichtenstein’s explosive WWII aerial dog fight.

“Other publishers come and go, but Gonsalves is still here,” said Harris. “He and Nicol are the main reason I’ve taken a 50-foot booth.”

Also exhibiting in Harris’ booth will be photorealistic painter John Payne, and expressionistic animal painter Bob Ransley. According to Harris, “These gifted artists sell art faster than they paint, which is unusual in the current economy.”

For information on Huckleberry Fine Art, visit www.huckleberryfineart.com.

"Outdoors" by Vikram Dayal

Vikram Dayal strongly believes that art must evoke an emotional response—especially laughter. Vikram’s art, much like his other works, explores the humorous aspects of life—quite often through satire. In his words:

“If my painting has evoked some response, be it ridicule, anger or outrage, I am flattered. If you see the humor that I see, I am thrilled! The only way of insulting my art is by ignoring it. Laugh at it, ridicule it, curse it, burn it, throw it, just please don’t ignore it!”

An artist with an unconventional style, Vikram likes to express his perspective via oils, acrylics and charcoal—sometimes all in the same painting. His art is satirical, insightful and multi-layered. He draws his inspiration from Salvador Dali, MF Hussein and other early proponents of Progressive Indian Art, though his themes are light-hearted and provide a unique perspective on the world.

Vikram is a graduate of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and has won numerous awards in Theater & Art. His works are in private collections as well as exhibited in India and the US. This year, Mr. Dayal is the only Indian artist being exhibited at Artexpo.

Visit him at Booth#1021!

According to Zen philosophy, ‘Completing is more important than completion.’ For Japanese artist Miyako Aoki, the main concern in art-making is the process.

“We human beings are a part of nature and related to each other. The world and we are always moving and changing and making new connections every instant. We live in this moment. What is important is the process.”

Miyako believes that the materials are inexhaustible; the process of exploring them utterly seduces her.

“I just let the materials change and transform on their own, and I leave all the marks that are produced in the process. Through the long process of mixing, layering and scraping the paint, the materiality of the paint is emphasized. I always have a feeling that the work is growing and developing itself. The final work is just the result of the process, rather than me controlling everything to complete the work.”

The reason Miyako uses aluminum as her medium is that the work looks lighter than when painted on canvas. Also, with the changing light, aluminum gives the work further spatial dimensions and plays an important role as empty space.

“The dialogue between a painting and a viewer is a waking-up process. My work is empty without my messages, but it can become full with a viewer’s dialogue with the painting.”

Miyako Aoki studied fine art at the Central St. Martins College of Art & Design in London and at New York University. Her works are well known in contemporary circles, and she has exhibited widely in Japan, New York, and beyond at venues including Artexpo New York and Gallery Yamaguchi of Tokyo. Miyako claimed the prestigious [SOLO Award] for independent artists at Artexpo New York 2011. At this year’s show, visit her at booth #1344; for more information, see her website.

Amongst this year’s array of extraordinary artists, Artexpo New York will showcase the exciting artwork of Washington, DC artists Leila Holtsman, Joan Konkel, Anne Marchard, Jodi, and Georgia Nassikas from March 22-25, 2012 at Pier 92 on the Hudson.

"Chorus of Yes" by Anne Marchand

Anne Marchand
Anne Marchand received an M.F.A. from the University of Georgia. Her award-winning paintings convey universal rhythms in nature and the cosmos. She explores relationships in color, mark-making, body movement and poetry to provoke deeper inquiry into the origins of humanity. She layers mixed media with acrylic paint in her canvases. Her work is represented in private, public art and corporate collections, including Porter Contemporary in NYC. She has exhibited at Gallery 555dc, Zenith Gallery and Longview Gallery in Washington, DC among other prestigious galleries in the United States. www.annemarchand.com

Leila Holtsman
For the last decade, Leila Holtsman has created mixed-material sculpture, site murals, and ceramic objects for private clients and juried exhibits in the Mid-Atlantic region, including Washington, Philadelphia and New York. Leila spent ten years of her early life in the deserts of Jordan and Saudi Arabia, both of which continue to inspire her interest in natural forms and earthen palettes to this day.

Georgia Nassikas
Raised on the Rhode Island coast and classically trained in art and design in Boston and Florence, Georgia Nassikas works out of her studio in McLean, creating reflective modern images in wax and oil. Her artistic process allows for luminous, textured, complex surfaces that deepen and enliven her images: an interplay of elemental form and color, the crossing of the representational with the abstract, the geometry of angles and shadows, and the light of a lifting sky. Georgia’s work is in private and public collections in the United States, Europe and Australia. She recently has exhibited at Gallery 555dc, McLean Project for the Arts, The Art League in VA and the Jamestown Arts Center in RI. Please visit Georgia in Booth #1122 www.georgianassikas.com.

"Amber Waves" by Georgia Nassikas

Joan Konkel
Washington, DC-based sculptor Joan Konkel unleashes color to interact in the third dimension. She recently completed a 15-foot long triptych for the biopharmaceutical, MedImmune, in Gaithersburg, Maryland and currently has work in the Arts in Embassies program in Paris. Holding a BA in Fine Arts, an MA from San Francisco College for Women and an MFA in Sculpture from George Washington University in Washington, DC, she also received a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. Joan is represented by galleries in Washington, DC, Atlanta, Georgia and Palm Desert, California. Her work is included in private and corporate collections. www.joankonkel.com

Jodi
Jodi left her home in Canada in 1967 for the Far East and Europe, a move that would influence her life and work forever. She moved to the United States in 1978 and while art has always been a part of her life, she first began to emerge as a serious artist in 1995. Although Jodi received private training, she has never studied painting or ceramics at an academic institution. This has allowed her the independence and freedom to develop a unique style. Layering clay on the original textured surfaces has taken her work to a new level of expression. Capturing the colors and textures she experienced while living in Taiwan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Africa and Europe is a joy to her and, she hopes, to others. www.jodiart.artspan.com

Meet the artists on aisle 1100 this week at Artexpo New York 2012!

Red Label Stretched Canvas by Fredrix Artist Canvas

[SOLO] exhibitors: you’re in for a treat! At this year’s show, Artexpo’s generous sponsor Fredrix Artist Canvas will be gifting all the artists in our [SOLO] pavilion with samples.

Each [SOLO] artist will receive a 16″ x 20″ Red Label Stretched Canvas courtesy of Fredrix. This quality canvas features superior-quality, medium-textured duck canvas. It is double-primed with acid-free acrylic gesso for use with oil or acrylic painting. Stapled onto the back of standard stretcher bars, this canvas enables artists to paint on all four edges and hang it with or without a frame.

After the whirlwind of Artexpo, our [SOLO] artists are sure to have gained new inspiration from the thousands of vibrant new works on display. What better time to head to the studio with a blank canvas, courtesy of Fredrix?

Since 1868, Fredrix Artist Canvas has been providing unsurpassed quality and the broadest range of artist canvas available anywhere. We’re delighted to host Fredrix again this weekend at Artexpo New York 2012!

For more information about Fredrix Artist Canvas, visit www.fredrixartistcanvas.com

"The Composer" by Victori

Fifty-year-long career artist Victori will showcase a slice of his original collection at Artexpo this week, March 22-25 at Pier 92 on the Hudson. A select number of Victori’s 20,000+ paintings will be displayed in our [SOLO] Pavilion. The artist will also host a press conference on Friday, March 23 at 11:30 am in his booth, #1149. Additionally, he will sign framed prints to be raffled off to the general public.

Victori’s specific style, dubbed by journalists and art enthusiasts alike as a new school of art, is called Multiplism. In essence, this artistic approach highlights the many behind the one, unfolding all possible dimensions of a being in one all-inclusive piece of work. His original work revolves around an ideology he developed in the 1970s and will be showcased through a selection of age-old pieces as well as a few newer paintings that explore a looser grip of stroke and medium.

"Frazzled Woman" by Victori

Similar to the transition made by many of history’s most renowned painters from portraiture to Impressionism, Cubism or Pointillism, Victori transformed from realist to Multiplist earlier in his career. Victori’s process infuses life into his subjects and captures their emotions and personalities across multiple facets. His application of Multiplism reveals the complexity of the human psyche, featuring concurrent and sometimes conflicting emotions that cannot be simultaneously represented in a singular expression.

Touted as an exceptionally rapid and productive artist by reviewers in the ’80s, Victori has created thousands of original works of art, ranging diversely from the everyday woman, to household celebrities, to iconic historical figures. One piece may reveal the irritability of a tired New Yorker while the next may reinvent the Statue of Liberty’s tearful sternness.

“If I repeat what’s already been done, my life will be a bubble. Each and every work must be something new.”

This dedication to innovation underlies each work in a diverse collection (reaching the quintuple digits) that’s sewn together by the thread of Multiplism. Victori’s past client list includes Richard Nixon, Edward Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, Burt Reynolds, and Keith Olbermann, to name a few.

About the Artist
Victori (formerly known as “Victolee”) was born in 1943 as the third of six children in a small farming village outside of Seoul, South Korea. After serving in the Air Force, he left in 1969 and traveled through Europe, studying the works of old masters. He headed to the States in 1972 and undertook his first project on US soil — a mural of all the U.S. Presidents. It was delivered to the Nixon White House in 1973 and remains there to this day. During the ’70s and ’80s, Victori traveled the country working as a portrait artist, his identity often fluctuating between celebrity status and starving artist. He landed his own gallery presence on Park Avenue in New York City and stayed there the greater part of the ’90s.

Victori’s career and experience in portrait work spanned much of his adult life; however, he managed to focus on developing a unique and divergent style of painting (as mentioned previously, Multiplism). Having gazed upon so many thousands of faces throughout his career, Victori realized that a single instance of time frozen in a portrait hides the multiple moods, emotions, and states of mind concealed behind a stationary, fixed expression. Victori began developing this style of art in the 1970s and continues to evolve its meaning, composition and grandeur to this day. He currently works out of his private studios, where he not only focuses on paintings, but mural and large-scale sculpture work as well. He is father to five grown sons and lives with his wife, Maria.

View other works by the artist at www.victorimuseum.com, or contact him by email at contact@victorimuseum.com or by phone at 201-913-9036.

On Thursday, March 22 at 5 p.m., Artexpo will host the American Premiere of Becomes, a sensual fine art film exploring the work of sculptor André Desjardins and directed by Hélène Bélanger-Martin. A Q&A with the artist and director will follow. The film will be shown the following dates and times as well:

* Friday, March 23: 6 p.m., Q&A with André Desjardins to follow
* Saturday, March 24: 6 p.m.
* Sunday, March 25: 4 p.m.

Becomes is an unhurried foray into the studio of sculptor André Desjardins. Under the camera’s patient and discreet eye, a sculpture is born. Each step of the creative process is scrutinized; from the shaping of the armature, the fleshing out in clay to the finishing touches. The sculptor’s concentration and silence are intense yet fragile. The clinking of tools, focused breaths, a creaking floor; the spellbinding atmosphere of the studio plunges viewers into a near-meditative state. On a few rare occasions, the artist shares his thoughts in confidential voice-overs.

André Desjardins, sculptor and painter
Desjardins is a Canadian artist represented by Masterpiece Publishing, a prestigious American visual artist agency. Since he joined the group, his work has appeared in more than 35 galleries, museums, corporate and public collections throughout North America. His paintings and sculptures are now exported to Armenia, Russia, and starting in May, to Shanghai, China. Galerie ROCCIA in Montreal is privileged to exclusively present his work throughout Canada. Art Business News magazine has also proclaimed Andre Desjardins “one of the best contemporary artists in the United States.”

Hélène Bélanger-Martin, filmmaker and gallery owner
Owner of Galerie ROCCIA in Montreal, Hélène Bélanger-Martin is a trained art historian and filmmaker. Her path through filmmaking has brought her to the inevitable creation of art films. As director of her art gallery, she has the privilege to be in close proximity with artists and their creative process. She has married both her passions by putting the extraordinary creative process on film. Hélène produced her first artist portrait in 2009 as director of Visual Emotionism, a film on the pictorial creation process of artist André Desjardins.

Meet André Desjardins and view his work this weekend at Artexpo New York 2012, booth 218. For more information and for interview requests with the artist, contact Eve-Marie Bilodeau: evemarie@galerieroccia.com, 514.838.7299, Galerie ROCCIA at www.galerieroccia.com, 514.803.7977, info@galerieroccia.com.

Realism takes on new dimensions through the eyes of artist Ray Hare. His paintings go beyond realistic likeness, with larger-than-life close-ups depicted in all their infinite color and detail. His latest works will be shown by Blazing Editions at Booth 104 at Artexpo New York 2012.

I Like it Wet, Ray Hare, 50" x 52"

It’s as if he held a magnifying glass up to his subject and painted what he saw. The subjects seem so real you believe we can reach out and touch them.

When we think we understand something, and then something else happens to knock us off track—that’s the kind of journey on which I’d like my paintings to take you.

Today’s Artwork of the Day is “Can You Say Mona?” — a 36″ x 24″ oil painting by Roland Morin, who will be showing his work at Artexpo New York 2012 with Artisan Direct.

"Can You Say Mona?" by Roland Morin, oil painting, 36"x24"

Roland Morin’s witty, colorful take on Leonardo’s masterpiece brings to mind the winking Pop Art of Roy Lichtenstein or Andy Warhol. For Roland, however, the process of art is driven by simple joy.

For me the important thing is not to fit into accepted genres, but rather to express a positive and uplifting way to view life and to bring joy to those who view my works. In a complex, ever-changing world, I aim to make my message simple, something that speaks to the heart without having to negotiate lengthily with the head.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1954, Roland’s precocious artistic talent eventually landed him at Baltimore’s PICA Art School in Baltimore. Roland says his sinister view of the world as a young artist expressed itself in dark tones and a bleak palette. Later in life, however, Roland had a religious revelation. He credits his new devotion to Jesus Christ with changing his painting completely. The forms Roland used became simplified, yet charged with bright, vibrant, life-affirming colors. The new look was fresh, contemporary and fit the “user-friendly” approach Roland is taking these days:

Let’s face it, the world is not a simple place to live in anymore; therefore, why should we, as artists, make our artwork any more difficult for them to understand and accept? Bright colors are vital to my work, counteracting the effects of a world which can often seem dark. In this way, I capture the spirit of freedom from the complexities of everyday living, and encourage my viewers to take some of that feeling into their lives.

Roland Morin greets collectors at Miami SOLO

Despite the immediate appeal of Roland’s work, he is only now making his art available to collectors in museum-quality giclee prints as a charter member of Artexpo Studio. You can find out more about Roland Martin through his Artexpo Studio page, as well as see more of his wonderful paintings and buy prints in a range of sizes.

After his very successful showing at the Miami SOLO show, Roland Morin will be showing his paintings at Artexpo New York 2012 with Artisan Direct, Ltd., a sales, marketing and e-commerce company representing the interest of artisans and galleries worldwide. If you’re going to be here on Pier 92 from on March 22-25, stop by the Artisan Direct booth and say hello to Roland, and take a moment to let his work put a smile on your face.

[SOLO] exhibitors: take note! Artexpo New York 2010 Exhibitor Karen Kohtz is a seasoned exhibitor with excellent advice to share. This is her second guest blog for Artexpo. www.karenkohtz.com

Artist, 2010 exhibitor & guest blogger Karen Kohtz

For [SOLO] artists, getting ready for Artexpo is like being an athlete and getting ready for a marathon. Athletes work out a preparation schedule long before they run the race. Every day, they set goals to build strength, endurance and mental balance to be emotionally ready for the big day. Preparing for Artexpo is no different. Here are some helpful hints to ensure you cross the finish line victorious!

1. BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR OBJECTIVE
What is your motivation for exhibiting? Are you trying to attract new galleries for representation? Are you trying to introduce your art to a larger global audience? For me personally, one of my objectives was to attract the attention of designers working with large corporate spaces, lobbies, restaurants and hotels. If your hope is to sell enough art at Artexpo to pay for your booth and expenses, I would encourage you to set your goals higher and dream bigger. Being clear about what you want is the first step in achieving it.

2. PREPARING YOUR BOOTH
This part should be easy because you are creative. Lay out your art and how you plan to display it ahead of time. Bring your best original works. I suggest not only business cards, but also a 3×5 or 5×7 card with an example of your work, a picture of you and your contact information. Prospective clients will be seeing a lot of art over the weekend, so anything you can do to help them remember you is a plus.

3. GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
Don’t go solo as a [SOLO] artist. The other artists around you will be a valuable resource and support over the course of the event. Get to know your comrades right away! In 2010, one row of artists coined a nickname for themselves: “Avenue 1400.” They bonded together as new friends and created an energy of excitement around their work.

4. BE PROACTIVE
Stand up; don’t sit passively in the corner of your booth. This will help you stay proactive and engaging with the opportunities before you. Remember, this is a marathon you are running. Think of the four days at Artexpo as the last four miles of your personal marathon. You never see a runner sitting down after they cross the 22-mile mark. They are looking only at the finish line.

5. BE MENTALLY PREPARED
After all your art is ready and you’re ready to bring your personal best to this exhibition, what’s next? Mental preparation! I believe it is your mental attitude that will determine your outcome. Be open, be flexible and, above all, be optimistic.

6. WHAT TO EXPECT
You have worked hard to get to Artexpo and your adrenaline will be running high with excitement and expectations from day one. Your fellow [SOLO] exhibitors are feeling the same thing, so you are not alone! As well as you should be prepared by now, no one can determine exactly how the event will unfold for each artist. Some of you will sell your work the first day. Others may consign work to new galleries with sales coming later on down the road. Be open to the unexpected.

7. MY EXPERIENCE
2010 was my first year as a [SOLO] exhibitor. A few days into the show, I had only sold two pieces. I must admit my confidence was compromised and I began to question if I had made the right decision in exhibiting at Artexpo. By the last day, things started to turn around. I connected with two new galleries—one in Boston, and one in Santa Fe. Being represented by a gallery in Santa Fe had always been a desire of mine, so this alone was a personal victory. By the end of the show, I had consigned the majority of my work to these new galleries.

8. AFTER THE SHOW
Several days after the show was over, I was contacted by an architectural firm in Manhattan looking to commission a piece of art for their lobby. They did not attend Artexpo, but rather found me through the Artexpo website (you get a lot of online exposure simply by having your name on ArtexpoNewYork.com’s Exhibitor List!). Over the last two years, this connection has brought me numerous clients long after the show was over. I have had the opportunity to work with art consultants and designers, and this was all made possible from exhibiting at Artexpo. In the end, it proved to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

So if you get off to a slow start as I did, don’t be discouraged. Every experience you have had in your life has brought you to this pinnacle point in your artistic career. It marks your effort, your hard work and above all your extraordinary talent.

I look forward to meeting you at this year’s show. Have a great exhibition!

—Karen Kohtz